University of North Carolina Athletics
Kristen Brown Invited to U.S. National Team Selection Camp
October 16, 2015 | Softball
Full List of Invited Athletes
OKLAHOMA CITY – University of North Carolina shortstop Kristen Brown has been invited to participate at the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Camp, which will be held Jan. 2-8, 2016, at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, California. Brown is one of 43 athletes who will vie for 17 spots on the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team roster.
“I am excited for and proud of Kristen Brown, our senior shortstop, to have been selected to try out for the USA Softball Team,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “There is an elite set of softball talent in that pool, and to be in the mix is an honor for her and our program. Kristen has been a pleasure to coach throughout her career here. She is a student of the game and has a tremendous talent and work ethic. She makes ESPN-type plays look routine on defense and has an explosive bat at the plate. Her nickname offensively here has been 'Downtown Kristen Brown' and it fits.”
A two-time First-Team All-ACC selection, Brown broke the school single-season records for home runs and RBIs in 2015, while also surpassing the career mark for long balls with a full season left to play for the Carolina Blue.
The 2015 Third-Team All-American is the second Tar Heel to be invited to try out for Team USA. Two-time All-American Tiffany Tolleson '03 attended the selection camp in 2003. Additionally, Natalie Anter '02 was the first Tar Heel to represent her country at an Olympic Games, playing for the Italian National Team in Athens in 2004.
Of the 43 athletes invited to try out, 24 are current NCAA student-athletes and 18 are NCAA alumnae. Brown is the sole student-athlete from an ACC member institution, current or alum, that was selected to participate.
“Kristen is a quality person and represents North Carolina and our softball program with class and integrity,” said Papa. “She is that player that will stay extra to work on her game, her swing, whatever it takes, and loves to compete at a high level. She is extremely coachable and just loves the game. I absolutely love watching her play, because she brings excitement to the field when she gets on it. We will be cheering for her from Chapel Hill when she goes to the tryouts in January.”
During the selection process, athletes will participate in position drills as well as simulated games, and will be evaluated by the WNT Selection Committee. Seventeen athletes will be selected to the 2016 WNT which will compete at the World Cup of Softball XI, the XV World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Championship and the Japan Cup. The complete 2016 schedule for Team USA, including exhibition games, will be announced at a later date.
To see the full list of selected invitees, click here. For updates on the USA Softball Women's National Team and events throughout the 2016 season, visit www.ASAUSASoftball.com.
About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 74 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com.
