Sweetwater Red
03-28-2008, 12:37 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3317464
Lisa Fernandez, a three-time Olympic champion and perhaps softball's signature star for more than a decade, did not make the U.S. team's final 15-player roster for the Beijing Games.
The 37-year-old Fernandez was named a replacement player on the American team, which will attempt to win its fourth straight gold medal this summer. Fernandez was on the mound when the U.S. team won gold in Athens, completing a historic run through the tournament in which the Americans outscored the competition 51-1.
Fernandez was also the starting pitcher when the U.S. won it all in Sydney in 2000. Four years earlier, she came in as a reliever when the Americans clinched gold in Atlanta.
She was making a comeback after missing three years of international competition to start a family and never quite got back to form.
"I was really hoping she would get close to where she was in 2004," said U.S. coach Mike Candrea. "She is still in my eyes the best player who has ever played this game. I wanted her to go out on top."
Candrea kept only three pitchers: returning gold medalists Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, as well as first-time Olympian Monica Abbott. Alicia Hollowell, a hard-throwing right-hander who played for Candrea at Arizona, was also named a replacement player.
Candrea will only make changes to his roster if there are injuries. He must submit it to the U.S. Olympic Committee for final approval by July 1.
The U.S. team had its 185-game winning streak in pre-Olympic exhibitions snapped Wednesday, when the Americans were no-hit by Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.
Catcher Jenny Topping, another member of the 2004 Olympic team, was also left off the final roster. Topping, who came up with several key hits in Athens, was beaten out by Lauren Lappin, a more versatile player who can catch and play middle infield and has good speed. Lappin was an alternate in 2004.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Lisa Fernandez, a three-time Olympic champion and perhaps softball's signature star for more than a decade, did not make the U.S. team's final 15-player roster for the Beijing Games.
The 37-year-old Fernandez was named a replacement player on the American team, which will attempt to win its fourth straight gold medal this summer. Fernandez was on the mound when the U.S. team won gold in Athens, completing a historic run through the tournament in which the Americans outscored the competition 51-1.
Fernandez was also the starting pitcher when the U.S. won it all in Sydney in 2000. Four years earlier, she came in as a reliever when the Americans clinched gold in Atlanta.
She was making a comeback after missing three years of international competition to start a family and never quite got back to form.
"I was really hoping she would get close to where she was in 2004," said U.S. coach Mike Candrea. "She is still in my eyes the best player who has ever played this game. I wanted her to go out on top."
Candrea kept only three pitchers: returning gold medalists Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, as well as first-time Olympian Monica Abbott. Alicia Hollowell, a hard-throwing right-hander who played for Candrea at Arizona, was also named a replacement player.
Candrea will only make changes to his roster if there are injuries. He must submit it to the U.S. Olympic Committee for final approval by July 1.
The U.S. team had its 185-game winning streak in pre-Olympic exhibitions snapped Wednesday, when the Americans were no-hit by Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.
Catcher Jenny Topping, another member of the 2004 Olympic team, was also left off the final roster. Topping, who came up with several key hits in Athens, was beaten out by Lauren Lappin, a more versatile player who can catch and play middle infield and has good speed. Lappin was an alternate in 2004.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press