Penn State guard Talor Battle has been named to the 2009 USA Men's World University Games Team.
Battle, who will be a junior next winter, survived three days of trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The team will participate in the 2009 World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, July 2-11. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is leading the team, with assistance from Frank Haith (Miami and a former PSU assistant) and Rob Jeter (Wisconsin-Milwaukee).
Other players on the team are: James Anderson (Oklahoma State / Junction City, Ark.); Trevor Booker (Clemson / Whitmire, S.C.); Craig Brackins (Iowa State / Palmdale, Calif.); Da'Sean Butler (West Virginia / Newark, N.J.); Corey Fisher (Villanova / Bronx, N.Y.); Lazar Hayward (Marquette / Buffalo, N.Y.); Robbie Hummel (Purdue / Valparaiso, Ind.); Quincy Pondexter (Washington / Fresno, Calif.); Deon Thompson (North Carolina / Torrance, Calif.); Evan Turner (Ohio State / Chicago, Ill.); and Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi State / Brownsville, Tenn.).
The team will practice in Colorado Springs through June 24 before heading to Serbia.
The following is a Q&A Battle did with USA Basketball.
What did it feel like when you learned you had made the team?
"I was relieved. I was nervous going into the room this morning. I'm excited to represent my country, and my family and my university back home."
Did you feel like you had played well enough at trials to earn a spot on this roster?
"Definitely. I was really trying to get people involved. Going out there, it's going to take a team effort. I'm not going to be able to score like I do at school. Running the point guard with such great players, I'm going to have to get people involved."
It sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what your role with this team might be?
"Definitely. I don't really think there are going to be any go-to-guys. A lot of guys here can score. The majority of the guys are the leading scorers on their teams. Everyone has to buy in to really playing as a team and sacrifice, maybe taking less shots and doing other things."
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