Oklahoma City, OK---USA Softball has announced the roster for its 2003 Women's National Team that will attempt to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive title at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, August 1-17.   

A group of 50 of the nation's top female softball players was narrowed down to an 18-player roster for the Pan Am Games, after participating in the Women's Pan Am Tryout Camp, June 4-7, in Chula Vista, CA. 

Only six members of the gold medal team from the 2000 Olympic Games remain for the World Championship - Leah O'Brien-Amico, Chino Hills, CA; Laura Berg, Santa Fe Springs, CA; Crystl Bustos, Canyon Country, CA; Lisa Fernandez, Long Beach, CA; Lori Harrigan, Las Vegas, NV and Stacey Nuveman, La Verne, CA. 

The Pan Am roster also includes, Jaime Clark, Tustin, CA; Jennie Finch, La Mirada, CA; Amanda Freed, Cypress, CA; Nicole Giordano, Saugus, CA; Keira Goerl, Moreno Valley, CA; Lovie Jung, Fountain Valley, CA; Nina Lindenberg, Anaheim Hills, CA; Jessica Mendoza, Camarillo, CA; Tairia Mims, Tucson, AZ; Cat Osterman, Houston, TX; Jenny Topping, Whittier, CA and Natasha Watley, Irvine, CA. 

Coaches for the 2003 USA Softball Women's Pan Am team will be Head Coach Mike Candrea (Casa Grande, AZ) from the University of Arizona, Assistant Coach Ken Eriksen (Tampa, FL) from the University of South Florida and Assistant Coach John Rittman, (Stanford, CA) from Stanford University. This coaching staff will also serve as the coaches for the 2004 Olympic Team. 

USA Softball also selected a second team that will compete in the Canada Cup, July 4-13, and in an exhibition series versus Australia in San Francisco, July 15-20. 

The sixteen players selected for the 2003 USA Softball Elite Team are Selena Collins, Glendale, AZ; Jodie Cox, Lancaster, CA; Courtney Dale, Fresno, CA; Teri Goldberg, Ft. Collins, CO; Alicia Hollowell, Suisun City, CA; Lyndsey Klein, Roseville, CA; Kelly Kretschman, Indian Harbor Beach, FL; Lauren Lappin, Anaheim, CA; Toni Mascarenas, Garden Grove, CA; Iyhia McMichael, Nacadoches, TX; Gina Oaks, Alta Loma, CA; Trena Peel, Aurora, CO; Jamie Southern, Clovis, CA; Nichole Thompson, Irvine, CA; Mackenzie Vandergeest, Newbury Park, CA; Kellie Wilkerson, Jacksonville, FL. 

The coaches for the Elite Team are Head Coach Jay Miller (Starkville, MS) from Mississippi State, Assistant Coach Michele Gromacki (Huntington Beach, CA) from Cal State Fullerton and Assistant Coach Kirk Walker (Keizer, OR) from Oregon State. 

The USA Women's Team has dominated its competition at the Pan Am Games. It has won the last four consecutive Pan American Games competitions including a dominating 10-0 performance in 1995 in Winnipeg, Canada. The USA currently holds a 40-0 win streak in the Pan American Games dating back to 1987. The USA has produced Pan Am gold in 1979, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and a silver in 1983. 

USA Softball Women’s National Teams have been among the most dominating of any sports team in history. The USA ’s ability to bring home the title in World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympics is unchallenged, with a total of 14 gold medals. 

The USA Softball Women’s National Team won the first Olympic gold medal in the sport’s history during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA , and defended its gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney . The USA Softball Women’s National Team, which has won the past five World Championships, the past four Pan Am Games and the past two Olympic gold medals, has bee the undisputed No. 1 team in the world for the past 17 years. 

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. As the National Governing Body, the ASA is responsible for identifying, selecting and training male and female athletes to compete in World, Pan American and Olympic competitions. 

Selections to the Women's National Team must be approved by the United States Olympic Committee.