Georgia’s Ashley Houts was named on Monday to the 12-player National Team that will represent United States in next month’s World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia.

“We are excited with what we have and ready to work hard,” Houts said. “I was able to learn a lot two years ago and get some much-needed experience. Hopefully the seniors on the team and the older girls can help the younger ones, and we can just all work together. We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we know that. We are working hard everyday in practice, and we’ve got good attitudes. As long as we continue to do that, I think we’ll definitely be ready by the time the competition comes around.”

This represents Houts’ second appearance with USA Basketball. She was the only rising sophomore on the U.S. team that won the 2007 U21 World Championship in Moscow. Houts averaged 4.1 points per game for that unit, including 14 points in 16 minutes of action against Belgium in the quarterfinal round.

A 5-6, rising senior from Trenton, Ga., Houts was originally among 14 finalists named for the squad on May 17. Those players returned to Colorado Springs last Thursday to resume the trials before cuts were made Monday. The World University Games is organized by the International University Sports Federation and held every other year. Eligible athletes for the USA team must be enrolled in a college or university and have
remaining NCAA athletic eligibility.

The team will depart for Serbia on June 25 and compete there from July 1-11. The U.S. has been placed in Group A of the 16-team field and will play France on July 1, Great Britain on July 2 and Serbia on July 3. Second-round play will be from July 5-7, with the semifinals contested on July 9 and the championship slated for July 11.

- Georgia Sports Communications