Cali, Colombia • September 23 - October 4, 1975

Because of the timing of the World Championship, the U.S. fielded an older team which would not only compete in the World Championship, but also represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games which were to be held in Mexico City eight days after the conclusion of the Seventh World Championship.

While the United States squad compiled a 4-3 record at the '75 World Championship, those three defeats came by two-point, one-point and six-point margins.

Placed in a very strong four-team group for preliminary action and playing in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and despite receiving 22 points from Lusia Harris, the U.S. was surprised in its first game by eventual silver medalist Japan, 73-71.

Rebounding to knock off Australia 65-52, the U.S. received 14 points from Mary Anne O'Connor, 13 from Harris and Sue Rojcewicz added 10 points.

In need of a victory over Czechoslovakia if it was to advance on to the final round, the USA led comfortably at halftime by nine, 39-30, but USA fell victim to a Czechoslovakian comeback that earned the Czechs a 66-65 victory and the right to advance with Japan to the final round. Juliene Simpson contributed a team-high 15 points in the loss, while Harris scored 14 and Cherri Rapp finished with 10 .

The loss doomed the USA squad to the consolation round, but the Americans made the best of it, winning three of their final four games to take top consolation honors and eighth place overall.

The U.S. opened the consolation round with a 78-55 victory over Hungary in a game that saw the U.S. squad overcome a one point halftime deficit by outscoring their Hungarian counterparts 47-23 in the second half. It was an well-rounded effort by the Americans, who had nine players score between six and 11 points, led by 11 from Carolyn Bush.

Down a point at halftime, Canada outscored the USA 37-30 in the second half to capture a 74-68 win as Ann Meyers and Rojcewicz chipped in 11 points apiece.

The U.S. squad once again regrouped and finished with convincing one-sided victories.

First, behind 16 points from Nancy Dunkle, the U.S. whipped Senegal 89-33, then, the U.S. stomped Brazil 104-72 as Dunkle again top scored, this time with 14 points.

The Soviet Union captured the gold medal after dominating the final round, winning by an average of 32.4 points a game, Japan claimed the silver and Czechoslovakia finished with the bronze medal.

The U.S. team used the World Championship to gain experience and jell. Gaining from its playing experience in Colombia, the same USA team went on to capture the 1975 Pan American Games gold medal, and one year later nine of this team's 12 players would go on to represent the USA in the 1976 Olympic competition.

1975 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM ROSTER

1975 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS