Seven former UConn stars including two-time Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi were among 21 players named as finalists for the 2012 Olympic team.

Also making the cut were former Huskies Swin Cash (a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic squad), Tina Charles, Asjha Jones, Renee Montgomery and Maya Moore while UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is the U.S. senior national team coach through the end of the Olympics.

Also on the list are Jayne Appel, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson, Tamika Catchings, Candice Dupree, Sylvia Fowles, Brittney Griner (the only active college player on the list), Lindsey Harding, Kara Lawson, Angel McCoughtry, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter, Lindsay Whalen and Sophia Young.

Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Fowles, Lawson, Parker, Pondexter and Taurasi were all members of the 2008 team.

Taurasi and Bird started all eight games during the 2008 Olympics. Taurasi was the United States’ third-leading scorer averaging 10.9 points per game. She led the team with 12 3-pointers and was second with 19 assists. Bird tied for the team lead with 14 steals and also averaged 3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

The list of finalists was narrowed down from an original list of 27 who were in the U.S. player pool as Alana Beard, Shameka Christon, Ebony Hoffman, Courtney Vandersloot, Kia Vaughn and Candice Wiggins failed to make the cut. The final 12-player roster will be announced during the summer before the U.S. heads over for the Olympics, which run from July 28-Aug. 12 in London.