Today is the day we've been waiting for.  Here are some Husky football news and notes to get you ready for today's game:

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CAPE TOWN --The United States claimed the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championship today in Cape Town, South Africa, with a 4-1 defeat of Japan in the Gold Medal Game. After a semifinal loss to Japan on Friday, the Americans topped Chinese Taipei 12-3 in the six inning Bronze Medal Game and then topped Japan to secure the Gold Medal.

"This is one of the greatest days  of my life," designated player Cheyenne Tarango (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) said.

Tarango provided all the offense the Americans needed to claim the title. With bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, she hit the first home run of her USA Softball career, a grand slam home run over the left field fence.

"Honestly in my head, I was just thinking about a base hit," said Tarango, who appeared in six games in the tournament. "I thought that if I could just get the first RBI, Lauren Haeger would be able to take care of the rest."

Pitcher Haeger (Phoenix, Ariz.) did her part in the circle, allowing only five hits to a Japanese team that pounded three U.S. pitchers for 11 hits and nine runs Friday. The sole run crossed the plate in the sixth when a Kylee Lahners (Laguna Hills, Calif.) fielding error allowed third baseman Mina Yamashiro to cross the plate.

"I felt really honored that my team had faith in me," Haeger said.  "I was so excited. To get to pitch against Japan in any game is awesome, let alone the Gold Medal Game. I feel honored to have had the chance to pitch a game like this for my country."

Haeger struck out eight batters including the last two.

"I was really excited to just get in the Gold Medal Game and play," she said. "I was hitting my spots and doing everything right today. I was throwing hard. Everything, every pitch worked out."

The United States finishes the tournament with a record of 10-1, the only loss being the 9-0 five inning loss to Japan.

"It is always tough to take a loss like we did to Japan last night but I think that it was good for them," Head Coach Karen Johns (Whippany, N.J.) said. "It showed them how much they wanted to have a Gold Medal around their neck and gave them the motivation to fight for it. I am so proud of them and how they performed today. Without a doubt, they deserve to be called Junior Women's World Champions."

It is the second consecutive title for the Americans. Team USA has played in each of the six previous Championship Games held, defeating China for the inaugural title in 1987, losing to Japan in 1991, defeating Japan in 1995 and losing to Japan in 1999 and 2003 before reclaiming the top spot from Japan in 2007.

The U.S. qualified for the Junior Women's World Championship in August 2010 by winning the III Pan American Championships (18-Under) in Bogota, Colombia, with a 9-0 record that included two wins against Canada and another against Puerto Rico. In the Championship Game, Team USA defeated Canada 3-1. The two teams also met in pool play during that event with the U.S. claiming a 3-0 victory. In the semi-final, the Americans defeated Puerto Rico 6-1.

Since competing in Bogota, the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team played in a summer exhibition series against the 2011 USA Softball Women's National Team in Tampa, Salem, Va., and Bowie, Md. The team rejoined in Cape Town for the first time since early July.

The members of the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team hail from seven states and 11 universities. Team members are Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif./UCLA freshman), Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./Oklahoma freshman), Cheyenne Cordes (Fairfield, Calif./California freshman), Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif./Florida sophomore), Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo./Florida freshman), Escobedo, Amber Freeman (Lakewood, Calif./Arizona State freshman), Erin Gabriel (Poland, Ohio/Poland Seminary High School senior), Goodacre, Lauren Haeger (Phoenix, Ariz./Florida freshman), Kylee Lahners (Laguna Hills, Calif./Washington freshman), Destinee Martinez (Corona, Calif./Oklahoma sophomore), Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md./South Florida sophomore), Cheyanne Tarango (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Tennessee freshman), Nyree White (Eugene, Ore./Stanford freshman), Hallie Wilson (North Tustin, Calif./Arizona freshman) and Chelsea Zgrabik (Nokomis, Fla./Florida Gulf Coast sophomore).

Coyle was named to the roster in late July by the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC) after Shelby Pendley (Albuquerque, N.M./Arizona freshman) withdrew from the team due to injury. Madison Shipman (Valencia, Calif./Tennessee sophomore) also withdrew from the team due to injury in September and was replaced by Damico.

