Howe, Rochard and More Selected in WPF’s First Expansion Draft
Oklahoma City, OK — Women’s Professional Fastpitch held its first ever expansion draft this past Monday, January 16. This milestone marks the consistent growth of the league, with two new teams having the option to start building their franchises around familiar WPF faces.
“To have an expansion draft in our first official year means that we are heading in the right direction. Knowing that our new teams are adding women that joined us in our exhibition year is a testament to the type of talent they possess and the leaders they are. I feel strongly that any team can be built around the women that were in put in the expansion draft and I can’t wait to see how they impact their new teams.” Lauren Chamberlain, Commissioner
The existing teams in the league, USSSA Pride and Smash It Sports Vipers, each gave four players to the expansion draft pool, as follows:
Pride: Keely Rochard (Virginia Tech), Jessica Warren (Florida State), Samantha Show (Oklahoma State), and Casidy Chaumont (Mizzou).
Vipers: Morgan Howe (Arizona State), Fa Leilua (Mississippi State), Ciara Bryan (University of Georgia/ULL), Shelbi Sunseri (Louisiana State University).
On Monday, both the Texas franchise and Oklahoma City Spark went back and forth with their selections and were allotted three minutes between each pick. They were not required to exercise all four of their picks. Texas led the way with the number one pick, and the draft lasted a total of four rounds.
2023 WPF Expansion Draft:
1. Morgan Howe – Texas
2. Keely Rochard – OKC Spark
3. Samantha Show – Texas
4. Fa Leilua – OKC Spark
5. Shelbi Sunseri – Texas
6. Waived pick – OKC Spark
7. Ciara Bryan – Texas
8. Waived pick – OKC Spark
Players that were not chosen in the expansion draft return to their original teams to continue under their current contracts.
OKC Spark’s two picks add valuable experience to their growing roster, which already includes All-American Sydney Sherrill, reigning NCAA player of the year and home run queen Jocelyn Alo, and other stars.
Texas, who plans to soon announce their branding and exact location, looks to build a winning franchise off their strong expansion draft choices. But the newest WPF team doesn’t show signs of slowing down. On Wednesday night, the team announced their signing of University of Texas alum and superstar Janae Jefferson.
Two new teams, two hot starts.
About WPF
Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) is the official professional softball league in the United States, founded by USA Softball, USSSA, and Smash It Sports. WPF showcases the best athletes in softball, provides a world-class experience for fans, and connects young fans to their idols.
For more information on each team and any upcoming season releases, sign up for the league’s newsletter at www.wprofastpitch.com and follow along on socials @wprofastpitch.