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August 3, 2005Shimek selected for WorldsGlen Lake grad earns trip to Turkey for University GamesByRecord-Eagle staff writer  Associated Press file photo Michigan State's Liz Shimek (Glen Lake) shoots over Baylor's Emily Niemann during the 2005 NCAA women's championship game. Liz Shimek is one of the best women's collegiate basketball players in the country. The former Glen Lake all-state basketball player, who will be a senior at Michigan State this fall, is one of 12 players who will represent the United States at the Women's World University Games in Turkey next week. The team was announced by head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith (Harvard). "Just to be one of the 16 finalists is a great honor, so I'm pretty excited to make the team," Shimek said Tuesday evening from the team's camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. "It's been a great experience so far. I'm just taking it day by day and having fun." In addition to Shimek, the team also includes fellow Big Ten Conference players Jessica Davenport and Brandi Hoskins of Ohio State. Also on the team are Cappie Poindexter (Rutgers), Seimone (Louisiana State), Monique Currie (Duke), Megan Duffy (Notre Dame), Candice Dupree (Temple), Sylvia Fowles (LSU), Erin Grant (Texas Tech), Brooke Smith (Stanford) and Lisa Willis (UCLA). "I have to believe this was - if not the most difficult decision - one of the most difficult decisions the committee (USA Women's Basketball) has ever made," Delaney-Smith said in a press release. "The committee struggled and went back and forth and there were endless discussions. "You can argue in favor of everyone who was here," she said. "Anyone could have been on this team." Shimek, a 6-foot-1 forward, is just glad that she is. "We're going to win the gold. We're not settling for anything less," she said. "There is so much talent on this team. We know everyone can score. Our focus is on team chemistry and defense. Those things will make the difference." Shimek led Michigan State in scoring (14.8) and rebounding (9.1) last season as the Spartans reached the National Championship game. She said Delaney-Smith is similar to MSU coach Joanne P. McCallie in that she stresses constant communication on the floor. "There's a lot of talking, similar to Coach P," Shimek said. "Your mouth is always moving. It's a huge part of the game." The Americans will continue to train in Colorado Springs until Friday afternoon, when they fly to Izmir, Turkey. They will practice there Aug. 6-9. The team's first game is Aug. 10 against the Czech Republic. They also play South Africa (Aug. 11), China (Aug. 12) and Poland (Aug. 15) before the quarterfinals (Aug. 16), semifinals (Aug. 17) and finals (Aug. 19). The Americans, who did not participate in the 2003 World Games, won gold in 2001 and have earned 12 medals in 13 appearances.
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