The Arizona Wildcats softball team represents the University of Arizona in NCAA Division I Softball. Having claimed eight national championships (second only to former conference rival the UCLA), as the team is one of the most successful in the history of the sport. It plays its home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium in Tucson, AZ. The team was formerly coached by Mike Candrea, who began his UA coaching career in 1986 and announced his retirement on June 8, 2021. He retired as the all time winningest coach in Collegiate softball history with 1,674 wins, more Collegiate national titles with 8 and the fourth most wins of any coach in any NCAA sport.

On August 4, 2023, Arizona announced it that it would join the Big 12 Conference along with Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

History

1974 to 1985

The Arizona Wildcats officially began softball play in 1974 under head coach Judy Spray in the Intermountain Conference. The first team in the school's history went 11–3 and participated in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Women's College World Series (WCWS). The AIAW and Amateur Softball Association co-sponsored the Women's College World Series through 1982 (the NCAA held a separate tournament in 1982 when it began organizing women's softball). The 1975 team also played in the WCWS. In 1977, the Wildcats finished second in the WCWS, just missing out on winning the tournament. In 1979, the team once again qualified for the WCWS. However, after the 1979 season, the Wildcats failed to make the postseason again until 1987. From 1981 to 1986, the Wildcats were members of the Western Collegiate Athletic Association (WCAA), which renamed itself the Pacific West Conference (PacWest; not to be confused with the current NCAA Division II conference) for its final season. The WCAA/PacWest folded after the 1986 season when the then-Pac-10, home to all five of the final PacWest members, began sponsoring women's sports.

Mike Candrea era (1986–2021)

Mike Candrea was hired for the 1986 season to build the Wildcats program. In his first season, the Wildcats won 29 games and missed out on the postseason. However, in 1987, Arizona won 42 games and made the NCAA tournament for the first time since the NCAA began sponsoring the sport. In 1988, Candrea guided the Wildcats to 54 wins and an appearance in the Women's College World Series where the team finished tied for third place. From 1988 to 2003, the Wildcats made sixteen straight appearances in the Women's College World Series. Arizona's first national championship season came in 1991. The Wildcats went 56–16 that year. In 1992, the Wildcats won the school's first Pac-10 title and finished runner-up at the Women's College World Series. The Wildcats continued their hot streak throughout the 1990s winning national championships in 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1997. The 1994 team went 64–3 and was ranked #1 throughout the year. Arizona also claimed the Pac-10 championship in 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998. The Wildcats experienced continued success in the 2000s winning another national title in 2001 after finishing that year 65–4. The Wildcats won the 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007 conference titles. Candrea left Arizona to coach the USA National team in the 2004 Olympics, and Larry Ray was named the interim coach for the 2004 season. The 2004 team won 55 games but lost to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Regionals, which marked the first time since 1987 that the Wildcats did not make it to the Women's College World Series. Candrea returned in 2005, and the Wildcats again returned to Oklahoma City for the World Series. The 2006 Arizona team defeated the Northwestern Wildcats to capture the Wildcats' seventh national title and their first since 2001. The 2007 Wildcats repeated as national champions by defeating the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in the championship series after losing the opening game of the series. Larry Ray again was tagged the interim coach in 2008 when Candrea coached the U.S. National Team at the 2008 Olympics. The 2008 team again made it to the Women's College World Series finishing tied for seventh in the eight team field. The Wildcats participated in the World Series in both 2009 and 2010 finishing tied for seventh and second respectively.Mike Candrea Biography: The University of Arizona Official Athletic Site In 2011, the Wildcats were eliminated in the NCAA Super Regional play by the Oklahoma Sooners.Arizona Wildcats Eliminated from Tournament

Caitlin Lowe-Nagy era (2022–present) Following the retirement of former head coach Mike Candrea, Lowe–Nagy was announced as the next head coach of the Arizona Wildcats softball program. Lowe–Nagy spent the last nine seasons under Candrea following a professional player with the USSSA Pride and internationally with Team USA, winning Silver Medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also was a former player under Candrea, playing from 2004–2007 & had one of the most decorated careers of any player in Arizona history. A two-time national champion in 2006 & 2007, as well as numerous Arizona records such as: second in batting average (.446), fourth in hits (351), fourth in triples (12), seventh in runs scored (242) and first in stolen bases (156). She was unanimously named the greatest centerfielder of all time, both by a fan vote and by the 7Innings Podcast crew in its Greatest Softball Team of All-Time. Lowe–Nagy is one of only six Wildcat players to be named an NFCA All-American in each of her four years with the program and joined Leah Braatz (1994, 95, 97, 98) as the only player in Arizona history to be awarded first-team All-America all four years.

