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LSU senior forward Theresa Plaisance’s quest for the gold is officially underway.
The Vandebilt Catholic High School graduate is currently in Kazan, Russia, representing the United States at the World University Games.
She is one of 12 Americans to make the team, which is comprised of the most elite college basketball players in the country.
She enjoyed her Independence Day in the foreign land, before taking the floor for the first time Monday in a USA blowout win against Mali.
“It’s pretty special knowing you are representing your country with U-S-A on your uniform at the same time that everyone in America is celebrating Independence Day,” Plaisance said in a statement released via LSU’s website. “We are really excited to start the games.”
This is not the first time Plaisance has worn the red, white and blue.
The 6-foot, 5-inch Lady Tigers post player was a member of Team USA’s 2010 Gold Medal winning team at the FIBA Americas U18 Championships.
In that tournament, Plaisance was one of the most steady posts on the team, averaging 7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game throughout Team USA’s five games – all wins.
“It’s such an honor to play the game you love for the country that you love,” Plaisance told the Tri-Parish Times following her last stint with Team USA. “I found myself a couple of times standing at the free throw line looking down and seeing USA across my jersey and getting goose bumps. It’s such an amazing feeling, and it’s a dream come true for any basketball player to be able to say that you’re playing a game to represent your country.”
Since her first run with Team USA, Plaisance has improved her craft and she is now one of the best women’s college basketball players on the planet.
The former Lady Terrier is one of a handful of players expected to be preseason picks to be the 2014 National Player of the Year.
Plaisance earned that distinction by averaging 17 points per game last season, while leading the Lady Tigers to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.
She also was named an Honorable Mention All-American and a First-Team All-SEC performer.
But for the time being, the local standout’s collegiate plans are on hold as she tries to bring home the gold with her American teammates.
Plaisance and her teammates enjoyed the opening ceremonies of the games over the weekend, getting a first-hand look at the Olympic torch as it was being lit.
From there, pleasure quickly shifted to business, as the Americans took care of business in the opening game of the preliminary round against Mali.
If the Americans continue to win, they would advance to the medal round where they would look to take home their fifth-straight World University Games gold.
If successful, Plaisance would join former LSU standouts Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles, who played for Team USA in 2005 – winning gold.
That’s a feeling Plaisance experienced once before in 2010.
She said it’s a feeling she would love to experience many more times in her playing career.
“When they give you your medal and play the national anthem, it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” she said following her first run with Team USA. “That was definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
LSU standout center Theresa Plaisance (fifth from left) poses with her fellow American athletes during the opening ceremonies of the World University Games. The former Vandebilt Catholic star said it is an honor to wear the red, white and blue.
