NCCU's Robinson to serve as court coach for Junior National Team Trials

June 17, 2004

        COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – North Carolina Central University head women's basketball coach Joli Robinson is among a trio of collegiate head coaches selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee to serve as court coaches at the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Trials held June 20-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Joli Robinson

        The Trials court coaching staff, including Will Flemons, representing NAIA’s Wayland Baptist University (Texas), Kim McQuarter of NJCAA’s Malcom X College (Ill.) and Robinson, who has established herself as the winningest Lady Eagle basketball coach in her eight years at NCCU, is responsible for conducting drills, coaching scrimmages and working with players who will be vying for spots on the 2004 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team.

        The 2004 Trials will feature approximately 30 of the nation’s top 18-year-old and younger players (born on or after Jan. 1, 1986) and will be used to select finalists for the 2004 USA Basketball Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying Team. Team finalists will regroup in Denver for training camp July 22-28, where the eventual 12-member team will be announced. Following three days of training in Florida at a site to be determined July 29-31, the 2004 USA Junior National Team will travel to Mauagquez, Puerto Rico, for the Aug. 4-8 FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament. The top three finishing teams will earn qualifying berths to the 2005 FIBA Junior World Championship, slated to be played in Tunisia in July.

        Eighteen of the Trials athletes have been announced, with the remaining being selected following the June 16-20 USA Women’s Youth Development Festival. Included on the Trials roster are: Matee Ajavon (Malcolm X Shabazz/Irvington, N.J.), Nicky Anosike (St. Peter's For Girls/Staten Island, N.Y.), Essence Carson (Paterson Eastside/Paterson, N.J.), Quianna Chaney (Southern U. Lab /Baton Rouge, La.), Sybil Dosty (Salpointe Catholic/Tucson, Ariz.), Laura Harper (Cheltenham/Elkins Park, Pa.), Charde' Houston (San Diego/San Diego, Calif.), Tyeisha Jackson (Westfield/Humble, Texas), Laura Kurz (Germantown Academy/Lower Gwynedd, Pa.), Crystal Langhorne (Willingboro/Willingboro, N.J.), Erlana Larkins (North Palm Beach/Riviera Beach, Fla.), Candace Parker (Naperville Central/Naperville, Ill.), Cissy Pierce (Heritage/ Littleton, Colo.), Lindsey Pluimer (San Clemente/San Clemente, Calif.), Erica White (Riabault /Jacksonville, Fla.), Khadijiah Whittington (Woodrow Wilson/Portsmouth, Va.), Candice Wiggins (LaJolla Country Day /Poway, Calif.), and Sharnee' Zoll (Highland Regional/Blackwood, N.J.).

        Following on the heels of the 2004 USA Youth Development Festival (June 16-20), the first Trials session will be held on Sunday, June 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (all times are MDT).  Two sessions will be held each day on Monday, June 21 and Tuesday, June 22.  The first session each day will be held from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and the second will take place from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

        The U.S. juniors boast a 19-2 record at this particular qualifying event, held every four years dating back to 1988, and have captured two gold and two silver medals.  In 2000, at the most recent Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament, a USA Basketball team piloted by University of Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma and featuring players like Alana Beard and Diana Taurasi collected the gold medal with a perfect 5-0 record.