The Junior Women's National Team is coached by Johns with assistants Suzy Brazney (Huntington Beach, Calif./head coach Golden West College) and Tony Rico (Huntington Beach, Calif./coach Worth Firecrackers). Joe Salvatore (Monroe Township, N.J./coach New Jersey Breakers) serves as the volunteer assistant coach. Michael White (Eugene, Ore./head coach Oregon) is the batting practice pitcher.

Here's a quick recap of the weekend's Husky football news and notes:

CAPE TOWN -- The United States overcame a two-run deficit Thursday to beat Australia 7-4 in the first round of playoff action at the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championship in Cape Town, South Africa. On Friday at the 5:30 p.m. South African Standard Time/9:30 a.m. CT, Team USA (8-0) will play Japan with the winner advancing to Saturday's Gold Medal Game. 

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CAPE TOWN -- Four 2011 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team athletes combined for five home runs Wednesday at the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa, helping the United States run-rule Puerto Rico 12-3 in five innings. With the win, Team USA secured the No. 1 seed in Pool A with a 7-0 record. 

CAPE TOWN -- The 2011 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team overcame the rain to run rule Czech Republic 15-0 in three innings Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa. With the win, the Americans improve to 6-0 at the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championships.

 

Catcher Amber Freeman (Lakewood, Calif.), batting with two outs, finished the Czechs with a double to left field that scored designated player Lauren Haeger (Phoenix, Ariz.), who singled to shortstop, and third baseman Cheyenne Cordes (Fairfield, Calif.). Cordes, who went 2-for-2 in the game, drove in the other two runs when she reached on a single to center field and advanced on an error by the center fielder. 

 

"When I came to the plate in the third, I was soaking wet from playing in the pouring rain," said Freeman, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. "[Petra Sudolska] threw me the pitch that I was looking for so I just took a swing, hoping that it was enough to end the game. I wanted to keep my teammates from having to go back out there."

 

The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the first when the fifth batter, Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif. ), was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. With bases loaded, Haeger took a ball before rain temporarily suspended play. The action continued about a half-hour later with two runs scoring on catcher Ivana Malkova's mistakes. Kylee Lahners (Laguna Hills, Calif.) scored on a passed ball then on the same play, Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) advanced home a throwing error.

 

With a 3-0 lead, Haeger hit a single to left center that scored Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.), who was pinch running for Carda. Freeman lined into a double play to end the inning.

 

Seven more runs scored in the second with the first coming when Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.) scored on a wild pitch. With Sudolska in to pitch for starter Petra Zvolankova, Lahners doubled to score Hallie Wilson (North Tustin, Calif.), who reached base on a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Lahners later scored on another wild pitch.

 

A Damico RBI single scored Chamberlain to make it an 8-0 contest. Haeger singled to left field to move Damico to third. Tarango reached on an error that scored Damico. Freeman followed with an RBI single to left that scored Erin Gabriel (Poland, Ohio), the pinch runner for Haeger. Tarango and Freeman moved on a passed ball. Coyle hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. With an 11-0 lead, Wilson flew out to left field.

 

Dallas Escobedo (Glendale, Ariz.) picked up the win, striking out nine.

 

The United States plays its final pool play game Wednesday against Puerto Rico at 2 p.m. SAST/6 a.m. CT. No matter the outcome, the Americans will head into the playoffs on Thursday and Friday as the No. 1 seed in Pool A. The Canadians are currently 5-1 with one game remaining but were run ruled by Team USA earlier in the tournament. All other teams have two or more losses.

 

Should the U.S. advance from the playoffs, the medal rounds are Saturday. The Bronze Medal game is at noon SAST/4 a.m. CT with the winner advancing to the Championship Game at 3 p.m. SAST/7 a.m. CT.

 

Live stats for all of the U.S. games in Cape Town are available at USASoftball.com. Selected playoff action and the medal rounds will be streamed live  through the tournament website (http://jwwc2011.co.za/).

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Team Canada got their second win of the ISF Junior Women's World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa by beating Puerto Rico, 7-0, on the run rule.  Canada improves to 2-1 and will next face New Zealand, who is also 2-1, at 5:30 am EST Sunday, Dec. 18.  Husky Victoria Hayward (Toronto, ON) played an important part in the win for Team Canada.  With one out in the bottom of the first, Hayward beat out a drag bunt but was forced out at second when teammate Erika Polidori hit a ball back to the pitcher.  In the second inning, she also hit a single, sending an eventual scorer, Jennifer Gilbert, to third.  Canada had seven hits, with Hayward and teammate Shannon Davidson leading the team with two each.  For all tournament information, visit the host website at http://jwwc2011.co.za or the Softball Canada website at http://www.softball.ca.

