Janice Okeke and Kristin Salmon Invited to Participate in American International Sports Teams

JACKSON - Senior Janice Okeke and junior Kristin Salmon have been invited to participate for American International Sports Teams based on their performance this past season. Of almost 5,000 young women that participate at the NCAA Division III level, Okeke and Salmon were two of only 225 scholar-athletes to receive an invitation. They could play on one team of 10-12 young women that will travel to Italy or another team headed to the Czech Republic and Germany to compete in the Prague Cup.

This past season, Okeke averaged 12.5 points per game and 10.5 rebounds which led the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. She was the leader among her peers as a junior. Her play and guidance helped Millsaps Women’s Basketball see one of the biggest turnarounds in program history.

Salmon also provided solid numbers averaging 9.5 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game.  Known for her sharp shooting, Salmon was lethal behind the arc as she shot 37 percent from the three point line. She also shot 88 percent from the free throw line, the best percentage on the team.

“This is a great honor and international opportunity for Janice and Kristin if they choose to accept their invitations,” said Head Coach Chuck Winkelman. “I am thankful we have both of them back for the 2011-12 campaign here at Millsaps.”

AIST has been doing international sports tours for teams and individuals since 2002 and has enjoyed expanding into more than 22 different countries around the world.

AIST receives invitations to participate in tournaments from around the world. Most of the tournaments have national teams competing as well as local club teams. They also set up exhibition games when possible before tournaments to give the athletes more opportunities to compete. Most of the teams will get between 5-7 games in a ten day period. The rest of the tour involves sightseeing and cultural education.