UNION, Ky. — Ryle 2029 power forward Jayden McClain was invited Wednesday morning to the 2025 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team minicamp.
McClain, who is 6-foot-6, averaged 10.2 points and 8.8 rebounds as an eighth-grader competing on the Ryle varsity girls basketball team this past season.
“I’m very excited for her,” Ryle girls basketball coach Katie Haitz said. “It’s well deserved. For her to have that opportunity, the sky is the limit.”
The third annual women’s minicamp occurs April 3-6 in Tampa, Fla., in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Minicamp participants represent the high school graduating classes of 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. The athletes and coaches were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Developmental National Team Committee.
McClain is one of 45 athletes invited to the minicamp.
Besides on-court drills and scrimmages, the athletes participate in a series of educational presentations and attend the college basketball national semifinal games on Friday night.
McClain is the daughter of former University of Cincinnati men’s basketball player Anthony McClain and former Cincinnati State women's basketball player Samantha McClain.
Jayden McClain has scholarship offers that include UC, Xavier, Ohio State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Southern Methodist University (SMU), University of Central Florida (UCF), Clemson, Florida State, University of Kentucky and Pittsburgh.
McClain set a Ryle single-season program record with 128 blocks, according to Haitz. McClain continues to improve in the post along with her shooting and court vision with passing.
“She’s a great threat on the defensive side and on the offensive side,” Haitz said.
The USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp group returns 20 athletes with prior USA Basketball experience, 14 of whom participated in the USA Women’s U17 National Team trials in 2024.
“We are excited to welcome this year’s talented USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team minicamp participants,” said Briana Weiss, USA Basketball’s Women’s National Team director. “Congratulations to the young women invited. We look forward to seeing our returners as well as first-time players compete and grow together.”
