[Alsfastball] USA Softball named USOC Team of the Year

[Al Doran]

2/2/05 2:51:34 PM 
From:  "Brian McCall" <bmccall at softball.org> 
To:  "Brian McCall" <bmccall at softball.org>    
Subject:  USA Softball named USOC Team of the Year  


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ForImmediate Release: 2/9/05

 

USASoftball named 2004 USOC Team of the Year

 

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK --- TheUnited States Olympic Committee announced
today the USA Softball Women’sOlympic team as its 2004 ‘Team
of the Year.’  A first time awardfor USA Softball, the women
dominated the Olympic Games with their epicperformance on the
field going a perfect 9-0.  

 

“Thisteam was really remarkable for a lot of different reasons,”
said headcoach Mike Candrea.  “There is no doubt they were hitting
on all cylindersin Athens, and I can’t tell you how proud Iam
of each and every one of them.”

 

“Ourteam really had a great group of core players in 2004 and
it is an honor toreceive an award like this,” said three-time
Olympic gold medalist LisaFernandez.  “To be a part of this team
was quite an honor and to be ableto perform at this level is
incredible.”

 

The U.S. Olympic Softball Team captured its thirdconsecutive
gold medal at the Athens Games, outscoring opponents 51-1 whileachieving
a 9-0 record.  The squad, which broke 18 Olympic records in 2004,went
55 2/3 scoreless innings and combined for a team batting average
of ..343.The pitching staff earned a 0.12 ERA.  The nine straight
wins at the Games extendedthe USA’s streak to 79, dating back
to July 13, 2003.  The team also completed a 53-0 “Aiming for
Athens” pre-Olympic tour to approximately 30 U.S. cities, outscoring
opponents 476-14.  In pre-Gamesplay, the pitching staff’s ERA
was 0.22 and the squad combined for a teambatting average of
.403.

 

Pictured on the August 30 cover of Sports Illustrated as the
“The RealDream Team,” USA Softball battled both on and off the
field in Athens to overcome the tragic loss of head coach Mike
Candrea’swife, Sue, who passed away just 10 days before the squad
headed for Greece.  Following her sudden death from a brain aneurysmwhile
traveling with the team in central Wisconsin, Team USA placed
the letters “SC” on its helmetsand wristbands as the players
continued their journey to the Olympic Gamespodium in her honor.

 

Team members were Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.), Crystl
Bustos(Canyon Country, Calif.), Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach, Calif.),
Jennie Finch (LaMirada, Calif.), Amanda Freed (Cypress, Calif.),
Lori Harrigan (Las Vegas,Nev.), Lovieanne Jung (Riverside, Calif.),
Kelly Kretschman (Indian HarbourBeach, Fla.), Jessica Mendoza
(Camarillo, Calif.), Tairia Mims Flowers(Fullerton, Calif.),
Stacey Nuveman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), LeahO’Brien-Amico
(Chino Hills, Calif.), Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas), JennyTopping
(Whittier, Calif.) and Natasha Watley (Santa Margarita, Calif.).
 

 

Theteam was honored along with Sportsman of the Year swimmer
Michael Phelps andSportswoman gymnast Carly Patterson.  

 

USA Softball veteran Fernandez (Long Beach, CA) wasalso among
the top four finalists in the Sportswoman voting.  

 

The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awardshave been
presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and femaleathlete
from within the USOC member organizations.   The team award was
addedin 1996.  Winners are selected from the individual female
and male Athlete ofthe Year and Team of the Year nominations
of the National Governing Bodies forthe Olympic, Pan American
and Affiliated Organizations within the U.S. OlympicMovement.

 

Team of theYear
1996 – Women’s National/Olympic BasketballTeam

1997 – Women’s National Soccer Team

1998 – Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team

1999 – Women’s National Soccer Team

2000 – USA Baseball Olympic Team

2001 – U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team

2002 – Women’s Bobsled Team

2003 – Women’s Gymnastics Team

2004 – USA Softball Olympic Team

 

About ASA

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, isthe National
Governing Body of Softball in the United States anda member of
the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of
thenation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition
inevery state through a network of 88 local associations. The
ASA has grown froma few hundred teams in its early days to over
240,000 teams today, representinga membership of more than three
million. For more information on the ASA, visitwww.asasoftball.com.



About USASoftball

USA Softball is the brand created, operated and ownedby the ASA
that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’and Junior Girls’
National Team programs together. USA Softball isresponsible for
training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams tocompete
in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball
Women’sNational Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved
in theOlympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals
at the Olympic Gamessince 1996. The U.S. women have also won
seven World Championshiptitles including the last five consecutive.
For more information about USASoftball, please visit www.usasoftball.com.

 

 

 

Brian McCall

Director of Communications

ASA/USA Softball

405-425-3463

bmccall at softball.org

www.asasoftball.comor www.usasoftball.com

 

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