OU Softball Tradition | Sooners with Team USA

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	Sooners on Team USA  Participation  Year  Keilani Ricketts  USA National Team  2012  Keilani Ricketts  USA National Team  2011  Jessica Shults  USA National Team  2011  Lauren Chamberlain  Junior National Team  2011  Destinee Martinez  Junior National Team  2011  Destinee Martinez  Junior National Team  2010  Kelli Braitsch  National Team Trials  2002  Lisa Carey  National Team Trials  2001  Norrelle Dickson  Elite Team  2003  Norrelle Dickson  Elite Team  2004  Norrelle Dickson  Elite Team  2005  Christina Enea  National Team Trials  2005  Christina Enea  National Team Trials  2002  Leah Gulla  Olympic Trials  2003  Christina Enea  National Team Trials  2005  Heather Scaglione  Elite Team*  2005  Heather Scaglione  National Team Trials  2005  Kristin Vesely  National Team Trials  2005  Kristin Vesely  Junior National Team  2003
	* Scaglione was part of two different Elite teams in 2005.

The phone in Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso's office rang three different times. Each time the USA Elite Team selection committee was on the other end. Each time they wanted Gasso to gauge the interest one of her players would have in playing for the 2004 Elite Team.
 
After the third call, Gasso sat in her office and pondered what had happened over the last month. During that span, three Sooners had been invited (and accepted) to play in the First World University Softball Championships as members of the USA Elite Team, which only ranks behind the Olympic Team. Three Sooners were on the 16 player team, which was a first for any team at OU and only the fourth time any softball program had placed that many players on the squad at the same time.

It was just another sign that OU was among collegiate softball's creme de la creme but it still took some time to hit Gasso.
 
USA Softball's interest in the Oklahoma program continued during the summer of 2006 as alum Norelle Dickson was one of 16 collegiate players to play on the USA World Team in Taiwan. Sooner players have been called on before. Former Sooners Kami Keiter and Heather Scaglione were rookies the 2004 squad. Dickson, on the other hand, played in five tournaments with the Elite squad. Former Sooner Kristin Vesely played for the USA Junior National Team before her freshman year and alum Leah Gulla (2000-03) was part of the most recent Olympic Trials. Additionally, Samantha Ricketts, Christina Enea, Kelli Braitsch and Lisa Carey have received a number of tryouts.

Destinee Martinez won gold with Team USA at the III Pan American Championship in August 2010. Team USA defeated Canada, 3-1, to win the event and qualify for the International Softball Federation Junior Women's World Championship.

In June 2011, Keilani Ricketts became the first Sooner to be named to the senior women's national team. Jessica Shults was named an alternate for the squad. The two claimed gold with the U. S. in the World Cup of Softball before Ricketts added a second gold medal as the winning pitcher for the U. S. in the Pan American Games.
 
Sooner softball has carved its niche into USA Softball and Gasso should be ready for future calls.