Fifty-two athletes, including members of the 2002 U.S. National Team and 2002 USA Softball Elite Team, will participate in the U.S. Women's National Team Camp September 26-29 at the Arco Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., it was announced by USA Softball. A core group will be selected and receive automatic invitations to the next national team camp in June 2003.
Sixteen members of the 2002 U.S. National Team and 14 players from the 2002 Elite Team accepted invitations to participate in the camp. Another 17 players were chosen from seven open tryouts during the summer. The remaining five players were at-large invitees.
Four of the 52 players are from non-NCAA Division I schools. Kristen Heslop (California, Pa.) and Tara Tigner (Northwood) come from Division II schools; Lorna Lytle (Azusa Pacific) represents NAIA and Tonya Callahan (Holden High School) is the lone high school player among the invitees.
Coaches for the camp will be Michael Bastian (former WPSL head coach), Bob Coolen (Hawaii), Roger Dawes (Redding, Calif.), Joan Joyce (Florida Atlantic), Celeste Knierim (St. Louis Community College-Meramec), Eugene Lenti (DePaul), Dr. Dot Richardson (two-time Olympic gold medalist) and Margie Wright (Fresno State).
Below is the list of players who accepted invitations to the camp:
2002 U.S. National Team
NAME COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Laura Berg Fresno State Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Lisa Fernandez UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
Jennie Finch Arizona La Mirada, Calif.
Amanda Freed UCLA Cypress, Calif.
Nicole Giordano Arizona Saugus, Calif.
Keira Goerl UCLA Moreno Valley, Calif.
Teri Goldberg Colorado State Fort Collins, Colo.
Lori Harrigan UNLV Las Vegas, Nev.
Lovieanne Jung Arizona Fountain Valley, Calif.
Lyndsey Klein UCLA Roseville, Calif.
Nina Lindenberg Fresno State Anaheim Hills, Calif.
Jessica Mendoza Stanford Camarillo, Calif.
Tairia Mims UCLA Tucson, Ariz.
Stacey Nuveman UCLA LaVerne, Calif.
Leah O'Brien-Amico Arizona Chino Hills, Calif.
Natasha Watley UCLA Irvine, Calif.
2002 USA Softball Elite Team
NAME COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Alana Addison Louisiana-Lafayette Gonzales, La.
Sarah Beeson Stanford Tucson, Ariz.
Crystl Bustos Palm Beach CC Canyon Country, Calif.
Selena Collins Texas A&M Glendale, Ariz.
Courtney Dale UCLA Fresno, Calif.
Jaime Foutch Oklahoma State Edmond, Okla.
Lindsay Gardner Texas Katy, Texas
Kelly Kretschman Alabama Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.
Gina Oaks Cal State Fullerton Alta Loma, Calif.
Cat Osterman Texas Houston, Texas
Anna Smith Ohio State Walnut, Calif.
Britni Sneed LSU Houston, Texas
Mackenzie Vandergeest Arizona Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Kellie Wilkerson Mississippi State Jacksonville, Fla.
2002 Open Tryouts
NAME COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Jaime Chenevy Ohio State Millersburg, Ohio
Tonya Callahan Holden HS Holden, Mo.
Casey Clutch Evansville Anderson, Ind.
Melanie Fisher Missouri St. Louis, Mo.
Bridget Fournie Illinois State Swan Sea, Ill.
Julie Heneke Boston University Odessa, Fla.
Kristen Heslop California (Pa.) McHenry, Md.
Kristine Himes Ohio State Bolivar, Ohio
Peaches James Nebraska Papillion, Neb.
Lorna Lyttle Azusa Pacific Glendora, Calif.
Becky Manson Central Michigan Rockford, Mich.
Kim Ogee Nebraska Omaha, Neb.
Lacy Prejean Alabama Scott, La.
Lauren Taylor Seton Hall Hockessin, Del.
Tara Tigner Northwood Coleman, Mich.
Sara Vassmer Missouri Excelsior, Mo.
Kristen Zaleski Southwest Texas State Temple, Texas
At-Large Invitees
NAME COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Lauren Bauer Arizona Santa Ana, Calif.
Becky McMurtry Louisiana-Lafayette North Platte, Neb.
Oli Keohohou Brigham Young Newbury Park, Calif.
Christine Enea Oklahoma Woodland Hills, Calif.
Christa Williams Texas Houston, Texas
Go to USA Softball for the complete news release.
