Wilkerson, McMichael Invited To USA National Team Camp
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Former four-time Mississippi State all-American and current student coach Kellie Wilkerson, as well as two-time all-American and current Bulldog outfielder Iyhia McMichael, were among 45 players selected to participate in the USA Softball Women's National Team camp from June 4-8 at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., the organization announced Monday.
These players will compete for spots on two teams that will represent the USA in international competition this summer. The National team will represent the USA at the U.S Cup in Honolulu , HI, (June 19-22), the Canada Cup in Surrey , B.C., Canada (July 4-13), and the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo (August 5-14). The USA Softball Elite Team will compete in the Canada Cup as well as the Japan Cup in Yokohama, Japan (July 18-20).
Wilkerson finished her prominent career at Mississippi State following last season, but left a wake of excellence in her path. While in Starkville, Wilkerson set 26 batting records and seven pitching records, while capturing four consecutive first team all-Southeastern Conference awards and two all-SEC Tournament team honors. She currently holds two NCAA records with single season saves (14 in 2002) and career saves (32).
Wilkerson concluded her stint with a .429 career batting average with 44 home runs and 175 RBI. She also posted a 22-11 career record and a 1.62 ERA inside the circle to go along with her NCAA record save total. She struck out 175 batters in 208 innings of work.
McMichael, who was among 25 players on USA Softball's watch list for the collegiate player of the year award, has already shattered or tied seven school records this season and is on pace to eclipse a handful more. Having already earned two-straight all-conference accolades, McMichael currently paces the conference in eight offensive statistical categories this season including batting average (.442), home runs (18), RBI (62) and runs scored (55). She ranks in the top three of two other categories. Included in the list of 45 athletes selected for the camp are 2000 Olympic gold medalists Leah O'Brien-Amico, Laura Berg, Crystl Bustos, Lisa Fernandez, Stacey Nuveman and Michelle Smith. Current and former SEC players selected to participate include Nicole Barber of Georgia, former LSU players and current student coaches Trena Peel and Britni Sneed and former Alabama player and current Kentucky assistant coach Kelly Kretschman.
In 2002, the Women's team captured their fifth consecutive World Championship title qualifying them as the top seed at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens , Greece . USA Softball Women's National Teams have been among the most dominating of any sports team in history. The USA 's ability to bring home the title in World Championships, Pan American Games and Olympic Games is unchallenged, with a total of 14 gold medals.
With its first Olympic gold medal in the sports history during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta , GA , the USA Softball Women's National Team defended its gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney . Winning the past five World Championships, the past four Pan Am Games and the past two Olympic gold medals, the Women's team is the undisputed No. 1 team in the world.
As the National Governing Body of Softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting women's, men's, junior girls' and junior boys' National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. USA Softball is one of the only two women's sports to capture back-to-back gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996.