The 75^th Australian Open Women’s National Championship kicks off in Adelaide on Monday, getting the new year off to a flying start with 34 games over five days to determine the 2023 National Champion.

Barratt Reserve on Kaurna Country - West Beach - will host this year’s tournament, the 11^th time South Australia has held the prestigious event.

• Click here to view the 2023 Open Women’s National Championships Program.
• Live streaming will also be available via the Softball SA Facebook page.

The Open Women’s Grand Final is scheduled for 2:00 pm on Friday, January 6th, with the tournament winner set to take home the Gilley’s Shield.

More than 140 players, coaches, umpires, and statisticians will participate at this year’s event, with hosts South Australia joined by teams from New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, and Victoria.

No fewer than ten Olympians will be competing at the event, with Belinda White (SA), Clare Warwick (ACT), Jade Wall (QLD), Michelle Cox (NSW), Rachel Lack (NSW), Stacey McManus (NSW), Kaia Parnaby (NSW) Gabrielle Plain (NSW), Stacey Porter (NSW) and Taylah Tsitsikronis (NSW) all representing their respective states.

Joining their Olympic compatriots are a group of players who represented their states in the Under 23 Women’s National Championships only two weeks ago.

South Australia come into the competition as defending champions, ending a 66-year drought to hoist the 2022 Gilley’s Shield, while Queensland will draw on the momentum of their victory in the Under 23 Women’s National Championships.

Players from every squad will also be vying for Aussie Spirit selection for the upcoming XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup. Due to be hosted in Ireland, Spain and Italy during July, the World Cup will surely be a highlight of the 2023 international calendar.

Softball Australia CEO - Rosie Williams OBE said ahead of the tournament, “The Gilley’s Shield is perhaps the most important and prestigious softball tournament in Australia. It is steeped in history, and the list of previous award winners is a roll call of the most famous athletes from our sport.

“The overarching purpose of the Softball Australia National Championship Series is to show our selectors the best in Australian softball. With the WBSC's XVII Softball World Cup scheduled for July 2023, this week represents an exciting opportunity for athletes to be noticed in the hopes of making it into the national squad.”

Be sure to tune in to watch the live stream of each and every game of the 75^th Gilley’s Shield, thanks to Softball South Australia and their partnership with Spacequake Sports.