U.S. Women’s Basketball Team Has Pac-10 Look

Three former Pacific 10 players, including USC’s Lisa Leslie, were named Thursday to USA Basketball’s first women’s national team, an 11-player unit called the core of the 1996 Summer Olympic team.

Joining the 6-foot-5 Leslie on the team were Jennifer Azzi and Katy Steding, both from Stanford’s 1990 national championship team.

Coach Tara VanDerveer, who took a one-year leave of absence from Stanford to coach the team, unveiled the roster in Colorado Springs, Colo., after an eight-day, 27-player tryout camp.

Others named were Ruthie Bolton (Auburn, 1990), Teresa Edwards (Georgia, 1986), Rebecca Lobo (Connecticut, 1995), Katrina McClain (Georgia, 1987), Nikki McCray (Tennessee, 1995), Carla McGhee (Tennessee, 1990), Dawn Staley (Virginia, 1992) and Sheryl Swoopes (Texas Tech, 1993).

USA Basketball said the team will remain together until the Atlanta Olympics, playing international teams and major college powers next season. The team leaves Saturday for a 30-day, 12-game tour of Europe.

That is a major departure from the past, when USA Basketball selected its women’s teams a few weeks before the Games. The governing body made the change after a disappointing third-place finish by the women in 1992 at Barcelona.

“It’s very exciting for all of us, to have the opportunity to play together for a year, to get to know each other and develop a team chemistry,” VanDerveer said.

The team has no active college players because the players would be required to leave school for a year.

At least one more player, possibly a collegian, will be named to the 12-woman team before next summer.

Nine of the 11 named Thursday have played overseas pro basketball and two have played in the Olympics.

For the 30-year-old Edwards, of Atlanta, it could be her fourth Olympics.

She was asked if the nickname “Dream Team” should be applied.

“We’ll jell over a long period of time, become a great family, and whatever slogans follow us, that’s fine,” she said.

Failing to make the final cut were Val Whiting (Stanford), Shanda Berry (Iowa), Edna Campbell (Texas), Linda Godby (Auburn) and Tari Phillips (Central Florida).

VanDerveer’s team has the last five national collegiate players of the year: Lobo (1995), Leslie (1994), Swoopes (1993), Staley (1992, ‘91) and Azzi (1990).