May 24, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Ruth Riley (Macy, Ind.), the 1999 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, was selected today to the 12-member 1999 USA Women’s World University Games Team after five days of trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 1999 World University Games will be held July 1-13 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28, who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.
The United States, defending World University Games gold medalists, will be coached by Penn State women’s basketball coach Rene Portland. Assisting Portland will be Bonnie Hendrickson, the head coach at Virginia Tech, and Britt King, the head coach at Fresno State. In World University Games competition since its inception in 1973, the USA women have earned a total of 10 medals in 12 appearances, including four golds, five silvers and one bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 64-12.
Joining Riley, a member of the 1998 USA Women’s Basketball Select Team were: LaQuanda Barksdale (North Carolina), Rasheeda Clark (Pepperdine), Camille Cooper (Purdue), Helen Darling (Penn State), Katie Douglas (Purdue), Janae Hubbard (UCLA), Brandi McCain (Florida), Coco Miller (Georgia), Kelly Miller (Georgia), Ayana Walker (Louisiana Tech) and Brooke Wyckoff (Florida State). Names as alternates were: Andrea Garner (Penn State), Jenn Mowe (Oregon), Jackie Stiles (Southwest Missouri State), Stacey Thomas (Michigan) and Shaquala Williams (Oregon).
Riley, Douglas and Wyckoff where all members of the ’98 USA Women’s Basketball Select Team which helped the USA team compile a 7-1 record against national teams from Puerto Rico, Poland and Spain. Riley was the second-leading scorer and top rebounder on that squad last summer as she averaged 10.3 points and 7.6 rebounds.
The USA team will train June 14-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and then will participate in a four-team tournament in Madrid, Spain, from June 25-27. The women’s World University Games basketball competition is slated to be played from July 5-11.
Riley is the second Notre Dame player to be named to a World University Games team. Beth Morgan, a 1997 graduate who finished her career as the school’s all-time leading scorer, helped the ’97 squad capture the gold medal at the World University Games in Italy.