‘Bird’ will be flying to South Korea this summer.
Stanford sophomore forward Erica ‘Bird’ McCall was named to the USA Women’s World University Games basketball team Sunday, one of 12 players who earned a spot following trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
The Americans will play in the event, an international multi-sport event, beginning July 3 in Gwangju, South Korea and running through July 14.
McCall will be part of a large contingent of Cardinal student-athletes at the global event. Two weeks ago, Stanford officials announced that Stanford’s national championship women’s water polo team would represent the U.S. in South Korea.
McCall appeared in 36 games this past season, making 18 starts. She was second on the team in rebounding (5.4 per game) and seventh in scoring (5.6 per game). A Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention selection, McCall closed the year with three impressive performances in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds against Cal State Northridge, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
A veteran of USA Basketball and one of 16 USA Basketball gold medalists who attended the trials, McCall has helped win three gold medals for her country, beginning with the 2011 U16 FIBA Americas Championship.
The selected USA players and coaches for the 2015 USA World University Games Team will return to Colorado Springs for training camp on June 18-July 2, before departing for the tournament.
The USA women have drawn Group C and will play Italy on July 5, China on July 6 and Czech Republic at 8 p.m.
Since 1973, the first year the USA women competed in the World University Games, USA women’s teams have compiled a 101-15 all-time record. The USA has won gold medals in the past five WUGs in which it has competed (2001, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013).
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics