Angel McCoughtry named to U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team

To the surprise of no one, former Cardinal great Angel McCoughtry will be an Olympian for the second time this summer. McCoughtry was one of 12 players on Wednesday named to the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team, which will be shooting for its sixth consecutive gold medal.

Five-time defending Olympic gold medalists, the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team this morning was announced in front of a nationally televised audience on NBC's TODAY show during the United States Olympic Committee's 100 Day Countdown celebration, and features nine returning Olympic gold medalists. Headlined by three-time gold medalists and tri-captains Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) andDiana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), the team was selected by the USA Basketball Women's National Team Player Selection Committee and is pending approval by the USOC.

The 2016 U.S. Olympic Team also includes two-time Olympic gold medalists Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx) and Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx); and 2012 Olympic gold medalists Tina Charles (New York Liberty), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) and Lindsay Whalen(Minnesota Lynx). Competing in their first Olympic Games are Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury) and Breanna Stewart (University of Connecticut).

"This was an incredibly difficult decision for the selection committee, but a very positive challenge given the talented athletes in our pool," said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women's National Team Director and chair of the USA Basketball Women's National Team Player Selection Committee. "If you combine the returning 2012 Olympians with the 2014 world champions, you have 15 very qualified candidates. Add to that an emerging group of young athletes and the decision becomes that much harder to settle on a final 12-member roster. The good news is that we have developed a deep, talented pool of athletes at each position through our national team program.  We are grateful that the very best athletes in our country want to play and push each other to be better whenever our team gathers to train.

McCoughtry was a member of the 2012 team that won gold in 2012 in London. She also won gold at the FIBA World Championships in both 2010 and 2014.