Houston Comets' Van Chancellor Tabbed 2002 USA Basketball Women's World Championship Team Head Coach

Four-Time WNBA Champ Set To Defend USA's World Championship Title

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 8, 2001) -- Four-time WNBA championship head coach Van Chancellor of the Houston Comets was announced today by USA Basketball as head coach for the 2002 USA Basketball Women's World Championship Team. Chancellor, who will lead the U.S. in its defense of its 1998 World Championship title at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, was selected by the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Executive Committee. The 14th FIBA World Championship for Women will feature national teams from 16 nations competing Sept. 14-25 in the People's Republic of China.

"I am tremendously honored, this is one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me," said Chancellor. "To be able to coach the best players in the world and represent your country at the same time is something that's just unbelievable. Words can't fully describe how overjoyed I am with this assignment; it's simply awesome. I'm very pleased that USA Basketball has selected me to coach the World Championship team.

"Coaching players in the WNBA like Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, as well as international players like Janeth (Arcain) and coaching in the All-Star games, I've been around most of the players who will be on this team, as well as many who will be our competition," continued Chancellor. "I feel good about that because the best part about this is that we have great players, irregardless of who is selected. When you have the best players in the world, that makes this job so much easier. Yes, everybody will be looking to unseat the USA, but that's what will make it all the more challenging."

"USA Basketball is extremely pleased to announce Van Chancellor as head coach of the 2002 Women's World Championship Team," said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley. "He has achieved tremendous success coaching women's basketball for nearly a quarter of a century and has had the opportunity to coach numerous Olympic- and World Championship-caliber players along the way. USA Basketball is confident that Van Chancellor will continue his winning tradition next summer in China."

"The Women's Senior National Team Committee thought that Van was the best person for the job," said Committee chair and 1995-96 USA Basketball Women's National Team assistant coach Renee' Brown, who is currently the WNBA Vice President of Player Personnel. "His record speaks for itself. He has coached the Houston Comets to the WNBA Championship four times and in doing so he has worked with some of the best players in the world. We felt that Van's proven strengths, his tremendous basketball knowledge and his ability to bring out the best in elite athletes, made him the obvious choice for the job. We have confidence that he will be able to continue the USA's success."

After spending 19 successful seasons (1978-79 to 1996-97) at the helm of the University of Mississippi, Chancellor entered the professional coaching ranks in 1997 and immediately made an impact in the WNBA's inaugural season. After guiding his 1997 Houston Comets squad to the first WNBA title, Chancellor strung together three more WNBA championships with Houston, creating what many have tabbed as the league's first dynasty.

In five years Chancellor has guided the Comets to an overall regular season record of 117-37 (.760 winning percentage) and a 16-5 win-loss record in the playoffs (.762 winning percentage). Chancellor has collected a trio of WNBA Coach of the Year honors (1997, 1998, 1999) and served as the head coach for the WNBA All-Star Game West Team three times (1999, 2000, 2001).

Furthermore, Chancellor was head coach for the 1998 WNBA Touring Team that toured Brazil following the WNBA's second season.

After spearheading his squads to four consecutive WNBA crowns, Chancellor prior to the 2001 season lost his top two players, a pair of Olympic gold medallists who provided almost half the Comets' scoring in 2000. Four-time WNBA championship MVP and two-time league MVP Cynthia Cooper retired following the 2000 season and Sheryl Swoopes, the 2000 WNBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, suffered a season-ending knee injury prior to the start of the 2001 Houston Comets' pre-season training camp. Despite these losses, Chancellor led the 2001 Comets to a 19-13 record and a spot in the 2001 WNBA Playoffs.

During his tenure with the Comets Chancellor has coached many talented elite athletes, including two-time U.S. Olympians Cooper (1988, 1992) and Swoopes (1996, 2000), 1992 U.S. Olympian Tammy Jackson, as well as Olympians Janeth Arcain (1992, 1996, 2000) of Brazil, Elena Shakirova(1992, 1996, 2000) of Russia and Catarina Pollini (1992, 1996) of Italy.

Also a proven collegiate success, Chancellor spent 19 seasons as the head coach at Ole Miss where he posted a 439-154 overall record (.740 winning percentage) and advanced his teams to 14 NCAA Tournaments. Chancellor's 14 NCAA appearances were highlighted by four Elite Eight (1985, 1986, 1989,1992) and three Sweet Sixteen (1987, 1988, 1990) finishes.

Chancellor was named the 1992 National Coach of the Year by the Women's Basketball News Service and was also honored as the Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year three times (1987, 1990, 1992). The winningest coach in Ole Miss women's basketball history, Chancellor coached a pair of sisters who went on to represent USA Basketball in international competition, including 1988 U.S. Olympian Jennifer Gillom and 1998 USA World Championship assistant coach Peggie Gillom.

The USA owns a 71-20 overall record (.780 winning percentage) in World Championship play and has won six golds, one silver and one bronze medal in the 12 previous FIBA World Championships in which the U.S. competed. The United States, which earned the gold medal at the inaugural World Championship in 1953, earned its sixth gold medal with an unblemished 9-0 record in the 1998 World Championship in Germany.

Teams were required to qualify through zone qualifying tournaments for the 2002 World Championship and the 16 teams that will compete in China are now determined. Teams competing in the 2002 FIBA World Basketball Championship for Women include: Argentina (Americas Zone #3); 2000 Olympic silver medalist and 1998 World Championship bronze medalist Australia (Oceania Zone #1); 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Brazil (Americas Zone #1); China(Host Country); Cuba (Americas Zone #2); France (European Zone #1); Japan (Asia Zone #2); Lithuania (European Zone #4); 1998 World Championship silver medalist Russia (European Zone #2); Senegal (Africa Zone #1); South Korea (Asia Zone #3); Spain (European Zone #3); Taiwan (Asia Zone #4); Tunisia (Africa Zone #2); United States (Olympic champion); and Yugoslavia (European Zone #5).

The USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team Committee, which selected Chancellor, consists of nine members and a non-voting chair. Brown serves as chair of the Committee, which includes New York Liberty Senior Vice President and General Manager Carol Blazejowski; Indiana Fever Chief Operating Officer Kelly Krauskopf; Washington Mystics General Manager Melissa McFerrin; Sacramento Monarchs General Manager Jerry Reynolds; Phoenix Mercury Vice President of Operations Seth Sulka; Los Angeles Sparks General Manager Penny Toler; and Stanford University head coach Tara VanDerveer, who piloted the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal.

Serving as athlete representatives are Dawn Staley, 1996 and 2000 Olympic and 1998 World Championship gold medal winner; and Lynette Woodard, a 1984 Olympic and 1990 World Championship gold medalist.

2002 FIBA WORLD BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FACTS

Dates: Sept. 14 - 25, 2002

Site: Zhangjiang, Changshu, Taicang, Wuzhong, Changzhou, Suzhou, Huaian, Zhenjiang and Nanjing, China

USA Head Coach: Van Chancellor (Houston Comets)

USA Team: Will be comprised of WNBA players who will be announced at a later date.

16 Teams Qualified: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, France, Japan, Lithuania, Russia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, United States, Yugoslavia.