May 13, 2010

By Brian Davis, Assistant Media Relations Director

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Tennessee Lady Vol freshman left fielder Raven Chavanne has been included on the 18-player roster for the 2010 USA Softball Women's Futures National Team according to a release issued by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America.

The team, composed of both USA Softball rookies and those with previous international experience, is made up of student-athletes who played or currently play at 13 schools from six different NCAA Division I conferences.

"It's an honor for Raven to be included on the USA Softball Women's Futures National Team," Lady Vol co-head coach Karen Weekly said. "We know she will continue to improve her game with this experience and will get the opportunity to observe more experienced players both nationally and internationally during the upcoming summer. Raven has had an immediate impact for our team as a freshman, absorbs coaching easily and improves daily."

Chavanne has made quite a debut for the Orange & White, rating among the SEC and NCAA Division I leaders all season long by hitting a team-best .468 (81-of-173) with 55 runs scored and 31 stolen bases. A Top 25 Finalist for the prestigious 2010 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award as well as a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, the Thousand Oaks, Calif., native has posted 25 multi-hit games this season, including 12 contests with at least three or more base knocks. She has reaped nods as the SEC Player and Freshman of the Week, tallied streaks of eight consecutive hits and reaching successfully in 22 consecutive plate appearances by hit, walk, error or fielder's choice and tallied a squad-best 11-game hitting skein.

Kate Drohan (Evanston, Ill./head coach Northwestern) will serve as Head Coach of the USA Futures National Team, marking her first time as a coach in the USA Softball program. Mike Larabee (Fayetteville, Ark./head coach Arkansas) and Jamie Pinkerton (Broken Arrow, Okla./asst. coach Iowa State) will serve as assistants.

The Futures Team will open its season with exhibition games against the 2010 USA Softball Women's National Team in Canton and Ashland, Ohio, over June 16-17. They will also compete against the National Teams of Canada, Japan and the USA at the 2010 World Cup of Softball, July 22-26, at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Members of the Futures Team will fill spots on the USA team competing at the Canadian Open Fast Pitch International Championship, July 7-11, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and exhibition games in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, July 13-14. Futures players will also be included on the rosters for the Japan Cup, August 3-9, in Sendai City, Japan. (Complete rosters for the tournaments in Canada and Japan will be announced at a later date.)