Fresno State Athletics
USA Softball Holds Olympic Trials Next Week
8/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 27, 1999
Fresno, Calif. - The Amateur Softball Association of America /USA Softball has selected its final pool of 39 athletes that will compete for an Olympic spot on the 2000 USA Olympic Softball Team next week, Sept. 2-4, in Midland, Mich.
Of the 39 who will be participating, seven will be representing Fresno State in former standouts Laura Berg, Nina Lindenberg, Kim Maher, Julie Smith and Shelly Stokes, and current Bulldogs Amanda Scott and Becky Witt.
Fifteen spots are being coveted to represent Team USA in Sydney, Australia. The selection of the USA Olympic Softball Team will be formally announced at a press conference on Monday, Sept. 6, in San Diego.
The final 39-player pool, 30 of which already earned spots to the trials after being named to the 1999 USA Gold National Team and 1999 USA Blue National Team in Fresno, Calif., this past June, are:
Suzy Brazney (Buena Park), Amy Chellevold (Tucson, Ariz.), Lindsey Collins (Fountain Valley), Nancy Evans (Glendale), Jamie Foutch (Edmond, Okla.), Michele Granger (Davis), Stephanie Little (Olympia, Wash.), Jenny Topping (Whittier) and Natasha Watley (Irvine).
Players from USA Gold include: Christie Ambrosi (Overland Park, Kan.), Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs), Jennifer Brundage (Irvine), Crystl Bustos (Canyon County), Sheila Douty (Diamond Bar), Lisa Fernandez (Long Beach), Lori Harrigan (Las Vegas, Nev.), Danielle Henderson (Commack, N.Y.), Jennifer McFalls (Grand Prairie, Tex.), Stacey Nuveman (LaVerne), Leah O?Brien-Amico (Chino), Dot Richardson (Orlando, Fla.), Julie Smith (Glendora), Michele Smith (Califon, N.J.) and Shelly Stokes (Sacramento).
Players from USA Blue include: Courtney Blades (Baton Rouge, La.), Amber Burgess (Littleton, Colo.), Lisa Carey (Topeka, Kan.), Amanda Freed (Cypress), Barbara Jordan (Agoura), Teri Klement (Ft. Collins, Colo.), Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.), Nina Lindenberg (Anaheim Hills), Kim Maher (Oakland), Keri McCallum (Port Orchard, Wash.), Amanda Scott (Clovis), Dani Tyler (River Forest, Ill.), Michelle Venturella (South Holland, Ill.), Christa Williams (Houston, Tex.) and Becky Witt (Reseda).
USA Softball Women?s National Teams have been among the most dominating of any sport in history. The USA?s ability to bring home the gold in World Championships, the Pan American Games and in 1996 the Olympics is unchallenged with a total of 12.
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. The USA?s only loss of the Games came against Australia in game six. The USA responded by winning three straight games against China to take the gold.
