The University of Mississippi Athletics
McFarland Selected To USA Basketball Pan American Roster
9/27/2011 | Women's Basketball
Sept. 27, 2011
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss women's basketball sophomore point guard Valencia McFarland has been selected as one of 12 players to the USA Basketball Pan American roster, USA Basketball announced today.
McFarland is the first player in Ole Miss history to be selected to the Pan American games roster. The player selections were made by the USA Basketball Women's National Team Committee and the official 12-member USA roster includes one high school player and 11 collegiate athletes.
"I know it's going to be an experience of a lifetime and I'm very excited about it," McFarland said. "I'm going to work hard and go out and play my best."
As a freshman for Ole Miss last season, McFarland was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. She played in 28 games with 27 starts and was second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game. McFarland also ended the year second in free throw percentage in SEC games (79.6).
"We are extremely proud of Valencia's selection to the USA Basketball Pan American Games roster," Ole Miss head coach Renee Ladner said. "Valencia is a winner and will represent us all very well."
The USA, which will look to defend its 2007 Pan American Games gold medal, will be led by an experienced trio of accomplished coaches, including USA head coach Ceal Barry alongside assistant coaches former Rebel All-American Jennifer Gillom and Debbie Ryan.
The U.S. squad will open training camp on Oct. 15 with an evening practice in Houston, Texas (time and location TBD), followed by two practices on Oct. 16 and 17, and a morning session on Oct. 18. The team will depart for Guadalajara and the 2011 Pan American Games on Oct. 18, and will have a practice on Oct. 19 and 20 before the competition starts on Oct. 21.
The Pan American Games are a multi-sport competition held every four years (2011, 2015, etc.) in the year preceding the Olympics. Organized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), the Games are open to men and women representing countries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
NAME POS HGT SCHOOL HOMETOWN
Shante Evans F 6-0 Hofstra West Chester, PA
Christine Flores F 6-3 Missouri San Antonio, TX
Tavelyn James G 5-7 Eastern Michigan Detroit, MI
Emilie Johnson G 5-6 UC Santa Barbara Loomis, CA
Marissa Kastanek G 5-9 NC State Lincoln, NE
Kevi Luper G 5-10 Oral Roberts Adair, OK
Valencia McFarland G 5-4 Ole Miss Edwards, MS
Katelan Redmon G/F 6-1 Gonzaga Spokane, WA
Kayla Standish F 6-2 Gonzaga Ellensburg, WA
Breanna Stewart F/C 6-7 Cicero N. Syracuse H.S. North Syracuse, NY
April Sykes G/F 6-1 Rutgers Starkville, MS
Avery Warley C 6-3 Liberty Washington, DC
Head Coach: Ceal Barry, University of Colorado
Assistant Coach: Jennifer Gillom
Assistant Coach: Debbie Ryan
