OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – After a few days of tryouts, a trio of LSU softball players were selected to a pair of teams that will represent the United States on the international level this summer, as senior infielder Bianka Bell was picked for the U.S. Women’s National Team, while outfielders in sophomore Emily Griggs and junior Bailey Landry were picked for the Women’s Elite Team the Amateur Softball Association of America and USA Softball announced today.
Both Bell and Griggs will be participating with the national teams for the second consecutive year, while Landry will make her inaugural debut in the Red, White and Blue later this year. Bell is one of 18 total selections for the WNT group, as well as being one of 12 veterans to make a return to the squad, while Griggs is one of three that was on the USA Softball Women’s Junior National Team last year.
One of the assistants on the coaching staff is current LSU assistant coach Howard Dobson. Dobson, who is also in his fifth season with the Tigers, has also spent the last five years assisting at the selection camp, while spending the last four years an an coach on the WNT.
Members of the WNT will compete later this summer in the World Cup of Softball XI, the XV World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women’s World Championship in Surrey, B.C., Canada and the Japan Cup.
Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla./Head Coach at USF) will lead the National Team and will be joined by Dobson (Baton Rouge, La./Asst. Coach at LSU), Trisha Ford (Fremont, Calif./head coach at Fresno State) and John Rittman (Lawrence, Kansas) as Assistant Coaches.
This is the first season for the Women’s Elite Team, which will participate in a series of exhibition games against the Women’s National Team in addition to the World Cup of Softball XI. The Women’s Elite Team will also participate in exhibition games at the USA Softball JO Cup in Marietta, Ga.
Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz./Head Coach Cal State Northridge) will lead the Elite Team as the Head Coach and will be joined by Laura Berg (Corvalis, Ore./Head Coach Oregon State), Kristie Fox (San Diego, Calif./head coach at UT- Arlington) and Gina Vecchione (New Rochelle, N.Y./Cal Poly Associate Head Coach), who will serve as Assistant Coaches.
LSU opens the 2016 regular season on February 12, opening the 2016 Tiger Classic against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Tiger Park.
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball along with @lsusoftball and @BethTorina on Twitter and @lsusb on Instagram.