COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (February 24, 2026) — Lubbock Christian University women's basketball head coach Steve Gomez has been selected to serve as head coach of the 2026 USA Basketball Women's U17 National Team, USA Basketball announced Tuesday.
 
Gomez, who guided the United States to a gold medal last summer as head coach of the USA Women's U16 National Team at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup in Juarez, Mexico, will lead the U.S. at the 2026 FIBA U17 Women's World Cup, scheduled for July 11-19 in Brno, Czechia. He will be assisted by Brittanny Johnson of Evanston Township High School (Illinois) and Krystle Johnson of Hoover High School (Alabama). Coaching selections for the U17 national team were made by the USA Basketball Women's Developmental National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
 
The appointment marks Gomez's second stint as a USA Basketball head coach and continues a longstanding relationship with the national program. In addition to leading the U16 squad to gold in 2025, Gomez previously served as an assistant coach at the 2018 FIBA U17 Women's World Cup and the 2017 FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship. He has also worked as a court coach at multiple USA Basketball trials and minicamps.
 
"It is a tremendous blessing to have the opportunity to work with USA Basketball again this summer," Gomez said. "Working with the support staff and coaches who make up the strongest international basketball organization, and building a team comprised of the most talented players in the world is a humbling and exciting responsibility."   
 
The FIBA U17 Women's World Cup has been held biennially since 2010, with the United States winning gold in six of the seven tournaments. Gomez and his staff most recently led the U16 team through an undefeated run to the 2025 AmeriCup title, navigating the selection process from more than 50 athletes down to a 12-player roster before capturing gold.
 
Gomez is in his 23rd season at the helm of the Lady Chaps and owns a 574-162 career record at LCU. He has led the program to three NCAA Division II national championships (2016, 2019, 2021) and ranks fourth in the state of Texas for all-time coaching victories at a single four-year Texas institution. Under his leadership, LCU has become one of the premier programs in Division II women's basketball, consistently competing on the national stage.
 
His continued involvement with USA Basketball further reflects the respect he has earned within the coaching community and provides additional international experience that benefits the Lady Chaps program.
 
The 2026 USA Women's U17 National Team will reconvene for trials and training camp prior to traveling to Czechia this summer.