Two Cardinals Invited to USA Basketball Trials
May 10, 2005 | Women's Basketball
May 10, 2005
Louisville, Ky. - The University of Louisville's Jazz Covington and signee Helen Johnson have accepted invitations to the 2005 USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials. The Trials are set to take place May 19-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Invitations to the Trials were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice-president for Division I women's basketball.
Following the four-day Trials the Collegiate Committee will announce finalists for the 12-member USA World University Games Team. Of the expected 60 Trial participants, 34 are only eligible, because of age, for selection to the USA World University Games Team. Covington and Johnson will compete for a spot on the World University Games Team.
"It's a huge step in the right direction for our program to have two players invited to the Trials," said head coach Tom Collen.
Covington finished her sophomore season leading the team with 17.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. She was named to the All-Conference USA first team. She was named a Kodak/WBCA Honorable Mention All-American this season. She became just the second sophomore in school history to score 1,000 career points, finishing with 1,033 points.
"I am happy for Jazz to be recognized once again as one of the top players in the country," said Collen. "It will be a great experience for her to compete against so many players from Top 25 programs."
Johnson signed with Louisville after playing two seasons for the prestigious Gulf Coast Community College. She averaged 18.9 points, six rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game this season and was named a Kodak/WBCA Junior College All-American. Johnson was also named the Panhandle Conference Player of the Year and the Region VIII Player of the Year. She finished her sophomore season with 1,010 career points, ranking her sixth all-time at Gulf Coast Community College.
"We are equally excited for Helen to have the opportunity to compete against the may elite Division I players at the Trials," Collen said. "It will give her the chance to measure herself against the type of competition she will face during the next two years."
