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Gray Selected to 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Roster
2/11/2026 7:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
COLORADO SPRING, Colo. — Former Duke women's basketball star, Chelsea Gray was named to the 12-player U.S. roster for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 11-17, 2026 as announced by USA Basketball Wednesday.
Blue Devil head coach and 2025-28 USA Basketball Women's National Team head coach Kara Lawson will lead the team in San Juan. She will be assisted by assistant coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever). Lawson will return to Duke to prepare for the NCAA Tournament prior to the tournament ending, and an assistant coach will sit in the first chair for the remaining games. Duke Associate Head Coach Tia Jackson will serve as scout coaches in San Juan.
The roster features 2024 Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard won the 3x3 bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
Plum is a two-time World Cup champion (2022, 2018), while Copper and Gray each have one World Cup title (2022).
Gray has been a mainstay with the USA National Team over the past six years, winning the gold medal at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. She is a four-time WNBA Champion and a six-time WNBA All-Star and was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2022. The 2013 ACC Player of the Year, Gray made history at Duke as the lone player to record a pair of triple-doubles in her career. She finished her Blue Devil career with 1,210 points and 545 assists.
The U.S. opens competition March 11 vs. Senegal, followed by Puerto Rico (March 12), Italy (March 14), New Zealand (March 15) and Spain (March 17). Most recently, the USA Women's National Team beat Senegal 101-39 at the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The USA last defeated Puerto Rico 106-42 at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup. The USA's matchup vs. Italy will be their first since a 92-37 victory at the 1994 Goodwill Games, while the meeting with New Zealand will mark the first between the two nations since the Americans' 96-60 win at the 2008 Olympic Games. The USA topped Spain 101-72 at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. For the full schedule, click here.
In addition to San Juan, qualifying tournaments will also take place in Istanbul; Lyon-Villeurbanne, France; and Wuhan, China. More information about how teams can qualify for the World Cup can be found here.
USA Basketball Women's National Team managing director Sue Bird selected the roster and will continue to evaluate players prior to selecting a team for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, which will take place from Sept. 4-13 in Berlin. The USA will seek their fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal and 12th overall.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB".
#GoDuke
Blue Devil head coach and 2025-28 USA Basketball Women's National Team head coach Kara Lawson will lead the team in San Juan. She will be assisted by assistant coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury) and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever). Lawson will return to Duke to prepare for the NCAA Tournament prior to the tournament ending, and an assistant coach will sit in the first chair for the remaining games. Duke Associate Head Coach Tia Jackson will serve as scout coaches in San Juan.
The roster features 2024 Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard won the 3x3 bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
Plum is a two-time World Cup champion (2022, 2018), while Copper and Gray each have one World Cup title (2022).
Gray has been a mainstay with the USA National Team over the past six years, winning the gold medal at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. She is a four-time WNBA Champion and a six-time WNBA All-Star and was the WNBA Finals MVP in 2022. The 2013 ACC Player of the Year, Gray made history at Duke as the lone player to record a pair of triple-doubles in her career. She finished her Blue Devil career with 1,210 points and 545 assists.
The U.S. opens competition March 11 vs. Senegal, followed by Puerto Rico (March 12), Italy (March 14), New Zealand (March 15) and Spain (March 17). Most recently, the USA Women's National Team beat Senegal 101-39 at the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The USA last defeated Puerto Rico 106-42 at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup. The USA's matchup vs. Italy will be their first since a 92-37 victory at the 1994 Goodwill Games, while the meeting with New Zealand will mark the first between the two nations since the Americans' 96-60 win at the 2008 Olympic Games. The USA topped Spain 101-72 at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. For the full schedule, click here.
In addition to San Juan, qualifying tournaments will also take place in Istanbul; Lyon-Villeurbanne, France; and Wuhan, China. More information about how teams can qualify for the World Cup can be found here.
USA Basketball Women's National Team managing director Sue Bird selected the roster and will continue to evaluate players prior to selecting a team for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, which will take place from Sept. 4-13 in Berlin. The USA will seek their fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal and 12th overall.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWBB".
#GoDuke
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