It’s a huge week for USA Softball as the Women’s National Team (WNT) Olympic Selection Trials, begin this Wednesday at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
When it’s over on Saturday (assuming no weather-related delays), 15 athletes will be chosen to comprise the 2020 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team roster along with three replacements.
These players will be announced at the conclusion of the Selection Trials and a press conference featuring the 2020 roster will be held on the morning of October 8.
Here are the players vying for a spot on the team:
2020 Women’s Olympic Team Selection Trials Invitees
First | Last | Hometown | ST | University | Grad Year |
Monica | Abbott | Salinas | CA | Tennessee | 2007 |
Ali | Aguilar | Orangevale | CA | Washington | 2017 |
Valerie | Arioto | Pleasanton | CA | California | 2012 |
Sis | Bates | Ceres | CA | Washington | 2020 |
Ally | Carda | Elk Grove | CA | UCLA | 2015 |
Amanda | Chidester | Allen Park | MI | Michigan | 2012 |
Taylor | Edwards | Murrieta | CA | Nebraska | 2014 |
Megan | Faraimo | Vista | CA | UCLA | 2022 |
Hannah | Flippen | San Diego | CA | Utah | 2017 |
Montana | Fouts | Grayson | KY | Alabama | 2022 |
Rachel | Garcia | Palmdale | CA | UCLA | 2020 |
Chelsea | Goodacre | Temecula | CA | Arizona | 2015 |
Carley | Hoover | Clemson | SC | LSU | 2018 |
Jazmyn | Jackson | San Jose | CA | California | 2018 |
Sahvanna | Jaquish | Highland | CA | LSU | 2017 |
Amanda | Lorenz | Moorpark | CA | Florida | 2019 |
Haylie | McCleney | Morris | AL | Alabama | 2016 |
Kirsti | Merritt | Lake Panasoffkee | FL | Florida | 2016 |
Michelle | Moultrie | Jacksonville | FL | Florida | 2012 |
Dejah | Mulipola | Garden Grove | CA | Arizona | 2020 |
Aubree | Munro | Brea | CA | Florida | 2016 |
Bubba | Nickles | Merced | CA | UCLA | 2020 |
Cat | Osterman | Houston | TX | Texas | 2006 |
Alyssa | Palomin-Cardoza | Mission Viejo | CA | Arizona | 2020 |
Shelby | Pendley | Rio Rancho | NM | Oklahoma | 2015 |
Janie | Reed | Placentia | CA | Oregon | 2015 |
Keilani | Ricketts | San Jose | CA | Oklahoma | 2013 |
Sydney | Romero | Temecula | CA | Oklahoma | 2019 |
Delaney | Spaulding | Rancho Cucamonga | CA | UCLA | 2017 |
Kelsey | Stewart | Wichita | KS | Florida | 2018 |
This marks the first Olympic Games selection trials for a USA Softball WNT roster since the 2008 Beijing Olympics – the last Olympic Games the sport of softball participated in.
Highlighting the list of invitees are two previous Olympic Medalists: Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) and Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas).
Of the athletes invited, 10 athletes have won one or more NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) National Championships with their respective university, while four have garnered USA Softball Player of the Year honors at least once during their career.
The finalized team will participate in the “Stand Beside Her” tour, a series of competitions and training opportunities, as the team preps for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, slated for July 22-28 in Fukushima and Yokohama, Japan.
The first two tour stops of the 2020 tour were announced last week: February 7-9 at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic before continuing on at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic February 20-23.
During the selection process, athletes will participate in position drills as well as simulated games and will be evaluated by the USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) in accordance with the Athlete Selection Procedures approved by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
Those Selection Procedures are available for viewing at USASoftball.com.
Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla./Head Coach at South Florida) was announced as the Head Coach for the Tokyo 2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team.
The Selection Trials are open to the public with free admission. Below is the daily schedule (all times are Central Standard Time)…
2020 Olympic Team Selection Trials Public Schedule
Date | Time* | Event+ |
October 2 | 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Skill Evaluations |
4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Game 1 (Pitchers 1, 2) | Game 2 (Pitchers 3, 4) | |
October 3 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Game 3 (Pitchers 5, 6) |
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Game 4 (Pitchers 7, 8) | |
October 4 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Game 5 (Pitchers 2, 1) |
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. | Game 6 (Pitchers 4, 3) | |
October 5 | 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Game 7 (Pitchers 6, 5) | Game 8 (Pitchers 8, 7) |
– | TBD/Weather Makeup Session | |
October 6 | – | TBD/Weather Makeup Session |
*Schedule is subject to change.
* A detailed list of teams/pitchers will be made available by October 2, 2019