LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz and junior guard Asia Durr will participate in the 2017 USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp, which takes place Saturday through Monday in Santa Barbara, California.
Walz and Durr were also a part of the 2017 U-23 National Team that went 3-0 at the U-24 Four Nations Tournament in Japan this summer. Walz served as head coach, while Durr led the team in scoring with 12.7 point-per-game.
Durr is just one of five collegiate All-Americans to be included among the training camp roster, which includes 25 WNBA players.
“It means a lot to be able to continue to be a part of USA Basketball,” said Durr. “Every time I’m involved I am honored because I get a chance to represent my country.”
This marks Durr’s fourth stint with USA Basketball. Prior to her experiences in Japan this summer, the Douglasville, Ga., native had already enjoyed two stints with USA Basketball that resulted in gold medals: the 2013 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship and the 2014 FIBA U-17 World Championship.
Walz will assist head coach Dawn Staley (South Carolina) as court coach during training camp.
This will be the fourth USA Basketball coaching assignment for Walz. Prior to being head coach of the U-23 National Team this summer, he was an assistant coach for the gold-medal winning 2014 USA U-18 National Team and the 2015 USA U-19 World Championship Team.
“It’s quite an honor,” said Walz, who in 2016-17 completed his 10th season (2007-08 to present) as the Louisville head coach, where he owns a 263-93 (.739) record. “In this profession, you sit there when you’re younger, and you watch the Olympic teams and the national teams compete. And then to be fortunate to have Angel (McCoughtry) be a part of it, you ask her: ‘What’s it like? What’s training camp like?’ And then all of a sudden to get asked to come out and be a court coach, it’s humbling, it’s exciting, it’s nerve-wracking all at the same time. You’re going out there to work with the best in the world. So, I’m very honored and excited.”
The camp will help identify and prepare athletes for future USA National Team events, including the 2018 USA World Cup Team, and will mark the USA’s first training camp under Staley’s tenure as head coach.
The USA will train at 10 a.m. (PDT) daily, with sessions at Westmont College on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. On Oct. 2, the USA National Team’s practice will be held at the University of California, Santa Barbara Recreation Center’s Robertson Gymnasium.
Connect with USA Basketball at USAB.com, or follow the team’s Twitter account at @USABasketball or on facebook.com/usabasketball.
For the latest on Louisville women’s basketball, visit GoCards.com, or follow the team’s Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
Daryl Foust
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