Who Made Team USA? See the Newly Announced 2026 U-18 Women’s National Softball Roster

USA Softball revealed the latest roster built through its High Performance Program, featuring proven champions, first-time selections and athletes from across the country.

Team USA revealed its 2026 18U national roster this week. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

High Performance Program pipeline produces 2026 national roster

USA Softball announced the 16 athletes selected to represent the United States at the 2026 U-18 Women’s Pan American Championship, a group that advanced through the organization’s High Performance Program before being finalized by the Junior Women’s National Team Selection Committee following the 2025 HPP National Selection Event.

Described by USA Softball as “The Pipeline to the Women’s National Team Program,” the HPP identifies and develops athletes at the local level before progressing them through regional and national evaluations. The 2026 roster represents the fourth group to emerge from the program since its launch in 2020.

“Seeing these athletes earn the opportunity to represent Team USA is truly special,” Chief Sport Development/Performance Officer Chris Sebren said in a statement. “The process is competitive and requires commitment at every step, from local identifiers to the National Selection Event. We’re proud of this group and look forward to watching them compete on the international stage.”

Six returning U-18 world champions headline experienced roster

Six athletes return from the U-18 Women’s National Team that competed at last year’s World Championship: Anabela Abdullah, Aspen Boulware, Brielle Gardiner, Lilly “Goose” Goodwin, Julianna “Goose” Hutchens and Brooklyn Paratore.

Additional international experience is represented by athletes with prior U-15 Women’s National Team appearances, including Macie Bryant (2023) and Michaela Landers (2025), while Abdullah, Boulware and Paratore were also members of the 2023 U-15 team. Eight players will make their first appearance representing Team USA at the U-18 level.

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2026 USA Softball U-18 Women’s National Team Roster

Anabela Abdullah — INF — Doral Academy (Florida) — committed to Texas

Shayla Bahr — OF — Wesleyan (Georgia) — committed to Florida

Aspen Boulware — OF — Gray Collegiate Academy (SC) — South Carolina

Macie Bryant — P — Barbers Hill (TX) — LSU

Ivy Burnham — OF — St. Anthony (CA) — Stanford

Lorelei Gamble — C — Dripping Springs (TX) — Texas

Brielle Gardiner — P — Bear River (UT) — Texas A&M

Lilly Goodwin — P — Desert Mountain (AZ) — Northwestern

Julianna “Goose” Hutchens — UTL — Wagoner (OK) — Oklahoma

Michaela Landers — INF — Waxahachie (TX) — Undecided

Morgan Maxwell — P — West Forsyth (NC) — Georgia

Aubrey Moore — INF — Rutland (GA) — Texas A&M

Brooklyn Paratore — C — Oak Ridge (CA) — Washington

Emma Reynolds — UTL — Queen Creek (AZ) — Oklahoma

Kale’a Tindal — OF — Harvard-Westlake (CA) — Stanford

Neveah Wilson — INF — Ganesha (CA) — Undecided

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The roster features athletes from nine states across four USA Softball regions, led by California with six selections and Texas with three. Arizona and Georgia each place two athletes on the team, while Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Utah each contribute one player.

Kyla Holas returns after guiding program to sustained dominance

Head coach Kyla Holas, a member of the Junior Women’s National Team program since 2019, will again lead the U-18 squad. Holas guided the United States to the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup Finals title, her third World Championship as head coach and the program’s fifth consecutive world title.

Under Holas, the U-18 team has not lost a World Championship game since 2021 and carries a 48-game winning streak at the event level.

“Representing the USA is always a blessing,” Holas said. “I am excited to go into the tournament with so many returners who have previously won a World Cup and know the standards that come with wearing USA on your chest.”

Additional information regarding the 2026 U-18 Women’s Pan American Championship will be announced at a later date.

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