Softball Australia rosters announced for Australia Pacific Cup ahead of Olympic year

Softball Australia rosters announced for Australia Pacific Cup ahead of Olympic year
17/01/2020
The Australia Pacific Cup, which features two sides from Australia as well as the national teams of Japan, Mexico, Chinese Taipei, Italy and New Zealand. will be held at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney, from 30 January to 2 February.

Softball Australia unveiled the rosters of its two sides - Aussie Spirit and Australia A - set to participate as hosts of the Australia Pacific Cup, a WBSC sanctioned event where four of the six Olympic teams will open the 2020 women's softball international season.

The Australia Pacific Cup will be held at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney from 30 January to 2 February where Aussie Spirit and Australia A will be joined by world No. 2 Japan, No. 5 Mexico, No. 6 Chinese Taipei, No. 10 Italy, and No. 16 New Zealand.

The Australian teams consist of 32 players - included legend Stacey Porter who has been nominated for World Games Athlete of the Year - who received an invitation to play in the Australia Pacific Cup (AP Cup) following the Australian Open Women's National Championship which was held at Mirrabooka in Perth from 4 - 10 January and won for the fourth year in a row by the New South Wales Firestars.

"The level of competition at this year's National Championship was brilliant across the entire tournament, so we've got a lot of confidence in the teams we've named for the AP Cup," said Aussie Spirit Head Coach Laing Harrow.

"It's a really important tournament for us to get elite-level game time in, as well as competing with three of the teams we'll be facing in Tokyo, that's a great opportunity.

"Our options are wide open with all thirty-two players to be considered for that next step on the road to the Olympics."

Following the AP Cup and Summer Slam - Fully Loaded Softball - 23 players will be selected to travel to the United States for the National Professional Fastpitch league where they'll compete under the banner of the Aussie Peppers of Minnesota beginning in May.

The two teams are as follows:

Travelodge Aussie Spirit

  • Janice Blackman (Qld)
  • Michelle Cox (NSW)
  • Chelsea Forkin (Qld)
  • Leigh Godfrey (WA)
  • Shannon Keevers (NSW)
  • Tahli Moore (NSW)
  • Stacey Porter (NSW)
  • Ellen Roberts (NSW)
  • Brooke Spence (Qld)
  • Tarni Stepto (NSW)
  • Steph Trzcinski (SA)
  • Taylah Tsitsikronis (NSW)
  • Belinda White (NSW)
  • Stacey McManus (NSW)
  • Kaia Parnaby (NSW)
  • Jade Wall (Qld)

Australia A 

  • Maddie Cameron (SA)
  • Amelia Cudicio (NSW)
  • Mya Geros (NSW)
  • Georgia Hood (SA)
  • Charisma Kerr (Qld)
  • Rachel Lack (NSW)
  • Jordan Lambert (SA)
  • Verity Long-Droppert (WA)
  • Gabbie Plain (NSW)
  • Chelsea Robinson (SA)
  • Justine Smethurst (Qld)
  • Carmie Sorensen (Qld)
  • Jess Torpey (Qld)
  • Brianna Trim (NSW)
  • Sasha Willems (NSW)
  • Tamieka Whitefield (Qld)

Injured players Leah Parry (WA) and Clare Warwick (ACT) will also travel to Blacktown to assist both teams during the tournament.