The USA will send its 'B' squad this weekend. It will take on the Army Gold team at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and will be followed by a game against the Army Black squad at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, Team USA 'B' will play UNC at 11 a.m. and Champlain at 2 p.m.

"It is important for us to build a positive winning attitude in the coming months to prepare for this crucial year in our program," remarked head coach Christian Latulippe about the upcoming 2006-2007 season. "Besides the pure record, I would like to see the ladies playing with consistency, speeding up their game and decreasing the number of turnovers."

The new season kicks off for the women's team handball squad as they prepare for the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 13-29. The gold medal winner in both the women's and men's tournament at the Pan American Games will automatically qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

In addition, the International Handball Federation has determined two other qualification opportunities for countries hoping to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games. The winners of the 2007 World Championships (women and men) will automatically qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games. The Women's Team Handball World Championships will be held December 2-16, 2007 in France. The third means of qualifying will be through International Handball Federation Qualifying Events, which begin in January. Six women's teams will qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games through International Handball Federation Qualifying Events.

The North American Qualifier, the major qualification for the 2007 Pan Am Games, will take place from Jan. 4-7. Team USA will play Canada in three games, with one being in Lake Placid, N.Y. and the other two in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.