Sparks’ Candace Parker part of 2009-2012 U.S. National Team

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Eight Olympic gold medalists, including Sparks forward Candace Parker, were named to the 2009-2012 U.S. National team that will compete in the 2010 World Championships and 2012 Olympics, assuming they qualify, Team USA announced today.

The other seven named include two-time gold medalists Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury) as well as Beijing medalists Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky), Kara Lawson (Sacramento Monarchs) and Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury).

In a statement, Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, who will coach the U.S. Olympic team in London, said ‘naming these eight players was not that difficult of a decision to make, I’m sure, because those eight were truly instrumental in winning the Olympics in Beijing.’

‘As long as they want to play and maintain their level of play, I can’t see them not being on the team,’ Auriemma said. ‘I’m excited about the fact that their experience and their knowledge of what it takes to win a gold medal is going to help me tremendously as we move forward.’

Team USA’s first training camp will be held in the fall at a time to be determined, when additional players and coaches will be invited to round out the 12-player roster. Auriemma acknowledged that may conflict with the WNBA schedule, as the regular season ends in mid-September and the playoffs end in mid-October.

‘I know not all of them are going to be there, I would presume, because a few of them will be playing in the championship series in the WNBA,’ Auriemma said. ‘I understand that, but just to be around them to let them get a feel for me, it will give me an opportunity to evaluate what they can do, what they do well. It’ll help me put them in a position to be successful. I’m really looking forward to that. And not just with the eight players that we’re talking about, but also the players who will be added to finish off the training camp roster. It’ll be an exciting time for me and I hope it’s an exciting time for all of them.’

-- Mark Medina