Ohio State Softball’s Anna Smith Invited to Team USA Camp – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 2, 2002
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Anna Smith (Sr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar), a senior outfielder for the No. 19 Ohio State softball team, was extended an invitation by USA Softball, the national governing body of the sport, to attend a team camp for a chance to earn a roster spot on one of two national teams, the organization announced Wednesday. The camp runs May 30-June 3 at the USA’s ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
“I could not believe the great news I read in the e-mail they sent me,” Smith said. “I never expected to receive such an honor. It is an honor to be selected to compete for spot on the national team and I am still shocked, but very excited about the opportunity presented to me.”
“This a great opportunity for me to show how well I can play and maybe earn the chance to represent my country,” Smith said. “I will approach it as I would a regular game and work on what I can to improve. With all the talented players that were invited to the camp, it will be tough but I will have to show them what I can and do my best.”
Smith, who is second in the nation in batting average and leads the Big Ten Conference in several statistical categories, was one of 20 players chosen to attend the camp that will include 40 other players selected earlier in the year. The USA selection committee will select players, with no set number of roster spots, for one of two teams that will compete over the summer. Team USA will participate in several events including the US Cup in Honolulu, Hawaii (July 4-7), the Canada Cup in Surrey, British Columbia (July 16-21) and the International Softball Federation Women’s World Championship in Saskatoon, Canada (July 25-Aug. 4). Those players selected to the USA Softball Elite Team, the second team chosen, will compete in the Canada Cup as well as various scrimmages with the first team throughout the summer.
Smith and the Buckeyes will finish their regular season slate with a pair of games at Penn State Saturday and Sunday with both contests starting at 1 p.m. If OSU sweeps the two-game set, it will claim its first conference championship since 1990 and play host to the Big Ten tournament May 9-11.
A list of the 20 players selected to attend the camp in Chula Vista, Calif., are listed below.
Kara Brun, Arizona State
Cara Blumfield, Boston College
Keira Goerl, UCLA
Lovieanne Jung, Arizona
Andrea Loman, Notre Dame
Monica Lucatero, Cal State Fullerton
Leneah Manuma, Arizona
Yasmin Mossadeghi, Cal State Fullerton
Kristen Rivera, Washington
Anna Smith, Ohio State
Jamie Southern, Fresno State
Brandi Stuart, Florida State
Wynter Turner, Texas
Phelan Wright, Arizona State
Nicole Myers, Florida Atlantic
Claire Sua, UCLA
Tiffany Tolleson, North Carolina
Megan Ciolli, Notre Dame
Debbie Schneider, Cal State Fullerton
Lindsay Gardner, Texas
