OKLHAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today the initial group of 12 athletes who have accepted an invitation to the 2011 USA Softball Women’s National Team tryout camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., June 12-17. Names of additional participants will be released upon acceptance of athletes.

The approximately 17 athletes selected to represent USA Softball will compete in over seven different events in four different countries. Fans in the United States will get four opportunities to see the team in action with three exhibition stops scheduled as well as the World Cup of Softball IV, July 21-25, in Oklahoma City. For ticket information on the World Cup as well as the tour stops in Salem, Va., Bowie, Md. and Tampa, Fla., go to www.usasoftball.com. The 2011 Women’s National Team will also seek the program’s eighth Pan American Championship title at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, Oct. 17-23.

Below is the initial list of 12 athletes who will compete to earn a spot on the 2011 USA Softball Women’s National Team:

Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif./California)
Ashley Holcombe-Bell (Fayetteville, Ga./Alabama) 
Katelyn Boyd (Phoenix, Ariz./Arizona State)
Raven Chavanne (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Tennessee) 
Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif./Arizona State) 
Molly Johnson (Tucson, Ariz./Kentucky) 
Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif./UCLA) 
Jenae Leles (Sacramento, Calif./Arizona) 
Blaire Luna (Austin, Texas/Texas) 
Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Michigan)
Niki Williams (Mission Viejo, Calif./Washington) 
Shawna Wright (Lancaster, Calif./Washington)

The next group of athletes invited to camp will be announced at the beginning of April with the final selection in May.

- Courtesy of USA Softball