CUNNINGHAM APPOINTED TO USA HOOPS COMMITTEE
5-18-05

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Commonwealth University women’s basketball head coach Beth Cunningham has been appointed to the USA Basketball Competition Committee, as recently announced by the organization.  Cunningham, a 1999 USA Pan American Games bronze medalist (pictured with team, front row, third from right), will serve on the Women’s Collegiate Committee as a player representative through 2008.

“It is both an honor and privilege to be a part of USA Women’s Basketball,” commented Cunningham.  “I had a tremendous experience competing with the team in 1999 and now to have the opportunity to help select the new players to represent our country is very exciting.”

The USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee is responsible for the selection of players and coaches who compete in collegiate-aged international competitions including FIBA's U19 and U21 World Championships, FIBA Americas' U19 and U21 qualifying tournaments, Pan American Games, World University Games, and other assigned events.

The 2005-2008 Collegiate Committee is chaired by Sue Donohoe, the NCAA's Vice President for Division I Women's Basketball. Appointed to the committee by the NCAA were Sherri Coale, head women's coach at the University of Oklahoma; Jim Foster, head women's coach at Ohio State University; Trina Patterson, head women's coach at the University of Albany (N.Y.); and Stanford University (Calif.) head women's coach Tara VanDerveer, who served as head coach of the historic 1995-96 USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team and the 1996 USA Olympic gold medalist team. Named to the committee by the NAIA was Julie Van Beek, head women's coach at Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, Tenn.), appointed by the NJCAA was Mary "Roonie" Scovel, head women's coach at Gulf Coast Community College (Panama City, Fla.), and the WBCA named Wendy Larry, head women's coach at Old Dominion University (Va.).  In addition to Cunningham, Carla McGhee, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, will serve as an athlete representative for the Women’s Collegiate Committee.