USA Basketball Announces Star-Studded Women’s Junior National Team Minicamp Roster

USA Basketball is bringing some of the nation’s top young talent to one of the sport’s biggest stages.

The organization announced Friday that 42 athletes have been selected to participate in the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team minicamp, set for April 2-5 in Phoenix in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

Elite Prospects Converge in Phoenix

The minicamp, now in its fourth year, will feature players from the graduating classes of 2027 through 2030. The event will include on-court drills, scrimmages, educational sessions and attendance at the Women’s Final Four semifinal games.

“We are extremely excited to welcome this year’s USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team minicamp to Phoenix,” said Briana Gould, USA Basketball’s Women’s National Team director and committee chair. “Congratulations to the young women invited. We look forward to seeing them compete and grow alongside an experienced group of coaches.”

The class of 2027 features a strong group that includes:

Haylen Ayers (Jackson, TN)
Caroline Bradley (Oak Grove, LA)
Ryan Carter (Friends Central, PA)
Celsy Colombo (St. Mary's, NY)
Harper Dunn (Albuquerque Academy, NM)
Eve Long (Olathe South, KS)
Tatiana Mason (Brush, OH)
Madeline Mignery (IMG Academy, FL)
Sydney Mobley (Big Walnut, OH)
Saniyah Murray (Harrison Central, MS)
Micah Ojo (Princess Anne, VA)
Qandace Samuels (Sidwell Friends, DC)
Sydney Savoury (Belleville, MI)
Kaleena Smith (Ontario Christian, CA)
Nation Williams (Centennial, NV)

The players the class of 2028 include:

Hailey Benbow (Rutgers Prep, NJ)
Dakhari “Strawberry” Blankumsee (Winter Woods, OH)
Sydney Douglas (Centennial, CA)
Kayla Eberz (Archbishop Carroll, PA)
JaKaila Gaskin (Cannon School, NC)
Reece Gilpatrick (Broomfield, CO)
Tatianna Griffin (Ontario Christian, CA)
Jhaliana Guy (Clinton, IA)
Janiyah Hargrave (Fairmont, OH)
Jordyn Haywood (MICDS, MO)
Belle Hill (Mars Hill Bible, AL)
Maliyah Hunter (Archbishop Mitty, CA)
Amy Nduka (Eastside Catholic, WA)
Ella Peper (Dexter-Southfield, MA)
Morghan Reckley (Sandy Creek, GA)
Arianna Robinson (Plano East, TX)
Erin Thomas (Princeton, OH)
Sutton Villa (Pleasant Grove, UT)

The 2029 class includes:

Avery Bollin (Dexter-Southfield, OH)
Kolbi Brooks (Desert Vista, AZ)
Geralynn Byers Veal (Westlake, TX)
Khloe Ison (St. Frances, MD)
Chloe Jenkins (Ontario Christian, CA)
Jayden McClain (Ryle, KY)
Carib Morris (South Forsyth, GA)
Kristen Winston (Hoover, AL)

In addition, Claire Stoops (Indiana) represents the class of 2030.

Loaded with International Experience

This year’s group brings significant international experience, with 29 athletes previously involved with USA Basketball.

Nine players — Bradley, Gilpatrick, Griffin, Haywood, Long, Ojo, Reckley, Robinson and Williams — helped Team USA capture gold at the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup in Mexico. Sydney Douglas also earned gold as part of the 2025 USA Women’s U19 National Team at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in the Czech Republic.

Additionally, 22 of the invitees participated in last year’s junior national team minicamp in Tampa, highlighting the program’s continued pipeline of elite talent.

Experienced Coaching Staff Leads Development

The minicamp will be led by a mix of high school and college coaches with USA Basketball experience.

Steve Gomez, head coach at Lubbock Christian University, returns after leading the 2025 U16 national team to gold. Brittanny Johnson (Evanston Township, Illinois) and Krystle Johnson (Hoover, Alabama) also bring gold-medal experience from recent USA Basketball teams.

Liz Kay of Wahconah Regional (Massachusetts) and Mia Augustavo-Fisher of Bishop Blanchet (Washington) round out the staff, with Augustavo-Fisher making her USA Basketball debut.

Beyond the minicamp, USA Basketball will also host its Women in the Game event on April 2 and a Women’s National Team training camp from March 31 through April 3, creating a full week of development and exposure around the Final Four.