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 W 9–51–0
Feb 16
vs No. 5 Cal State Fullerton *
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
L 3–61–1
Feb 16
vs No. 13 Florida State *
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
W 8–42–1
Feb 17
vs San Diego State *
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
W 11–33–1
Feb 17
vs UMass *
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
W 4–24–1
Feb 18
vs Ohio State *
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
L 0–44–2
Feb 23
New Mexico State *No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–05–2
Feb 23
Ohio State*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 6–46–2
Feb 24
No. 4 Washington *
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–17–2
Feb 24
Ohio State*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–28–2
Feb 25
New Mexico State*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
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 16–410–2
Mar 1
Tennessee *No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 12–311–2
Mar 2
Tennessee*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 6–312–2
Mar 2
Northwestern State*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 15–113–2
Mar 3
Northwestern State*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–414–2
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 18–917–2
Mar 8
No. 10 Oklahoma *
No. 3
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–018–2
Mar 9
Missouri *No. 3
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 9–019–2
Mar 10
No. 10 Oklahoma*
No. 3
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–020–2
Mar 10
No. 4 Fresno State *
No. 3
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–221–2
Mar 21
vs DePaul *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 6–522–2
Mar 21
vs No. 12 Oklahoma
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 2–123–2
Mar 22
vs No. 8 South Carolina *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
L 0–123–3
Mar 22
vs Georgia State *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 4–124–3
Mar 23
vs Oregon State *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 12–25 25–3
Mar 24
vs No. 6 UNLV*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 6–326–3
Mar 24
vs No. 2 Washington*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 9–05 27–3
Mar 29
No. 2 UCLA
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 5–428–3
1–0
Mar 29
No. 2 UCLA
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 5–029–3
2–0
Mar 31
No. 3 Washington
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
L 4–1029–4
2–1
Mar 31
No. 3 Washington
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–430–4
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 5–031–4
4–1
Apr 5
Stanford
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–332–4
5–1
Apr 6
No. 11 California
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–233–4
6–1
Apr 6
No. 11 California
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 5–234–4
7–1
Apr 10
No. 20 Arizona State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–235–4
8–1
Apr 10
No. 20 Arizona State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 6–236–4
9–1
Apr 13
at No. 3 UCLA
No. 1
Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA W 5–337–4
10–1
Apr 13
at No. 3 UCLA
No. 1
Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA
W 5–138–4
11–1
Apr 16
No. 4 Fresno State*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–339–4
Apr 16
No. 4 Fresno State*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
L 1–239–5
Apr 20
at No. 2 Washington
No. 1
Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA L 1–239–6
11–2
Apr 20
at No. 2 Washington
No. 1
Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA
L 0–739–7
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 6–041–7
13–3
Apr 27
at No. 12 California
No. 2
Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA L 1–341–8
13–4
Apr 27
at No. 12 California
No. 2
Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA
L 1–341–9
13–5
Apr 28
at Stanford
No. 2
Stanford, CA W 6–342–9
14–5
Apr 28
at Stanford
No. 2
Stanford, CA
W 9–043–9
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 10–244–9
16–5
May 3
Oregon State
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–445–9
17–5
May 4
Oregon No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–346–9
18–5
May 4
Oregon
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–047–9
19–5
May 11
at Oregon
No. 2
Howe Field • Eugene, OR W 6–148–9
20–5
May 11
at Oregon
No. 2
Howe Field • Eugene, OR
W 11–049–9
21–5
May 12
at Oregon State
No. 2
Corvallis, OR W 2–050–9
22–5
May 12
at Oregon State
No. 2
Corvallis, OR
W 5–051–9
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 8–052–9
1–0
May 18
No. 16 Florida State
No. 2
Tallahassee, FL
W 9–653–9
2–0
May 19
No. 16 Florida State
No. 2
Tallahassee, FL
W 10–354–9
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 5–255–9
1–0
May 24
No. 4 (3) UCLA
No. 2 (2)
Golden Park • Columbus, GA
W 3–056–9
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 6–458–9
4–0
Ranking movements [ ]
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
Week
Poll
Pre
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Final
NFCA/USA Today
Not released
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
References [ ]
Venues People Seasons National Championships in bold ; College World Series appearances in italics
