Softball's Bramlett Named To United States National Team; Former Bulldog Bures Tabbed
June 15, 2009 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Mississippi State junior catcher Chelsea Bramlett has been named to the United States Softball Women's National Team, and former Bulldog Courtney Bures will represent the U.S. at the Japan Cup, USA Softball announced Monday afternoon.
Bramlett, a three-time NFCA First Team All-American, will represent the U.S. beginning July 4-12 in the prestigious Canada Cup in Surrey, British Columbia.
Following her international softball debut, Bramlett will travel with the Red, White and Blue squad to Oklahoma City where it will vie for a third-straight KFC World Cup of Softball championship. The July 16-20 event will be broadcast in over 140 countries by ESPN.
The Cordova, Tenn., native will close out her first international experience July 31-Aug. 9, playing in the Pan American Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela.
Bures, a two-time NFCA all-American during her MSU career (2005-08), will travel to Sendai, Japan, as part of the Team USA contingent that will participate in the Japan Cup.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for both Chelsea and Courtney to represent their country on an international stage," MSU and USA National Team head coach Jay Miller said. "They are very deserving of this honor, and I look forward to being able to watch them represent Mississippi State and the United States this summer."
Bramlett earned the selection following a 2009 campaign in which she led the Southeastern Conference in batting average and stolen bases. The First Team All-SEC catcher's school-record 54 steals also topped NCAA Division I. Bramlett took over the career lead in both batting average and steals this season en route to helping MSU to an eighth NCAA Tournament appearance.
Bures' Japan Cup squad selection will be her second time to represent the United States. The Haymarket, Va., native, who finished her stellar four-year Mississippi State career tops in RBI, played under Miller on the 2006 World University Games team that won the gold medal in Taiwan.
