Pair of Buckeyes Named Finalists on USA Basketball Women's Teams

Packer up for U21 selection, Lavender seeks bid on U19 squad

May 20, 2007

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A veteran and a newcomer on the Ohio State women's basketball team each were selected as finalists for USA Basketball women's teams Sunday. Marscilla Packer, who will enter her senior season in 2007-08, was named a finalist for Team USA's U21 (under-21) team. Jantel Lavender, an incoming freshman, is a finalist for a spot on the U19 U.S. squad.

Both players participated in trials May 17-20 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Packer has a chance to be one of 12 members of the U21 team that will look to defend its world title at the 2007 FIBA World Championship June 29-Aug. 8 in Moscow.

Lavender is one of 16 finalists for the U19 team that will be held July 26-Aug. 5 in Bratislava, Slovakia. The U19 finalist will reconvene in Washington, D.C., July 12th to train prior to departing for Europe July 17.

A native of Pickerington, Ohio, Packer is one of seven returning players from last summer's USA Basketball U20 National Team that qualified the USA for the 2007 U21 World Championships. She was the leading 3-point shooter on the U20 team. Packer finished the 2006-07 season with averages of 10.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds a contest.

Lavender, from Cleveland Central Catholic High School, helped the Americans post a 4-0 record and claim the gold medal at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. She posted 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots a game in her senior season, leading CCC to the Ohio Division III state title.

2007 USA Women's U21 World Championship Team Finalists Roster

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	YOG	SCHOOOL	HOMETOWN
Charel Allen	G	5-11	134	07/23/86	2008	Notre Dame	Monessen, PA
Jolene Anderson	G	5-8	165	07/22/86	2008	Wisconsin	Port Wing, WI
DeWanna Bonner	G	6-4	136	08/21/87	2009	Auburn	Fairfield, AL
Essence Carson	G	6-0	155	07/28/86	2008	Rutgers	Paterson, NJ
Laura Harper	F/C	6-4	180	04/11/86	2008	Maryland	Elkins Park, PA
Ashley Houts	G	5-6	144	12/31/87	2010	Georgia	Trenton, GA
Amy Jaeschke	C	6-5	220	04/26/89	2007	*Northwestern	Wilmette, IL
Crystal Langhorne	C/F	6-2	194	10/27/86	2008	Maryland	Willingboro, NJ
Marscilla Packer	G	5-9	165	06/01/86	2008	Ohio State	Pickerington, OH
Courtney Paris	C	6-3	250	09/21/87	2009	Oklahoma	Piedmont, CA
Kia Vaughn	C	6-4	198	01/24/87	2009	Rutgers	Bronx, NY
Abby Waner	G	5-11	155	10/31/86	2009	Duke	Highlands Ranch, CO
Candice Wiggins	G	5-11	150	02/14/87	2008	Stanford	San Diego, CA
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton	F	6-2	190	05/26/86	2008	Purdue	Naperville, IL

2007 USA Basketball Women's U19 World Championship Team Finalists

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOL	HOMETOWN
Jayne Appel	C	6-4	210	05/14/88	Stanford University	Pleasant Hill, CA
Vicky Baugh	F	6-4	190	05/21/89	Sacramento H.S./*Tennessee	Sacramento, CA
Angie Bjorklund	G	6-0	170	07/14/89	University H.S./*Tennessee	Spokane, WA
Allyssa DeHaan	C	6-9	180	06/21/88	Michigan State University	Grandville, MI
Elena Delle Donne	G	6-5	185	09/05/89	Ursuline Academy	Wilmington, DE
Amy Jaeschke	C	6-5	220	04/26/89	New Trier H.S./*Northwestern	Wilmette, IL
Jantel Lavender	C	6-4	210	11/11/88	Cleveland Central Catholic H.S./*Ohio State	Cleveland, OH
Melissa Lechlitner	G	5-7	135	01/24/88	University of Notre Dame	Mishawaka, IN
Demauria Liles	F	6-1	165	01/13/88	Gulf Coast Community College	Suitland, MD
Italee Lucas	G	5-9	152	01/12/89	Centennial H.S./*North Carolina	Las Vegas, NV
Maya Moore	F	6-0	162	06/11/89	Collins Hill H.S./*Connecticut	Lawrenceville, GA
Kayla Pedersen	F	6-4	195	04/14/89	Red Mountain H.S./*Stanford	Fountain Hills, AZ
Khadijah Rushdan	G	5-9	165	12/05/88	St. Elizabeth H.S./*Rutgers	Wilmington, DE
Jasmine Thomas	G	5-9	135	09/30/89	Oakton H.S./*Duke	Fairfax, VA
Krystal Thomas	F	6-5	187	06/10/89	The First Academy/*Duke	Orlando, FL
Monica Wright	F	5-11	165	07/15/88	University of Virginia	Woodbridge, VA

* Signed a national letter of intent to attend the school indicated.