OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Florida Gators softball team added another one of its members to the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team on Thursday as freshman Jessica Damico joins Cheyenne Coyle and Lauren Haege, the Amateur Softball Association announced.
Damico was named to the squad as the JWNT prepares for the Junior Women’s World Championship in Cape Town, South Africa, in December.
“I’m very excited for Jessica and this opportunity for her to represent the USA and the Gators as a member of the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team,” Florida head coach Tim Walton said in a statement. “This will be a valuable learning experience for Jess as she prepares for her first collegiate softball season as a freshman at Florida.”
Damico was named the 2010 Gatorade Missouri Softball Player of the Year as a member of the Pacific High School squad, while also playing with the St. Louis Chaos in ASA travel ball.
Set to be a utility player for the Gators this upcoming season, Damico replaces Tennessee sophomore Madison Shipman, who is recovering from surgery, on the Junior Women’s National Team.
“I am looking forward to representing my country at the International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women’s World Championships in South Africa,” Damico said in a statement. “Being selected for the USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team is a great opportunity, and I can’t wait to give it everything I’ve got.”
Damico was named to the 2009, 2010 and 2011 ESPN RISE Under Armour All-America softball game rosters. She went 2-for-4 in this year’s Under Armour All-America game in Orlando at ESPN Wide World of Sports in July.
The Junior Women’s National Team recently completed an exhibition series that took them to Tampa, Salem, Va., and Bowie, Md. The team will next compete Dec. 6-17 at the International Softball Federation (ISF) IX Junior Women’s World Championship (19-and-under) in Cape Town, South Africa. The United States will enter the Championship event as the defending champion.
Junior Women’s Worlds will mark Damico’s first appearance with USA Softball. She attended the 2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp, held in June 2010 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
In addition to Coyle, Damico and Haeger, Gator senior Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) will also continue representing the Red, White and Blue as part of the USA Women’s National Team.
Moultrie helped lead the United States to the 2011 World Cup of Softball VI Championship with a 6-4 victory over Japan July 25. The USA Softball Women’s National Team will next compete at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Oct. 17-23.