OKLAHOMA CITY — Two trips to Japan, a World Championship and four U.S. cities highlight the upcoming season for the Women's National Team program as the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball announced the 2016 schedules for both the Women's National (WNT) and Elite Teams on Tuesday afternoon.
At the top of the lineup for both squads is the World Cup of Softball XI, which returns to Oklahoma City for the first time since 2013. The WNT will also compete in a series of exhibition games against two National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) franchises, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Championship, the USA vs. Japan All-Star Series and the Japan Cup. Meanwhile, the Women's Elite Team will participate in training at the USA Softball JO Cup in Marietta, Ga.
"The 2016 schedules for both the Women's National Team and Women's Elite Team is exciting," said USA Softball Women's National Team Head Coach Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.). "The opportunity to train and play on our home field in Oklahoma City is fantastic. I know the teams are looking forward to getting into their locker rooms and enjoying all of the upgrades that the combined efforts of many have produced at OGE Energy Field. Our competition schedules are perfect for our objective of winning Gold at the WBSC World Championship."
As they prepare for a busy summer schedule, the 2016 USA Softball WNT
will begin their season at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex for training from June 12-16. Highlighting the Oklahoma City training camp are two exhibition games against the NPF's Dallas Charge and Scrap Yard Dawgs on June 16. The WNT will then head to Dallas and Houston to continue the exhibition series against the Dallas Charge and Scrap Yard Dawgs on June 17-18. The tour stops will give fans in Dallas and Houston the opportunity to catch WNT athletes Amanda Chidester (Allen Park, Mich.), Sara Nevins (Pinellas Park, Fla.) and Jaclyn Traina (Naples, Fla.) in action before they join the Scrap Yard Dawgs roster after the 2016 USA Softball season.
"The Dallas Charge and Scrap Yard Dawgs are providing our players with an opportunity to prepare for our international season with some great competition," said Eriksen. "Hopefully this opportunity for a great marriage between ownership groups in the NPF will provide a great way for all to enjoy the benefits of a powerful USA Softball program in all facets."
The WNT will make their first international trip of the season June 20-26 as the team heads to Tokyo, Japan for the USA vs. Japan All-Star Series, which will be held at the Tokyo Dome, as the international softball world continues their efforts to get softball added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Game program. The team will have a brief break before returning to Oklahoma City for the World Cup of Softball XI July 7-10. From there, the WNT will head to Surrey, B.C., Canada for the WBSC Women's World Championship, slated for July 15-24, where they will look to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the world against reigning World Champions Japan. Rounding out the 2016 season for the WNT is the Japan Cup, which will be heldAugust 29-September 5.
Click here to see the complete schedule for the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team
Also hitting the road this summer is the 2016 USA Softball Women's Elite Team, who will be joining the WNT for a training camp in Oklahoma City in preparation for the World Cup of Softball XI. The Women's Elite Team will complete their season in Marietta, Ga. July 22-28 for training in conjunction with the USA Softball JO Cup.
Click here to see the complete schedule for the 2016 USA Softball Women's Elite Team
Fans at home can follow along all summer long with the USA Softball National Teams at USASoftball.com.
-- Courtesy of ASA/USA Softball
