June 4, 2002
OKLAHOMA CITY - Arizona softball players Jennie Finch, Nicole
Giordano and Lovieanne Jung have earned roster spots on the USA Women's National Team
that will compete for an unprecedented fifth consecutive title at the
ISF Women's World Championship in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, July
26-August 4.
Arizona coach Mike Candrea, recently named coach for the 2004
Olympic team, will head the coaching staff. They'll join USA Team member
and two-time Olympic gold medallist Leah O'Brien-Amico, also a former
Wildcat.
Finch completed her senior season this year and won the Honda Softball
Award for a second consecutive season. Jung was the Wildcats' leading
hitter in 2002 and will return in 2003 for her senior year. Giordano
completed her four-year career in 2001 as one of the all-time top 10
Wildcat hitters.
The were among a group of 57 of the nation's top female softball players
culled down to a 17-player roster for the World Championship through
participation in a tryout camp May 30-June 2 in Chula Vista, Calif. The
competition this summer is an early look at players who likely will
contend for spots on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team.
A younger Wildcat, junior-to-be catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest,
was selected to the USA Softball Elite Team that will compete against
the National Team in workouts and later participate in the Canada Cup
international competition in Surrey, British Columbia, July 12-25.
Only six members of the gold medal team from the 2000 Olympic Games
remain for the World Championship O'Brien-Amico, Laura Berg, Lisa
Fernandez, Lori Harrigan, Stacey Nuveman and Michele Smith.
Other new members are Amanda Freed, Keira Goerl, Lyndsey Klein, Nina
Lindenberg, Jessica Mendoza, Tucsonan Tairia Mims, Jenny Topping and
Natasha Watley.
Coaches include Candrea, Ken Eriksen of South Florida and John Rittman
of Stanford.
"I think this team is very talented and is a good mix of young
and experienced players," said Candrea. "I'm very excited to get the
opportunity to work with a team that has a combination of both power and
speed."
The 2002 ISF Women's World Championship serves as the major qualifier
for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The top five teams from
the World Championship will qualify for Athens and will be seeded in the
order they finish. The USA has been the top seed in the past two
Olympics and looks to secure its third top seed during the World
Championship.
