Louisville head coach Jeff Walz has been tabbed as the head coach for the 2018 USA Basketball Women’s U18 team.
Delaware’s Natasha Adair and UCLA’s Cori Close will serve as his assistant coaches.
The trio will lead the team at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. The top four finishing teams earn a qualifying berth into next summer’s 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.
The dates have yet to be announced for this summer’s contest.
“I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to work with USA Basketball again,” said Walz. “I had an amazing experience last summer in Japan as the head coach of the U23 team, and I have spent time with USA Basketball the past three summers. Working with USA Basketball is something that I have always dreamed of doing, and I look forward to leading the U18 team this summer. USA Basketball possesses impeccable standards and a winning tradition, and it is an honor to once again be entrusted with such an important role.”
This is Coach Walz’s fourth stint with USA Basketball. Last summer, he led the 2017 USA Basketball Women’s U23 National Team to a 2-0 record and a tournament title at the Four Nations U24 Tournament in Tokyo, Japan. He also served as an assistant coach for the 2014 USA Basketball Women’s U18 and 2015 USA U19 national teams. Both teams earned gold medals.
NEWS: @CoachJeffWalz named head coach of 2018 @usabasketball Women’s U18 National Team. 🏀🇺🇸 #USABWU18
🔗 https://t.co/jt14GMgPH6 pic.twitter.com/DACSTjZt0j
— Louisville WBB (@UofLWBB) April 12, 2018
