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May 28, 2013
For the second time in her career, former Vandebilt All-American and current LSU standout Theresa Plaisance will have the opportunity to represent her country on the basketball hardwood.
USA Basketball announced this week that Plaisance was selected to be a member of Team USA for its upcoming World University Games in Russia.
Plaisance is one of 12 players who will be a part of the team. Her teammates will be select collegiate basketball players from around the country.
She was chosen following a three-day tryout at USA Basketball’s headquarters in Colorado Springs.
“Being able to play for your country is such a great opportunity, and doing it with such high competition is even better,” Plaisance said. “We had a lot of great girls coming out to try out for this team, and I’m one of the lucky 12 that made it. I feel really blessed and fortunate to be a part of it.”
Plaisance’s summer stint with Team USA will mark her second stint playing for the red, white and blue.
In 2010, Plaisance was part of Team USA’s gold medal team at the FIBA Americas 18 Championships.
In that tournament, Plaisance was one of the team’s top post players, recording key baskets and blocked shots for the Americans, who were never significantly challenged in the event.
This time around, the competition is expected to be far stiffer.
Plaisance is the fifth LSU player in school history to represent the Lady Tigers in the World University Games.
She joins Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Cornelia Gayden and Joyce Walker as the only LSU players to do so.
The former Lady Terrier earned her spot on the squad after establishing herself as one of the best college basketball players in the country as a junior, averaging 17.0 points per game.
She was also a First-Team All-SEC selection and an Honorable Mention All-American.
“I think it is a little bit more exciting this year (compared to her first Team USA stint) because the competition is so much higher,” Plaisance said. “These are the best players in women’s college basketball and to be fortunate enough to be on a team with them is just unbelievable. … This is such an elite group of people that I’m blessed enough to be a part of that.”
By committing to Team USA, Plaisance will be committing to a busy summer.
She will join Team USA on June 25 for a week of training at the team’s facility. The 2013 World University Games get under way on July 8 in Kazan, Russia.
The Americans will play Belarus in opening round play.
Plaisance said this will be her first trip overseas.
She added that she is going to spend the next month in intense training so that her body is best equipped to help the Americans take home the gold.
“I have to get ready for training camp,” Plaisance said. “I’ve got to get ready, and you just have to prepare yourself. You can’t let this opportunity go to waste, so I’m going to do everything to get my body right and ready for this.”
