SKOPJE, NORTH MACEDONIA – The Alfred University women's basketball team will be represented in the international level, as rising junior guard Ana Ion (Bucharest, Romania/Episcopal School of Jacksonville) competes for Romania in the upcoming FIBA U20 Women's European Challengers tournament.
 
The event, held in Macedonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, and Armenia beginning on Monday, July 12, features the best young players on the European continent. 33 participating countries, including Ion's Romania squad, are placed in five groups and will compete in round-robin play over the next week. Romania is placed in Group E and will begin its journey with a true road test against North Macedonia in Skopje, its capital city on Wednesday at 3PM EST. Romania will also compete against Group E foes Slovakia, Kosovo, and Luxembourg over the next week, all in Skopje.
 
Full Romania Schedule
Romania vs. North Macedonia – Wednesday, July 14, 3PM – VIDEO LINK
Romania vs. Slovakia – Thursday, July 14, 3PM – VIDEO LINK
Romania vs. Kosovo – Saturday, July 17, 11AM – VIDEO LINK
Romania vs. Luxembourg – Sunday, July 18, 11AM – VIDEO LINK
Stats, standings, and more information – MAIN SITE
 
Ion is the lone Division III player in the competition and one of a handful of players that currently compete on the NCAA level (Division I, II, and III). Ion recently competed in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup qualifier in late June in her return to basketball competition. The 2019-20 Empire 8 Women's Basketball Rookie of the Year, Ion will return to the Saxons for the 2021-22 season after a year off during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her last full season in 2019-20, Ion led the Saxons with 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. She focused on track and field last season, where she earned Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year honors.