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Twelve Athletes Named to 2007 U.S. Paralympics Women's Wheelchair Basketball National Team
By Susan Katz
// Lakeshore Foundation
// March 24, 2007
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Jennifer Ruddell, the leading scorer for the U.S. at the 2006 World Championships, will be part of the 2007 U.S. squad competing at the Parapan American Games.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Twelve athletes have been nominated to the 2007 U.S. Paralympics Women’s Wheelchair Basketball National Team. The team will compete at this summer’s Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The team was announced after a weekend tryout camp that was held at Lakeshore Foundation, an official U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, in Birmingham, Ala.
Six of the athletes nominated to this team were also members of the 2004 U.S. Paralympic Team that won a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. Those athletes are Patty Cisneros (Lake Station, Ind./Scottsdale, Ariz.), Carlee Hoffman (Cutlerville, Mich./Champaign, Ill.), Emily Hoskins (Mascoutah, Ill.), Jennifer Ruddell (Champaign, Ill.) and Stephanie Wheeler (Norlina, N. Car./Tuscaloosa, Ala.). Hoffman, Hoskins, Ruddell and Wheeler were also members of the U.S. team that won a silver medal at last summer’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships.
As well, Sarah Castle (Centennial, Col./Washington, D.C.), Mary Alison Milford (Magnolia, Ark./Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Alana Nichols (Farmington, New Mexico/Tuscaloosa, Ala.) return from the World Championship team. Joining the U.S. team for the first time are Loraine Gonzales (Winnsboro, Tex./Ft. Worth, Tex.), Desiree Miller (Monroe, Wash./Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Becca Murray (Germantown, Wisc.).
“We were really looking for versatility in our line-ups,” said head coach Ron Lykins (Stillwater, Minn.). “We needed athletes that fit into our system and fit the philosophy of how we want to play.”
The Parapan American Games will serve as the United States’ qualification tournament for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. The team must finish in the top three to earn a spot at next summer’s Games.
Name (Hometown/Current Residence)
Sarah Castle (Centennial, Colo./Champaign, Ill.)
Patty Cisneros (Lake Station, Ind./Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Loraine Gonzales (Winnsboro, Texas/Ft. Worth, Texas)
Carlee Hoffman (Cutlerville, Mich./Champaign, Ill.)
Emily Hoskins (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah, Ill.)
Jennifer Howitt (Orinda, Calif./Bristol, England)
Mary Alison Milford (Magnolia, Ark./Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Desiree Miller (Monroe, Wash./Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Becca Murray (Germantown, Wisc./Germantown, Wisc.)
Alana Nichols (Farmington, N.M./Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Jennifer Ruddell (Champaign, Ill./Champaign, Ill.)
Stephanie Wheeler (Norlina, N.C./Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
About Lakeshore Foundation, an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site
Lakeshore Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with physical disabilities through fitness, recreation, and athletics. These programs help children and adults with physical disabilities maintain healthy and active lifestyles, as well as develop stronger self-esteem and improve independent living skills. The United States Olympic Committee designated Lakeshore Foundation an official U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site in 2003. Along with the nation’s three Olympic Training Centers, Lakeshore Foundation plays a critical role in the success of U.S. athletes. For more information, visit www.lakeshore.org.
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