1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team

1996 Arizona Wildcats softball
1996 Arizona Wildcats softball
National Champion; NCAA Tallahassee Regional champion
Conference	Pacific-10 Conference
Record	58–9 (23–5 Pac-10)
Head coach	Mike Candrea (11th season);
Home stadium	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium
	Seasons ← 1995 1997 →

1996 Pacific-10 Conference softball standings
v t e	Conf				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
No. 2 Washington ‍†‍‍^y	23	–	4	.852	59	–	9	.868
No. 1 Arizona ‍‍‍^y	23	–	5	.821	58	–	9	.866
No. 3 UCLA ‍‍‍^y	20	–	7	.741	47	–	11	.810
No. 6 California ‍‍‍^y	14	–	12	.538	41	–	23	.641
Arizona State ‍‍‍	10	–	18	.357	34	–	27	.557
Stanford ‍‍‍	7	–	19	.269	24	–	29	.453
Oregon ‍‍‍	5	–	18	.217	21	–	30	.412
Oregon State ‍‍‍	3	–	22	.120	15	–	35	.300

† – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 31, 1996^[1] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

The 1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1996 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea, who led his eleventh season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 58–9. They played their home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium and competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished second with a 23–5 record.

The Wildcats were invited to the 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament, where they swept the West Regional and then completed a run through the Women's College World Series to claim their fourth NCAA Women's College World Series Championship.^[2]

Roster

1996 Arizona Wildcats roster^[2]

Pitchers

3 – Carrie Dolan – junior
13 – Nancy Evans – junior

Catchers

5 – Tanya Farhat – junior
7 – Lety Pineda – sophomore
31 – Leah Braatz – junior

Infielders

8 – Krista Gomez – senior
11 – Lisa Pitt Fr. 1B/P
16 – Jenny Dalton – senior
18 – Tiana Hejduk – sophomore
21 – Michelle Churnock – freshman
33 – Heidi Bomberger – junior

Outfielders

6 – Alison Johnsen – sophomore
10 – Julie Reitan – sophomore
20 – Leah O'Brien – senior
22 – Andrea Doty – junior
26 – Brandi Shriver – junior

Schedule

Legend
	Arizona win
	Arizona loss
*	Non-Conference game

1996 Arizona Wildcats Softball Game Log^[2]

Regular season

February
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Feb 15	vs No. 7 UNLV*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	W 9–5	1–0
Feb 16	vs No. 5 Cal State Fullerton*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	L 3–6	1–1
Feb 16	vs No. 13 Florida State*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	W 8–4	2–1
Feb 17	vs San Diego State*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	W 11–3	3–1
Feb 17	vs UMass*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	W 4–2	4–1
Feb 18	vs Ohio State*	No. 2	Tempe, AZ (Kajikawa Classic)	L 0–4	4–2
Feb 23	New Mexico State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ (Arizona Classic)	W 8–0	5–2
Feb 23	Ohio State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ (Arizona Classic)	W 6–4	6–2
Feb 24	No. 4 Washington*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ (Arizona Classic)	W 4–1	7–2
Feb 24	Ohio State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ (Arizona Classic)	W 11–2	8–2
Feb 25	New Mexico State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ (Arizona Classic)	W 10–0⁶	9–2

March
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Mar 1	Northwestern State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 16–4	10–2
Mar 1	Tennessee*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 12–3	11–2
Mar 2	Tennessee*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 6–3	12–2
Mar 2	Northwestern State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 15–1	13–2
Mar 3	Northwestern State*	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 7–4	14–2
Mar 7	North Carolina*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 19–3⁵	15–2
Mar 7	No. 14 Michigan*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 8–0⁶	16–2
Mar 8	North Carolina*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 18–9	17–2
Mar 8	No. 10 Oklahoma*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 10–0	18–2
Mar 9	Missouri*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 9–0	19–2
Mar 10	No. 10 Oklahoma*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 10–0	20–2
Mar 10	No. 4 Fresno State*	No. 3	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 4–2	21–2
Mar 21	vs DePaul*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 6–5	22–2
Mar 21	vs No. 12 Oklahoma	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 2–1	23–2
Mar 22	vs No. 8 South Carolina*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	L 0–1	23–3
Mar 22	vs Georgia State*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 4–1	24–3
Mar 23	vs Oregon State*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 12–2⁵	25–3
Mar 24	vs No. 6 UNLV*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 6–3	26–3
Mar 24	vs No. 2 Washington*	No. 1	Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA (Pony/Kia Klassic)	W 9–0⁵	27–3
Mar 29	No. 2 UCLA	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 5–4	28–3	1–0
Mar 29	No. 2 UCLA	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 5–0	29–3	2–0
Mar 31	No. 3 Washington	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	L 4–10	29–4	2–1
Mar 31	No. 3 Washington	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 7–4	30–4	3–1

