COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. - The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and the High Performance Selection Committee have announced the initial selection of twenty (20) athletes to the High Performance Pool--part of the selection process for the 2026 Women’s USA Wheelchair Basketball National Team. These initial selections were made after the 2026 Women's World Championships Team Try-Out Camp hosted January 3-7 at Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, AL.

The High Performance Pool will be invited to the 2026 Women's World Championships Team Selection Camp to be hosted April 30-May 4 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Following Selection Camp, twelve (12) athletes will be selected for the 2026 Women's USA Wheelchair Basketball National Team, representing the U.S.A. at the 2026 IWBF World Championships, scheduled for September 4-19 in Ottawa, Canada.

Josie Aslakson (Jordan, Minnesota) has been named to the initial roster, returning to the U.S. Women’s National Team after helping Team USA earn a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. A two-time Paralympian, Aslakson was also part of the Team USA squad that captured bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She added a gold medal at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games and a bronze medal at the 2022 IWBF World Championships to her international résumé. Aslakson is currently the head coach at the University of Arizona. 

Abigail Bauleke (Savage, Minnesota) has been named to the initial roster after playing a key role in helping the U.S. Women’s National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A two-time Paralympian, Bauleke earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also claimed gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games, bronze the 2022 IWBF World Championships, and is a two-time gold medalist (2019, 2023) at the IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship. At the collegiate level, Bauleke competes for the University of Alabama, where she has helped lead the program to five consecutive NWBA Women’s Intercollegiate Division National Championships. 

Josie DeHart (Fruita, Colorado) has been named to the initial roster after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. She also played a key role in Team USA’s gold-medal performances at both the 2023 IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship and the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games. DeHart previously earned a silver medal at the 2022 IWBF Americas Cup and served as an alternate for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2018 and 2022 IWBF World Championships. At the club level, DeHart competes with the Dallas Wheelchair Mavs and helped lead the team to the 2024 NWBA Adult Division I National Championship. 

Kaitlyn Eaton (Houston, Texas) has been named to the U.S. Women’s National Team initial roster, returning to the national team after helping Team USA earn a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. A two-time Paralympian, Eaton was also a contributing member of the Team USA squad that captured bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She is additionally a two-time gold medalist at the Parapan American Games, winning titles in 2019 and 2023. 

Ixhelt Gonzalez (Chicago, Illinois) has been named to the initial roster after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A two-time Paralympian, Gonzalez earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also helped Team USA claim gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games and was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team that won gold at the 2023 IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship. Gonzalez added international podium finishes with a bronze medal at the 2022 IWBF World Championship and a silver medal at the 2022 IWBF Americas Cup in Brazil. At the collegiate level, Gonzalez competes for the University of Alabama, where she helped lead the program to a fifth consecutive NWBA Women’s Intercollegiate Division National Championship in 2025. 

Rose Hollermann (Elysian, Minnesota) has been named to the initial 20-player roster, returning to Team USA after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team earn a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. A four-time Paralympian, Hollermann has represented the United States at the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 Paralympic Games, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also helped Team USA capture gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games and bronze at the 2022 IWBF World Championships, where she was named to the IWBF All-Star Team. 

Ali Ibanez (Murray, Utah) has been named to the initial roster after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A two-time Paralympian, Ibanez earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She previously captured gold at the 2023 IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship and bronze at the 2022 IWBF World Championship. At the club level, Ibanez competes with the Utah Wheelin’ Jazz in the NWBA Adult Division I. 

Quinn Meyer (Austin, Texas) has been named to the initial roster after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A student-athlete at the University of Texas at Arlington, Meyer was also a contributing member of the U.S. Women’s Under-25 National Team that won gold at the 2025 IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship. 

Arelle Middleton (Rancho Cucamonga, California) has been named to the initial roster. Middleton currently competes for the Rancho Halos in the NWBA Junior Varsity Division and is committed to continuing her collegiate career at the University of Alabama beginning next fall. A multi-sport athlete, Middleton earned a silver medal in the shot put at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. 

