Mitchell to serve first stint with USA Basketball
May 12, 2008
Official USA Basketball Release in PDF Format 
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -Â Marquette University women's basketball coach Terri Mitchell has been named to the 2008 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team coaching staff announced today by USA Basketball officials. Mitchell along with George Washington head coach Joe McKeown, will serve under head coach Carol Owens from Northern Illinois.
The selection marks Mitchell's first stint with USA Basketball of her career. The coaching staff selections were made by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe of the NCAA, and approved by USA Basketball's Executive Committee.
"I know the caliber of coaches that coach for USA Basketball, so it's an incredible honor to have this opportunity and it means a lot of me," Mitchell said. "When you are around other great coaches and the nation's best players, regardless of age, you have be on top of your game and have that competitive edge. Everyone is different about what motivates them, and I know this experience will make me a better coach. I look forward to being able to work with these incredible athletes and help develop the best players in the country as we represent the United States on an international stage. I hope I can meet each player where they are at, and then inspire them to reach another level. I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity."
The trio will coach the nation's elite 18-and-unders (born on or after Jan. 1, 1990) at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women, which will be held July 23-27 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The top four finishing teams in the 2008 zone qualifier will earn berths to compete in the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, scheduled for July 23-Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
USA Basketball will conduct trials for its 2008 U18 National Team June 9-12 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., where approximately 35 U.S. hopefuls will compete for one of the team's 12 roster spots
Following trials, the Women's Collegiate Committee is expected to announce the 12-member roster plus alternates, who will train with the team during its July 10-18 training camp in Colorado Springs.
2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women
The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean from July 23-27 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The top four finishing teams qualify for the 2009 FIBA U19 Women's World Championship, which will be held July 23-Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
In the preliminary round, the eight participating teams will be divided into two groups of four teams each. After playing the three other teams in the preliminary round, the top two finishing teams from each group will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the third and fourth place finishing teams will meet in the consolation round semifinals. The gold medal, bronze medal, 5th/6th place and 7th/8th place games will be played on July 27.
Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament, the event had been held every four years since 1988. FIBA changed its calendar, however, and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.
USA women's teams boast of a remarkable 28-2 overall record in U18/Junior Qualifiers and have won gold in 1988, 2000, 2004 and 2006, while capturing silver in 1992 and 1996.Â