Florida Softball's Cheyenne Coyle Named to USA Softball Junior Women's National Team
Thursday, July 28, 2011 | Softball
Rising sophomore Cheyenne Coyle has been named to the 2011 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced Thursday morning. The Gator shortstop from West Hills, Calif., was one of four Florida softball players who took part in the 2011 USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Camp in June. Coyle will now join the JWNT as the squad prepares for the International Softball Federation (ISF) IX Junior Women's World Championship (19-and-under), set for December 6-17 in Cape Town, South Africa.
“Representing the USA has always been a dream of mine from a very young age,” Coyle said. “I am extremely grateful to have this opportunity to represent my country on and off the field. I look forward to being able to compete with and against some of the best young softball players from all over the world.”
As just a freshman last season, Coyle helped UF to a 56-13 overall record en route to the Gators' fourth consecutive Women's College World Series appearance as Florida worked its way to the WCWS Championship Series. Coyle started in all possible 69 games at shortstop, earning Freshman All-SEC accolades. She was named to the 2011 WCWS All-Tournament Team, tying for the most RBI (8) at the WCWS. Coyle sent a homer out of the park against Marshall in her first collegiate at-bat of 2011, finishing the season with 17 total round-trippers.
“I'm very proud of Cheyenne 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. “Cheyenne had a tremendous freshman year and this opportunity will not only better her on the field, but off the field as well.”
Coyle led all SEC freshmen in runs scored, slugging percentage, RBI, home runs and fielded double plays through 2011 league play and committed just three errors in UF's last 32 games of the season. Coyle finished her inaugural year as a Gator with a .318 batting clip after 55 hits, 17 homers and 60 RBI.
Coyle will now replace Shelby Pendley, who underwent surgery on her knee after sustaining an injury in a recent USA Softball game, on the Junior Women's National Team. The JWNT recently completed an exhibition series that brought them to Tampa, Fla., Salem, Va., and Bowie, Md. The team competes next 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 is the defending champion.
Junior Women's Worlds will mark Coyle's first appearance with USA Softball. She most recently attended the 2011 USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Camp and also participated in the 2010-11 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Selection Camp, held in June 2010.
In addition to Coyle, fellow Gators Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Brittany Schutte (Fountain Valley, Calif.) have been representing the Stars and Stripes on the USA Women's National Team. Moultrie and Schutte have had a stellar summer with Team USA, most recently helping the Red, White and Blue to the 2011 World Cup of Softball VI Championship with a 6-4 victory over Japan July 25.
To follow Coyle, Moultrie, Schutte and both the Junior Women's National Team and the Women's National Team, stay posted to www.usasoftball.org.
