South Carolina incoming freshman Joyce Edwards is among 12 athletes named to the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team.
The group will represent the U.S. in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup, which is scheduled for June 17-23 in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Edwards spent last week at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado where she was one of 26 athletes competing for a spot on the roster.
The 6-2 forward is making her second international appearance for USA Basketball after last year's appearance in the U19 World Cup where she was the youngest member of the U.S. team. She helped the team win the gold medal by averaging 12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over seven games and was named to the event’s All-Star Five.
The 2024 Gatorade National Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, Edwards capped off her high school career at Camden by leading the Bulldogs to back-to-back state championships. In her senior season, she averaged 31.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 4.0 assists and 3.3 blocks. The 6-foot-2 forward was ranked the No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2024. She is a McDonald’s All-American and was named the 2024 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year by that organization. She also earned a spot on the Naismith All-America First Team.
The 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup features eight teams. FIBA announced that the U.S. drew Group B and will tip off competition on June 17 vs. Brazil at 4:10 p.m. ET followed by tilts against Puerto Rico and Mexico on June 18 (4:10 p.m. ET) and 19 (1:40 p.m. ET), respectively.
The USA women own 11 of 13 U18 gold medals and 10 consecutive dating back to 2000. The top four teams will earn a berth to the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup.
2024 USA Basketball Women’s U19 National Team
Sienne Betts – F – Centennial, CO
Jasmine Davidson – F – Clackamas, OR
Joyce Edwards – F – Camden, SC
Madison Francis – F – Lancaster, NY
Kayleigh Heckel – G – Port Chester, NY
Zakiyah Johnson – G – Shelbyville, KY
Jordan Lee – G – Stockton, CA
Leah Macy – F – Elizabethtown, KY
Alivia McGill – G – Plymouth, MN
Arianna Roberson – C – San Antonio, TX
Kennedy Smith – F – Rialto, CA
Sarah Strong – F – Cary, NC
