OKLAHOMA CITY, OK --The Amateur Softball Association of America/USA Softball has announced the selection of 32 elite athletes and six coaches who will participate on two separate national teams during the 2001 season.

Players selected for USA Red are Lindsey Collins, Fountain Valley, CA; Amanda Freed, Cypress, CA; Lindsay Gardner, Katy, TX; Michelle Gates, Chowchilla, CA; Nicole Giordano, Saugus, CA; Keira Goerl, Moreno Valley, CA; Lovieanne Jung, Westminster, CA; Lizzy Lemire, Irvine, CA; Toni Mascarenas, Garden Grove, CA; Jessica Mendoza, Camarillo, CA; Tairia Mims, Tucson, AZ; Stacey Nuveman, La Verne, CA; Catherine Osterman, Katy, TX; Trena Peel, Aurora, CO; Kirsten Voak, Fremont, CA and Natasha Watley, Irvine, CA.

Coaches for USA Red are Jay Miller (University of Missouri), John Rittman (Stanford University) and Kirk Walker (Oregon State University).

Players selected for USA Blue are Toria Auelua, Garden Grove, CA; Lauren Bauer, Santa Ana, CA; Tia Bollinger, Santa Ana, Ca; Amy Chellevold, Tucson, AZ; Jaime Clark, Tustin, CA; Courtney Dale, Fresno, CA; Kim DePaul, Tomball, TX; Missy Hixon, Scottsdale, AZ; Nina Lindenberg, Anaheim Hills, CA; Keri McCallum, Port Orchard, WA; Jarrah Myers, Carbondale, KS; Jennifer Sharron, Agoura Hills, CA; Britni Sneed, Houston, TX; Nichole Thompson, Irvine, CA; Jenny Topping, Whittier, CA and Kellie Wilkerson, Jacksonville, FL.

Coaches for USA Blue are Mike Candrea (University of Arizona), Ken Erickson (University of South Florida) and Michelle Gromacki (Cal State Fullerton).

The two teams will compete against each other in the USA Softball Shootout, a West Coast exhibition tour, that will stop in Portland (June 8), Spokane (June 10), Sacramento (June 14) and Los Angeles (June 17).

USA Red will then travel to Honolulu, June 20-24, to represent the USA at the 2001 U.S. Cup, where they will face 2000 Olympic silver medalist Japan, bronze medalist Australia and fourth-place finisher China. The U.S. Cup will mark the first time Team USA has faced these international teams since the 2000 Olympic Games.

The two teams will then travel to Vancouver, June 30-July 6, for the 2001 Canada Cup. The USA captured the gold medal and the bronze medal in 1999 when two teams were represented at the Canada Cup.

USA Blue will close out the season when it travels to Maracay, Venezuela, July 28-August 5 to represent the USA at the 2001 Pan Am Qualifier.

Go to the USA Softball web site for more information.