Karaidos said she could not be happier at the thought of a sandy beach and blue water.

"We got to pick where we wanted to play - Australia, Holland or the Dominican Republic," Karaidos said. "We thought tropical."

Jensen, 21, said it's a trip she was supposed to make earlier but had to postpone because of an injury.

"I was supposed to go two years ago," she said. "I signed up to go to Holland but I had to have total shoulder reconstruction surgery. I had a partial dislocation of my shoulder and when I batted, I ended up tearing the cartilage in my joint."

Jensen said the injury was diagnosed in the spring of 2006, but she played through her sophomore season with the goal being to make it to Holland as a USA player.

The pain proved too much, and she had surgery in June 2006.

"It was probably one of the toughest decisions of my life in deciding to go ahead with the surgery," she said. "In the end it got to the point there I'd fall into tears after swinging the bat."

Now, with her college softball days in the past - she used all four years of her college eligibility due to a transfer from Iowa State to Grand View - Jensen has a chance to play again.

"I'm going out the way I wanted to, playing for USA," she said.

Karaidos, also 21, plays shortstop for the Vikings and was a first team all-state, all-conference and all-district high school player in 2005.

A senior who plans to go to law school, Karaidos said she was honored to be selected.

"I never got a chance to study abroad because I'm always playing softball. ... I was so excited, I didn't hesitate to click 'yes' on the invitation."

Both she and Jensen have been raising money to help pay for the $2,200 trip. So far, Karaidos has $1,500.

As for who she will be competing against, Karaidos said it will be a surprise.

Despite a tough season for the team, Karaidos counted this year as her personal best.

"I got my hitting back and finished with a .319 batting average," she said. "I think I dove more than I ever had in the past. I became more aggressive at shortstop. I became more confident in myself and my team."

Now she plans to take that enthusiasm into the international tournament.

Grand View head softball coach Lou Yacinich said he could not be happier for both Karaidos and Jensen.

"It's a great opportunity to compete against quality softball teams from around the world, which very few people get to do," Yacinich said. "Anytime you can wear the colors of your country ... over your shoulder ... to be able as a young person to absorb all that, it can become overwhelming, but I think they can handle it. They'll be great ambassadors."

Urbandale High School head softball coach Andy Pals, who coached Karaidos, said her love of the game shows.

"She has an outstanding work ethic and drive to become better," Pals said. "She's a good leader and wants to learn."