Moon Township, Pa. - Robert Morris University head softball coach, Craig Coleman, M.D., announced today that the Colonials will take on the United States National Softball Team on May 1, 2008, in an exhibition game at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa., home of the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things. The Colonials were selected by the Pittsburgh Power, a travel softball organization located in Pittsburgh, Pa., to participate in the event.  

"It is quite an honor to be selected to share the field with the U.S. Olympic Team," said Coleman. "This will be a tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime experience for our student-athletes who, like all of the softball community, revere our Olympic athletes. In addition, we are thrilled that fast-pitch softball has evolved in Western Pennsylvania to the point where an event like this is possible."   

The U.S. National Team will make a stop in the Pittsburgh region as part of its "Bound 4 Beijing" tour. As well as the Colonials, the U.S. National Team will take on Arizona, UCLA and Tennessee, among others. Mike Candrea, the head coach of the Arizona softball team, is also serving as the head coach of the U.S. National Team. Arizona was named the No. 1 team in the 2008 ESPN.com / USA Softball Collegiate preseason poll according to the Amateur Softball Association (ASA), while UCLA is ranked 10th and Tennessee 11th.

The U.S. National Team has won nine straight World Championship gold medals and has won three straight Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000 and 2004).

The Colonials open their 2008 regular season when they travel to Virginia Tech for the Hokies Memorial Tournament, Feb. 22-23. Robert Morris squares off Rider and host Virginia Tech Friday, Feb. 22, before taking on Villanova Saturday, Feb. 23.