Wildcat shortstop to play in 2021 Junior World Championships, Jr. Pan Am Games
LEXINGTON, Ky. – June 26, 2021
Kentucky Softball sophomore shortstop Erin Coffel was named to the under-18 United States National Team, USA Softball announced on Friday afternoon.
As part of Team USA, Coffel will compete in this fall’s U-18 World Cup in Lima, Peru on August 28 – September 5 and the Junior Pan American Games in Barranquilla, Columbia running from November 25 – December 5.
Led by Head Coach Kyla Holas and Assistant Coaches Suzy Brazney (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Lisa Navas (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), the Red, White and Blue will look to claim a fourth-consecutive WBSC Junior Women’s World Championship title, having won the previous three World Championships in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Additionally, the 2021 U-18 JWNT roster will compete for the gold medal at the Junior Pan American Games.
Coffel hit .337 on the season in 2021, her first as a Wildcat. The Bremen, Indiana native had 16 home runs and 56 runs batted in, both leading all Kentucky players. Coffel was the first-ever true freshman to start at shortstop in the 14-year tenure for head coach Rachel Lawson.
For her tremendous freshman season, Coffel was named Second Team All-Southeastern Conference, SEC All-Freshman and 2021 NFCA Second Team All-Region.