USA Basketball just released the 27 players headed to Colorado Springs later this month for the Under-16 national team trials.

Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who made an unofficial visit to UConn in January, is one of the talented high school freshmen and sophomores who have accepted the invitation to try out for the national team.

Mosqueda-Lewis is a highly-touted 6-foot sophomore who plays for Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif. When her team was in New England to play in the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Mass., she took in part of a UConn practice.

Another invitee Betnijah Laney out of Smyrna High in Clayton, Del., was at the XL Center when UConn played Seton Hall in the final home game of UConn's 2008-09 season. Laney, who broke former UConn signee Elena Delle Donne's Delaware single-game scoring record, has attended more than her share of Rutgers games since her mother Yolanda Laney played for Rutgers' coach C. Vivian Stringer at Cheney State in the early 1980s. Yolanda Laney is still extremely close to Stringer. My understanding is that she made the trip to Tennessee to offer her support and congratulation for Stringer's induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. Something tells me she will also be on hand in September when Stringer is inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Among the others on the list, UConn has seen Kayla Brewer out of Ribault High in Jacksonville, Fla. play. As for the Huskies' interest in the other 24 players headed to Colorado Springs, it's a little early to speak too much in terms of UConn recruiting targets. However, since UConn already has four commitments from the current group of juniors, expect the coaching staff to zone in on gifted sophomores by the end of the summer if not sooner.

There are no Connecticut players on the list. As a matter of fact, there are no New Englanders either.

Here is the complete list:

USA WOMEN'S U16 NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS ROSTER
NAME POS HGT WGT DOB YOG HIGH SCHOOL HOMETOWN
Jordan Adams G 6-0 150 02/20/94 2012 Mater Dei H.S. Irvine, CA
Kayla Brewer F 6-2 175 03/12/93 2011 Jean Ribault H.S. Jacksonville, FL
Loliya Briggs F 5-10 159 01/28/93 2011 Potter House Christian Academy Gainesville, FL
Cierra Burdick G 6-2 160 09/30/93 2011 South Mecklenburg H.S. Mathews, NC
Jasmine Camp G 5-7 130 04/20/93 2011 Chamblee H.S. Ellenwood, GA
Briyona Canty G 5-8 --- 01/23/93 2011 Trenton Catholic Academy Willingboro, NJ
Andraya Carter G 5-8 140 11/21/93 2012 Buford H.S. Flowery Branch, GA
Bashaara Graves F 6-2 185 03/17/94 2012 Clarksville H.S. Clarksville, TN
Justine Hartman F 6-2 --- 01/30/93 2011 Brea Olinda H.S. Brea, CA
Rachel Hollivay F 6-4 180 10/24/93 2012 New Hope H.S. Columbus, MS
Malina Howard F 6-4 205 11/20/93 2012 Twinsburg H.S. Twinsburg, OH
Moriah Jefferson G 5-7 118 03/08/94 2012 Texas Home Educators Sports Assoc. Glenn Heights, TX
Alexis Jones G 5-9 145 05/08/94 2012 Irving MacArthur H.S. Midland, TX
Whitney Knight F 6-2 140 01/09/93 2011 Bishop McGuinness H.S. Winston-Salem, NC
Betnijah Laney F 6-0 160 10/29/93 2011 Smyrna H.S. Clayton, DE
Jewell Loyd G 5-9 132 10/05/93 2012 Niles West H.S. Lincolnwood, IL
Ariel Massengale G 5-6 152 06/10/93 2011 Bolingbrook H.S. Bolingbrook, IL
Breanna McDonald F 6-0 160 11/26/93 2012 Chamblee H.S. Lithonia, GA
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis F 6-0 165 11/03/93 2012 Mater Dei H.S. Anaheim, CA
Alexis Prince F 5-11 173 02/05/93 2012 Edgewater H.S. Maitland, FL
Bria Smith G 5-10 160 02/16/93 2011 Christ the King H.S. Massapequa, NY
Alexia Standish G 5-8 120 02/15/93 2011 Heritage H.S. Colleyville, TX
Kiah Stokes F/C 6-3 185 03/30/93 2011 Linn Mar H.S. Marion, IA
Morgan Tuck F 6-2 175 04/30/94 2012 Bolingbrook H.S. Bolingbrook, IL
Alexyz Vaioletama F 6-1 176 06/12/93 2011 Mater Dei H.S. Fountain Valley, CA
Courtney Williams G 6-1 158 03/21/94 2012 North Shore H.S. Houston, TX
Elizabeth Williams F 6-3 185 06/23/93 2011 Princess Anne H.S. Virginia Beach, VA

By the way, the Under-19 and World University Games trials begin later today at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.