STOCKTON, Calif. – Pacific softball Head Coach Brian Kolze has been selected as an assistant coach on USA Softball for the upcoming 2023 Japan All-Star Series slated to begin on August 4.
 
"I'm very proud to once again represent Team USA and University of the Pacific on the national stage," Kolze said. "It's an honor to be selected for these events, and it will be a lot of fun coaching a great group of young, talented athletes."
 
Kolze will serve as an assistant coach for the national team for the third time in the last two years, previously guiding Team USA to gold medals at the Canada Cup in June of 2022 and at the Pan American Championships in November of 2021.
 
At the helm of the Japan All-Star Series roster will be Clemson's John Rittman, who enters his first season as head coach for the national team after serving as an assistant coach for various seasons. Virginia's Mike Roberts and Tennessee's Chris Malveaux join Kolze as assistant coaches to complete Rittman's coaching staff.
 
The three-day event will consist of a 16-player roster comprised of athletes from the collegiate level. The selected athletes will go head-to-head with world-ranked Japan in a three-game series held across three cities in Japan – Fukushima, Iwakuni, and Yokohama.