—<\/em><\/strong>Garcia Will Participate in Trials to be Held from April 12 to 16 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado–<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
Queens, NY, April 1, 2022\u2014With a historic invitation to the 2022 Selection Camp for the U.S. women\u2019s wheelchair basketball national team, Queens College student Seira Larrauri Garcia has become the first CUNY student-athlete to be invited to a Team USA tryout in any sport. The selection will take place April 12-16 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.<\/p>\n
Garcia\u2014a junior majoring in Urban Studies\u2014has been a key contributor to Team CUNY, currently in its first year competing in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). Garcia is Team CUNY\u2019s leading scorer, with an average of 16.5 points per game. The men\u2019s and women\u2019s wheelchair basketball teams, the first of their kind in the Northeast, were launched as a result of a 2017 City University of New York Athletic Conference Inclusive and Adaptive Sports Initiative for Recreational<\/a>. Intercollegiate Sports and Competitive Athletics. The wheelchair basketball program is based at Queens College and Hostos Community College.
<\/p>\n\u201cSeira demonstrates what\u2019s possible when we make inclusion a priority. It presents opportunities that change lives and build futures,\u201d says Queens College President Frank H. Wu. \u201cWe are deeply proud of Seira\u2019s accomplishments as a student and an athlete and anticipate that more students will be inspired to travel the path that she\u2019s paved toward Team USA\u2014and every other opportunity that it makes possible. Everyone at Queens College wishes her the best of luck; we\u2019ll be cheering her on from here!\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Florida, raised in Puerto Rico, Garcia was seven when she was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes, a degenerative disease that affects the hip joint. The condition forced her to stop playing standing basketball in 2014, when she was 17 years old. Not one to be sidelined, she soon discovered wheelchair basketball and began playing with the Federaci\u00f3n de Baloncesto en Silla de Ruedas de Puerto Rico (FEBASIRU), Puerto Rico\u2019s wheelchair basketball team. By 2016, Garcia was also playing for the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, amateur clubs sponsored by the local NBA and WNBA franchises.<\/p>\n
On receiving the news of her invitation to try out, says Garcia, \u201cI had to read the email three times to make sure it was real.\u201d She credits her family, especially her mother, for instilling in her a sense of purpose. Her mother\u2019s oft-repeated mantra, \u201cThe mind is more powerful than anything else,\u201d continues to sustain Garcia; even after seven surgeries and overcoming a host of other challenges, she remains determined and positive. \u201cLife can be great, if you allow it to be,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
Garcia started playing for CUNY\u2019s wheelchair basketball team after Ryan Martin, CUNY director of inclusive and adaptive sports, reached out and persuaded her to join in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited that Seira was invited to compete for a spot with Team USA. She\u2019s had a great first season and been a key part of the launch of the women\u2019s team at CUNY,\u201d said Martin. \u201cThe whole university is behind her, and we wish her the best of luck as she starts her international career.\u201d<\/p>\n
The invitation to a team selection camp puts Garcia in elite company, as she will compete alongside the nation\u2019s most exceptional players. Only 29 athletes from across the country were invited to try out for seated basketball, and only 12 players plus three alternates will ultimately be selected to participate in the Paralympic Games. USA wheelchair basketball\u2019s historical success makes the United States the world\u2019s most decorated national program. The men\u2019s and women\u2019s wheelchair basketball squads have combined to win 13 gold, two silver and eight bronze medals since the Paralympic Games began in 1960, making the U.S. the top-scoring nation overall. The U.S. men won the gold medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and the women brought home the bronze.<\/p>\n
After she graduates from Queens College, Garcia plans to earn a master\u2019s degree in psychology and pursue a doctorate in sports psychology. She hopes to provide outreach to improve the lives of homeless people and those recovering from addiction.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”12px” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”22px” header_2_font_size=”19px” background_color=”#EFEFEF” width=”100%” custom_padding=”18px|26px|18px|26px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
About Queens College<\/strong>
Queens College produces more education graduates who become principals, teachers, and counselors for the city\u2019s public schools than any other college in the metropolitan area. The college contributes to the local talent pool as a powerful economic engine and a leader in tech education. Students from across the country and around the world are attracted to study at the Aaron Copland School of Music. Its renowned faculty and alumni include nationally recognized composers, conductors, and performers who have received over 100 Grammy Awards and nominations.<\/p>\nQueens College enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. With its graduate and undergraduate degrees, honors programs, and research and internship opportunities, the college helps its more than 20,000 students realize their potential in countless ways, assisted by an accessible, award-winning faculty. Located on a beautiful, 80-acre campus in Flushing, the college has been cited by Princeton Review as one of America’s Best Value Colleges for four consecutive years, as well as being ranked a U.S. News and World Report Best College and Forbes Magazine Best Value College thanks to its outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages, and relatively low costs. Visit our homepage<\/a> to learn. more\u200b.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow icon_color=”#A9A9A9″ use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”22px” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_orientation=”right” width=”100%” min_height=”97px” custom_margin=”-3px||-1px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_release_template\/” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” border_color_all=”#A9A9A9″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]facebook[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_releases\/” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]twitter[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”linkedin” url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/cws\/share?url=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_releases” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]linkedin[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”Maria Matteo” image_icon_background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” image_icon_width=”48px” _builder_version=”4.16.1″ header_font=”Open Sans||||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”|||0px||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2022\/04\/Wheelchair-BB-Stockton-Photo-_-CUNY-Athletics.jpg\")
