Sacco-Ferrie Tabbed To United States Women’s Elite Team
July 01, 2026 | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY – Mississippi State's Sierra Sacco-Ferrie was one of 18 athletes named to the United States Women's Elite Team for this year's International Cup on Wednesday.
Sacco-Ferrie was a consensus All-American while playing at MSU from 2024-25. The national team nod is her second selection to represent the Red, White and Blue after she played in the USA Down Under series in Australia in January. The former Bulldog outfielder hit .375 (3-for-8) at that event with two solo homers and five runs scored.
USA Softball will host the 2026 USA Softball International Cup over five days from July 30-Aug. 3 in Oklahoma City. The event will feature 20 games as some of the top teams in the world compete on the international stage.
A World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)-sanctioned event, the International Cup will include world-ranked No. 1 Japan, No. 2 USA, No. 4 Canada, No. 5 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 China and No. 11 Australia, along with No. 42 American Samoa and Team USA's Women's Elite Team. The eight participating teams have been divided into two groups.
Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts will lead the American Samoa squad at the event. A number of past, present and future Bulldogs have been named to American Samoa's athlete pool and are eligible for selection to the roster.
Team USA has compiled an 83-8 all-time record at the International Cup while claiming 11 of the event's 14 titles since 2005, with Japan earning the remaining three. Silver-medal finishes in 2005, 2013 and 2016 mark the only times the U.S. did not capture gold before winning the tournament's latest three editions from 2017-2019. The Americans have fielded a Women's Elite Team on three occasions – 2010, 2016 and 2018 – posting a 12-6 all-time record.
American Samoa will make its first appearance at the event this year.
Play begins on July 30. Ricketts and company open the tournament in Group A at 10 a.m. CT against Japan. Sacco-Ferrie and the Women's Elite Team round out the group and will first face Chinese Taipei at 4 p.m. The U.S. Women's National Team is in Group B along with Australia, Canada and China.
Following pool play, the top two teams from each group will advance to the playoff round on Sunday, Aug. 2, with the medal games slated for Monday, Aug. 3.
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