Bailey Moody (Johns Creek, Georgia) has been named to the initial roster after playing a key role in helping Team USA capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A two-time Paralympian, Moody earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She was also part of the gold medal–winning squad at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games and helped the national team secure bronze at the 2022 IWBF World Championship. At the junior level, Moody contributed to the U.S. Junior National Team’s gold-medal performance at the IWBF Women’s Under-25 World Championship and earned gold at the 2019 Lima Parapan American Games. Collegiately, Moody competes for the University of Alabama, where she helped lead the program to its fifth consecutive NWBA Women’s Intercollegiate Division National Championship in 2025 and was named Championship Game MVP for her standout performance. 
 
Becca Murray (Germantown, Wisconsin) has been named to the initial roster, returning to Team USA after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team earn a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. A four-time Paralympian, Murray was a member of the gold medal–winning teams at the 2008 Beijing and 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. She is also a three-time gold medalist at the Parapan American Games (2007, 2011, 2023) and a two-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships, capturing gold in 2010 and bronze in 2022. 

Emily Oberst (Brookfield, Wisconsin) has been named to the initial roster after playing a key role in helping Team USA capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A Paralympian, Oberst earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. She also helped Team USA claim gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games and secured a bronze medal at the 2022 IWBF World Championship. At the club level, Oberst led the WASA Marquette Eagles to the 2025 NWBA Division I National Championship, becoming the first female athlete in Division I history to be named Tournament MVP. 

Courtney Ryan (Chula Vista, California) has been named to the initial 20-player roster, returning to Team USA after helping the U.S. Women’s National Team earn a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. A two-time Paralympian, Ryan was also a member of the bronze medal–winning U.S. Women’s team at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She helped Team USA capture gold at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games and added a bronze medal at the 2022 IWBF World Championships, where she was named to the IWBF All-Star Team. 

Zoe Voris (Chicago, Illinois) has been named to the initial roster after helping Team USA capture gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Voris also helped the U.S. Women’s National Team earn bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games and was a member of the silver medal–winning team at the 2017 IWBF Americas Cup, as well as the U.S. squad at the 2018 IWBF World Championship. At the collegiate level, Voris competes for the University of Texas at Arlington, where she earned First Team All-America honors in 2025. 

Lindsey Zurbrugg (Portland, Oregon) has been named to the initial roster following a standout performance at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup, where she helped lead Team USA to a gold medal finish and was named tournament MVP. A two-time Paralympian, Zurbrugg earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. She also helped Team USA capture gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games and earned a bronze medal at the 2022 IWBF World Championship. 

Emilee Gustafson (Big Lake, Minnesota), Hayley Nilsen (Edina, Minnesota), and Abby Dunn (Susanville, California) each earned a spot on the initial roster. Gustafson and Nilsen were both apart of the U.S. Women's National Team that won gold at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. In addition, all three were part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2023 IWBF Women’s U25 World Championship.

In addition, Skylar Scarnecchia (Warren, Ohio) and Adrina Castro (Tucson, Arizona) were both selected to the initial 20-player roster. Scarnecchia currently plays at the University of Alabama, winning a Women’s Intercollegiate Division National Championship in 2025. Castro plays for the Jr. Wildcats, Tucson Lobos and Arizona Storm, winning a NWBA Women's Division National Championship with the Storm in 2025.  

Joining Head Coach Jeremy 'Opie’ Lade on the sidelines will be:  
- Assistant Coach Ryan Hynes of Germantown, Wisconsin 
- Assistant Coach Tracy Chynoweth of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin   
- Team Leader Kelly Fischbach of Vermillion, South Dakota  
- Athletic Trainer Alex Curry of Denver, Colorado   

Assisting with team preparations as part of the extended staff are Service Providers: 
- Strength and Conditioning Katie McClosky of Houston, Texas      
- Nutritionist Sally Baumann of Greater Brisbane, Australia      
- Sport Psychologist Kaelene Curry of Denver, Colorado 

Follow the U.S. Women's National Team on NWBA social media channels. Instagram and Twitter: @NWBA, Facebook: @NWBA70