OKLAHOMA CITY –– USA Softball revealed today the rosters set to take the field this summer as part of the 2022 USA Softball Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams program. Consisting of two separate squads, the Women’s Slow Pitch National Team (WSPNT) will carry a roster of 13 players while 14 athletes will compete with the Women’s Futures Team as they represent the U.S. in the annual Border Battle XII and Slow Pitch Showdown scheduled for Sept. 9-11 at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex.
The 2022 edition of Border Battle, an annual slow pitch event featuring the USA Softball and Canada Slow Pitch National Teams, returns to the Softball Capital of the World® after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Beginning with a series of exhibition contests, the Slow Pitch Showdown will then take center stage as the Men’s and Women’s U.S. Slow Pitch National Teams face off against their respective U.S. Futures Teams. Capping off the weekend with an epic contest between Team USA and Team Canada, the annual Men’s and Women’s Border Battle competition slated for Sunday, Sept. 11 at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field. For more information on Border Battle XII, click here.
Click here to view the 2022 USA Softball Women’s Slow Pitch and Futures Team rosters »
Hailing from nine different states across the country, the 13-player WSPNT roster is stacked with elite experience as nine athletes return to the squad while Megan Higginbotham (Shoreview, Minn.), Mandy Hollman (York, Pa.) and Amber Parrish (Wilson, N.C.) add to the talent with multiple years of competition on the Women’s Futures team and Megan Baltzell (Stafford County, Va.) joins Team USA for the first time in her career. Once again at the helm of the WSPNT, Don Cooper (Kent, Wash.) will serve as Head Coach for the fifth-straight year with Shannon Cooper (Kent, Wash.) and Tammy Higginbotham (Kent, Wash.) returning as assistant coaches.
Led by three veteran athletes – Shayna Finley (Kings Mountain, N.C.), Kylee Studioso (Edmonds, Wa.) and Dani Wayt (Orange City, Fla.) – the Women’s Futures roster consists of 14 athletes from 12 different states as 11 rookies will put on the Red, White and Blue for the first time in their careers. Ted Carter (Harrodsburg, Ky.) will assist in guiding the team through the 2022 competition alongside three-time Women’s Futures Head Coach Cara Coughenour (West Des Moines, Iowa).
Athletes are selected to represent the United States as a member of a Slow Pitch National Team based on grassroots participation at their respective USA Softball Slow Pitch National Championship. Athletes looking to be selected to the 2023 WSPNT and Women’s Futures team will need to participate in the Women’s Open Slow Pitch National Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Aug. 19-21).
For more information on the USA Softball Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams program and to learn about the history of the Border Battle, please visit USASoftball.com.