WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue women's basketball guard Madison Layden has received and accepted an invitation to the United States U19 National Team trials ahead of the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, in August. Invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Selection Committee.
After an impressive all-around freshman campaign, Layden will vie for a spot on the 12-member roster out of 27 attendees. The trials will take place May 14-16 at Metro State University in Denver, Colo.
"I'm honored to have this opportunity," Layden said. "I'm excited to get a chance to compete against and work with some of the best players in the nation. Representing the United States would be a dream come true, but I'm just looking forward to working hard during the week out in Colorado."
Layden made 21 starts in her first season in West Lafayette. The Kokomo native finished second on the team with 8.7 points per game on a 42.9% field goal clip, going up to nine points per night in Big Ten play.
The Big Ten All-Freshman team honoree made her mark as a facilitator and defender as well. She tallied 48 steals at a 2.1 per game clip, good for seventh and second in a season by a freshman in program history. Layden was one-of-nine rookies nationally to average at least 8.5 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.
She also led the team with 45 triples at a 40.5% mark from distance. Layden finished just shy of the Purdue rookie record for 3-pointers per game at 1.95. Layden was one of just three rookies from the Big Ten this season to earn Freshman of the Week honors this season, after she tied the Purdue freshman record for 3-pointers in a game with six at Iowa on Jan. 18.
UCLA head coach Cori Close will lead the selected team, along with assistants Aaron Johnston (South Dakota State head coach) and Joni Taylor (Georgia head coach). The player pool features 16 collegiate student-athletes, including four from the Big Ten, and 11 high school student-athletes.
USA BASKETBALL U19 NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS
Lauren Betts, Stanford
Sonia Citron, Notre Dame
Caitlin Clark, Iowa
Amari DeBerry, UConn
Brooke Demetre, Stanford
Alexis Donarski, Iowa State
Gabrielle Elliot, Clemson
Sania Feagin, South Carolina
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Hannah Gusters, LSU
Diamond Johnson, NC State
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
JerKaila Jordan, Mississippi State
Greta Kampschroeder, Oregon State
Madison Layden, Purdue
Jordyn Merritt, Florida
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Ugonne Onyiah, Cal
Te-hina Paopao, Oregon
Ayanna Patterson, UConn
Angel Reese, Maryland
Jewel Spear, Wake Forest
Payton Verhulst, Louisville
Talia von Oelhoffen, Oregon State
Sakima Walker, Rutgers
Lauren Ware, Arizona
Jersey Wolfenbarger, Arkansas
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