Iowa softball assistant coach Stacy May-Johnson is competing in the Pan American games with the USA softball team in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Opening ceremonies were held Oct. 14, and the team will challenge Venezuela in its first contest at 6 p.m. today

The U.S. will then play the Dominican Republic and Mexico on Tuesday and Cuba and Puerto Rico on Wednesday. The Americans will finish out the preliminary round playing Canada on Thursday and Argentina on Friday.

May-Johnson tried out for the national team in mid-June, and the former Iowa softball star helped the American team win the World Cup of Softball in July. During the tournament in Oklahoma City, May-Johnson batted .353 with seven RBIs and 10 putouts from the infield.

During her time as a Hawkeye from 2003-06, May-Johnson recorded 51 doubles and 23 home runs. Both tallies are the second-highest in school history.

May-Johnson is serving her second season as an assistant coach at Iowa.

— by Molly Irene Olmstead