The Italian Baseball Softball Federation released the women’s softball preliminary roster for the Australia Pacific Cup slated to be played from 30 January to 2 February in Sydney, Australia. Italy will begin the Olympic year facing Australia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei at Blacktown International Sportspark.
The 20-athlete roster includes 14 players from the 2019 team that accomplished the feat of qualifying for Tokyo 2020 at the Europe/Africa Softball Qualifier, and 13 athletes from the 2019 European Championship winning squad.
During the Olympic campaign, Italy will use the Latin phrase Hic Et Nunc (Here and Now) as a motto: #HicEtNunc #hereandnow #tokyoherewecome
Head Coach Enrico Obletter has named the following roster for the Asia Pacific Cup:
- Birocci, Lisa Ann - P/DP
- Cacciamani, Ilaria - P
- Carosone, Emily - IF
- Cecchetti, Elisa - C/OF
- Cecchetti, Greta - P
- Cecchetti, Lara - IF
- Edwards, Sarah Beth - IF
- Filler, Andrea - IF
- Gasparotto, Marta - IF
- Howard, Andrea - IF/OF
- Koutsoyanopulos, Giulia Metaxia - IF
- Lacatena, Alexia - P
- Longhi, Giulia - IF
- Marrone, Fabrizia - OF
- Nicolini, Alice - P
- Piancastelli, Erika - C/IF
- Ricchi, Beatrice - OF
- Rotondo, Alessandra - C/IF
- Sheldon, Melanie - C/IF
- Vigna, Laura - OF
Obletter will be assisted by coaches Federico Pizzolini and Giovanna Palermi, while the medical staff will be composed by Gaetano Schiavottiello (doctor), Ulises Hernandez and Elio Paolini (physiotherapists).
Italy earned their ticket to Tokyo 2020 at the WBSC Softball Europe/Africa Olympic Qualifier held in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The European champions went undefeated to win the eight-team qualifier tournament against Botswana, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, South Africa and Spain. It will be the third Olympic participation for the Italian Softball National Team. The Azzurre participated in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, finishing in fifth and eighth position respectively.
