Seven Olympians in Canada's preliminary roster for WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup, Pan American Games

Softball Canada announced 22 athletes who have been named to the Women’s National Team for the 2023 season. Head coach Kaleigh Rafter named a preliminary roster, including seven Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze-medal winners, for an important 2023 season.

This year’s major events for Canada include the Canada Cup (10-16 July), the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage (22-26 July in Italy), and the 2023 Pan American Games (October 30 to November 4 in Santiago, Chile). 

Canada Women’s National Softball Team preliminary roster:

1. Ruby Anderson
2. Lauren Benson
3. Dawn Bodrug
4. Jorde Chartrand
5. Emma Dorval
6. Emma Entzminger
7. Alysen Febrey
8. Larissa Franklin
9. Sara Groenewegen
10. Kelsey Harshman
11. Victoria Hayward
12. Kianna Jones
13. Kelsey Lalor
14. Janet Leung
15. Madelyn McKinnon
16. Grace Messmer
17. Callum Pilgrim
18. Erika Polidori
19. Morgan Rackel
20. Samantha Ryan
21. Nicola Simpson
22. Natalie Wideman

Entzminger, Franklin, Groenewegen, Harshman, Hayward, Leung, Polidori and Wideman were part of the 2021 National Team, that claimed an historic first-ever Olympic medal for Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The 15 players that represented Canada at last year’s The World Games have also been included in the list.

Three more Olympians (Rafter, Jenn Salling and Joey Lye) are part of the coaching staff.

Canada, ranked No. 4 in the WBSC Women’s Softball World Rankings, will open the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup in Group C, playing against No. 8 Italy, No. 22 Venezuela, No. 28 New Zealand, the top team from the Asian qualifier and a wild card. 

Group A will be staged in Dublin, Ireland, from 11-15 July; followed by Group B in Valencia, Spain, from 18-22 July this year.