Junior Men’s National Team veteran Bryce DuCharme tabbed 2016 USA Softball Junior Male Athlete of the Year

February 15, 2017

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Junior Men’s National Team veteran Bryce DuCharme tabbed 2016 USA Softball Junior Male Athlete of the Year

 

OKLAHOMA CITY – USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, is proud to announce the selection of Bryce DuCharme (Hudson, Wis.) as the 2016 USA Softball Junior Male Athlete of the Year.  A staple of the U.S. lineup, DuCharme put up incredible numbers at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Men's World Championship (JMWC) in Midland, Mich. where he led the tournament with nine runs scored and 11 hits.

 

"This is such an honor and I am proud beyond belief to be receiving this award," said DuCharme.  "I have been helped along the way by so many very talented players and coaches and would not be where I am without them, including Tim Lyon, Scott Standerfer, Ty McKinney, J.R. Dachel, my dad Dan DuCharme, and my number one fan, my grandpa, LaVerne DuCharme.  Without every one of these and many others unnamed I would be just another 20-year-old in college. They helped to mold me into the player I am through practices, games, and the many mistakes I have made throughout my softball career. They were always teaching and helping me to improve. For that, I will always be grateful."

 

DuCharme made an appearance in every game for the Red, White and Blue last summer at the WBSC JMWC and put up outstanding numbers as a veteran leader on the U.S. squad.  Leading the USA Softball JMNT in nearly every statistical category, DuCharme finished the World Championship with a .478 (11-for-23) batting average, picking up 11 hits with nine runs scored while finishing the tournament with a .538 on-base percentage and .609 slugging percentage.   

 

"Bryce had an amazing World Championship in 2016," said 2016 USA Softball Junior Men's Head Coach Tim Lyon.  "Against great pitching, he rose to the occasion and competed with the best.  He was also a team leader on the last two World Championship teams.  We fully expect Bryce to be a factor in the men’s program for many years to come.  It was a pleasure coaching Bryce.”

 

As the starting left fielder, the Wisconsin native collected at least one hit in each of Team USA’s games at the WBSC JMWC.  His top performance of the World Championship came against the two-time Champion Argentina, where he went 3-for-4 (.750) with three singles and two runs scored.  He also scored the tying run against Australia to push the game into extra innings, where the U.S. would pull off a 4-3 win.  

 

“Along with this honor came a multitude of years representing Team USA as a member of the Junior Men’s National Team. I started with Team USA at age 16, played in two world tournaments and have had some of my best and also some of the most ‘roller coaster of emotions’ moments in life from these opportunities. From the complete joy after watching my first at bat in a world tournament end in a jog around the bases, while getting bombarded by my teammates, to the angst of losing a close game in extra innings against Canada, I would never trade these moments for anything,” said DuCharme.

 

DuCharme is still active with softball, and also volunteers with the Wisconsin softball program.

 

“Thank you for all the great life changing opportunities and I wish the best for all future USA Softball teams,” said DuCharme.  “Thank you Team USA.  I will never forget it.”

 

You can find more information about Bryce DuCharme as well as complete results from the 2016 WBSC JMWC at USASoftball.com.

 

About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million.  USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.  USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.  The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.

 

 

Codi Warren I Managing Director of Communications

USA Softball

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