The two-time WNBA All-Star will travel with Team USA to Belgium to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
ATLANTA, Ga. (Feb. 4, 2024) – Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard is one of 12 players named to the 2024 USA Olympic Qualifying team, USA Basketball announced today.
Howard, who has represented Team USA at the 2021 FIBA Americup, 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup and 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship, will make her senior women’s national team debut at the qualifying tournament on February 8th-11th in Belgium.
Howard will be accompanied by Atlanta Dream Head Coach Tanisha Wright who will also travel to Belgium as a court coach for Team USA.
The following press release was shared by USA Basketball earlier today.
USA Basketball Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Team Announced
USA will compete Feb. 8-11 in Antwerp, Belgium
NEW YORK (Feb. 4, 2024) – Following a three-day training camp in Brooklyn, New York, USA Basketball announced today the 2024 USA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Team which will compete at the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament from Feb. 8-11 in Antwerp, Belgium.
The 2024 USA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Team includes Ariel Atkins, Aliyah Boston, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young.
Five-time Olympic champion Taurasi (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) is one of seven Olympians on the roster, including Atkins (2020), Collier (2020), Loyd (2020), Plum (2020, 3×3), Stewart (2016, 2020) and Young (2020, 3×3).
Additionally, Atkins, Copper, Ionescu, Loyd, Plum, Stewart and Thomas were members of the gold-medal-winning 2022 USA Women’s World Cup Team.
Boston and Howard, both of whom have previous USA Basketball experience, will make their USA Basketball senior debuts in Belgium.
The USA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament roster is attached.
2021-24 USA Basketball Women’s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) will lead the USA in training camp and at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. She will be assisted by Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) and Curt Miller (Los Angeles Sparks).
USA Basketball, in pursuit of its eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal, continues to evaluate the 2021-24 USA Women’s National Team player pool prior to naming a team for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Though the United States qualified for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games following the gold medal finish at the 2022 World Cup, the USA participates in the quadrennial qualifying tournament. The four-nation pool in Antwerp will feature matchups vs. Belgium on Feb. 8 at 2:45 p.m. ET, Nigeria on Feb. 9 at 12:15 p.m. ET and Senegal on Feb. 11 at 1:15 p.m. ET. USA Basketball games will stream free for Courtside 1891 subscribers.
Three additional four-team Olympic Qualifying Tournaments will take place concurrently in Brazil, China and Hungary. The United States, as reigning World champions, and France, as Olympic hosts, are qualified while the top three teams at each qualifying tournament, including the USA and France, will qualify for the Olympics. For more information, click here.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA DREAM
The Atlanta Dream is a professional women’s basketball team based in Atlanta, Ga. that strives to build a place where our team, our fans and our city come together to represent the community we seek to serve. We celebrate diversity, represent Atlanta, and empower women both on and off the court. The team currently plays home games at the Gateway Center Arena @ College Park and has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in nine of its first 16 seasons. To learn more about the Dream and purchase 2024 season tickets, please visit https://dream.wnba.com/tickets/ or call 877-977-7729.
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