Academy Notebook: USA Softball Identifier Event at the Texas Rangers Youth Academy; Four Youth Academy athletes win high school softball district awards
USA Softball to host High Performance Program Identifier at Texas Rangers Youth Academy
Beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy will be the host site for the Region 5 USA Softball High Performance Program Identifier. Nearly 60 athletes from Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma will take the field in the combine-style event.
This USA Softball High Performance Program is designed to identify a pool of top athletes ages 13 to 18 to train, compete and participate in USA softball events. Athletes will be assessed on their positional skills, offensive production and overall softball IQ.
Event evaluators include former and current Team USA athletes and medal-winning Olympians Valerie Arioto, Taylor Edwards, Sam Fischer, Michelle Moultrie, Delaney Spaulding, Kelsey Stewart and Haylie Wagner.
The top athletes at Sunday’s event will represent the Region 5 team and compete against the 11 remaining regional teams. Top performers in the regional competition will earn an invitation to a National Selection Event for Age Specific National Teams.
Athletes identified at the National Selection Event will then be considered for invitation to trials for a USA Softball National Team set to compete at a World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) international event.
Texas Rangers Youth Academy athletes selected to participate in Sunday’s identifier include:
- Ximena Zamarron – 18U
- Cameron Alardin – 18U
- Giovanca Frias – 17U
- Ana Gonzalez – 16U
- Olivia Veiza – 16U
- Morgan Young – 16U
- Alyssa Summers – 15U
- Savanah Vargas – 13U
Texas Rangers Youth Academy athletes recognized in High School District Awards
As area high schools carry into the baseball and softball post-season, districts across the metroplex are recognizing top athletes with regular-season awards and All-District recognitions.
So far, the Texas Rangers Youth Academy has seen four athletes named as district award winners for their outstanding softball seasons.
North Dallas High School – District 12-4A
- Julianna Serrano, Rangers Youth Academy athlete and North Dallas High School senior, was named the All-District 12-4A MVP for her incredible pitching performance this season.
Serrano completed her senior season with an impressive 112 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched, posting nine wins on the season.
Nimitz High School – District 7-6A
- Senior shortstop Ximena Zamarron was named Offensive Player of the Year and awarded First Team All-District honors.
Zamarron finished the season with a .604 AVG, .625 OBP, 22 extra-base hits and 34 RBI. She will continue her softball career at Paris Junior College next year.
- Giovanca Frias, a sophomore at Nimitz High School, earned district awards for her performance on the field and in the classroom. Frias was named Pitcher of the Year and earned First Team All-District and Academic All-District honors.
Frias finished her season on the pitching rubber with a 2.62 ERA and 47 strikeouts in district play. Rounding out her performance on offense, Frias produced a .361 AVG and .489 OBP for the season.
- Pitcher Karina Rodriguez was awarded First Team All-District and Academic All-District honors for her senior season performance.
Rodriguez finished the season with a .560 AVG and .621 OBP in district play and will continue her softball career at Texas A&M San Antonio.
Rangers RBI Baseball & Softball schedule