OKLAHOMA CITY – The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced today the 18 athletes--including Hawai`i freshman shortstop, Jessica Iwata--who have been selected for the 2010 USA Softball Women's Futures National Team. 

The team, which includes both USA Softball rookies and those with program experience, consists of athletes who currently play or have played at 13 schools in six Division I conferences.

 

Iwata is hitting .395 (64-for-162) this season with 53 runs scored, 16 home runs and 49 RBI. She broke UH's single-season record for doubles with 20. Iwata was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year today and was voted to the all-WAC first team as well. Earlier this season, she was selected the Louisville-Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association's National Player of the Week (Apr. 13) after she had a phenomenal week at Utah State and Boise State. In five games, Iwata hit .600 (12-for-20) that week with nine runs scored, 17 RBI, two doubles, six home runs—including two grand slams. In the series finale at Boise State (Apr. 10), Iwata tied UH's and the WAC's single-game home run record with three home runs while driving in a UH and WAC single-game record, eight RBI.

Iwata is the first University of Hawai`i softball player to be selected to this presigious team. The last Rainbow Wahine to play on a US national squad was Stephanie Keeler in 1993, when she was a member of the U-19 team.

 

The Futures Team will kick off the season with exhibition games against the 2010 USA Softball Women's National Team in Canton and Ashland, Ohio, June 16-17. They will also compete against the National Teams of Canada, Japan and the USA at the 2010 World Cup of Softball, July 22-26, at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. To purchase tickets to see the Futures team in action, visit http://www.ohioasasoftball.org/ for the Ohio exhibitions and http://www.softballoutlet.com for the World Cup.

Members of the Futures Team will also fill spots on the USA team competing at the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship, July 7-11, in Surrey, B.C. and exhibition games in Whitehorse, Yukon, July 13-14. Futures players will also be included on the rosters for the Japan Cup, August 3-9, in Sendai City, Japan. (Complete rosters for the tournaments in Canada and Japan will be announced at a later date.)

The complete roster includes:

Valerie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif./California junior)

Katelyn Boyd (Phoenix, Ariz./Arizona State sophomore)

Raven Chavanne (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Tennessee freshman)

Kenzie Fowler (Tucson, Ariz./Arizona freshman)

Molly Johnson (Tucson, Ariz./Kentucky senior)

Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif./UCLA senior)

Brittany Lastrapes (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Arizona junior)

Jenae Leles (Fair Oaks, Calif./Arizona 2009*)

Blaire Luna (Austin, Texas/Texas freshman)

Meagan May (Spring, Texas/Texas A&M freshman)

Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif./Florida 2009*)

Jamia Reid (Buena Park, Calif./California sophomore)

Lauren Schutzler (Monterey, Calif./Arizona junior)

Jordan Taylor (Valencia, Calif./Michigan junior)

Angela Tincher (Eagle Rock, Va./Virginia Tech 2008*)

Niki Williams (Mission Viejo, Calif./Washington sophomore)

Shawna Wright (Lancaster, Calif./Washington freshman)

 

* Last year of college eligibility

 

Kate Drohan (Evanston, Ill./head coach Northwestern) will serve as Head Coach of the USA Futures National Team, marking her first time as a coach in the USA Softball program. Mike Larabee (Fayetteville, Ark./head coach Arkansas) and Jamie Pinkerton (Broken Arrow, Okla./asst. coach Iowa State) will serve as assistants for the Futures Team.