Melanie Jane Roche (born 9 November 1970 in Bankstown, New South Wales) is a softball player from Australia. She has won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics, a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics along with a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Participating in 4 Olympic Games and winning 4 Olympic Medals is an Australian Olympic Record. Roche was a two-time First Team All-American at Oklahoma State University, where she played from 1990 to 1993. While in college, Roche tallied 774 strikeouts in 658-2/3 innings, a ratio that is tied for 28th all-time. She was inducted into the OSU Hall of Honor on 2 September 2011.
Roche has played and coached professionally in Japan for 16 years in Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. In her down time she studies audio engineering, has a keen interest in science (physics) and music.
Roche is a softball pitcher best known for her angular velocity and her competitive nature.
Mel Roche released her first CD "In Full Flight" on 5 June 2010. Many of the songs have been inspired through her 16-year Olympic Journey.
Softball at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held at the Olympic Softball Stadium in the Helliniko Olympic Complex from August 14 to 23. The United States (USA) won the gold while Australia (AUS) took silver and Japan (JPN) got bronze.
Nicole Dawn Livingstone, OAM is an Australian former competitive swimmer. Since retiring from swimming Livingstone has had careers as a television sports commentator and media presenter and as a sports administrator. She was known for a period as Nicole Stevenson, when she was married to Australian cyclist Clayton Stevenson.
Tanya Victoria Harding is an Australian softball player, who has competed for Australia at four consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996. Three times she claimed a bronze medal, and once a silver medal (2004).
Softball at the Summer Olympics was on the Olympic programme from 1996 to 2008. It was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Softball was removed from the programme for 2012 and 2016, but was added for a one-off appearance, along with baseball, for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Leah Marie O'Brien-Amico is an American, former collegiate All-American, three-time Olympian, left-handed-hitting softball outfielder and sports commentator originally from Chino, California. O'Brien-Amico is best known for playing for the Arizona Wildcats and earning gold medals at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. She is a USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree.
Natalie Anne Ward is a former softball player from Australia, who won bronze medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Olympics. Ward also won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She played shortstop and 2nd base. She wore jersey number six.
Brooke Wilkins-Penfold is an Australian, former collegiate All-American, retired three-time Olympic Games medalist, left-handed softball pitcher, originally from Sydney, New South Wales. Wilkins played two years from 1994 to 1995 for the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine in the Big West Conference, ranking in career pitching records for both. She later who won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics for Team Australia as a starting pitcher for the national team.
Sandra Lewis is a softball player from Australia, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and bronze medals at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics.
Joanne Brown is an Australian former softball catcher and outfielder, who won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics.
The Japan women's national softball team is the national team of Japan in international softball competitions. It is governed by the Japan Softball Association. They are currently ranked #2 in the world by the International Softball Federation. In four Olympic Games, since 1996 until 2008, Japan has won one gold medal, a silver medal and a bronze medal. In the top four nations at the Olympics, Japan is the second most successful national team, following the United States, and beating out Australia and China with one silver medal. After winning the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Japanese national team was defeated by the United States team at the XII Women's Softball World Championship in Caracas, Venezuela.
Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing took place over a ten-day period starting August 12 and culminating in the medal finals on August 21. All games were played at the Fengtai Softball Field. Olympic softball is a women only competition, with men competing in the similar sport of baseball.
Stacey Porter is an Australian professional indigenous softball first/third baseman. She represents New South Wales in Australian national competitions, where she has won several national championships on the junior and senior team. She played university softball for the University of Hawaii from 2001 to 2003 where she set several records and was named to the All-American team. She plays professional softball in Japan. She represented Australia at the junior level and continues to represent Australia at the senior level and is current Australian Captain. Stacey competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics where she won a silver medal and the 2008 Summer Olympics where she won a bronze medal and has competed in multiple world softball championships.
The Australia women's national softball team, also known as the Aussie Spirit, is the national softball team of Australia. It is governed by Softball Australia and takes part in international softball competitions. They are one of Australia's most successful women's sporting teams on the world stage, and they have achieved outstanding results over the last 3 decades. Alongside the USA team, the Aussie Spirit are the only other team to medal at all 4 Olympics that softball was included as a sport in the Olympics program. At the inaugural Women's Softball World Championship held in Melbourne, 1965. Australia claimed the first ever title, winning Gold and stamped themselves as a pioneer in the sport.
Justine Smethurst is an Australian softball player. She is a pitcher and plays club softball in the Glen Waverley Softball Association. She has represented Victoria on a variety of different teams and competed at the national championships several times, winning one in 2001. She played for the University of Hawaii softball team in 2006 and 2007. She has been a member of the senior Australia women's national softball team, winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She is trying to gain a spot on the roster to compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships.
Haylea Petrie is a softball player from Australia, who won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Jocelyn "Joyce" Mavis Lester, OAM is an Australian softball player and coach. A catcher and outfielder, she joined the Australia women's national softball team in 1977, and captained it from 1985 until its bronze medal win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when she retired from international competition.. She played professionally for the first time in Japan from 1996 to 1999, and thereafter coached softball in both Japan and Australia. She was named to the world all-star softball team in 1986 and 1989, and has been inducted into the Queensland, Australian and world softball halls of fame.
Reika Utsugi is a Japanese softball player who played third base. Originally from Beijing, China, she was naturalised as a Japanese citizen in 1995. She played in the Japanese teams that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and served as manager of the team that won the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Kym Tollenaere is an Australian softball catcher who lives in Queensland, whom she represents in national competitions. She has represented Australia as a member of the Australia women's national softball team. She made the training squad but ultimately did not represent Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics. As a member of the national team, she earned a gold medal at the 2005 Canada Cup, a silver at the 2005 Pacific Rim tournament and a bronze medal at the 2005 World Cup. She is trying to secure a sport on the squad that will compete at the 2012 ISF XIII Women's World Championships. She has played softball professionally in Japan.
Chelsea Forkin is a softball and baseball player. As a softball player, Chelsea has won 3 Australian National Championship titles with the Western Australian Flames and 1 title with the Queensland Heat.
Clare Warwick is an Australian softball player from Canberra. She is a utility player, playing several positions. She played softball at the University of Hawaii where she earned several honours. She competes for the Australian Capital Territory in national competitions in Australia. She has represented Australia on the junior and senior level. She earned a bronze medal at the 2011 Canada Cup, the 2012 World Championships (Whitehorse) and at the 2014 World Championships (Harlem). She played professional softball in Italy for Baseball Softball Club Legnano from 2010 to 2015.
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