Queens, NY, April 1, 2022\u2014With a historic invitation to the 2022 Selection Camp for the U.S. women\u2019s wheelchair basketball national team, Queens College student Seira Larrauri Garcia has become the first CUNY student-athlete to be invited to a Team USA tryout in any sport. The selection will take place April 12-16 at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2022\/04\/Screen_Shot_2021-01-14_at_2.50.45_PM_large.png\")
<\/p>\n\u201cSeira demonstrates what\u2019s possible when we make inclusion a priority. It presents opportunities that change lives and build futures,\u201d says Queens College President Frank H. Wu. \u201cWe are deeply proud of Seira\u2019s accomplishments as a student and an athlete and anticipate that more students will be inspired to travel the path that she\u2019s paved toward Team USA\u2014and every other opportunity that it makes possible. Everyone at Queens College wishes her the best of luck; we\u2019ll be cheering her on from here!\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Florida, raised in Puerto Rico, Garcia was seven when she was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes, a degenerative disease that affects the hip joint. The condition forced her to stop playing standing basketball in 2014, when she was 17 years old. Not one to be sidelined, she soon discovered wheelchair basketball and began playing with the Federaci\u00f3n de Baloncesto en Silla de Ruedas de Puerto Rico (FEBASIRU), Puerto Rico\u2019s wheelchair basketball team. By 2016, Garcia was also playing for the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Liberty, amateur clubs sponsored by the local NBA and WNBA franchises.<\/p>\n
On receiving the news of her invitation to try out, says Garcia, \u201cI had to read the email three times to make sure it was real.\u201d She credits her family, especially her mother, for instilling in her a sense of purpose. Her mother\u2019s oft-repeated mantra, \u201cThe mind is more powerful than anything else,\u201d continues to sustain Garcia; even after seven surgeries and overcoming a host of other challenges, she remains determined and positive. \u201cLife can be great, if you allow it to be,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
Garcia started playing for CUNY\u2019s wheelchair basketball team after Ryan Martin, CUNY director of inclusive and adaptive sports, reached out and persuaded her to join in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited that Seira was invited to compete for a spot with Team USA. She\u2019s had a great first season and been a key part of the launch of the women\u2019s team at CUNY,\u201d said Martin. \u201cThe whole university is behind her, and we wish her the best of luck as she starts her international career.\u201d<\/p>\n
The invitation to a team selection camp puts Garcia in elite company, as she will compete alongside the nation\u2019s most exceptional players. Only 29 athletes from across the country were invited to try out for seated basketball, and only 12 players plus three alternates will ultimately be selected to participate in the Paralympic Games. USA wheelchair basketball\u2019s historical success makes the United States the world\u2019s most decorated national program. The men\u2019s and women\u2019s wheelchair basketball squads have combined to win 13 gold, two silver and eight bronze medals since the Paralympic Games began in 1960, making the U.S. the top-scoring nation overall. The U.S. men won the gold medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, and the women brought home the bronze.<\/p>\n
After she graduates from Queens College, Garcia plans to earn a master\u2019s degree in psychology and pursue a doctorate in sports psychology. She hopes to provide outreach to improve the lives of homeless people and those recovering from addiction.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”12px” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_font_size=”22px” header_2_font_size=”19px” background_color=”#EFEFEF” width=”100%” custom_padding=”18px|26px|18px|26px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
About Queens College<\/strong> Queens College enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. With its graduate and undergraduate degrees, honors programs, and research and internship opportunities, the college helps its more than 20,000 students realize their potential in countless ways, assisted by an accessible, award-winning faculty. Located on a beautiful, 80-acre campus in Flushing, the college has been cited by Princeton Review as one of America’s Best Value Colleges for four consecutive years, as well as being ranked a U.S. News and World Report Best College and Forbes Magazine Best Value College thanks to its outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages, and relatively low costs. Visit our homepage<\/a> to learn. more\u200b.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow icon_color=”#A9A9A9″ use_icon_font_size=”on” icon_font_size=”22px” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” text_orientation=”right” width=”100%” min_height=”97px” custom_margin=”-3px||-1px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_release_template\/” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” border_color_all=”#A9A9A9″ global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]facebook[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_releases\/” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]twitter[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”linkedin” url=”https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/cws\/share?url=https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/communications\/press_releases” icon_color=”#FFFFFF” use_icon_font_size=”on” _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#C0C0C0″ background_enable_color=”on” border_radii=”on|25px|25px|25px|25px” global_colors_info=”{}” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]linkedin[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”Maria Matteo” image_icon_background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” image_icon_width=”48px” _builder_version=”4.16.1″ header_font=”Open Sans||||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”|||0px||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Queens College produces more education graduates who become principals, teachers, and counselors for the city\u2019s public schools than any other college in the metropolitan area. The college contributes to the local talent pool as a powerful economic engine and a leader in tech education. Students from across the country and around the world are attracted to study at the Aaron Copland School of Music. Its renowned faculty and alumni include nationally recognized composers, conductors, and performers who have received over 100 Grammy Awards and nominations.<\/p>\n