OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — LSU senior All-Americans Britni Sneed and Trena Peel were selected to participate on the 2002 USA Softball Elite Team as announced by the Amateur Softball Association on Tuesday.
The 17-member Elite Team will help prepare the World Championship team for upcoming international events by competing in scrimmages and exhibition games prior to these events. They will also compete at the Canada Cup in Surrey, B.C., Canada, July 12-21.
The SEC Pitcher of the Year and tournament MVP, Sneed completed the 2002 season with a 34-7 record. Joining assistant coach Ashlee Ducote as LSU’s only repeat first-team All-America selections, she struck out 478 on the year, breaking both the school and SEC single-season records.
Averaging 11.9 strikeouts per seven innings, Sneed ranked second in the country in strikeout ratio with the fourth best single-season strikeout ratio in NCAA history. She completed her career with 1,370 strikeouts, putting her fourth in the NCAA career strikeout list.
The senior from Houston also threw a school-record six complete-game no-hitters along with 23 shutouts, tying her for 15th in NCAA single-season history. She led the SEC and ranked in the top 10 in the nation with an ERA of 0.75, the sixth lowest in SEC history.
The SEC Athlete of the Year, Peel earned second-team All-America honors and was named to the SEC All-Tournament team. The senior from Aurora, Colo., led the nation in triples this season with 14, two shy of the NCAA record. With that mark, she broke both the LSU and SEC single-season records and completed her career with 27 career triples, 13th in NCAA history.
Starting all 67 games for the Tigers in centerfield, Peel led the team in six offensive categories, including batting average, slugging percentage and stolen bases. She also recorded 24 multiple-hit games while tallying a team-best 12-game hitting streak.
Both have experience competing on the international level. Sneed participated on the USA National Blue team last summer, touring through the United States, Canada and Venezuela. Peel was a member of the USA National Red team last summer, traveling throughout the continental United States, Canada and Hawaii.
The 2002 Elite Team was chosen from 57 participants at the Women’s World Championship Tryout Camp, May 30-June 2, in Chula Vista, Calif. In addition, the 17-member World Championship team was chosen during the camp.
In addition to Sneed and Peel, players selected for the USA Softball Elite Team include Alana Addison of Gonzales, La.; Sarah Beeson of Tucson, Ariz.; Crystl Bustos of Canyon Country, Calif.; Selena Collins of Glendale, Ariz.; Courtney Dale of Fresno, Calif.; Lindsay Gardner of Katy, Texas; Missy Hixon of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Kelly Kretschman of Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.; Gina Oaks of Alta Loma, Calif.; Catherine Osterman of Houston, Texas; Kristen Rivera of Perris, Calif.; Jamie Southern of Clovis, Calif.; Nichole Thompson of Irvine, Calif.; Mackenzie Vandergeest of Newbury Park, Calif. and Kellie Wilkerson of Jacksonville, Fla.
Coaches for the 2002 USA Softball Elite Team are head coach Jay Miller, former Missouri head coach, assistant coach Michelle Gromacki from Cal State Fullerton and assistant coach Kirk Walker from Oregon State.
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 the Olympics is unchallenged, with a total of 13 gold medals.
The USA Softball Women’s National Team won the first Olympic gold medal in the sport’s history during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., and defended its gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. The USA Softball Women’s National Team, which has won the past four World Championships, the past four Pan Am Games and the past two Olympic gold medals, is the undisputed No. 1 team in the world.
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. As the National Governing Body, the ASA is responsible for identifying, selecting and training male and female athletes to compete in World, Pan American and Olympic competitions.