Holcombe Joins Rogers as Team USA Training Camp Invitees
5/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 13, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - University of Alabama catcher Ashley Holcombe has been selected to participate in the 2009 USA Softball National Team Selection Camp. The senior from Fayetteville, Ga. joins teammate Brittany Rogers to the Olympic Training Center this summer.
"We are so happy for Ashley to receive this recognition from USA Softball," head coach Patrick Murphy said. "Aly, Vann and I have believed for that past four years that she is the best defensive catcher we have had in our program. I hope she is able to show off her skills in San Diego like she has done in Tuscaloosa so many times the past four seasons."
The selection camp will take place June 8-12 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. The 2009 National Team will be selected from participants at this camp. Over the summer, USA Softball will compete in the Canada Cup (July 3-12 - Surrey, B.C., Canada), World Cup IV (July 13-20 - Oklahoma City, Okla.), Japan Cup (July 28-Aug. 3 - Sendai City, Japan) and the Pan Am Games Qualifier (July 29-August 10 - Maracay, Venezuela).
Holcombe was named to the SEC All-Defensive team after once again leading the conference in pickoffs with 10. On top of her prowess behind the dish, Holcombe was second on the team during league play with a .375 average. The senior also ranked second on the team in conference action with four home runs and 22 RBI. Overall Holcombe is batting .297 with six home runs and a career high 37 RBI.
Rogers earns her fourth straight first team accolade as she was named All-SEC, joining the likes of Kelly Krestschman and Jackie McClain as the only Alabama players to earn first team honors all four years. The Dacula, Ga. native batted .325 and led the league with 20 stolen bases. The fleet footed centerfielder was also named to the SEC All-Defensive team after fielding a perfect 1.000 at her position. Rogers on the season is batting .388, scored 42 runs and has swiped 44 bases.
The Alabama softball team (47-9) enters the 2009 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional as the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the fifth straight year. The Crimson Tide, who won the SEC Western Division Championship with a 21-6 SEC record, earned the No. 4 national seed in the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament. The Tide will open the regional Friday at 6:00 p.m. CDT against Mississippi Valley State (37-14) at the Alabama Softball Complex on the UA campus.
