‘This is a no-brainer for me’: Doyle answers the call from USA Basketball in new capacity

In the summer of 2019, Kathleen Doyle entered the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as one of 30 college basketball players vying for a roster spot on USA Basketball’s Pan-American Games roster.

Two years earlier, she fell short of making the U19 World Cup roster. This time, though, fate would be different for Doyle, the Iowa star coming off an all-Big Ten first-team campaign. She became one of 12 players to make the team that won a silver medal in Lima, Peru.

In the ensuing years, she kept in contact with officials at Team USA. Then she received a call from USA Basketball. The organization offered her a spot on the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee, in which she would be responsible for helping select coaches and athletes for USA Basketball college-aged competitions.

“I was like, ‘This is a no-brainer for me,’” Doyle said. “I love getting to represent Team USA. That’s a really big deal when there’s only a certain amount of athletes your age. You’re considered one of the best. Anytime USA Basketball calls me for any type of opportunity or to be part of it in any way or serve however I can, it’s always going to be a yes from me.”

Doyle’s four-year commitment began last summer, in which Doyle — a Benet Academy graduate and current assistant coach for the DePaul women’s basketball team — helped assemble both of Team USA’s AmeriCup squad and U19 World Cup teams.

The five-person committee is required to have two people who played for a Team USA team in the past 10 years, which is how Doyle earned the opportunity. Now, Doyle’s role places her back at the USA Basketball Colorado Springs training center, where she is not competing for a spot but helping decide who earns one.

“It’s cool to be able to see the top talent across the country, be part of evaluating it, and creating a roster — not just of who we think the best players are, but the best team that we can assemble based on who will play what role,” Doyle said. “That’s what goes into it. Obviously, you follow along with the actual competitions and hope you did a good job.”

Doyle’s first go-around of helping put together a roster was successful. The Americans captured gold at both the AmeriCup — defeating Brazil in the final to secure their first title since 2021 — and the U19 World Cup, where they claimed a fourth straight gold medal by beating Australia.

Through her time on the committee, Doyle has worked to build strong connections with her fellow members. Having just completed her second season as a college basketball coach, the former Big Ten Player of the Year is looking to pick the brain of those around her to help her Big East squad find success in the 2026-27 campaign.

“These college coaches that are serving on the committee, they know what they’re talking about,” Doyle said. “It’s cool to be able to help whenever I can, but it’s given me so much in terms of experience and exposure. Just always extremely grateful to be part of Team USA in any way I can.”