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USA Softball Expands National Team Athlete Pool With 3 Additions

USA Softball announced that Megan Grant, Taylor Shumaker, and Kendall Wells have been added to the USA Softball Women's National Team Athlete Pool. 
Sarah Lewis|
Megan Grant set the single-season home run record in 2026 with 42.
Megan Grant set the single-season home run record in 2026 with 42. | UCLA Athletics

The USA Softball Women's National Team Athlete Pool serves as the foundation for the USA Softball Women’s National Team and three college standouts had their names added for consideration, according to a press release on Tuesday.

USA Softball announced that UCLA’s Megan Grant, Florida’s Taylor Shumaker, and Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells have been added to the USA Softball Women's National Team Athlete Pool.

Grant, a two-time USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist, was an offensive powerhouse in her time with the UCLA Bruins. In a record-breaking senior season, the three-time All-American boasted a .455 batting average with over 70 hits, 91 RBIs, and 42 home runs.

Grant’s 42 blasts broke the NCAA Division I single-season home run record previously held by Arizona’s Laura Espinoza. Grant is also a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time All-Pac-12 selection.

Shumaker has been an immediate impact player in her time with the Florida Gators. In her two seasons with the Gators, the outfielder has amassed 172 hits, 45 RBIs, and 40 home runs.

In the 2026 season, Shumaker maintained a .445 batting average with 92 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. Schumaker is a  2026 USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist, a two-time All-American, and was the 2025 NFCA Freshman of the Year.

Wells is coming off a stellar rookie season with the Oklahoma Sooners. The catcher also surpassed the NCAA single-season home run record, in addition to setting the OU and SEC record with 39 home runs in her first season with the Sooners.

Wells' impressive defense was also noted, as she earned the 2026 Johnny Bench Award, an award presented to the best catcher in NCAA Division I softball. Wells was also recognized as the NCFA 2026 Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-American.

The USA Softball Women's National Team Athlete Pool features 36 elite athletes and will serve as the foundation from which the Women’s National Team roster is selected for the 2026 USA Softball International Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.

Patty Gasso, the head coach of the Sooners, also serves as the Women’s National Team Head Coach.

“All 36 athletes bring something different, and I’m excited to keep pushing forward together as we uphold the USA Softball gold standard,”  Gasso remarked in a press release to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Gasso will lead the group as they compete in the 2026 USA Softball International Cup. The international tournament will be held July 30- Aug. 3 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

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Sarah Lewis
SARAH LEWIS

Sarah Lewis is a public health professional with a B.S. in Healthcare Studies and a Master of Public Health. Her career has taken her through both the healthcare and nonprofit sectors, where she engages diverse stakeholders and has established a commitment to improving the community. A former Division III softball player, Sarah has a deep passion for the game that has never left her. With experience as a travel ball coach, she has poured that energy into mentoring young athletes while advocating for the growth and visibility of women’s sports. Ultimately, she hopes to leave the game bigger and more celebrated than she found it.

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