In the next week, MSU could respectively place one woman and one man on the USA World University Games Team and the USA Basketball Men's under-21 Team.
From today through Friday, MSU junior guard Shannon Brown will be trying out for the men's under-21 team in Dallas. Brown will compete against 21 other college players to snag a spot on the 12-man roster.
MSU senior Liz Shimek will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to start training camp for the women's USA World Games Team on July 28. Back in May, more than 30 women's college basketball players competed to be on the team, and 16 were chosen to come back next week. Of the final 16 players, only 12 will be selected to go abroad and play on the team.
Whether or not she is selected, Shimek said it has been a good experience in more ways than one.
"It's a huge honor just to be down there trying out for the team," she said. "It's a great honor to play with the nation's best players, competing against them and learning more about them, not as just basketball players but as people."
MSU women's head coach Joanne P. McCallie said she has seen all the hard work Shimek has put in over the last three to four years.
"Liz is one of the most remarkable people I know," McCallie said. "Her success this summer is a direct reflection of the hard work and energy she's put into herself, her game and everything that she does."
McCallie added that Shimek has stepped up her game to another level, and if selected, she will be a good representative for the U.S. and MSU. Shimek feels part of her chance with the USA team is a credit to the successful program McCallie is building.
"Our team did really well this past year and the year before that, and coach McCallie has just been building a great program here," Shimek said. "As we become successful, individuals get opportunities.
"Coach McCallie always talks about our culture here at MSU and building on it. It's just amazing that we get to go learn about other people's cultures across the world."
If selected, Shimek and the other players will travel to Izmir, Turkey, on Aug. 5. The World University Games run from Aug. 10-19 and will include 21 teams from around the world.
As for Brown, if he is selected to the Men's under-21 team, he will travel to Mar del Plata, Argentina, and compete from Aug. 5-14 at the FIBA under-21 World Championships.
