COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Arizona center Shawntinice Polk has accepted an invitation to the 2005 USA Basketball Women’s National Team Trials. Invitations to the trials, which will be held May 19-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., were issued by the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee.

Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard has been named head coach of the 2005 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team, and Pokey Chatman from Louisiana State University and Cathy Inglese of Boston College have been named as assistant coaches.

Polk was a member of the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women Team that finished 7-1 and captured the world title. She averaged 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

The World University Games, held every two years and organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), is a multi-sport competition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28 (born between Jan. 1, 1977 and Dec. 31, 1987), who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university. The 2005 World University Games will be held Aug. 11-21 in Imzir, Turkey.

A total of 21 teams will compete in the 2005 Women’s World University Games. The teams have been divided into four preliminary pools, three pools consisting of five teams and one pool consisting of six teams. The U.S. is in Pool B with China, Czech Republic, Poland and South Africa.

The USA women have enjoyed outstanding success in the World University Games and have earned 12 medals in 13 appearances, including five golds, six silvers and one bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 75-15 (.833) since beginning World University Games play in 1973. USA Basketball last sent a squad to the 2001 World University Games, where the U.S. ran off to a 7-1 record and clinched the gold medal in Beijing, China. USA Basketball did not send a team to the last World University Games in 2003.

The trials schedule, University Games schedule and roster of players invited to try out for the World University Games team are all listed below.

2005 USA Women’s National Team Trials

May 19        9-11 a.m.

                    5:30-7:30 p.m.

May 20        5:30-7:30 p.m.

May 21        8:30-10:30 a.m.

                    4:30-6:30 p.m.

May 22        8-10 a.m.

May 22        Announcement of finalists for teams

NOTE:  All trials sessions will take place at Sports Center II, U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo. All times listed are local.

2005 World University Games Team Schedule

July 28-Aug. 5         Training                                U.S. Olympic Training Center Colorado Springs, Colo.

Aug. 6-10                 Training                                Izmir, Turkey

Aug. 11-21               World University Games       Izmir, Turkey

2005 World University Games Team Trials Roster