CHICAGO - Loyola assistant softball coach Brittany Cervantes has earned an invitation to the Team USA Selection Camp. Cervantes, who plays professionally for the Chicago Bandits of National Pro Fastpitch, is one of 43 invitees to the camp, which will take place Jan. 2-8, 2016 at Bill Barber Park in Irvine, Calif. The final, 17-person roster will compete at the World Cup of Softball XI, the XV World Baseball Softball Confederation Women's World Championship and the Japan Cup.

"I am excited and honored to have this opportunity to tryout for Team USA," said Cervantes. "Having the chance to compete against some great players, many of whom I have played against in college and with the Bandits, for the opportunity to represent my country is something special to me and I look forward to the opportunity."

Cervantes has been one of NPF's top sluggers over the last two seasons and was outstanding during the 2015 campaign, earning NPF Offensive Player of the Year honors. She led the circuit in slugging percentage (.670) and on-base percentage (.507) while finishing second in batting average (.358) and tied for second in home runs (9) as the Bandits claimed the Cowles Cup. In 2014, she burst on the scene by ripping a league-best 12 round-trippers to earn the Worth Home Run Award while also driving in a career-best 41 runs.

She will begin her third season in the dugout as an assistant coach this spring and, in her first two seasons, helped Lauren Moore set Loyola's career runs-batted in record and Brooke Wyderski set LU freshman records for both home runs and RBIs.