Illinois’ McCammon selected for inaugural Team USA wheelchair competition
Division of Disability Resources & Educational Services
Morgan McCammon of the University of Illinois has been selected to participate in the inaugural Team USA vs. College All-Star competition taking place at the NCAA Women’s Final Four, as announced Monday by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and National Wheelchair Basketball Association.
McCammon will compete for the College All-Star team, and the competition is an effort of the USOPC and NCAA Para-College Inclusion Project, which was established to grow awareness around adaptive sport programming at the collegiate level.
“I’m very excited for Morgan to have this opportunity to represent Illinois at the Women’s Final Four!," said Stephanie Wheeler, coach of the women's wheelchair basketball team at Illinois. "Morgan is so deserving of this honor and her selection is a testament to who she is as a person, student and athlete. She will be an incredible representative of Illinois and the sport of wheelchair basketball!”
The college all-star roster is comprised of one athlete from each of the six women’s wheelchair basketball teams across our country. The College All-Stars are comprised of:
- Abby Bauleke (University of Alabama), one-time Paralympian and Paralympic bronze medalist
- Crystal Jones (City University of New York)
- Grace Wembolua (University of Texas at Arlington), one-time Paralympian
- Emilee Gustafson (University of Arizona)
- Mada McCabe (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater)
- Morgan McCammon (University of Illinois)
Team USA’s roster is comprised of athletes who represented the United States at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. The U.S. roster is comprised of:
- Darlene Hunter (Commerce, Mich.), three-time Paralympian and two-time Paralympic medalist
- Zoe Voris (Chicago), one-time Paralympian and Paralympic bronze medalist
- Courtney Ryan (San Diego), one-time Paralympian and Paralympic bronze medalist
- Natalie Schneider (Ord, Neb.), four-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic medalist
- Lindsey Zurbrugg (Portland), one-time Paralympian and Paralympic bronze medalist
Before the Team USA vs. College All-Star competition tips off, athletes from both teams will volunteer their time to host a wheelchair basketball skills clinic for local athletes with disabilitites. The clinic—hosted by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association—is expected to draw dozens of youth from the Dallas metropolitan area.
“I am thrilled to be representing the University of Illinois and the NWBA at the Final Four event as we share our sport with the world!,” McCammon said. “Wheelchair basketball has given me the opportunity to conquer dreams I thought I had lost, and I am beyond excited to share my experiences and knowledge with those who are just learning about the sport and the next generation of NWBA athletes.”
Team USA and the College All-Stars will take the court during halftimes of the NCAA Divisions II and III Women’s Final Four, located at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, on April 1.
For more information about the wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois, please visit https://dres.illinois.edu/.