All-Americans Arizona has had 60 different players selected to All-American teams for a total of 114 times. Arizona has had 6 four-time all-americans(Chellevold, Braatz, Bauer, Hollowell, Lowe & Lastrapes) 9 three-time all-americans(Parra, Espinoza, Dalton, O’Brien, McCutcheon, Pineda, Mascarenas, Giordano, Finch & Harper) & 15 two-time all-americans. Leticia Pineda became the first Division I softball player to be named a first team All-American at three different positions: catcher, third base & first base. Leah Braatz became Arizona's first four-time first team All-American. Caitlin Lowe became Arizona's second player to be a four-time first team All-American.

Karen Fellenz 2B 1984 Vivian Holm LF 1990 Julie Standering SS 1991 Debbie Day (2) P 1992 Jody Miller-Pruit C 1992 Jamie Heggen (2) CF 1993 Susie Parra (2) P 1993 Leah Braatz C 1994 Amy Chellevold (3) 1B 1994 Jenny Dalton 2B 1994 Laura Espinoza (2) SS 1994 Leah O'Brien CF 1994 Susie Parra (3) P 1994 Leah Braatz (2) C 1995 Amy Chellevold (4) 1B 1995 Jenny Dalton (2) 2B 1995 Carrie Dolan P 1995 Laura Espinoza (3) SS 1994 Leah O’Brien (2) CF 1995 Jenny Dalton (3) 2B 1996 Alison McCutcheon LF 1996 Leticia Pineda C 1996 Leah Braatz (3) C 1997 Nancy Evans P 1997 Alison McCutcheon (2) LF 1997 Leah O’Brien (3) CF 1997 Leticia Pineda (2) 3B 1997 Lauren Bauer LF 1998 Leah Braatz (4) C 1998 Nancy Evans (2) P 1998 Toni Mascarenas 3B 1998 Alison McCutcheon (3) LF 1998 Leticia Pineda (3) 1B 1998 Jennie Finch P 2000 Lauren Bauer (4) LF 2001 Jennie Finch (2) P 2001 Leneah Manuma 1B 2001 Toni Mascarenas (3) 3B 2001 Jennie Finch (3) P 2002 Leneah Manuma (2) 1B 2002 Autumn Champion LF 2003 Alicia Hollowell P 2003 Lovie Jung SS 2003 Wendy Allen DP 2004 Autumn Champion (2) LF 2004 Alicia Hollowell (2) P 2004 Caitlin Lowe CF 2004 Kristie Fox SS 2005 Caitlin Lowe (2) CF 2005 Kristie Fox (2) SS 2006 Caitlin Lowe (3) CF 2006 Caitlin Lowe (4) CF 2007 Brittany Lastrapes (2) LF 2009 Kenzie Fowler P 2010 Brittany Lastrapes (3) LF 2010 Brittany Lastrapes (4) LF 2011 Hallie Wilson 1B 2014 Jessie Harper 1B 2017 Danielle O'Toole P 2017 Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza 1B 2018 Taylor McQuillin P 2019 Dejah Mulipola C 2019 Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza OF 2018 Dejah Mulipola (2) C 2021

Teresa Cherry P 1988 Nicki Dennis 3B 1990 Julie Jones DP 1990 Julie Jones (2) 1B 1991 Jamie Heggen CF 1992 Susie Parra P 1992 Amy Chellevold (2) 1B 1993 Laura Espinoza SS 1993 Jody Miller-Pruit (2) C 1993 Krista Gomez P 1996 Carrie Dolan (2) 3B 1996 Brandi Shriver LF 1996 Lauren Bauer (3) LF 2000 Nicole Giordano (2) LF 2000 Toni Mascarenas (2) 3B 2000 Courtney Fossatti RF 2003 Alicia Hollowell (3) P 2005 Alicia Hollowell (4) P 2006 Taryne Mowatt P 2007 K’Lee Arredondo SS 2010 Stacie Chambers (2) C 2010 Brigette Del Ponte 3B 2011 Kenzie Fowler (2) P 2011 Chelsea Goodacre C 2015 Katiyana Mauga (2) 3B 2017 Mo Mercado SS 2017 Reyna Carranco 2B 2019 Jessie Harper (2) 1B 2019 Allie Skagg 2B 2022 Allie Skagg (2) 2B 2023 Sydney Stewart C 2025 Devyn Netz P 2025