April
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Apr 5	Stanford	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 5–0	31–4	4–1
Apr 5	Stanford	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 10–3	32–4	5–1
Apr 6	No. 11 California	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 7–2	33–4	6–1
Apr 6	No. 11 California	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 5–2	34–4	7–1
Apr 10	No. 20 Arizona State	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 8–2	35–4	8–1
Apr 10	No. 20 Arizona State	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 6–2	36–4	9–1
Apr 13	at No. 3 UCLA	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 5–3	37–4	10–1
Apr 13	at No. 3 UCLA	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 5–1	38–4	11–1
Apr 16	No. 4 Fresno State*	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 7–3	39–4
Apr 16	No. 4 Fresno State*	No. 1	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	L 1–2	39–5
Apr 20	at No. 2 Washington	No. 1	Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA	L 1–2	39–6	11–2
Apr 20	at No. 2 Washington	No. 1	Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA	L 0–7	39–7	11–3
Apr 24	at Arizona State	No. 2	Tempe, AZ	W 2–1⁹	40–7	12–3
Apr 24	at Arizona State	No. 2	Tempe, AZ	W 6–0	41–7	13–3
Apr 27	at No. 12 California	No. 2	Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA	L 1–3	41–8	13–4
Apr 27	at No. 12 California	No. 2	Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA	L 1–3	41–9	13–5
Apr 28	at Stanford	No. 2	Stanford, CA	W 6–3	42–9	14–5
Apr 28	at Stanford	No. 2	Stanford, CA	W 9–0	43–9	15–5

May
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
May 3	Oregon State	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 10–2	44–9	16–5
May 3	Oregon State	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 11–4	45–9	17–5
May 4	Oregon	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 10–3	46–9	18–5
May 4	Oregon	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	W 7–0	47–9	19–5
May 11	at Oregon	No. 2	Howe Field • Eugene, OR	W 6–1	48–9	20–5
May 11	at Oregon	No. 2	Howe Field • Eugene, OR	W 11–0	49–9	21–5
May 12	at Oregon State	No. 2	Corvallis, OR	W 2–0	50–9	22–5
May 12	at Oregon State	No. 2	Corvallis, OR	W 5–0	51–9	23–5

Post-season

NCAA Tallahassee Regional
Date	Opponent	Rank (seed)	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	NCAAT record
May 17	Troy State	No. 2	Tallahassee, FL	W 8–0	52–9	1–0
May 18	No. 16 Florida State	No. 2	Tallahassee, FL	W 9–6	53–9	2–0
May 19	No. 16 Florida State	No. 2	Tallahassee, FL	W 10–3	54–9	3–0

NCAA Women's College World Series
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	WCWS Record
May 23	No. 14 (7) Iowa	No. 2 (2)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 5–2	55–9	1–0
May 24	No. 4 (3) UCLA	No. 2 (2)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 3–0	56–9	2–0
May 26	No. 14 (7) Iowa	No. 2 (2)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 10–2⁶	57–9	3–0
May 27	No. 1 (1) Washington	No. 2 (2)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 6–4	58–9	4–0

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
	Week
Poll	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Final
NFCA/USA Today	2	3	2	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	1

References

^ 2018 Softball Media Guide. Pac-12 Conference. p. 52. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c 2019 Softball Media Guide (PDF). Arizona Wildcats. Retrieved January 6, 2020.

[1] 2018 Softball Media Guide. Pac-12 Conference. p. 52. Retrieved December 25, 2019.

[media-2] 2019 Softball Media Guide (PDF). Arizona Wildcats. Retrieved January 6, 2020.

[1]

[2]

v t e Arizona Wildcats softball
Venues	UA Softball Field (1974–1992) Mike Candrea Field at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium (1993–present)
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National Championships in bold; College World Series appearances in italics