CAPE TOWN -- The United States thumped Botswana 17-0 in three innings Monday at the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championship in Cape Town, South Africa. Nyree White (Eugene, Ore.) threw a perfect game, striking out three, to help the team remain undefeated after five pool play games.

"The team put up a ton of runs today so it was pretty easy for me just going out there throwing strikes," White said. "I wanted to use my defense, roll up ground balls, which is the same approach that I usually have. I wanted to make sure that we got back in the dugout so we could keep scoring some more runs."

The Americans set the tone in the top of the first with 11 runs scored. Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) started the offensive outpouring with a single to left field that scored Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md.), who was hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Cheyenne Cordes (Fairfield, Calif.) doubled to move Carda to third. Amber Freeman (Lakewood, Calif.) reached on an error, scoring Carda. Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.), pinch running for Freeman, stole second.

Cheyenne Tarango (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) made it 4-0  with a double to score Cordes and Damico. Chelsea Goodacre (Temecula, Calif.) singled to center field, moving Tarango to third, then stole second. Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.) walked to load the bases. Pitcher Tjitjoo Rapelang then walked Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) for her first of five RBI in the game.

An error in left field allowed Salvarola to reach base and score Goodacre and Coyle. With Chamberlain on third, Carda hit an RBI single. A Cordes triple scored Salvarola and Carda, who went 3-for-3 on the day. Freeman singled up the middle to score Cordes, which marked the final run of the inning. The first ended with a Tarango fly out.

Goodacre and White started the second with consecutive singles. Coyle doubled to left field to score Goodacre. With two-on, Chamberlain hit a home run to make it a 15-0 contest. The homer marked Chamberlain's first of the tournament but the second for the team, which benefited from a Chelsea Zgrabik (Nokomis, Fla.) homer against South Africa on Sunday.

"The game was all about adjustments," said Chamberlain. "The team adjustment was to wait back, see it deep and that was my plan. I got a good pitch and good things happened."

In the third, White doubled to score Goodacre, who reached on an error by the second baseman than advanced to second on a passed ball. Chamberlain later added a run to the board when White scored on her double.

"Hitting wise, I've just tried to get a nice pitch and take a good hack, see the ball deep," said White, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. "It's cool when I'm hitting and pitching because it keeps me from getting to wrapped up in either side of the game. It's cool to be able to balance it out that way."

Team USA has two pool play games remaining in Cape Town before the playoffs (Dec. 15-16) and medal rounds (Dec. 17). The Americans face Czech Republic on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. SAST/9:30 a.m. CT and close out pool play Wednesday with Puerto Rico at 2 p.m. SAST/6 a.m. CT.

Live stats for all of the U.S. games in Cape Town are available at USASoftball.com. Team USA's games with Botswana and the Czech Republic are also scheduled for live streaming through the tournament website (http://jwwc2011.co.za/).

Here's a quick roundup of some Husky football-related news and notes from the weekend:

CAPE TOWN -- In their first contest of the 2011 International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Women's World Championship in Cape Town, South Africa, the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team defeated Canada 11-4 in five innings Thursday. The bottom of the fifth started with a Kourtney Salvarola (Arnold, Md.) single up the middle and ended on a similar note, a walk-off Salvarola single up the middle that scored Kylee Lahners (Laguna Hills, Calif.).
 
"At that point in the game, the lead that we had was kind of short, it was kind of small so I was just trying to get on base and give ourselves that base runner that would widen the gap again," Salvarola said. "When I got back up at the end, I was honestly just freezing, really cold and we just wanted to end the game. I was trying really hard to hit the first pitch and end it."
 
The action was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. but did not get underway until after 9:30, delayed by previous games including the Czech Republic's 9-8 victory over Puerto Rico. The pool play match-up between Canada and the U.S. ended just short of midnight in Cape Town, with the temperature in the low 50s and winds continuing at nearly 20 MPH.
 
