Parker, Lawson shoot for Olympics

Tennessee Lady Vols star Candace Parker and two other college players are headed to the FIBA Americas tournament in Chile. The United States still isn't sure if Seimone Augustus will be healthy enough to join them.

Parker, who led Tennessee to the national championship

last season, played on the bronze medal-winning 2006 World Championship women's

team, becoming the first college player to participate in a

major international tournament for the U.S. since Chamique Holdsclaw played in the 1998 Worlds.

The third-place finish forced the U.S. to have to qualify for the Olympics.

Former UT guard Kara Lawson, who was a late addition to the roster, will also make the trip.

Parker, Courtney Paris of Oklahoma and Candice Wiggins of Stanford were scheduled to leave with the United States on Friday for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Chile.

Wiggins will serve as an alternate, replacing Augustus if she can't recover from a shoulder injury suffered in Wednesday night's 70-66 exhibition victory over Australia.

"I think you take a mix of

our veteran players and very talented college players," USA Basketball executive Renee Brown said after Wednesday night's game. "It's very good for the young kids because they will be learning and competing against some of the best players in the world."

Wiggins, who is starting her senior season at Stanford, has already won two gold medals this summer for the U.S., helping the team capture the Pan American Games and Under-21 titles. Paris, the national player of the year for Oklahoma last season, was also on the Under-21 team.

The winner of the tournament that starts in Chile next week earns a bid to the Beijing Olympics.

Augustus has a spot on the roster, but will have to wait and see if she is healthy enough to play after her left shoulder popped out and back in when she was hit on a screen. The

two-time former college player of the year had an MRI on Thursday.

"It's sore, but I think I'll be OK," Augustus said. "I have confidence in this team headed down to Chile."

The U.S. has until Tuesday to name its final 12-player roster that will play in the tournament. The Americans open against Cuba on Wednesday.

Joining the three college players on the roster are Sue Bird, Tina Thompson, Delisha Milton-Jones, Rebekkah Brunson and Swin Cash.

Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Smith also made the team despite missing all of training camp to compete in the WNBA finals.

"We're very confident in the roster we are taking and that we will win the gold medal," Brown said.