University of North Carolina guard Nikki Teasley is one of 20 seniors invited to play in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-Star Challenge, to be held in San Antonio during the 2002 Women's Final Four weekend. In past years, the the WBCA All-Stars have been split into two teams to compete against each other, but this year the college seniors will take on the USA Basketball National Team.
The WBCA roster includes 17 Division I players, as well as the Division II, III and NAIA Players of the Year. Players whose teams reach the Final Four will not compete in the game, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 30, at 4 p.m. CT at the University of Texas at San Antonio Convocation Center. The NCAA women*s basketball semifinal games will be played on March 29, with the NCAA Championship scheduled for March 31.
Team USA will be coached by Van Chancellor (Houston Comets) and will feature Olympians Chamique Holdsclaw (Washington Mystics), Sheryl Swoopes (Houston Comets), Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks), Delisha Milton (Los Angeles Sparks), Dawn Staley (Charlotte Sting) and Natalie Williams (Utah Jazz).
Teasley, a point guard from Washington, D.C., is the only senior on this year's UNC roster. She is averaging 15.4 points and 5.2 assists for the No. 19 Tar Heels, 22-7 overall heading into this weekend*s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
2002 WBCA All-Star Challenge Roster
Sue Bird, Connecticut
Swin Cash, Connecticut
La'Neishea Caufield, Oklahoma
Danielle Crockrom, Baylor
Stacey Dales, Oklahoma
Linda Frohlich, UNLV
Shaunzinski Gortman, South Carolina
Zuzi Klimesova, Vanderbilt
Kelly Komara, Purdue
Sheila Lambert, Baylor
Brandi McCain, Florida
Michelle Snow, Tennessee
Nikki Teasley, North Carolina
Ayana Walker, Louisiana Tech
Angie Welle, Iowa State
Tamika Williams, Connecticut
Lindsey Yamasaki, Stanford
(NCAA Division II and III and NAIA Player of the Year will be added to the roster)