Five Alabama students across two countries will represent Alabama from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8 as part of the Paralympic women’s wheelchair basketball teams.
Wheelchair basketball was started at the Paralympics in 1946 by WWII veterans but did not gain traction for women until the mid-1960s. In 1968 the first women’s team competed at the Paralympics in Israel, but because the National Wheelchair Basketball Association only had a men’s division, few women played in the United States.
The first recognized women’s team came in 1970 with the University of Illinois’ Ms. Kids. In 1977 a proposal was made to the NWBA to create a women’s division. After the proposal was granted, six teams were formed. Since then the game has blossomed, with the league now hosting 255 teams across three countries.
Four students will represent Team USA: Ixhelt Gonzalez, Bailey Moody, Abby Bauleke and Lindsey Zurbrugg. Joy Haizelden will represent Great Britain.
Alongside the athletes, Alabama staff will also represent the Crimson Tide. Ryan Hynes, head coach of the Alabama women’s wheelchair basketball team, will serve as an assistant coach for Team USA.
Alex Curry, current director of sports medicine for UA Adapted Athletics, will serve as Team USA’s head athletic trainer.
Darrell Hargreaves, associate director of facility operations for University Recreation, will serve again as a referee for the Games. Hargreaves has been refereeing professionally since 2009, debuting at the Paralympics in the 2012 London Games.
The Crimson Tide went 26-2 last season and claimed the national championship in a 75-57 game against the University of Texas at Arlington.
10 Alabama alumni will also join the Paralympics, representing six national teams across two sports.
- Jannik Blair, Australia — men’s wheelchair basketball
- Bo Hedges, Canada — men’s wheelchair basketball
- Cindy Ouelett, Canada — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Rosalie Lalonde, Canada — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Arinn “Juice” Young, Canada — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Emily Oberst, USA — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Ignacio Ortega, Spain — men’s wheelchair basketball
- Catha Weiss, Germany — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Laurie Williams, Great Britain — women’s wheelchair basketball
- Annika Zeyen, Germany — handbike
