Ireland U20 WNT head coach selects roster of 23 players for FIBA Youth EuroBasket preparations

Ireland U20 WNT head coach Karl Kilbride has included NCAA stars Grace Prenter (University of Texas) and Emma Tolan (Oklahoma University) in his preliminary squad of 23 for this summer's FIBA Youth EuroBasket tournament in Bulgaria. 

Prenter - who has been capped previously at senior level - remains active with the University of Texas in the NCAA Tournament at the time of writing, with the competition down to the final four. Tolan - who along with Prenter featured at FIBA Youth EuroBasket a year ago - is also named on a roster that features 11 different Irish clubs. Killester feature most prominently, with three players selected. Meteors BC, Brunell BC and Dublin Raiders all have two players included, while McEvoy's Cavan Eagles, University of Galway Mystics, Fr. Mathews, Liffey Celtic, Ongar Chasers, Glanmire BC and Cleveland Rockets are also represented. 

The Ireland U20 WNT squad that will continue preparations for FIBA Youth EuroBasket 🎁#GreenMeansGo ☘️ | #IrishBasketball pic.twitter.com/xjV2ky87sC

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) March 31, 2026

Prenter, Tolan and Brunell's Ava Walshe are the only three who return from last season's squad that achived a 7th place finish. 

Ireland were previously drawn in Group A and will open up their journey in Bulgaria against Azerbaijan on July 4th, before facing Greece and Albania  in successive days. The top two teams in the group will advance to the quarter-finals. 

Speaking following the announcement of his squad, coach Kilbride said: "We’re really excited to get started this year, having seen the high standard across the National League and Super League throughout the season. We had three very competitive Talent ID sessions, and we were hugely impressed with the level of talent on display, which made selection extremely difficult. It’s our job now to bring that group together and build a team and culture that can compete at the highest level. We’re going into the European Championships as a number one seed once again, which presents a great opportunity for this group. With the squad we’ve selected, we’re really looking forward to the summer ahead."