OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Former University of Michigan student-athlete Amanda Chidester was named to the 2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team by USA Softball on Sunday (Oct. 6). Chidester is one of 15 athletes selected to represent Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The selection follows a four-day selection trials, during which athletes participated in position drills as well as simulated games and were evaluated by the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Committee.

Of the 15 Team USA athletes, all of them competed collegiately across 10 institutions and four conferences: Pac-12, SEC, Big Ten and Big 12. Chidester is the lone Big Ten representative and the first Olympic selection in Michigan softball history. Longtime U-M assistant coach Jennifer Brundage helped Team USA to Olympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Games.

A native of Allen Park, Michigan, Chidester had a distinguished career at Michigan (2009-12), earning All-America status twice -- as a freshman in 2009 (second team) and as a junior in 2011 (first team). The slugger was twice named the Big Ten Player of the Year (2011-12) and was a three-time All-Big Ten first team performer (2009, 11-12). She was honored as Michigan's Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient following her senior campaign.

Chidester spent seven years (2012-18) with the U.S. women's national team, contributing to a pair of silver-medal finishes at the World Championship (2012, '14) and three World Cup gold medals (2012, '14, '15) during her tenure. Most recently, she played for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch league this past summer and was named the 2019 NPF Player of the Year, NPF Offensive Player of the Year and Home Run Award winner.

Softball is returning to the Olympic Games after it was last contested in 2008. The Tokyo Games kick off July 24, 2020, and will conclude Aug. 9, 2020. Softball competition is slated to run from July 22-28, and will be held at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium and Yokohama Baseball Stadium.