"I am really proud of how the team performed with the tough weather conditions and the late start," said Karen Johns (Whippany, N.J.), who is in her second year as head coach of the USA Softball Junior Women's National Team. "It would have been easy for these young women to get distracted tonight but they fought through the adversity, which is a huge positive. We have to make some improvements if we want to be Junior Women's World Champions but an 11-4 victory over Canada is not a bad way to start the tournament."
 
Team USA headed into the bottom of the fifth holding a two run lead over the Canadians. With Natalie Becker in the circle, the first four USA batters reached base. Salvarola advanced to second on a Hallie Wilson (North Tustin, Calif.) hit then scored on Ally Carda's (Elk Grove, Calif.) single. Lauren Chamberlain (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.), the 2010 USA Softball Junior Women's National Team Athlete of the Year, was walked to load the bases.
 
Jaycee Affeldt walked Kylee Lahners, the first batter she faced, to put the Red, White and Blue up 8-4, and then allowed an RBI single to shortstop Cheyenne Coyle (West Hills, Calif.). Jessica Damico (Gray Summit, Mo.) struck out swinging to record the first out. Then Affeldt walked Cheyenne Cordes (Fairfield, Calif.), allowing Chamberlain to score, and struck out Chelsea Goodacre (Temecula, Calif.) before facing Salvarola.
 
"I was just looking for a pitch that I could at least put in play," said Salvarola, who went 2-for-2 with two walks. "I went up there knowing that she wasn't throwing many pitches for strikes so I was focused on getting a good pitch and putting it in play."
 
The Americans scored one run in the first when Canada's starting pitcher Karissa Hovinga walked Coyle with bases loaded, scoring Destinee Martinez (Corona, Calif.). A total of 11 U.S. batters were walked including Amber Freeman, who was hit by a pitch with bases loaded in the third, and Salvarola also with bases loaded in the third.
 
Dallas Escobedo (Glendale, Ariz.) pitched the first three innings for the win. Of the 11 batters faced by the Arizona State sophomore standout, she allowed two batters to reach base, walking Shannon Davidson and then giving up a single to Natalie Wideman in the second. Escobedo struck out three batters.
 
"I felt really great warming up and was excited that we were finally playing games," Escobedo said. "We've been out here practicing for about a week now. Finally getting out there and playing against another team really adds fuel to my fire. I was just ready to perform and I think I did well."
 
Nyree White (Eugene, Ore.) pitched 1.2 innings, with all four Canadian runs crossing the plate with her in the circle. Only two runs were earned, while another pair came on a sloppy play that started with a throwing error from third baseman Cordes to first baseman Chamberlain.
 
White was relieved in the fifth by Cheyenne Tarango, who faced three batters.
 
The United States returns to action Friday at 2:30 p.m. local time/6:30 a.m. CT against China. Live stats for all USA Softball games played in Cape Town are available through USASoftball.com.

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Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, who led the Huskies to the NCAA Championships again in the 2010-2011 season as a senior, is now making a name for himself and moving up the professional ranks.  In the last month alone he's won two tournaments.  On November 14 he beat fellow Indian Vishnu Varhad in two sets to win the India F10 Futures tournament.  Two weeks later he followed that up with another two set victory in the India F12 Futures tournament.  According to the ITF website the 23 year-old lefty is 12-3 on the year and is definitely on the rise.

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Terrence Ross saved his best for the bright lights of New York City.

While the Huskies lost a nail-biter to Marquette on a late 3-pointer, the 180-degree alley-oop by the Washington sophomore (from frosh Tony Wroten) had more than just the Madison Square Garden crowd buzzing. The dunk - which was the No. 1 play on ESPN's Sportscenter - elicited plenty of reaction on Twitter, from reporters to former Huskies to casual fans. So much so that it was trending nationally.



We put a sampling of the best tweets below...

Seattle Times Columnist Jerry Brewer (@Jerry_Brewer)
"Ohmigod Terrence Ross. That was sick."

Kristofer Habbas (@NBADraftInsider)
"People are starting to notice Terrence Ross, if only they listened to @GoodmanCBS and I in the pre-season."

Former Husky guard Eldridge Recasner (@erecasner)
"WOW! What an incredible 360 dunk off the lob by Terrence Ross. Gotta be Sportscenter #1 play of the night!"

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It's the beginning of December, good news for those of you out there who can't wait for Bowl season.  To hold you over for now, here are some Husky football news and notes from around the web: