Schaefer Joins USA Basketball for Pan American Games

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State women's basketball head coach Vic Schaefer joined USA Basketball on July 24, as the women's team begins its final training leading up to the 2019 Pan American Games on Aug. 6.

Suzy Merchant (Michigan State) is the head coach, while Schaefer joins Felisha Legette-Jack (Buffalo) as the assistant coaches. The USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee selected the coaching staff, which was also approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors and the United States Olympic Committee.

"I am very honored and humbled to have the opportunity to represent the United States of America, across the world in competition," Schaefer said. "Being the son of a full colonel in the United States Army, I have a tremendous appreciation for the Red, White and Blue and this great country. To have the opportunity to be a coach on a team representing this country is the ultimate, for me, as a coach and a competitor. I am honored to be on a staff with coach Merchant and coach Legette-Jack, as I have had the honor of competing against them in my career. I have the utmost respect for both of them."

Trials to select the 12-member team were held May 16-20 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Training camp will run July 24 through Aug. 1, and the Red, White and Blue will begin competition in Lima, Peru, on Aug. 6-10.

The Pan American Games are held every four years in the year preceding the Olympics. Including the United States, teams competing in the five-on-five basketball tournament are: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The U.S. will be competing in Group B against Argentina, Colombia and the U.S. Virgin Islands during the preliminary rounds. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals and play the top two teams from Group A on Aug. 9. The medal games will take place on Aug. 10.

Overall, the American women have earned seven gold medals, five silver medals and two bronze medals and have compiled a record of 78-15 during the games. In the most recent edition, the 2015 U.S. Pan American Games Team finished with a 4-1 record to return from Toronto, Canada, with the silver medal.

This marks Schaefer's second trip abroad this summer after Mississippi State represented USA Team in the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy. The ESPNW Coach of the Year led the U.S. to a silver medal and a 6-1 record during the tournament.

Freshman Rickea Jackson also boasts experience playing internationally this year. She helped Team USA claim the gold medal at the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in June. At the World University games, the McDonald's All-American led all players for the event in scoring (22.2 ppg) while ranking second in field-goal percentage (.532) and sixth in steals (2.2 spg).

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Schaefer Joins USA Basketball for Pan American Games

Players Mentioned

Rickea Jackson

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