Oklahoma City, OK - - U.S. Women's National Team returns to action against University of Central Florida as part of 2021 "Stand Beside Her" Tour
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U.S. Women's National Team returns to action against University of Central Florida as part of 2021 "Stand Beside Her" Tour
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2021
Web Release: Link
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OKLAHOMA CITY –– The 2021 “Stand Beside Her†tour, presented by Major League Baseball (MLB), returns tomorrow as the USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) squares off against No. 25 University of Central Florida (UCF) at 5 p.m. ET. Played at the UCF Softball Complex (4055 Home Run Ct. Orlando, Fl. 32816), the 10-inning contest will provide much-needed preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games, where the sport of softball returns to the Olympic Program for the first time since 2008.
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“We are very excited for the opportunity to train and compete this month,†said WNT Head Coach, Ken Eriksen. “As we know, COVID-19 has limited our training capabilities, but I want to thank Coach Ball-Malone at UCF for creating an opportunity for their team to compete against Team USA as we continue our preparations for Tokyo.â€
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Fans will be allowed inside the ballpark at a limited capacity with tickets available to purchase online by clicking here. All fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering while inside the complex. The contest will be live streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available on USASoftball.com.
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“We are so excited for the opportunity to face the best athletes in the world,†said UCF Head Coach, Cindy Ball-Malone. “This opportunity is something special because it shows where the game is going and what it can provide, and I think it could be a defining moment for some of our young ladies. We’re definitely going to try to be competitive and win, but more so just enjoy the experience and competition of playing the best of the best. We represent our university, but these women are representing our nation. So, I think it's going to be cool to see it from that perspective."
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Following the postponement of the pre-Olympic “Stand Beside Her†tour, presented by MLB, the Red, White and Blue squad resumed preparations for the highly anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games in January with a series of monthly training camps and exhibition games. Currently participating in a mid-April training camp at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex (JRTC) in Vero Beach, Fla., Team USA heads to Orlando for their first game of the month following the postponement of the previously announced four-game series against Team Italy. Taking the field against the Knights, the WNT will look to improve their record to 8-0 after outscoring their past seven opponents 50-6. For more information on the 2021 “Stand Beside Her†tour, presented by MLB, please visit StandBesideHerTour.com.
Media interested in acquiring additional information should contact Morgan Palmer (mpalmer@usasoftball.com).
About USA Softball
USA Softball (USAS) 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 & Paralympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USAS sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations. USAS 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. USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USAS 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, USAS 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 USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
