- Dec 20, 2012
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Keilani Ricketts, the two-time National Collegiate Player of the Year, informed the USA Softball Women’s National Team that she will not be a part of the team.
Ricketts is sitting out the World Cup of Softball VIII due to a contractual obligation with a Japanese League softball team, although that team does not begin playing until September. Before signing with a team in Japan, Ricketts said she turned down a two-year deal to become the face of the Amateur Softball Association.
Ricketts, a two-time national team player, would have more than likely started for Team USA when it faced Canada in an opening game. The World Cup runs Thursday through Sunday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
Ricketts told The Oklahoman on Wednesday she is just “chilling out at home” right now in California.
“She had a business decision to make,” USA Softball spokesman Ronnie Isham told The Norman Transcript, “and that business decision did not include Team USA.”
Isham said Ricketts’ decision caught USA Softball off guard.
Over the last two summers, the left-hander has helped Team USA win the 2012 World Cup of Softball and silver medal at the 2012 International Softball Federation XIII Women’s World Fastpitch Championship.
Ricketts, who pitched for the 2013 national champion Oklahoma Sooners, made Team USA along with OU teammates Lauren Chamberlain and Destinee Martinez. All three players took part in the three-day selection camp and were chosen out of 32 players for the 18-person roster.
In addition to winning the national championship and Collegiate Player of the Year award, Ricketts was also won the 2013 Honda Cup, which goes to the nation’s top female college athlete.
Ricketts finished her senior season with a 35-1 record, a 1.23 earned run average and threw six no hitters, the last one in the Women’s College World Series.
She was also a threat at the plate, collecting 15 home runs and 60 RBIs. Ricketts drove in all four runs in OU’s 4-0 national championship victory over Tennessee.
Sheridan Hawkins or Oregon is Ricketts’ replacement on the roster. Hawkins finished her freshman season with a 19-5 record, 212 strikeouts and 1.55 ERA.
She had 19 starts last season and appeared in 39 games. In the postseason, the left-hander only allowed six hits and one run in 15 innings pitched.
Ricketts is sitting out the World Cup of Softball VIII due to a contractual obligation with a Japanese League softball team, although that team does not begin playing until September. Before signing with a team in Japan, Ricketts said she turned down a two-year deal to become the face of the Amateur Softball Association.
Ricketts, a two-time national team player, would have more than likely started for Team USA when it faced Canada in an opening game. The World Cup runs Thursday through Sunday at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.
Ricketts told The Oklahoman on Wednesday she is just “chilling out at home” right now in California.
“She had a business decision to make,” USA Softball spokesman Ronnie Isham told The Norman Transcript, “and that business decision did not include Team USA.”
Isham said Ricketts’ decision caught USA Softball off guard.
Over the last two summers, the left-hander has helped Team USA win the 2012 World Cup of Softball and silver medal at the 2012 International Softball Federation XIII Women’s World Fastpitch Championship.
Ricketts, who pitched for the 2013 national champion Oklahoma Sooners, made Team USA along with OU teammates Lauren Chamberlain and Destinee Martinez. All three players took part in the three-day selection camp and were chosen out of 32 players for the 18-person roster.
In addition to winning the national championship and Collegiate Player of the Year award, Ricketts was also won the 2013 Honda Cup, which goes to the nation’s top female college athlete.
Ricketts finished her senior season with a 35-1 record, a 1.23 earned run average and threw six no hitters, the last one in the Women’s College World Series.
She was also a threat at the plate, collecting 15 home runs and 60 RBIs. Ricketts drove in all four runs in OU’s 4-0 national championship victory over Tennessee.
Sheridan Hawkins or Oregon is Ricketts’ replacement on the roster. Hawkins finished her freshman season with a 19-5 record, 212 strikeouts and 1.55 ERA.
She had 19 starts last season and appeared in 39 games. In the postseason, the left-hander only allowed six hits and one run in 15 innings pitched.
