OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Twelve athletes have been named to the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today. An additional five athletes will be named to the squad, which will compete at the International Softball Federation (ISF) Women’s World Championship, following a 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team and USA Softball Women’s Elite National Team Selection Camp in June. 

The 12 athletes who were named to the roster by the USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) are Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif./Cal senior), Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif./Arizona State, 2009), Lauren Gibson (Pasadena, Md./Tennessee, junior), Ashley Holcombe (Fayetteville, Ga./Alabama, 2009), Molly Johnson (Tucson, Ariz./Kentucky, 2010), Stacy May-Johnson (Reno, Nev./Iowa, 2006), Jenae Leles (Sacramento, Calif./Arizona, 2009), Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla./Florida, senior), Keilani Ricketts (San Jose, Calif./Oklahoma, junior), Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Michigan, 2011), Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga./Missouri, 2011) and Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa/Missouri, junior). All athletes who have been named to the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team helped Team USA to the Gold Medal at the 2011 World Cup of Softball in July in Oklahoma City and the 2011 Pan American Games in October in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

Athletes who have accepted an invitation to try-out for one of the five remaining spots on the team and the 2012 USA Softball Women’s Elite National Team are Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Oklahoma, freshman), Whitney Canion (Aledo, Texas/Baylor, junior), Raven Chavanne (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Tennessee, junior), Dallas Escobedo (Glendale, Ariz./Arizona State, sophomore), Kenzie Fowler (Tucson, Ariz./Arizona, junior), Taylor Hoagland (Flower Mound, Texas/Texas, junior), Meagan May (Spring, Texas/Texas A&M, junior), Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif./UCLA, 2010), Christi Orgeron (New Orleans, La./La.-Lafayette, senior), Ellen Renfroe (Jackson, Tenn./Tennessee, sophomore) and Jessica Shults (Valencia, Calif./Oklahoma, junior). With the exception of Renfroe, all athletes have played USA Softball previously on a Women’s National Team, Women’s Futures National Team or Junior Women’s National Team. 

Throughout the spring, additional athletes will be invited to the June Selection Camp, where the five remaining members of the 2012 USA Softball Women’s National Team and the 17-athlete roster for the 2012 USA Softball Women’s Elite National Team will be decided. Following the Selection Camp, members of both teams will play each other in exhibition games before beginning competition. 

The Women’s National Team will compete at the World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City, the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship in Surrey, B.C., Canada, and the World Championship in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. The Women’s Elite National Team will compete at the World University Games in Colorado Springs, Colo. Additional events may be added to the team schedules at a later date. 

-Courtesy of ASA/USA Softball