(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
USA Baseball Unveils Coaching Staff for 2025 Women’s National Team Development Program
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA (October 2, 2025): USA Baseball has officially announced the coaching staff for the upcoming 2025 Women’s National Team Development Program (WNTDP), set to run from October 15–19 at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
The event will feature a 40-player roster and include five days of intrasquad games, positional workouts, skill development sessions, and off-field educational seminars. In a historic move, Baseball Canada’s Women’s National Team will also participate, making this year’s WNTDP a joint international event.
Star-Studded Coaching Lineup
The coaching staff includes a remarkable mix of Olympians, Hall of Famers, and gold medal-winning coaches with decades of experience at the highest levels.
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Rick Eckstein (Hitting Coordinator) – Recently guided the U-18 National Team to their 11th World Cup title in Okinawa, Japan.
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Kirk Champion (Pitching Coordinator) – Veteran of multiple professional national team staffs.
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Jeff Reboulet (Infield Coordinator) – Former MLB infielder with a 12-year career.
Stars vs. Stripes Coaching Teams
The WNTDP roster will be split into Stars and Stripes, each led by elite coaches:
Stars Team
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Manager: Hall of Famer Billy Wagner
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Pitching Coach: Jason Sekany (five-time U-12 gold medalist coach)
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Assistant Coaches: Kristin Caldwell (three-time medalist) and Jenny Dalton-Hill (2012 national team coach)
Stripes Team
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Manager: Mike Kinkade (2000 Sydney Olympics gold medalist)
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Pitching Coach: Ila Borders (trailblazer in men’s professional baseball)
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Assistant Coaches: Alex Oglesby (2004 gold medalist, four-time staff member) and Tanner Vesely (five-time national team gold medalist coach)
Building for the Future
Women’s National Team Program Director Makenzie Kelly praised the lineup:
“This staff represents the very best of USA Baseball. With their championship experience and proven leadership, they will deliver a first-class program for our athletes while preparing for the future Women’s National Team.”
Road to the 2026 Women’s Baseball World Cup
The WNTDP will play a key role in scouting and preparing talent for the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage 2026, which the U.S. will co-host at the International Women’s Baseball Centre in Rockford, Illinois (July 22–26, 2026).
So far, Great Britain, Venezuela, Mexico, and Cuba have secured their spots. Additional qualifiers will be decided in upcoming continental championships, including the Women’s Baseball Asia Cup (October 26 – November 3, Hangzhou, China). Oceania will add one team, and two Wild Cards will complete the 12-team field.
