Aug. 1, 2005
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame rising senior point guard Megan Duffy (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne HS) has been selected to the 2005 USA World University Games Team, USA Basketball announced Monday morning. Duffy was one of 12 players chosen from among a group of 16 finalists who participated in USA Basketball Training Camp from July 28-31 in Colorado Springs, Colo. She is the fourth Notre Dame women’s basketball player to be named to a USA Basketball team, and the first since Ruth Riley was a member of the 2004 U.S. Senior National Team that won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
The USA World University Games Team, which will be piloted by Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, was selected following extensive discussions by the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee. Team USA will remain in Colorado Springs for training camp through Thursday, Aug. 4, practicing twice a day. The team will depart on Friday, Aug. 5, for the World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, and will hold four days of practice (Aug. 6-9) before opening pool play at the 21-team event Aug. 10 against the Czech Republic.
“I am so completely thrilled to be a part of the U.S. World University Games Team,” Duffy said. “This is going to be a great experience, not only for me personally, but really and truly for all of us at Notre Dame. I know that everything I do with Team USA will be representing my teammates, my coaches and my school, and everything I learn during the next month will be especially important to the success of the Irish next season.”
(editor’s note: a complete schedule of Team USA’s games, along with an exclusive und.com interview with Megan Duffy follows this release)
Duffy will be the third Notre Dame player since 1997 to represent the Irish on the USA World University Games Team. In 1997, Beth Morgan averaged 4.6 ppg. in helping the Americans to a perfect 6-0 record and the gold medal. Two years later, Riley earned a silver medal with Team USA, registering 10.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game with a .622 field goal percentage as the U.S. posted a 4-2 mark. Including all international women’s basketball competition, Notre Dame players have collected seven medals — two gold, three silver and two bronze.
Duffy is one of two BIG EAST Conference representatives on the 2005 USA World University Games Team, joining Rutgers guard Cappie Pondexter on the roster. In addition, Duffy will be reunited with one of her teammates at Chaminade-Julienne High School, as Ohio State guard Brandie Hoskins also was tapped to wear the Red, White and Blue for Team USA.
“I can’t tell you how proud we are to know that Megan will be representing not only our program, but our University and our country in the World University Games,” Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw said. “Megan does so much for our program and she is one of the best point guards in the country. This selection is a credit to her leadership abilities and her work ethic. I know she’s excited about this opportunity and as great a leader as she is for us, I’m confident she will show those same qualities and more with Team USA.”
Duffy, an Associated Press honorable mention All-America and Kodak/WBCA All-Region 1 choice last season and a top candidate for the 2006 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (top senior player in the nation under 5-foot-8), will be arguably the top returning point guard in the BIG EAST next season after becoming only the second Irish floor general ever to receive All-America status. Also a first-team all-BIG EAST choice in 2004-05, Duffy ranked second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg.) and led the conference in both steals (2.73 spg.) and free throw percentage (.895), placing fourth in the country with a school-record mark in the latter category. In addition, she was second in the BIG EAST in assists (5.39 apg.), trailing only West Virginia’s Yolanda Paige (a 2005 second-round WNBA draft pick by the Indiana Fever), and seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.73), and earned a spot on the Preseason WNIT and BIG EAST Championship all-tournament teams. Her 90 steals were the fifth-most in school history (second among Irish juniors) and her 1,222 minutes played were second in school annals, just five minutes short of Morgan’s record of 1,227 in 1996-97. Duffy did set a new school standard by averaging 37.0 minutes per game, smashing Mary Gavin’s old mark of 35.1 in 1986-87.
The lone returning captain on the Notre Dame roster for 2005-06, Duffy was at her best during the ’05 postseason, averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game with a .579 field goal percentage and .611 three-point percentage in four games. She helped lead Notre Dame to a 27-6 record in 2004-05, tying its third-highest win total ever, as well as the 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history (10th in a row) and the program’s 12th consecutive 20-win season. The Irish advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Arizona State, 70-61. Still, Notre Dame was ranked 11th in the final Associated Press poll of the season and 15th in the year-end ESPN/USA Today coaches poll.
