SEVEN CHEMIST WAREHOUSE WNBL ATHLETES NAMED IN 2019 EMERGING OPALS TEAM
UniSport Australia has announced the team for the Emerging Opals ahead of the 2019 Summer Universiade to be held in Naples, Italy from July 3-14.
Also known as the World University Games, the tournament is the largest multi-sport event apart from the Olympic Games and features almost 10,000 athletes who are currently completing university studies competing across 18 disciplines.
The Emerging Opals welcome back Abigail Wehrung, Alex Sharp, Keely Froling and Lauren Scherf who will aim to defend their gold medal winning feats from two years ago in Taipei.
That success follows on from a previous gold medal in 2007 as well as bronze medals in 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2013.
Keely Froling (University of Canberra Capitals), Scherf (Brydens Sydney Uni Flames), and Wehrung (Bendigo Bank Spirit) are joined by fellow Chemist Warehouse WNBL players from 2018/19 in Ezi Magbegor (Deakin Melbourne Boomers), Lara McSpadden (Flames), Stephanie Reid (Free Agent) and Maddi Rocci (UC Capitals).
Magbegor is also coming off a whirlwind year that saw her win a 2018 FIBA World Cup silver medalist with the Chemist Warehouse Australian Opals and be selected in the first round of the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm.
16 teams will battle for the gold medal at the 2019 World Uni Games with the Emerging Opals drawn into Group D alongside China, Finland and Canada.
Australia must finish in the top two from their group to advance to the finals but classification games are played through to the last day to determine final standings.
Stay tuned for live stream and stats information via the official tournament website here.
The Emerging Opals team for the 2019 World Uni Games:
| NAME | STATE | EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE | BACHELOR |
| Alicia Froling | Queensland | Southern Methodist University | Psychology |
| Keely Froling | Queensland | University of Canberra | Physiotherapy |
| Lara McSpadden | New South Wales | University of Sydney | Health and Physical Education |
| Ezi Magbegor | Victoria | Deakin University | Psychology (HONS.) |
| Anneli Maley | Victoria | LCI Melbourne | Graphic Design |
| Stephanie Reid | Victoria | Curtin University | Primary Education |
| Maddison Rocci | Victoria | Swinburne/Victoria University | Sport Development |
| Lauren Scherf | Victoria | Victoria University | Sports Science |
| Alex Sharp | Victoria | Wake Forest | Psychology |
| Jasmine Simmons | New South Wales | Oregon State University | Psychology |
| Abbey Wehrung | Victoria | University of Canberra | Business |
| STAFF | ROLE | ||
| Shannon Seebohm | Head Coach | ||
| Mark Wrobel | Coach | ||
| Cherie Cordoba | Coach | ||
| Trudy Pearce | Team Manager | ||
| Casey Abblitt | Physiotherapist |
The Emerging Opals and Emerging Boomers Schedule for the 2019 World Uni Games (all times AEST):
July 3: Emerging Opals vs. Finland at 10.00pm
July 5: Emerging Opals vs. Canada at 2.30am
July 5: Emerging Opals vs. China at 7.30pm
July 8: Emerging Opals Quarter-Finals at 2.30am or 5am
July 9: Emerging Opals Semi-Finals at 2.30am or 5am
July 11: Emerging Opals medal games at 2.30am and 5am