Debby Day P 1991 Amy Chellevold 1B 1992 Lauren Bauer (2) LF 1999 Nicole Giordano LF 1999 Becky Lemke P 1999 Lindsey Collins C 2000 Nicole Giordano (3) LF 2001 Brittany Lastrapes LF 2008 Laine Roth 1B 2008 Stacie Chambers C 2009 Jenae Leles 3B 2009 Kellie Fox SS 2014 Kellie Fox (2) SS 2015 Katiyana Mauga RF 2015 Jessie Harper (3) SS 2021 Alyssa Denham P 2021 Janelle Meoño LF 2021 Dakota Kennedy LF 2024 Dakota Kennedy (2) LF 2025

Head coaches

+ Name Years Seasons Won Lost Tie Pct. Judy Spray 1974–1976 3 45 18 0 Ginny Parrish 1977–1979 3 82 40 0 Rocky LaRose 1980 1 23 23 0 Paula Noel 1981–1985 5 103 93 0 Larry Ray (Interim) 2004, 2008 2 96 25 0 Mike Candrea 1986–2021 36 1,674 436 2 Caitlin Lowe-Nagy 2022–present 5 190 96 1 All-Time 52 2,208 730 3

Year-by-year results

Season Coach Record Notes Overall Conference Intermountain Conference 1974Judy Spray 11–3 — AIAW College World Series 1975 13–8 — AIAW College World Series 1976 21–7 — 1977Ginny Parrish 22–14 6–2 AIAW College World Series 1978 16–11 3–6 1979 44–15 15–3 AIAW College World Series Western Collegiate Athletic Association 1980 Rocky LaRose 23–23 2–14 1981Paula Noel 24–20 5–11 1982 21–20 6–14 1983 20–24 7–12 1984 28–16 5–5 1985 17–16 5–7 1986 Mike Candrea 27–13–1 5–6–1 1987Mike Candrea 42–18 6–4 NCAA Regional 1988 54–18 15–5 Women's College World Series 1989 48–19 11–9 Women's College World Series 1990 49–17 12–6 Women's College World Series 1991 56–16 11–9 Women's College World Series Champions 1992 58–7 16–2 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series 1993 44–8 15–3 Women's College World Series Champions 1994 64–3 23–1 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions 1995 66–6 24–4 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series 1996 58–9 23–5 Women's College World Series Champions 1997 61–5 26–1 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions 1998 67–4 27–1 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series 1999 53–16 19–9 Women's College World Series 2000 59–9 16–4 Women's College World Series 2001 65–4 19–2 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions 2002 55–12 15–6 Women's College World Series 2003 56–7 19–2 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series 2004 Larry Ray 55–6 17–3 Pac-10 Champions, NCAA Regional 2005Mike Candrea 45–12 13–8 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series 2006 54–11 15–6 Women's College World Series Champions 2007 50–14–1 15–5–1 Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions 2008 Larry Ray 41–19 13–8Women's College World Series 2009Mike Candrea 46–17 13–7 Women's College World Series 2010 52–14 12–8 Women's College World Series 2011 43–18 11–10 NCAA Super Regional 2012 44–16 12–12 NCAA Super Regional 2013 33–24 9–15 NCAA Regional 2014 44–16 14–10 NCAA Super Regional 2015 41–20 13–11 NCAA Super Regional 2016 40–21 13–11 NCAA Super Regional 2017 52–9 18–6 Pac-12 Champions, NCAA Super Regional 2018 43–14 13–11 NCAA Super Regional 2019 48–14 19–5 Women's College World Series 2020 22–3 0–0 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 41–15 12–10 Women's College World Series 2022Caitlin Lowe-Nagy 39–22 8–16 Women's College World Series 2023 29–25 6–18 2024 37–18–1 13–11 NCAA Super Regional 2025Caitlin Lowe-Nagy 48–13 17–7 NCAA Regional 2026 37–18 15–6 NCAA Regional

NCAA Tournament seeding history