US team for wheelchair basketball Worlds announced

The National Wheelchair Basketball Association has announced the strong US women’s team that will try and regain the title at the 2018 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, between 17 and 26 August.

USA have returned home with a medal from every World Championships since its inception in 1999, except for the last edition in 2014 when they lost to the Netherlands in the bronze medal match.

So far they have won two golds and four silvers, all after losing to Canada, who are the reigning champions.

“We have an incredibly young group with a lot of potential and energy,” said Head Coach Trooper Johnson. “It’s great to see this group of young women start the process of pushing this sport forward so early and it will be exciting to see how they perform in the World Championships.”

Rose Hollermann and Abigail Dunkin will be the two players returning from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold-medal team. Although they are only 22-years-old, they will serve as veterans. Overall this is one of the youngest women’s rosters, with an average age of 18.5 years old.

USA will square off with Algeria, Argentina, China, France, and Germany in Pool B. In Pool A, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Spain, and the Netherlands will face-off.

Full team: Josie Aslakson; Abigail Dunkin; Kaitlyn Eaton; Ixhelt Gonzalez; Shelby Gruss; Rose Hollermann; Ali Ibanez; Riley Ljungdahl; Bailey Moody; Emily Oberst; Morgan Wood; Lindsey Zurbrugg

Alternates: Josie DeHart; Sarah Heinzl; Jordan Kozloski; Shantelle Winslow

More information is available on the National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s website.