OAKLAND - Mitty forward McKenna Woliczko shoots a free throw. Archbishop Mitty and Bishop O'Dowd played in the high school basketball game at Bishop O'Dowd high school for the Martin Luther King Jr. day Showcase in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
Archbishop Mitty’s basketball prodigy closed out her unprecedented freshman year with one more honor.
McKenna Woliczko, the 6-2 forward with great athleticism and elite scoring ability around the rim, earned a spot on the USA under-16 national team after tryouts in Colorado Springs.
“I’m excited to be selected for the U-16 national team,” Woliczko told the Bay Area News Group via text on Sunday morning. “And we are all ready to win it all!!
Woliczko and 11 others will represent the country from June 13-19 in Merida, Mexico at the FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship.
“I am super grateful for this experience,” Woliczko said. “I’m glad I’ve been able to play and compete with the best player in the country and get taught by some of the best coaches in the country!”
Woliczko started the trials as one of 55 participants, which was eventually pared down to 22, and then to the dozen who will compete in Group A with Puerto Rico, Colombia and host Mexico.
Woliczko joins fellow MaxPreps freshman of the year Jerzy Robinson on the team that includes players from across the nation.
Woliczko is now the second player on the Mitty women’s basketball team to represent the Stars and Stripes internationally. Rising senior and UConn commit Morgan Cheli, led by her high school coach Sue Phillips, took gold for the U-17 team in Hungary last summer.
Woliczko was named Bay Area News Group player of the year and first-team all-Area honors after averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Monarchs. The San Jose school won section and NorCal titles, and lost at the buzzer in the state title game.
Wolickzo also helped the Mitty softball team reach win 21 games and reach NorCal competition. She hit .429 and had a team-high 23 RBIs and 22 runs scored.
Originally published at Joseph Dycus