OKLAHOMA CITY (July 24, 2024) — The USA Softball Men’s and Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams (SPNT) have arrived in Oklahoma City ahead of the 14th edition of Border Battle slated for July 25-27 at Devon Park. Athletes from the USA Softball Men’s and Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams and Futures Teams will compete in a series of matchups against the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams and various grassroots clubs in the action-packed three-day event.
With a series of exhibition games kicking off on Thursday, July 25 at 11:30 a.m. CT, the action will continue throughout the weekend with the MSPNT and the WSPNT facing off against their respective U.S. Futures Teams in the Slow Pitch Showdown set to take place on Friday, July 26 beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Closing out the weekend with the highly anticipated international matchups between Team USA and Team Canada, the Women’s Border Battle contest is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, July 27 with the Men’s Border Battle to follow at 8:30 a.m. CT. The three-day event is free to attend and will take place at Devon Park with games primarily being played on OG&E Energy Field in addition to a few games held on Integris Field. A complete schedule can be found on USASoftball.com.
Fans will have the opportunity to follow along with the premiere international Slow Pitch event via live stats and streaming. For all games as well as the USA Slow Pitch Showdown and Border Battle contests, live streaming will be provided on USASoftball.TV. To follow along with live stats, be sure to become a fan of each respective U.S. Slow Pitch National Team on the GameChanger app.
Click here for more information on Border Battle XIV »
The 2024 Women’s Slow Pitch National Team (WSPNT) is comprised of 15 elite athletes who hail from 10 different states. Out of these, 11 athletes are returning WSPNT veterans, while four fresh faces will join the squad after spending the 2023 season with the Women’s Futures. Don Cooper (Wash.) will lead the WSPNT for the seventh consecutive year. Cooper will be supported by returning assistant coaches Shannon Cooper (Wash.) and Tammy Higginbotham (Wash.), while Mandy Holeman (Pa.), a former WSPNT player, will join the coaching staff for the first time in her career.
The Women’s Futures team welcomes seven new athletes to the squad, while six veterans will return to the field – forming a 13-player roster that represents 10 different states. The team is led by co-head coaches Ted Carter (Ky.) and Cara Coughenour (Iowa), who have previously led the Women’s Futures, along with assistant coach Shannon Ellingsworth.
Click here to view the 2024 USA Softball WSPNT & Futures rosters »
The 2024 MSPNT roster will feature 13 athletes from eight different states – 10 of which are MSPNT veterans – along with Jason Matusik who will be joining the team after competing on the Men’s Futures team last year. Two promising rookies, Heath Barnes and Jeff Roxby, will also be joining the team, debuting on the Border Battle stage this year. Brett Helmer (N.Y.), a National Softball Hall of Famer, will be returning for his sixth year as the MSPNT head coach, while Tim Barnes (Texas) will serve as the assistant coach for the seventh time in his career.
The Men’s Futures team is a combination of talent and experience from 10 different states with six veterans returning to the roster while eight rookies prepare for their first appearance in the Red, White, and Blue. Head coach Rob Humphrey (Iowa) returns to the U.S. coaching staff for the ninth year in a row and will be joined by first-time assistant coach Nick Shaw (Neb.).
Click here to view the 2024 USA Softball MSPNT & Futures rosters »
The U.S. MSPNT and WSPNT look to claim a fifth-consecutive Border Battle championship title after most recently defeating Team Canada in 2023, where the MSPNT secured a 16-9 win over Canada in addition to a 14-7 win from the WSPNT. The annual international matchup dates back to 2009 when the U.S. MSPNT took home the inaugural trophy and has since posted an 11-2 record against Canada’s Men’s Slow Pitch National Team. The WSPNT joined the action in 2017, recording a 4-1 record over Canada’s Women’s Slow Pitch National Team since its inception.
The highly competitive USA Slow Pitch Showdown has become a Slow Pitch staple since its induction in 2012, with the MSPNT winning the matchup five times over the last decade. Following the introduction of the Women’s Futures team in 2019, the Women’s Slow Pitch Showdown has since proven to be a strong matchup with the WSPNT leading 3-0 after a 7-6 win in 2019, a 9-7 victory in 2022 and an 8-5 win in 2023.
For more information on the USA Softball Men’s and Women’s Slow Pitch National Teams programs and to learn about the history of the Border Battle, please visit USASoftball.com.