Squad of 25 selected by Ireland U20 women's head coach ahead of 2024 campaign

A 25-woman extended squad has been announced by Ireland U20 head coach Karl Kilbride ahead of the 2024 season, which culminates at the FIBA European Championship.

Senior internationals Sarah Hickey (SETU Waterford Wildcats) and Gandy Malou-Mamel (Gill St. Bernards) are included in a group that finished 8^th in the FIBA European Championship a year ago. Lucy Coogan (Caldwell University), Emily Smyth (Abbey Seals Dublin Lions) and Maria Kealy (Quinnipiac University) make it four returnees to the fold in total for Kilbride.

A further six make the step up from the Basketball Ireland U18 programme. Caitlin Gloeckner (SETU Waterford Wildcats), Katie O’Sullivan (FloMAX Liffey Celtics), Rebecca Sexton (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell), Lucy Devoy (Limerick Celtics), Rachel Lynch (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell) and Emer Dunne (SETU Carlow) will get another chance to impress in the months ahead.

Erica Egan, Amy Duggan, Niamh Tolan, Niamh O’Leary and Rachel Callery all featured in the Ireland U18 set up two years ago, while Michelle Ugwah returns having last played at U16 level before embarking on a successful collegiate career at Morehead State University at the NCAA DI level. 

The selection comes following a busy festive period including an open trial assesement by coach Kilbride and his staff. 

“Having seen so many of the girls play at National League and Super League this season and then getting around to the U20 cup games, we knew we'd have a really tough call on our hands with the level of talent that's currently playing in Ireland, let alone people who are playing abroad," said Kilbride.

We had a huge response online, with registrations and expressions of interest in the trial and the team. It put us in a position to name such a deep and incredibly talented squad. Having talent is just a small part of it. We now need to spend the next few months trying to harness that talent and create a team, an environment, and a culture that are good enough and strong enough to go compete at the highest level. 

With the FIBA European Championship being early this year, it's a huge task. But it's one that we couldn't be more excited about.”

Ireland Squad:

Amy Buckley (Limerick Celtics), Amy Duggan (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell), Aoibhe Gormley    (Boston University), Caitlin Gloeckner (SETU Waterford Wildcats), Danica Stankovic (Ongar Chasers), Emer Dunne     SETU Carlow), Emily Smyth (Abbey Seals Dublin Lions), Emma Gribben (The Winchendon School, MA), Erica Egan (Felician University), Gandy Malou-Mamel (Gill St Bernards NJ USA), Georgia Munnelly (FloMAX Liffey Celtics), Katie O’Sullivan (FloMAX Liffey Celtics), Leilani Turner (Killester), Lucy Coogan (Caldwell University), Lucy Devoy (Limerick Celtics), Maria Kealy (Quinnipiac University), Michelle Ugwah (Morehead State University), Niamh O’Leary (Ulster University), Niamh Sherlock (FloMAX Liffey Celtics), Niamh Tolan (McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles), Orla Dullaghan (SETU Waterford Wildcats), Rachel Callery (Ulster University), Rachel Lynch (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell), Rebecca Sexton (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell), Sarah Hickey (SETU Waterford Wildcats).