WNBA Chicago Sky

Team USA Women Honored as Co-Winners of Basketball USA 2012 Team of the Year

Published on January 10, 2013 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Chicago Sky News Release


Chicago, Jan 10, 2013 - On the heels of gold-medal performances at the 2012 Olympic Games, as well as undefeated exhibition records leading up to London, USA Basketball today named its 2012 U.S. Men's and Women's Olympic/National Teams as co-recipients of the 2012 USA Basketball Team of the Year award. While the USA men stood atop the podium for a second-consecutive Olympic Games, the USA women captured an unprecedented fifth-straight Olympic gold medal.

Sky stars Sylvia Fowles and Swin Cash represented Chicago on the U.S. Women's Olympic/National Team. The Olympic gold medal was the second for both Fowles and Cash, with Fowles previously having won the gold during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, while Cash was a member of the Gold medal winning team in 2004.

Fowles averaged 6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Cash averaged 3.3 points and 1.4 rebounds per game and is one of only eight players to win a World Championship gold medal, Olympic gold medal, NCAA title and WNBA title.

"Winning a gold medal during an Olympic year, as far as USA Basketball is concerned, is the culmination of four years of hard work," said USA women's head coach Geno Auriemma (University of Connecticut). "So, for our men's and women's teams to be the team of the year is a reflection on the work USA Basketball does with all our partners. Every day, there are people working to make sure those four years end with a gold medal. I want to pass along congratulations to Coach K and the men's team. They are just a bunch of super guys, and it was an honor and a thrill to be in London and watch them perform."

This year's announcement marks the 17th time USA Basketball has presented the Team of the Year Award, which first was earned in 1996 by the historic USA Women's National/Olympic Team.

2012 U.S. Olympic/Women's National Team

The 2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Team wrapped up an 8-0 record to capture a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics held July 28-Aug. 11 in London, England, and extended its Olympic winning streak to 41 games.

Led by Auriemma, the team included Sky stars Sylvia Fowles and Swin Cash. Joining the Sky duo were Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Asjha Jones (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx). Auriemma was joined by assistant coaches Doug Bruno (DePaul University), Jennifer Gillom (Washington Mystics) and Marynell Meadors.

The USA topped teams by an average of 34.4 points per game during the Olympics and listed No. 1 in 15 of 19 major statistical categories among the 12-team field, including points averaged (90.6), field goal percentage (.484), rebounding margin (+17.2), blocked shots (41), assists (185), steals (84) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.67).

The squad recorded 2012 Olympic single-game highs for points scored (114), field goals made (52), field goals attempted (90), field goal percentage (.627), rebounds (62), assists (33), steals (15) and blocked shots (11).

The team also set all-time U.S. Olympic single-game records for points (tied), rebounds, field goals made, field goals attempted (tied), assists and blocked shots; as well as all-time U.S. Olympic competition records for field goals attempted (597), rebounds (404) and blocked shots (41).

As part of USA Basketball's Hoops for Troops program, Auriemma and members of the USA Women's National Team conducted a clinic for approximately 50 children of military members on July 14 at the D.C. Armory.

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