Post date: Jul 19, 2016 5:22:30 AM

SURREY, Canada — Four nations from the African and Oceania regions will be represented at the 15th edition of the flagship women’s softball event in Surrey, Canada.  The African nations of Kenya and Uganda will be making their debuts at the Women’s Softball World Championship in Surrey, while Australia and New Zealand have both won the world championship once.

The biennial event will bring together a record 31 national teams from all five regions, representing the largest global footprint in the event’s history, with eleven nations will be making their women’s world championship debuts.

All 124 games will be web-streamed to represent the most games ever streamed for a global softball event. All games will be streamed live and available on a subscription basis for a one-time fee of $US 19.95 via  worldsoftball.tv.

KENYA

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Kenya is playing in their first world championship. The Softball Federation of Kenya will be using the event to promote the sport to then introduce into additional high schools and universities. Softball is currently in every private university in the country, where they hold an annual national championship.

Kenya is grouped in Pool H with New Zealand, Italy, and Peru.

Round Robin schedule:

15 July at 8:15pm vs New Zealand

16 July at 5:00pm vs Italy

17 July at 12:30 pm vs Peru

History

WWC Appearances: 0

WWC Participation: n/a

Highest Finish: n/a

Previous Finish: n/a

Current Ranking: Unranked

UGANDA

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Uganda is making their world championship debut in Surrey. Head coach Joni Frei, Softball British Columbia’s director of coaching, has been a key figure in helping to get women’s softball jump-started in Uganda. The former college player has invited a pair of local female coaches to shadow her and her staff as a lasting legacy to their world championship participation.

Uganda is grouped in Pool D with Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland.

Round Robin schedule:

15 July at 11:00 vs Ireland

16 July at 5:30pm vs Great Britain

17 July at 7:30pm vs Canada

History

WWC Appearances: 0

WWC Participation: n/a

Highest Finish: n/a

Previous Finish: n/a

Current Ranking: Unranked

AUSTRALIA

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Australia hosted the first Women’s Softball World Championship in 1965, beating the U.S. 1-0 in the final for the country’s only world title. Australia is the only country besides the U.S. to medal at all four Olympics in which softball was played, capturing bronze in 1996, 2000 and 2008 and silver in 2004.

Led by the slugging third baseman and captain Stacey Porter, the Aussies will be looking to improve on their third place finish at the 2014 worlds in Haarlem, Netherlands.

Australia is grouped in Pool C with Mexico, Switzerland, and Serbia.

Round Robin schedule:

15 July at 8:15pm vs Mexico

16 July at 5:30pm vs Switzerland

17 July at 10:00 vs Serbia

History

WWC Appearances: 14

WWC Participation: 1965; 1970; 1974; 1978; 1982; 1986; 1990; 1994; 1998; 2002; 2006; 2010; 2012; 2014

Highest Finish: Gold (1965)

Previous Finish: 3 (2014)

Current Ranking: 3

NEW ZEALAND

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Women’s softball in New Zealand dates back to the late 1940s. The Kiwis won their only world championship title in 1982 and then followed that up with a bronze medal in 1986 and silver in 1990. They have failed to crack the top five since and were eighth in 2014.

New Zealand brings a strong squad to Surrey, with 13 players having world championship experience. Six players are currently on scholarship at NCAA schools in the U.S., including outfielder and captain Elle Cooper.

New Zealand is grouped in Pool H with Italy, Kenya, and Peru.

Round Robin schedule:

15 July at 8:15pm vs Kenya

16 July at 12:30pm vs Peru

17 July at 12:30pm vs Italy

History

WWC Appearances: 14

WWC Participation: 1965; 1970; 1974; 1978; 1982; 1986; 1990; 1994; 1998; 2002; 2006; 2010; 2012; 2014

Highest Finish: Gold (1982)

Previous Finish: 8th (2014)

Current Ranking: 8