Besides Duffy, Pondexter and Hoskins, the remainder of the 2005 U.S. World University Games Team includes: Seimone Augustus (LSU), Monique Currie (Duke), Jessica Davenport (Ohio State), Candice Dupree (Temple), Sylvia Fowles (LSU), Erin Grant (Texas Tech), Liz Shimek (Michigan State), Brooke Smith (Stanford) and Lisa Willis (UCLA). Delaney-Smith will be joined on the Team USA coaching staff by LSU head coach Pokey Chatman and Boston College skipper Cathy Inglese, both of whom will be making their debuts as assistant coaches with USA Basketball.
“I have fallen in love with this team sooner than I thought I would,” Delaney-Smith said. “On and off the court, they are surprising me and amazing me. They’ve come together, they’re unselfish, they’re enthusiastic and motivated, and they’re disciplined. Everything a coach looks for in a team, this group of young women are showing this early in the process. I think we’re blessed with a lot of depth in all positions. Our challenge is to not rest on our level but take a step forward and be ready for whatever comes our way.”
The World University Games are a multi-sport competition held every two years and open to competitors ages 17 to 28 who are or have been a student at a university within the year prior to competition. The USA women have had tremendous success in the World University Games, earning 12 medals in 13 previous appearances (five golds, six silvers, one bronze), and compiling an overall 75-15 (.833) record.
— ND —
2005 Team USA World University Games Team Schedule (Izmir, Turkey)
Aug. 10 Czech Republic 12:45 p.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 11 South Africa 10:30 a.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 12 China 12:45 p.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 15 Poland 12:45 p.m. (Pool B play)
Aug. 16 Quarterfinals
Aug. 17 Semifinals
Aug. 19 Finals
All times local and subject to change (NOTE: Turkey is eight hours ahead of South Bend’s current EST/CDT time zone)
Interview with Megan Duffy
On Monday afternoon, following her selection to the 2005 U.S. World University Games Team, Notre Dame rising senior point guard Megan Duffy took time out to talk with und.com about her experience with Team USA thus far …
Question: How did you get the word that you had made the World University Games Team?
Megan Duffy: Each of us was called in to talk with (USA Basketball Assistant Executive Director for Women’s Programs) Carol Callan in her office. I was the first one to go and like everyone else, I was very anxious to find out the committee’s decision. Once I heard, I was so thrilled, because now I’m going to have the chance to enjoy a really unique experience, not only playing with some of the best players in the country, but also playing internationally.
Q: One of your teammates will be someone you’re quite familiar with in another former Chaminade-Julienne High School standout (and current Ohio State guard) Brandie Hoskins. What will it mean to you to play with her again?
Megan Duffy: We’ve known each other since we were nine years old back in Dayton, and it’s been a lot of fun to play with Brandie again during the past couple of months. In fact, it’s been a real honor to play with all of the tremendous players that have been here. Everyone has certainly proven that they are worthy of being here and I’ve enjoyed getting to know each and every one of my new teammates.
Q: Another one of your teammates is Rutgers guard Cappie Pondexter. How has it been to play alongside her after going head-to-head with her in the BIG EAST the past three years?
Megan Duffy: It’s funny because the first day we both showed up at the trials, she came up to me and said ‘you know we both gotta represent (the conference) and make this team.’ She and I are both such competitive people that it’s made this whole process of trying out together a really fun experience. I feel privileged to have gotten to know her and am excited about having her as a teammate.
Q: Team USA head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith gave you and your teammates a unique homework assignment after you were named finalists for the World University Games Team back in May. What did that involve?
Megan Duffy: Coach put each of us with a partner and we were given a topic related to Turkey, something about their currency, language, customs, etc., in order to help us familiarize ourselves with that country. Then we all went over to Carol Callan’s house the other night for dinner and we had to do our presentations. Seimone (Augustus) and I came up with 10 Turkish words to teach everyone and then we did a little cheer in Turkish for our team. It was fun and a great way to get to know everyone in a relaxed setting.
Q: What are some of the things you feel Team USA needs to improve upon prior to the World University Games next week?
Megan Duffy: We’re working on our team chemistry and getting the kinks out. It’s also going to be a matter of us learning the offense pretty quickly, although the coaches have been good about giving us the green light to do what we do best on the floor. I think once we all get a feel for how everyone play, we’ll be much better off. We have one goal on this team and that’s to bring home the gold medal and we’re going to give everything we have to make that goal a reality.