TAMPA, Fla. – Following a 12-year hiatus, softball is returning to the Olympic program in 2020 and Georgina Corrick plans on being there.
A nation’s position in annual tournaments that have, in recent history, only determined world rankings, will now secure an automatic bye into the ultimate show.
It’s something that the University of South Florida pitcher and British national team member has been waiting for since she was 15.
“I’ve played for Team GB for five years now, so I’ve seen all the countries come together, but to see it finally get the Olympic recognition, it’s finally like, we’re doing it for this,” she said.
The superstar sophomore is coming off the heels of a memorable freshman season with USF in which she won the American Athletic Conference Co-Pitcher of the year as well as Rookie of the year.
TAMPA, FLA – MARCH 6 – USF softball Star and Great Biritian International Gerogina Corrick tosses a bullpen session before entering a game versus Furmun University. USF defeated Furman 7-1.
March 6, 2019 (Tom Stewart photo)
“I was pretty happy with how my freshman year went,” said Corrick. “But you just come out here and play each game as it comes, you don’t really realize those things until they start handing out the accolades.”
Her meteoric rise to one of the brightest stars in college softball is one that her coach Ken Eriksen says could be enough to lift Great Britain to its first Olympic appearance.
“Right now, the way she’s throwing in college, and the way she’s continuing to mature, Great Britain’s got a pretty good chance of coming out of Europe,” said Eriksen. “I wouldn’t count out seeing her in Tokyo in 2020.”
Corrick expressed that same confidence.
“I think we have a good chance,” she said. “GB has made a huge comeback recently.”
The dominant right-hander positions her team among the top in Europe and is certain they can compete against the likes of other European powerhouses including Italy, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic.
The European Championships will take place this June and July in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The winner will receive an automatic bye into the 2020 Olympic Summer Games.