PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers junior Essence Carson (Paterson, N.J.) and sophomore Kia Vaughn (Bronx, N.Y.) will represent the United States as members of the USA Basketball U21 National Team when they compete at the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship for Women June 29-July 8 in Moscow, Russia.
The championship feature 12 teams that qualified in 2006 through zone championships. The draw was held Feb. 9 and the United States was placed in Group B along with Australia, Brazil, Hungary, Japan and Spain. Group A includes Belgium, Canada, China, Mali, France and Russia.
Carson and Vaughn are two of the 12-member squad, which was decided early Friday morning after three days of training in Colorado Springs, Colo. They depart with their teammates on Saturday for additional training in Antibes, France prior to the championship in Russia.
The ten other members are: Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin); DeWanna Bonner (Auburn) Laura Harper (Maryland) Ashley Houts (Georgia); Crystal Langhorne (Maryland); Marscilla Packer (Ohio State ); Courtney Paris (Oklahoma); Abby Waner (Duke); Candice Wiggins (Stanford.); and Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (Purdue).
This will mark the fourth straight summer that Carson has competed internationally with Team USA and the second international summer spent abroad for Vaughn. It marks the eighth straight summer that a current or future Scarlet Knight has played internationally for the Red, White and Blue.
Carsonhelped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2006 U20 World Championship in Mexico City. The 6-0 guard, a starter in three of the first four games before being sidelined with injury, averaged 10.5 points, a team-best 2.0 steals, and 3.0 rebound per game. Carson enjoyed her best outing versus Mexico last summer, scoring 18 points.
Vaughn averaged 11.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last year in helping to lead Team USA to the gold medal and a 5-0 mark. She scored in double digits in three of the five games, including a 15-point showing against the Bahamas.
