Burdick Set To Begin Olympic Action July 30

PARIS -- Former Lady Vol basketball standout Cierra Burdick, who played at Tennessee from 2011-15, is set to compete as part of the USA women's 3x3 basketball team at the Olympic Games from July 30 to Aug. 5.

Burdick is the 15th Lady Vol basketball player to earn an opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games and does so nine years into her post-collegiate career on the hardwood. A veteran of the USA 3x3 women's basketball program, she becomes the first UT woman to compete in that event at the Olympics. The 2023 gold medalist on the USA's Pan American Games and FIBA World Cup 3x3 squads joins three other Americans to represent their country on a global stage.

She'll compete alongside WNBA players Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream/Kentucky) and Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks/Wake Forest) as well Hailey Van Lith (TCU). The quartet will be coached by WNBA Connecticut Sun president Jennifer Rizzotti, a college standout at UConn, and Rhode Island head coach Tammi Reiss, a former college star at Virginia.

The USA will open play on July 30 with an 11:30 a.m. ET contest vs. Germany. The squad will then compete again on July 31 (3:30 p.m. vs. Azerbaijan), Aug. 1 (7 a.m. vs. Australia & 3:30 p.m. vs. Spain), Aug. 2 (7 a.m. vs. France & noon vs. Canada) and Aug. 3 (1:05 p.m. vs. China). Play-in rounds begin later on Aug. 3, and Aug. 5 features the semifinals at 11:30 a.m., followed by the bronze medal game at 3 p.m. and the gold medal contest at 4:05 p.m. To follow the team, please click here.

Different than 5-on-5, 3x3 is played on a half court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams "clear" the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.

A four-year letterwinner and a University of Tennessee Torchbearer in 2015, Burdick was a Coaches All-SEC First Team and AP All-SEC Second Team honoree as a senior and was an AP All-America honorable mention selection and an NCAA Spokane Regional All-Tournament choice in 2015 as well. She also earned SEC All-Tournament distinction in 2014 and 2015 and was a four-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, a 2015 COSIDA Academic All-America Second Team selection and 2014 and 2015 member of the SEC Community Service Team.

After completing her collegiate career, Burdick was a 2015 second-round WNBA Draft pick, taken with the No. 14 overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks. During her professional tenure, she also had stints with the Atlanta Dream (2015-16), New York Liberty (2017), San Antonio Stars (2017), Las Vegas Aces (2020), Phoenix Mercury (2021), Minnesota Lynx (2021) and Seattle Storm (2021). While with her final franchise, she played for a 3x3 team under the direction of the Storm and Force 10 Hoops, and that experience only served to elevate her prowess and stature in the 3x world.

A member of the USA Basketball family since 2009, Burdick also won 3x3 gold at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and has represented USA on the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series since 2021. Most recently, she helped USA to a victory at the Quebec, Canada, stop on the series on June 29 and 30.

Lawson Serving As Assistant
Kara Lawson, a four-year letterwinner from 1999 to 2003 and a University of Tennessee Torchbearer in 2003, will serve as an assistant coach on the USA Women's Basketball Olympic Team (5x5). Lawson, a 2008 gold medalist as a player for the United States, is making her coaching staff debut with the USA Women's Basketball Olympic Team as an assistant in 2024 after serving as head coach of the gold-medal-winning USA 3x3 women's basketball team in 2020.

Lawson was a 2003 WBCA All-American and two-time AP All-American who earned All-SEC acclaim on four occasions and SEC All-Tournament honors twice. She also garnered SEC Academic Honor Roll distinction four times, SEC Community Service Team membership twice, first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America acclaim in 2003 and the Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award that season as well.

The USA team and Lawson will begin competition on July 29 vs. Japan. To follow the USA, click here.

University of Tennessee Athletics

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