Kentucky softball star Erin Coffel to represent Team USA this summer

One of Kentucky softball’s star players from this past season will soon represent the red, white, and blue.

On Thursday, it was announced by UK that rising senior shortstop Erin Coffel, who was tabbed a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American for the second-straight season in 2023, will suit up for Team USA to compete in the 2023 Japan All-Star Series this coming August. The Bremen, IN product was one of 16 college players selected to Team USA, which will play a trio of games in Japan from August 4-6.

2023 Japan All-Star Series

August 4 – USA vs. Japan – 6:00 a.m. EST (Iwakuni, Japan)
August 5 – USA vs. Japan – 1:00 a.m. EST (Fukushima, Japan)
August 6 – USA vs. Japan – 6:00 a.m. EST (Yokohama, Japan)

🇺🇸🇺🇸 TEAM USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸@erincoffel5 will represent Team USA this summer at the 2023 Japan All-Star Series!

Release: https://t.co/Ygxddlt3HI #WeAreUK x #BBN pic.twitter.com/tjmzewog0j

— Kentucky Softball (@UKsoftball) June 22, 2023

As a junior in 2023, Coffel once again performed at an All-American level. She drilled 19 home runs this past season while hitting .440 and registering 60 runs scored, 55 hits, 10 doubles, and 55 RBI. Coffel was walked more than any other player in the country (64 times) and successfully stole base on all three of her attempts. With 55 home runs through three seasons, she is now within single digits of breaking the program’s all-time record for most in a career.

Kentucky finished 2023 with a final record of 31-22-1 (10-14 SEC), bowing out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after losing in back-to-back matchups against Northwestern and Miami (OH).

Coffel is one of five Southeastern Conference players representing Team USA this summer, which will be led by Clemson head coach John Rittman along with assistants Mike Roberts (Virginia), Brian Kolze (Pacific), and Chris Malveaux (Tennessee). The Pac-12 will also have five representatives on the roster while Oklahoma (which won its third consecutive national title earlier this month) leads all programs with three representatives

Team USA’s 2023 Japan All-Star Series Roster

Valerie Cagle (Clemson)
NiJaree Canady (Stanford)
Jada Cody (UCF)
Erin Coffel (Kentucky)
Hannah Gammill (Arkansas)
Megan Grant (UCLA)
Kinzie Hansen (Oklahoma)
Avery Hodge (Oklahoma)
Alex Honnold (Mizzou)
Jayda Kearney (Georgia)
Viviana Martinez (Texas)
Ruby Meylan (Washington)
Taylor Pleasants (LSU)
Cydney Sanders (Oklahoma)
Alana Vawter (Stanford)
Jordan Woolery (UCLA)