21 Star Athletes Selected for USA Basketball Women’s U-18 Trials

More than 20 high school girls basketball standouts are set to participate in this year’s USA Basketball Women’s U-18 National Team Trials.

The trials begin on Saturday, May 30, and will be held in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A 12-member team will be chosen at the end of the trials. The team will compete at the 2026 FIBA U-18 Women’s AmeriCup on June 9-15 in Irapuato, Mexico.

Trials participants will represent the high school graduating classes of 2026 through 2028. Selections were made by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee.

U-18 Team Trials Participants

Class of 2026

Kelsi Andrews – HS: IMG Academy; College: South Carolina; Hometown: Hazel Green, AL

Cydnee Bryant – HS: Centennial; College: Kansas; Hometown: Corona, CA

Oliviyah Edwards – HS: Lincoln; College: South Carolina; Hometown: Tacoma, WA

Bella Flemings – HS: William J. Brennan; College: Duke; Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Jayla “Jordyn” Jackson – HS: St. James Performance Academy; College: Maryland; Hometown: Arlington, VA

Julia Scott – HS: Albertus Magnus; College: Clemson; Hometown: Nanuet, NY

Morgan Stewart – HS: St. John’s College; College: Florida State; Hometown: Columbia, MD

Class of 2027

Haylen Ayers – HS: University School of Jackson; Hometown: Jackson, TN

Jezelle “GG” Banks – HS: Ursuline Academy; Hometown: Wilmington, DE

Ryan Carter – HS: Friends Central; Hometown: Lower Gwynedd, PA

Jayla Forbes – HS: Thompson; Hometown: Alabaster, AL

Miciah “Mimi” Fusilier – HS: Camden Fairview; Hometown: Camden, AR

Jada Jackson – HS: Frenship; Hometown: Lubbock, TX

Tatiana Mason – HS: Charles F. Brush; Hometown: Lyndhurst, OH

De’Andra Minor – HS: Grind Prep Academy; Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

Jordyn Palmer – HS: Westtown School; Hometown: Oxford, PA

Qandace Samuels – HS: Bishop McNamara; Hometown: District Heights, MD

Sydney Savoury – HS: Belleville; Hometown: Canton, MI

Zya Small – HS: Friends Central; Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

Kaleena Smith – HS: Ontario Christian; Hometown: Perris, CA

Class of 2028

Sydney Douglas – HS: Centennial; Hometown: Upland, CA

Sydney Ferguson – HS: St. Vincent/St. Mary; Hometown: Akron, OH

Team Trials Coaches

This year’s U-18 National Team will be led by Niele Ivey of Notre Dame. Ivey’s coaching staff includes Robyn Fralick of Michigan State and Charmin Smith of California, Berkeley. Court coaches at the team trials will include Megan Griffith of Columbia and Scott Rueck of Oregon State.

Team USA will face Group B foes Argentina (June 9), Mexico (June 10) and Paraguay (June 12) at the AmeriCup. The Americans will look to capture their 12th straight gold medal and 13th overall since the tournament began in 1988.

After group play, a single-elimination tournament begins with the quarterfinal round (June 13), followed by the semifinal round (June 14) and medal contests (June 15).

U-18 Women’s National Team Trials Participant Highlights (via USA Basketball)

Andrews (2024 FIBA U-17 World Cup, 2023 FIBA U-16 AmeriCup), Douglas (2025 FIBA U-19 World Cup), Jordyn Jackson (2023 FIBA U-16 AmeriCup) and Palmer (2024 FIBA U-17 World Cup) have all won medals on the international stage. Jordyn Jackson also represented the Americans in a 104-77 win over the World Select Team at the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit in April.
Bryant, Ferguson, Jada Jackson, Scott, Small and Stewart will be making their USA Basketball debuts.
Andrews (2023, 2024), Ayers (2024-2026), Banks (2024), Carter (2024-2026), Douglas (2024-2026), Edwards (2023-2025), Flemings (2025), Fusilier (2024), Jordyn Jackson (2023-2025), Mason (2026), Minor (2025), Palmer (2024), Samuels (2024-2026), Savoury (2026) and Smith (2024-2026) have all participated at a prior USA Basketball Junior Women's National Team minicamp.
Andrews, Douglas, Flemings, Jordyn Jackson and Minor participated in the 2025 U-19 Trials last summer. Douglas made the team and earned a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA Women’s U-19 World Cup.

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