Veronica Alvarez returns as USA Baseball Women's National Team manager for 2024 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals

USA Baseball announced that last summer’s Women’s National Team coaching staff will return for 2024, led by Manager Veronica Alvarez. The five-time USA player and three-time manager will be joined again by Reynol Mendoza as pitching coach, along with assistant coaches Alex Oglesby and Malaika Underwood. The staff will guide USA at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals from July 28-August 3 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

“We are excited to welcome Veronica, Alex, Malaika, and Reynol back to the coaching staff in 2024,” said Women’s National Team Program Director Ann Claire Roberson. “This staff did an excellent job to lead us to this point, and we are lucky to have them in our dugout as we pursue a world championship this summer in Thunder Bay.”

In 2023, the staff led USA to a perfect 5-0 record in the Opening Round of the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Ontario. 

Alvarez returns to the managerial position for the fourth time in 2024. Including USA’s unbeaten record last summer, she has a 15-2 all-time record at the helm of the programme. Alvarez made her managerial debut in 2019 leading the Women’s National Team to a gold medal at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. Alvarez again served as manager in 2022 as USA secured a series victory in a five-game friendship series against Canada in Thunder Bay, Ontario. As a player, she medalled at every international competition she played in, including winning a gold medal at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, a silver medal at the 2012 WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup, and bronze medals at the 2008 and 2010 Women’s Baseball World Cups.

“The significance increases each year that I get to lead these phenomenal players through development and competition. Each year, we have elevated the standard of what it means to wear the U-S-A letters across your chest, and this year is no different,” said Alvarez. “We take pride in representing USA Baseball while setting the standard for women in baseball across the board. There has been a heavy focus on development over the past six years with the contributions of incredibly knowledgeable and passionate coaches, and we are now looking forward to showcasing all of the work that we have done in pursuit of winning gold.

The USA Baseball Women’s National Team has medalled in six of the eight WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cups since the tournament’s inception in 2004. The U.S. earned gold in the first two editions of the event in 2004 and 2006, posting a 10-2 combined record. After winning bronze medals in 2008 and 2010, the stars and stripes claimed silver in 2012 and 2014. 

The 2024 Women’s National Team Training Camp will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from July 16-20. The team will then train in Minneapolis from July 21-26 before opening the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Finals on July 28 against Venezuela in Thunder Bay, Ontario.