June 14, 2016
AUBURN, Ala. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Auburn women's basketball rising senior Khady Dieng is competing for a spot on the Senegal women's national team as tryouts began this week.
Dieng, a native of Dakar, Senegal, is in her home country for the summer. Tryouts began Sunday in Senegal with 20 players competing for a spot on the team, which has already qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. After a lengthy tryout which includes several international tournaments, 12 players will be selected for the Olympic team.
Practices in Senegal will run through July 2. The team will then be cut to 16 players before traveling to a tournament in Japan. After eight days there, the team will travel to Italy for 23 more days of practice and competition with another potential tournament in France.
If Dieng qualifies for the team, she would be the fourth Olympian in Auburn women's basketball history and the first from a country other than the United States. Ruthie Bolton won two gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2000, and Carolyn Jones and Vickie Orr were on the bronze medal team in 1992.
Dieng started 14 games and appeared in 29 as a junior in 2015-16, averaging 2.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. She scored a season-high 10 points in Auburn's win over then-No. 16 Florida on Feb. 14.
Senegal qualified for the 2016 Olympics by winning the 2015 AfroBasket Championship. After finishing third in the group stage, Senegal defeated Mali (57-38), Angola (56-54) and Cameroon (81-66) to clinch the second Olympic appearance in national history.
The 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games begin with opening ceremonies on Aug. 5, and basketball competition begins Aug. 6. Senegal is in Group B with the United States, Canada, Serbia and two teams to be determined.