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Roster Selected for 2019 U.S. U25 Women's Team

By NWBA, 01/16/19, 11:00PM CST

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Roster led by gold medalist Hollermann and Dunkin

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The National Wheelchair Basketball Association is proud to announce the final roster for the 2019 U.S. Women’s U25 World Championship Team. This selection was made at the conclusion of the three-day Toyota Team USA Women’s Selection Camp, at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The U.S. Women’s U25 World Championship Team will comprise of 12 athletes that will compete at the 2019 IWBF Women's U25 Wheelchair Basketball World Championships on May 22 to May 30, 2019, in Suphanburi, Thailand.

The 2019 U.S. Women’s U25 World Championship Team will be led into the competition by head coach Trooper Johnson of San Lorenzo, CA. “This is one of the best selection camps I have had the pleasure of being a part of,” said Coach Johnson. “I am excited and honored to have selected such a talented roster of athletes to represent the United States of America at the IWBF U25 Women’s World Championships.”

The headliner of the team is Rose Hollermann of Elysian, MN a member of the gold-medal winning team U.S. Women’s team from the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Hollermann is the sole member of the team with experience playing in this event having played in the 2011 IWBF U25 Women’s World Champions. Hollermann carries a wealth of international playing experience representing the U.S. most notably being a two-time Paralympian (2012 and 2016).

Hollermann is joined by fellow 2016 Rio Paralympic gold medalist Abigail Dunkin of New Braunfels, TX as a veteran presence for the roster. This is the fifth straight year Dunkin joins the ranks of a U.S. Women’s team participating in an international competition. Dunkin hopes to add to her trophy case and a podium finish in a new event for her in the IWBF U25 Women’s World Championships.

Alejandra Ibanez of Salt Lake City, UT; Riley Ljungdahl of Longmont, CO and Bailey Moody of Alpharetta, GA are looking to build on their development from the 2018 IWBF World Championships. Ibanez and Ljungdahl are silver medalists from the U.S. team that the 2017 America’s Cup Zonal Qualifier in Cali, Columbia.

Abigail Bauleke of Savage, MN;  Angelina “Nina” Welfle of Fort Wayne, IN and Elizabeth Becker of Weddington, NC join the squad as first-time members of a U.S. national team. Bauleke joins the team as one of the youngest members as a current member of the Minnesota Jr. Rolling Timberwolves of the NWBA’s Junior Division. Welfle and Becker are looking to gain their first international experience while wearing red, white and blue for the U.S.

The following group of 2017 and 2018 U.S. Women’s team members are hungry for their second podium finish at an international event: Emily Oberst of Brookfield, Wisconsin; Lindsey Zurbrugg of Portland, OR; Josie Aslakson of Jordan, MN; and Ixhelt Gonzalez of Chicago, IL.

The 2019 U.S. Women’s U25 World Championship Team will start their final preparations at a Toyota Team USA Training Camp scheduled for April 24-28 at the Olympic Training Center.

About U.S. U25 Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team
The U.S. Women’s U25 Wheelchair Basketball Team is an international development team that serves as our pipeline to the U.S. Women’s National Team. This program gives our elite youth athletes the opportunity to compete at the international level, obtain their official IWBF Classification and may be entered into the pipeline of athletes for future U.S. Women’s Teams. Team USA won gold at the inaugural IWBF Women’s U25 World Championship in 2011 held in St. Catharines, Canada. The U.S. did not participate in the event in 2015 in Beijing, China.