Sydney, Australia • June 2-12, 1994

Four points were all that stood between the USA Women's World Championship Team and its third consecutive World Championship gold medal. Compiling a tournament best 7-1 record, the U.S. squad featured a balance of young and old talents directed by Stanford's Tara VanDerveer.

Opening its group preliminary play in Hobart, Tasmania, the U.S. team breezed past its first three opponents in impressive style. Behind Katrina McClain's 20 points and 12 rebounds the USA sailed past South Korea 108-64. Daedra Charles scored 18 points as the Americans' inside power helped push the U.S. to a 92-71 win over 1993 European champions Spain. New Zealand was crushed 97-47 as 18-year-old 6'7' center Kara Wolters accounted for 26 points in a game that saw the U.S. rest some of its veterans.

Opening the quarterfinals round in Sydney facing a very strong Australian squad, Charles' 22 points helped the U.S. to a hard fought 88-70 win. Having seen the USA's inside game dominate, Canada looked to a zone defense to shut down the potent U.S. offense. Hitting 10 of 18 three-point tries for the game, behind the deadly outside bombing of Sheryl Swoopes, 27 points, Jennifer Azzi, 17 points, and Andrea Lloyd, 10 points, the USA contingent scored 18 of its first 22 points from behind the three-point line and sailed on for an easy 98-65 victory. Wrapping up its quarterfinal play against European power Slovakia, the U.S. rallied in the game's final minutes to earn a 103-96 victory as guards Dawn Staley and Teresa Edwards paced the U.S. comeback with 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Advancing to the medal semifinals and carrying a 6-0 record, the USA met an internationally seasoned Brazilian squad. In a closely contested game in which neither team was able to pull away, Brazil made 10 of 10 free throws in the game's final minute to claim a 110-107 victory and earn the right to advance on to the gold medal game. McClain gave the U.S. one of the World Championship's most dominating performances, finishing with 29 points and 19 rebounds, while Ruthie Bolton-Holifield added 17 and Edwards finished with 15 points. Brazil guards Hortencia Marcari and Maria Paula de Silva, both former Olympians, accounted for 32 and 29 points, respectively.

Faced with the task of rebounding from the disappointing loss and faced with a rematch against host Australia in the bronze medal game, the U.S. held off a late Australian charge to record a 100-95 win. Edwards and Lisa Leslie led the USA offensive attack with 20 and 19 points, respectively.

Brazil earned the gold medal with an impressive 96-87 victory over China. USA veterans McClain and Edwards were named to the five-member 1994 All-World Championship Team.

1994 USA WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM ROSTER

1994 USA WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS