Aug. 8, 2011

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Watch an exclusive interview with Kizer and Team USA head coach Bill Fennelly here!

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Maryland women's basketball senior Lynetta Kizer (Woodbridge, Va./Potomac High School) and Team USA depart for China this week to play in the 2011 World University Games. Check out an exclusive interview with Kizer and Team USA head coach Bill Fennelly here.

Kizer and the 12 other members of the team spent the last few days practicing at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Americans will practice Aug. 10-13 in China before opening its slate with a game vs. Brazil Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. local time (10 p.m. Aug. 13 ET).

The World University Games, Aug. 14-21 in Shenzhen, China, features talented international veterans and some of the nation's top collegians. After it's game against Brazil, the USA will face Slovakia on Aug. 15 and caps preliminary round action against Great Britain on Aug. 16. Quarterfinals are slated for Aug. 18, medal semifinals will be played Aug. 19 and the finals will be held Aug. 21.

The World University Games are a multi-sport competition organized every other year by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The USA women's basketball team will be comprised of U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility.

USA Basketball women's teams have participated in 15 prior World University Games and collected a record seven gold medals, six silvers and one bronze medal. Since 1973, the first year the USA women competed in the WUGs, the United States has compiled an 89-15 overall record. In 2009, led by 2010 FIBA World Champion Tina Charles, the USA posted a 7-0 slate en route to the gold medal.

Kizer helped the USA earned its 2009 U19 World Championship berth with a gold medal finish at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which was played in Argentina. In the last Youth Development Festival organized by USA Basketball in 2007, Kizer helped lead the USA White Team to a 3-0 record and gold-medal finish.

2011 USA Women's World University Games Schedule

For more information on the World University Games and Team USA, log on http://www.usabasketball.com.