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U.S. Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team Earns USOC Team of the Month Honors
Prout finishes second in men's vote, Uhl third in women's vote
By Marvin Olberding
// U.S. Paralympics
// September 14, 2007
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The U.S. Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team went 6-0 at the Parapan American Games to earn the gold medal.
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The U.S. Olympic Committee announced the U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team as its August Team of the Month.
The U.S. went undefeated during its six games at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to win gold at the event for the first time ever. Two of the team's six victories came against the defending world champions from Canada, including a 50-44 win in the gold medal game that saw the U.S. defense force 31 turnovers.
"it's a tremendous honor," U.S. head coach Ron Lykins (Stillwater, Minn.) said when asked about the award. "To be honored and recognized by all your peers in this way is very satisfying.
"We were a hungry team. Everyone put aside their individual goals to come together and win that tournament. They were a great group to coach because we had 12 athletes all wanting the same thing, and everything worked out."
The U.S. entered the tournament ranked No. 2 in the world behind the Canadians, who had defeated the U.S. to win gold at the 2006 World Championships. On day two of competition in Rio, though, the U.S. established itself as the team to beat with a 57-44 victory on the back of another strong defensive performance.
"As a captain of the team, I know we played hard and worked hard to win the gold," said team co-captain Patty Cisneros (Tempe, Ariz.). "Everyone came together and played really well as a team. It feels good to be recognized with this award because I know it was a collective effort. "
The U.S. won both wheelchair basketball gold medals in Rio. The U.S. men's team, also ranked No. 2 in the world coming into the tournament, defeated the No. 1-ranked Canadians, 52-50, in a gold medal game thriller to complete their own undefeated run through the Parapan American Games. Second place in the team vote went to the U.S. Men’s Senior National Basketball Team. The team won the FIBA Americas Championship title and earned a qualifying birth to the 2008 Olympic Games. The U.S. Youth National Baseball Team finished in third for the team vote after winning the World Youth Championship.
Paralympic swimmers Michael Prout (West Springfield, Mass.) and Miranda Uhl (Alachua, Fla.) each finished in the top-three in their respective Athlete of the Month races. Prout finished second in the men's Athlete of the Month balloting behind track & field athlete Tyson Gay, while Uhl finished third behind track athlete Allyson Felix and swimmer Dara Torres.
Prout medaled in all eight of his events at the Parapan American Games. He won four gold medals and two silvers in his six individual events, and earned silver and bronze as a member of the U.S. men’s 34-point 400 freestyle and 400 medley relay teams, respectively.
Uhl also won eight medals in Rio, including seven medals - five gold - in seven individual events and a silver medal as a member of the U.S. women’s 34-point medley relay team. In addition, Uhl set American records in the 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle.
Results:
USOC Athlete of the Month - Men
1. Tyson Gay, Track & Field
2. Michael Prout, Paralympic Swimming
3. Joey Mantia, Inline Speed Skating
Women
1. Allyson Felix, Track & Field
2. Dara Torres, Swimming
3. Miranda Uhl, Paralympics Swimming
Team
1. U.S. Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team
2. U.S. Men’s Senior National Team, Basketball
3. U.S. Youth National Team, Baseball
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