USA Softball announces Olympic roster for Tokyo 2020
USA Softball announced today the 15-athlete roster to represent the country in the Olympic softball competition in Tokyo 2020. Olympic medallists Monica Abbot and Cat Osterman highlight a list that includes 12 members of the 2018 World Championship team and 13 members of the 2019 Pan American Games Gold Medal team.
After a series of trials held in Oklahoma City, USA Softball became the first nation to announce its roster for the historic softball return to the Olympic Games.
Our Journey Begins Now pic.twitter.com/C6EAtY0eHP
— USA Softball (@USASoftball) October 6, 2019
See full roster at USA Softball website.
Left-handed pitchers Abbot and Osterman will lead the pitching staff, joined by two-way players Rachel Garcia and Ally Carda.
USA Softball also announced three replacement players.
“This has been an incredible process that has taken years of evaluation about great people that play softball at the highest level,” said Head Coach Ken Eriksen. “It should be extremely exhilarating for the most knowledgeable in the softball community to understand what it takes to form a team that includes experience and ability. All 29 players that accepted an invitation to these trials displayed class and dignity along with an incredible passion to represent the United States on the field. Everyone that was on the field in Oklahoma City this week earned their place in the trials. There was no selfishness here and that was an incredible observation amongst all that watched.”
With Japan qualified as the host team, USA was the first team to seal its ticket to Tokyo 2020, when they won the WBSC World Championship 2018 in Chiba, Japan. This year, Italy (winner of the Europe/Africa Qualifier), Mexico, Canada (top two finishers of the Americas Qualifier) and Australia (winner of the Asia/Oceania Qualifier) completed the field of teams playing softball in the Olympic Games 2020.
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