University of North Carolina Athletics
Red, White and Carolina Blue: Brown Makes Team USA
January 14, 2016 | Softball
Carolina shortstop Kristen Brown thought her dreams had come true last summer when she was given the opportunity to play in an exhibition game against the U.S. Women's National Team in Ewing, New Jersey, not far from her home town of Levittown, New York. But when she hit a home run off of former Alabama standout Jackie Traina, plating the New Jersey College All-Stars' lone run of the game, Brown's trajectory soared to new heights, as she was offered a chance to try out for a spot on the National Team.
“When you're a little girl, that's the one thing you dream of,” said Brown. “Getting invited to try out for the National Team, it was an amazing moment. My parents and grandparents were there and were really proud and I took it all in at that moment. I mean just playing against Team USA was such an honor, it was really cool.”
Six months later, Brown arrived in Irvine, California, ready to take her shot at representing her country. Surrounded by 40 of the best softball players in the nation, the Carolina standout hit the field determined to show the selection committee what she was made of.
“I knew that everyone was going to be really good,” said Brown. “I've played some of the girls during games in the past. I was really nervous at first, but once I got in there—the game of softball is just hitting and throwing, it doesn't really know the opponent. You just have to go in there and play your best.”
The tryout began with the fundamentals, as Brown joined the other infield candidates for ground balls, double plays and other skill work. After breaking for lunch, everyone returned to the field for a scrimmage, in which each hitter got one at-bat against each of the nine pitchers at the selection camp.
“We've played most of them throughout my college experience, but just being on the same field with them and knowing that they've had international experience already was awesome,” said Brown. “The pitching was great. It was really cool playing with some of the girls who already had experience playing with Team USA. I could ask them questions and they helped us along and told us what the coaches expected and that kind of stuff.”
While the tryout was originally scheduled for four days, the final two days of the camp were ultimately canceled due to rain.
“I was kind of bummed that two days of the tryouts were cancelled,” said Brown, “because you look forward to it the whole entire year and it ends up raining—I mean, it never rains in California! But there's nothing you can do; you can't control the rain, so you can only do what you can control.”
Despite having just two days to show the Selection Committee what she could do, on Jan. 8, 2016, Kristen Brown became the first Carolina softball player in program history to earn a place in the USA Softball program as she was selected to the U.S. Women's Elite Team. As a member of the team, she will play in a series of exhibition games against the U.S. National Team as part of a national tour that includes the World Cup of Softball XI and the USA Softball JO Cup.
“It's a dream come true,” said Brown. “Ever since you're a child, I think any softball player looks up to the National Team, and now it's like wow, this is actually happening. It's really awesome knowing that once I'm taking off a Carolina jersey I will be able to put on a USA jersey and that my softball career is not going to end after this. Some of the players that are on the Elite Team with me are awesome. I can't wait to get out there and have USA on the front of my jersey and compete.”
“It's a huge honor for Kristen and for the program,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “Having had the opportunity to coach her and see her develop from freshman year to now. We always knew that she was a special player. The thing that's special about her is that she's kind of a coach's dream as far as her work ethic and how she takes coaching and the passion that she has inside her and the desire. She's just worked really hard, and to have it culminate with her making and be a part of the USA program is just very heartwarming for me as a coach to know that all of her hard work has paid off. It couldn't have happened to a better person or a better player.”
With the tryout all the way on the other side of the country, it would have been easy for Brown to have felt all alone on the field, but the Tar Heels made sure she knew she was supported. Every member of the team and coaching staff made her a hand-written card wishing her all the best.
“Beginning about a week before I left, I got three cards a day from my teammates and one from a coach,” said Brown. “It was really motivational and inspirational, and I honestly carried it with me to the field and it was awesome.”
One of the most talented players ever to come to Chapel Hill, the 2015 NFCA All-American looks to re-write the Carolina record books. Having already slashed the career record for home runs with 47 through just three seasons, Brown currently holds the best career slugging percentage (.688) and needs just 32 runs, 19 RBIs and 48 total bases to set new career marks in those offensive categories. The slugger also set new single-season records for runs (57), RBIs (67) and home runs (24) last season. As Brown enters her final season with Carolina, she hopes what she learned from her experience at the National Team Selection Camp will help make her senior campaign even better than the last.
“Confidence,” said Brown. “I've built confidence slowly over my time here at Carolina, but just knowing that I can play with and against the best players in the country and in the world, it definitely boosted my confidence a lot. It shows me that I can do it.”
