The University of Mississippi Athletics
Gillom Named Assistant Coach For 2010 USA Basketball Team
9/17/2009 | Women's Basketball
Bruno and Gillom will assist USA Basketball Women's National Team and University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma during the USA's training camps leading up to and during the 2010 FIBA World Championship, scheduled to be played Sept. 23 - Oct. 3 in the Czech Republic.
The USA's first 2009 training camp will be held Sept. 30 - Oct. 5 at American University in Washington, D.C., followed by a tournament in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Oct. 9-11, and a training camp in the spring (dates and sites TBD). The team will gather in the fall of 2010 for the final training ahead of the '10 Worlds.
"Obviously picking a team is crucial to the success of the national team," said Auriemma. "But having the right coaching staff is really key, because we want people who know how to teach the game and have great rapport with the players.
"Doug, from all the years that he's coached, the opportunities he's had with USA Basketball and his tremendous love and dedication to the game of women's basketball, I thought he was a great pick. And Jennifer, having played at the highest level and having been thrown into a situation in Minnesota, I thought she did an incredible job all summer, especially after losing Seimone Augustus.
"I'm thrilled to death. I'm happy for the two of them, happy for me, personally, to get two great people on our staff. I'm excited for our players because I think they're going to have a great experience."
"It's always an honor to be asked to represent your country in international competition," said Bruno, who coached USA Basketball teams to gold medals in 2006 and 2007. "The honor is beyond words. I can't even explain it. There were a range of emotions that ran through me when I first was told that this was going to happen.
"I feel very, very thankful to USA Basketball that they would think enough of our abilities to be able to be a part of this team. I'm thankful to Geno. I'm very honored and excited to be working with a championship coach, a Hall of Fame coach of Geno's caliber. I've known the Gillom family for many years through one of my former players and I know the quality of person that Jennifer is.
"It's also an honor to coach this level of player. These are the best women's basketball players in the world. It's our job to prove they're the best in the world, but we know they're the best in the world. It's really an honor to serve this great coaching staff and these great players."
"I was shocked, dazed, you name it, when I was asked to coach," said 1988 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Gillom, who also captured gold medals on a pair of USA World Championship teams. "With all the things that have happened to me in the past year, being inducted into the (Women's Basketball) Hall of Fame, then being the new Lynx head coach, this really tops the charts.
"To be recognized for the work that you've done, that you've put in as a player and a coach, then coming back to USA Basketball and representing your country again is an honor. I thought it was an honor as a player, but coming back as a coach is definitely one of the highlights of my career."
