Four Wolverines Named to USA Softball Elite Team
6/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Less than two weeks removed from leading Michigan softball to its first-ever national championship, four Wolverines spent the past week working out at the USA Softball National Team Selection Camp and have been rewarded with selections to the USA Softball Elite Team for the 2005 summer tour. The four Wolverines make up one-quarter of the 16-member Elite Team while the 18-player National Team includes 11 of the 15 Olympians which won gold medals in Athens, Greece, in 2004.
Michigan All-Americans Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS), Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) and Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) have been joined by Women's College World Series MVP Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) as members of the elite team. The quartet of Wolverines will open up the summer at the Canada Cup in Suerry, B.C., from July 2-11 and will be led in the third-base coaching box by Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins.
Later in July the elite team will move on to the Inter-Continental Cup in Madrid, Spain, from July 20-28, under the direction of Texas Tech head coach Teresa Wilson. Hutchins will join the National Team in an assistant coaching capacity for the Japan Cup in Yokohama, Japan, from July 26-August 5. The National Team consists of 18
The four Wolverines are the first to represent the Red, White and Blue on USA Softball's National or Elite teams. Several Wolverines competed at the USA Softball Women's National Team Festival in the mid-90's while Traci Conrad (1996-99) was part of the Pan-American Games Qualifying Team in 1997. Likewise, current Michigan associate head coach and former four-year starter at shortstop Bonnie Tholl (1988-91) was a member of that team in 1994. Patti Benedict (1990-93) and Vicki Morrow (1984-87) represented the United States in the Pan-American Games in 1995 and 1987, respectively.
Michigan is the most heavily represented school on the Elite Team with four members. The three Wolverines with college eligibility remaining -- Findlay, Haas and Ritter -- are the most of any school represented on the National and Elite Teams combined. Findlay is one of just two freshman named to either team. The is other is Elite Team member Marissa Nichols (UNLV).
Departing senior shortstop Merchant was an All-American third-team selection this past season after hitting .378-21-63 and then closing her career with selection to the WCWS all-tournament team. Merchant's 21 home runs tied the single-season school record with freshman first baseman Findlay, who finished hitting .361-21-77. Findlay's 77 RBI are a Michigan record.
Michigan's two juniors to make the team are also the Wolverines' two representatives on the All-American first team. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Ritter set Michigan records with 38 wins and 417 strikeouts to go with a 0.92 ERA and was one of three finalists for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year honor. Second baseman Haas led the Maize and Blue with a school-record 91 hits and posted .360-9-35 from the leadoff spot.
Contact: Rich Marion (734-763-4423)
Michigan All-Americans Tiffany Haas (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS), Jessica Merchant (Wayland, Mich./Wayland HS) and Jennie Ritter (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) have been joined by Women's College World Series MVP Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./East HS) as members of the elite team. The quartet of Wolverines will open up the summer at the Canada Cup in Suerry, B.C., from July 2-11 and will be led in the third-base coaching box by Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins.
Later in July the elite team will move on to the Inter-Continental Cup in Madrid, Spain, from July 20-28, under the direction of Texas Tech head coach Teresa Wilson. Hutchins will join the National Team in an assistant coaching capacity for the Japan Cup in Yokohama, Japan, from July 26-August 5. The National Team consists of 18
The four Wolverines are the first to represent the Red, White and Blue on USA Softball's National or Elite teams. Several Wolverines competed at the USA Softball Women's National Team Festival in the mid-90's while Traci Conrad (1996-99) was part of the Pan-American Games Qualifying Team in 1997. Likewise, current Michigan associate head coach and former four-year starter at shortstop Bonnie Tholl (1988-91) was a member of that team in 1994. Patti Benedict (1990-93) and Vicki Morrow (1984-87) represented the United States in the Pan-American Games in 1995 and 1987, respectively.
Michigan is the most heavily represented school on the Elite Team with four members. The three Wolverines with college eligibility remaining -- Findlay, Haas and Ritter -- are the most of any school represented on the National and Elite Teams combined. Findlay is one of just two freshman named to either team. The is other is Elite Team member Marissa Nichols (UNLV).
Departing senior shortstop Merchant was an All-American third-team selection this past season after hitting .378-21-63 and then closing her career with selection to the WCWS all-tournament team. Merchant's 21 home runs tied the single-season school record with freshman first baseman Findlay, who finished hitting .361-21-77. Findlay's 77 RBI are a Michigan record.
Michigan's two juniors to make the team are also the Wolverines' two representatives on the All-American first team. The Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Ritter set Michigan records with 38 wins and 417 strikeouts to go with a 0.92 ERA and was one of three finalists for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year honor. Second baseman Haas led the Maize and Blue with a school-record 91 hits and posted .360-9-35 from the leadoff spot.
Contact: Rich Marion (734-763-4423)
Players Mentioned
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