OKLAHOMA CITY — The road to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games continues as USA Softball announced the rosters for the 2018 Women’s National Teams. Seventeen athletes have been named to a World Championship roster, which is slated to compete at the World Cup of Softball and the 2018 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Championship, August 2-12 in Chiba, Japan. An additional 17 athletes will represent the United States at the Japan All-Star Series and compete as a second National Team at the World Cup of Softball.

“This was a very good week of softball in some adverse weather conditions,” said head coach Ken Eriksen.  “To that point, I am pleased with the Selection Committee’s choices in determining the 34 players that will represent the United States on the softball field this summer.”

Click here to see the athletes selected to the 2018 USA Softball Women’s National Teams

In addition to naming two rosters for the 2018 Women’s National Teams, USA Softball is also proud to announce the selection of four-time Olympian Laura Berg (Corvallis, Ore./head coach at Oregon State) and Patty Gasso (Norman, Okla./head coach at Oklahoma) as head coaches for two 2018 international competitions.  Joining Eriksen, who was recently named as the Head Coach for the WBSC Women’s World Championship, Berg will lead the U.S. at the Japan All-Star Series, while Gasso will spearhead the second Women’s National Team at the World Cup of Softball XIII.

During the selection process, athletes participated in position drills as well as simulated games and were evaluated by the USA Softball Women’s National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC). 

The 2018 USA Softball World Championship roster will look to defend their Gold Medal finish at the 2016 WBSC Women’s World Championship while also qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. At the 2016 WBSC World Championship, the team claimed the 10th overall World Championship title for the WNT program and finished with a .436 team batting average, 19 home runs, 80 RBI and outscored opponents 83-10.  The pitching staff was lights out, allowing just eight earned runs for a 1.19 ERA. 

Highlighting the Women’s World Championship Roster:

- An Olympic Silver Medalist

- 10 veterans from the 2016 World Championship roster

- Four Team USA rookies

Highlighting the Japan All-Star Series Roster and second World Cup of Softball Roster:

- An Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist

- Five World Champions and six Junior World Champions

- Three athletes from the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team

- Five Team USA rookies

A full list of National Team events, including exhibition games, will be released at a later date.  Follow along all summer with all of the USA Softball National Teams at USASoftball.com.

-- Courtesy of USA Softball