Olympic Movements        

Nine Olympic Gold Medallists Selected To WPSL Gold Team    
Gold Team To Challenge League All-Stars In "Tour of Fastpitch Champions"      

DENVER, CO. Nine members of the gold-medal winning 2000 Sydney Olympic softball team have been signed by the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL) to participate as the WPSL Gold Team in a nationwide tour against the WPSL All-Stars. The "Tour of Fastpitch Champions" is scheduled to begin June 1 in Plant City, Fla. and continue through 13 cities targeted for future expansion.

Lisa Fernandez heads the list of two-time Olympic gold medallists to join the WPSL Gold Team.  Others include Laura Berg (Fresno State/Santa Fe Springs, Calif.), Sheila Douty (UCLA/Diamond Bar, Calif.) and Michele Smith (Oklahoma State/Califon, N.J.). Fernandez (UCLA/Long Beach, Calif.) is widely considered one of the greatest all-around softball players of all time after leading the Americans to their second consecutive gold medal in Sydney, Australia. She was the team's winning pitcher in both their Olympic semifinal victory over Australia and gold medal game against Japan, allowing just four hits and striking out 21 batters in the process. Smith posted a 0.00 ERA in the 2000 Olympics and was second on the squad with 37 strikeouts. Berg hit the ball that resulted in the game-winning run during the gold medal game against Japan.  Douty is an 18-year veteran of the USA National Team and has won two Olympic gold medals and three World Championship titles.

Other 2000 Sydney Olympians on the roster are Jennifer Brundage (UCLA/Ann Arbor, Mich.), Crystl Bustos (Palm Beach CC/Canyon Country, Calif.), Danielle Henderson (Massachusetts/Commack, N.Y.), Jennifer McFalls (Texas A&M/Grand Prairie, Texas) and Michelle Venturella (Indiana/Indianapolis, Ind.).  Brundage and Bustos were the Americans top two hitters in Sydney. Bustos led the squad in hits (10), runs scored (5), home runs (3), slugging percentage (.541) and RBI (4), while Brundage paced the squad in batting average (.281) and on-base percentage (.361).  Henderson earned a victory in her sole appearance of the Olympic Games with a 3-0 shutout of Cuba.  McFalls scored the winning run in the gold medal game against Japan as a pinch runner for catcher Stacy Nuveman. Venturella saw action in three games in her first Olympics.  Olympic alternate selection Teri Klement-Goldberg (Colorado State/Ft. Collins, Colo.) rounds out the American contingent.  She is a five-year veteran of the USA National Team and helped the American team claim the gold medal at the 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup.

Joining the gold team are Olympians from China and Canada. Cindy Yan Fang (Beijing, China) led the entire Olympic tournament with a .391 batting average.  She is a 14-year veteran of the Chinese National Team, claiming silver medals (behind the USA) at the 1994 World Championships and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.  Erin (Woods) White (Richmond, BC) and Jackie Lance (North Delta, BC) will represent Canada on the WPSL Gold Team. White hit the Canadians only home run at the Games and led the team with three RBI. Lance posted three hits, one run and one RBI.

"Being able to coach this level of talent is a great honor for me, but on the other hand with us moving back to 43 feet and deeper fences, I think there are going to be some exciting games against the WPSL All-Star team," Gold Team Head Coach Judy Martino said. "We are excited to bring the world's top-caliber fastpitch players to venues across the country. The goal is to provide exciting fastpitch entertainment and to promote this pro league for women.  After talking to each of the players, they too believe that this league allows hem to continue their careers on a professional level. They are looking forward to being positive role models for youngsters everywhere."

The WPSL has adopted an expansion plan to re-launch the league in six to eight markets in 2002, with growth to 12 markets by 2004. Akron, Ohio and Plant City, Fla. are favored to be participants in the new league. The WPSL expansion plan takes into consideration the need to re-shape the current structure of the league to accommodate the addition of important strategic partners vital to future growth and success. Discussions have been underway for several months with key sports entities which will participate in league ownership next season.

"The tour will allow us to focus our resources on expansion in 2002," WPSL CEO/Commissioner John Carroll said. "It is a great opportunity for the people of the United States to continue to see the best women's fastpitch players in the world as we prepare to re-launch the league in 2002. The new structure will include local ownership of team markets."

The tour will travel to 14 cities that have been targeted as WPSL expansion candidates. Competition will feature games between the WPSL Gold and All-Star teams as well as Canada and the yet-to-be-named USA National Teams. Ten of these games will be televised, eight on ESPN2 and two "live" on ESPN, a first for the WPSL.

The WPSL will launch a major mother/daughter skills program at the grass roots level in conjunction with the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) during the 2001 tour.  These events will be held at all tour stops as well as other ASA locations.

Log on to our website at www.prosoftball.com for the latest information about the WPSL.

2001 WPSL Gold Team Roster
Name,  Position, College / Hometown
Laura Berg, OF, Fresno State/Santa Fe Springs, Calif.
Jennifer Brundage, C, UCLA/Ann Arbor, Mich.
Crystl Bustos, SS, Palm Beach CC/Canyon Country, Calif.
Sheila Douty, 1B, UCLA/Diamond Bar, Calif.
Lisa Fernandez, P/3B, UCLA/Long Beach, Calif.
Danielle Henderson, P, Massachusetts/Commack, N.Y.
Teri Klement-Goldberg, UT, Colorado State/Ft. Collins, Colo.
Jackie Lance, 2B, New Mexico/North Delta, BC
Jennifer McFalls, UT IF, Texas A&M/Grand Prairie, Texas
Michele Smith, P, Oklahoma State/Califon, N.J.
Michelle Venturella, C, Indiana/Indianapolis, Ind.
Erin White, C/OF, Iowa State/Richmond, BC
Cindy Yan Fang, 2B, Beijing, China

Tentative Tour Schedule
May 21-31, Spring Training
June 1-2 , Plant City, Fla.
June 8-9, Allentown, Pa.
June 14-15, Oklahoma City, Okla.
June 17,Los Angeles, Calif. (UCLA)
June 23-24, Akron, Ohio
June 28-29, Chattanooga, Tenn.
July 1-2,Houston, Texas
July 6-9 Major League Baseball Fan Fest - Seattle, Wash.
July 13-14, Rockford, Ill.
July 21-22, Madison, Wis.
July 31, Plant City, Fla.
Aug. 8-9, Salem, Va.
Aug. 17-18, Akron, Ohio
Aug. 25-26, Stanford, Calif.
Aug. 31-Sept.1,TBD

[Source: Gavin D. Markovits, Director of Communications, Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL)
90 Madison St., Ste. 200, Denver, CO 80206, 303-316-7800 - phone, 303-316-2779 - fax
http://www.prosoftball.com]