UCLA Women's Basketball: Gabriela Jaquez to Join FIBA World Cup

Sam Garcia | Aug 16, 2024

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA women’s basketball player Gabriela Jacquez was selected to represent the Mexican national team at the 2024 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament. The news was announced on the UCLA Athletics website on Friday.

The FIBA Pre-Qualifying Tournament is a seven-day tournament that will determine the 16 qualifying teams for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin, Germany. The tournament will be played from Aug. 19-25 in Mexico City, Mexico at the Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera. The gymnasium once hosted the 1968 Summer Olympic volleyball competitions. 

Last season, the rising junior forward averaged 10 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. She made appearances in 34 games, recording six starts and averaging 25.2 minutes per game. The Camarillo, California native earned the first 30-point game in her career on Nov. 12 in the Bruins’ 113-64 victory over Bellarmine. This would mark the first of three double-doubles she would record this season.

She improved in all aspects of the game in her sophomore season as she logged new single-game career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, 3-pointers, and free throws made.

As a freshman, she appeared in all 37 of the Bruins’ games and made two starts. She led the team in scoring against Washington State and Oregon State. Jacquez also finished the season leading the team with a 45.5 field goal percentage.

The Bruins’ basketball team consists of several players who have been selected for the honor to represent their national team. In February, two Bruins were also selected to represent a competing national team in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Brazil. Then-senior Angela Dugalic, a Eurobasket gold medalist, was chosen to represent the Serbian national team. Then-sophomore Lina Sontang competed for the German national team. Both teams qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Additionally, UCLA alum Emily Bessoir represented the German national team alongside Sontang at this year’s Olympics. Bessoir was a small forward for the Bruins and was named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.

Jacquez is also the younger sister of the Miami Heat’s first round draft pick Jaime Jacquez Jr. The brother-sister duo are the descendants of two former collegiate basketball players for Concordia University in Irvine, California. Although Jacquez Jr., a former Bruin, has also made appearances as a member of the Mexican national team, he opted out of representing the team in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July.