SOFTBALL’S NAKKEN AND SCHAEFER SELECTED TO PLAY LATER THIS MONTH IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

6/7/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State’s Megan Schaefer and Alyssa Nakken have been chosen to represent the United States at the annual Prague-Joudrs Softball Tournament in the Czech Republic later this month.

Schaefer and Nakken are two of the 14-member USA Athletes International (USAAI) team which will compete for the Joudrs Cup in Prague on June 14-22.

Athletes for the team are selected based on the recommendations of coaches, athletes and athletics professionals. According to the USAAI, players for the team are a select group of elite athletes that are selected because of their ability to represent their team, schools, country and USAAI well.

Schaefer, who is junior pitcher from Tigard, Ore., was a second team all-Pacific Coast Softball Conference selection this past season after finishing with a 10-7 record and a 2.78 ERA. She had 22 appearances, 15 starts, 10 complete games and one shutout. The right-hander won four of her final five decisions of the season, and was the recipient of PCSC Player of the Week honors on March 17 and April 13. Against conference competition, she improved to 7-4 with a 1.77 ERA, including a .225 opponents’ batting average.

Nakken, who is a sophomore first baseman from Woodland, Calif., was one of three Hornets to start all 54 games (51 starts at first base, three at designated player) this past season, and hit .314 (55-175) with 36 runs, 13 doubles, six home runs, 23 RBIs, 18 walks, a .395 on-base percentage and four stolen bases. She led the Hornets in at-bats, runs and walks, and committed just four errors all season (.990 fielding percentage). That included just two miscues over the final 48 games of the year.

Established in 1992, USA Athletes International, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to giving amateur athletes and coaches the opportunity to participate in international Olympic-style sporting events throughout the world.