The Big East Conference will represent the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games, marking the first time a single Division 1 conference will participate in men’s basketball at the Pan Am Games.
Val Ackerman, the commissioner of the Big East, expressed his honor at being chosen by the NCAA and USA Basketball to represent the country in this prestigious competition. The experience is expected to be educational, competitive, and culturally significant for the players and coaches. The focus is now on working with Coach Cooley to select the best team to compete in Peru.
Coach Cooley will lead the team, having been involved with USA Basketball for several years, starting with his role as court coach for the USA U19 World Cup team in 2013. He has also been part of the coaching staff for the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014 and U19 World Championship in 2015.
In a statement, Cooley expressed his honor at coaching the unique group of Big East players and emphasized the special feeling of representing their country. The team will train at Providence’s on-campus practice facility, which pays homage to the 10-team basketball league founded in 2013.
