Former McNeese All-American softball player Erika Piancastelli helps Italy earn spot In 2020 Tokyo Olympics

LAKE CHARLES — Former McNeese All-American Erika Piancastelli reached one of her lifelong goals last weekend by helping her Italian National team qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after defeating Great Britain5-0 at the WBSC Softball Europe/Africa Qualifier in Utrecht’s, Netherlands.

“It still hasn’t hit me yet, it doesn’t feel real,” Piancastelli said. “This summer was huge for Team Italy. We won the European Championship in the most extraordinary way, then two weeks later we came back and won the Olympic Qualifiers. It’s an amazing feeling and knowing that all our hard work has paid off makes it even better.”

Piancastelli, who’s family moved to Carlsbad, California from Modena, Italy when she was five years old, will be the second member of her family to represent Italy in the Olympics. Her mother, Loredana Auletta, was a catcher/third baseman on Italy’s 2000 Olympic team.

“I feel like this has always been my destiny, going to the Olympics exactly 20 years after my mom went is unreal. The number 20 is a very important number to my family and I get goosebumps every time I think about it.”

The eight-year member of the Italian team never envisioned all the success she would accomplish after leaving her home in California for McNeese in 2015.

She didn’t have any expectations entering college, but her work ethic and her athletic ability allowed her to become a record breaker and the second McNeese athlete (first female athlete) to reach the Olympics in the sport she loves.

“Going to the Olympics with Team Italy has always been a dream of mine, and the fact that the dream has finally come true is unreal. This is the best team Italy has ever had. We’re not just going to the Olympics to participate, we’re going to win a medal.”

In all her years of playing the sport of softball, all Piancastelli wanted to do was to have fun, get better as a player, and help her teams along the way.

Throughout her career, Piancastelli has always been proud the represent the team on the front of her jersey and in the summer of 2020 there is no doubt the little girl who grew up in Modena, Italy who dreamed of one day becoming an Olympian will be proud the represent the name on the front of her No. 20 jersey.