OKLAHOMA CITY – Seventeen athletes have been selected for the 2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today. The athletes selected hail from seven states: Arizona, California, Florida, Ohio, Oregon, Maryland and New Mexico.
The team will compete later this year at the III Pan American Softball Championship (18-and-under), August 6-15, in Bogota, Colombia, which serves as a qualifier for the International Softball Federation (ISF) IX Jr. Women’s World Championship (19-and-under), December 6-17, 2011, in Cape Town, South Africa.
“I am really proud of the 41 athletes who tried out for the Junior Women’s National Team and excited for the 17 who were selected to wear the USA uniform,†said Head Coach Karen Johns (Starkville, Miss./asst. coach Mississippi State). “I am looking forward to watching these young women play their best softball on the world stage and win Gold Medals for their country. I hope their first experiences with the USA Softball program are positive.â€
Suzy Brazney (Huntington Beach, Calif./head coach Golden West College), Stacy Iveson (Prescott, Ariz./head coach Yavapai College) and Pat Murphy (Northport, Ala./head coach Alabama) will join Johns in Colombia as assistant coaches. Joe Salvatore (Monroe Township, N.J./coach New Jersey Breakers) is the volunteer assistant coach for the Junior Women’s National Team.
2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Roster
Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./California Worth Firecrackers 18-Under Gold)
Cheyenne Cordes (Fairfield, Calif./California Lady Magic)
Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif./California Lady Magic)
Dallas Escobedo (Glendale, Ariz./Arizona Hotshots Gold)
Amber Freeman (Lakewood, Calif./Corona Angels 18-Under Gold-Tyson)
Erin Gabriel (Poland, Ohio/Valley Extreme Blue)
Chelsea Goodacre (Temecula, Calif./California Fury)
Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz./ Arizona Hotshots Gold)
Kylee Lahners (Laguna Hills, Calif./ California Worth Firecrackers 18-Under Gold)
Destinee Martinez (Corona, Calif./ Corona Angels 18-Under Gold-Tyson)
Shelby Pendley (Albuquerque, N.M./New Mexico Sundancers)
Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md./Wagners)
Madison Shipman (Valencia, Calif./So Cal Choppers)
Cheyanne Tarango (Anaheim Hills, Calif./ California Worth Firecrackers 18-Under Gold)
Nyree White (Eugene, Ore./ California Worth Firecrackers 18-Under Gold)
Hallie Wilson (North Tustin, Calif./ California Worth Firecrackers 18-Under Gold)
Chelsea Zgrabik (Nokomis, Fla./Florida Tropic Wave-Morgan)
“On behalf of everyone at the Amateur Softball Association, I am excited to welcome the next generation of USA Softball players,†said ASA Executive Director Ron Radigonda. “Our program has a rich history not only on the senior level, having won three Olympic Gold Medals, but on the junior level as well, having won three Junior Women’s World Championships including the Gold Medal in 2007. I know the 17 young women selected for the 2010-11 Junior Women’s National Team will continue the tradition of excellence in USA Softball. I congratulate them for their performances in Chula Vista and wish them well in Colombia and beyond.â€
The athletes were selected for the team by the five-member USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) based on performances at the 2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp, June 10-12, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
Forty-one athletes from the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team player pool attended the Selection Camp. The player pool is made up of athletes that have been identified by WNTSC as an elite softball player in the appropriate age group. Athletes that are identified come from observations at the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Junior National Tournaments, recommendations from college coaches, high school coaches and ASA Junior Olympic (JO) Coaches.