TUCSON, Ariz. – Eight-time national champion and Division I career win leader Mike Candrea has been named the Pac-12 Coach of the Century as a part of the Pac-12 Softball All-Century Team, announced Monday night by the Pac-12 Networks.
Candrea is in his 31st season at the helm of the Arizona softball program and has led the Wildcats to 29 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, 22 of which have resulted in WCWS appearances, with eight culminating in NCAA Championships. He is the sport's all-time leader in Division I victories, with a sparkling record of 1,460-371-2 (.797). In addition to his stellar career at Arizona, Candrea also coached Team USA to a gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games and a silver in the 2008 Olympics.
When Candrea talks about his accomplishments over his 30-plus seasons at Arizona, he talks first about the players that he has coached, many of whom find themselves on the Pac-12 All-Century Team.
In all, Arizona had 11 players selected to the squad, second only to UCLA's 14. The Wildcats and Bruins combined for 25 of the 30 players on the team.
Two-thirds of the Wildcat coaching staff were honored as assistant coach Caitlin Lowe was selected as a player on the team.
Leah Braatz (C), Amy Chellevold (1B), Jenny Dalton (2B), Laura Espinoza (SS), Caitlin Lowe (OF), Leah O'Brien (OF) and Alison McCutcheon (OF) are the Wildcat position players on the team while Jennie Finch, Nancy Evans, Susie Parra and Alicia Hollowell were the pitchers honored.
The team was voted on by a panel of 35 coaches, players, administrators and members of the media. Members were voted to the team based on their collegiate careers.
Arizona's 11 players have combined for 24 National Championships, five National Players of the Year and 31 first-team All-America selections.
Leah Braatz
Catcher (1994-95, 97-98)
One of only two players in Arizona history to a four-time first-team All-American … Tied for second and fourth in Arizona and NCAA history, respectively, with 85 career home runs … Second in UA and NCAA history with 322 career RBI … Three-time NCAA Champion … Member of the 1994 all-WCWS team … Second in Arizona history with 59 doubles during her career … Drew 173 walks, second most in UA history … Also top-10 in Arizona history in putouts, fielding percentage, games played, runs scored and hits … Led the country in home runs and RBI in both 1997 and 1998 … Holds the Arizona record for slugging percentage with a .797 career figure … 1997 and 1998 Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year … Finalist for the 1998 Honda Softball Award … A member of the Arizona sports Hall of Fame … 1994 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year.
Amy Chellevold
First Base (1992-95)
One of just six Wildcats to earn All-America all four seasons, including first-team recognition in 1994 and 1995 … Two-time National Champion, and was placed on the all-WCWS team in both occasions … Hit .504 in 1994, third best single season in Arizona history, helping her to a ..415 career average, sixth in UA history … Second in Arizona history with 371 career hits … Also top-10 in UA history in career runs scored, stolen bases, at-bats, games played, putouts and fielding percentage … Scored 89 runs in 1995, fifth most in NCAA history … Also in the NCAA top five with 122 hits in 1994 (third) and 371 career hits (fifth) … Led the country in hits (122) and runs scored (88) in 1994 … Has the Arizona record with a 30-game hitting streak in 1994 … Finalist for 1995 Honda Softball Award … Member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … Winner of the 1995 Pac-10 Conference Medal.
Jenny Dalton
Second Base (1993-96)
A three-time first-team All-American … National and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1996 … A winner of the Pac-10 Triple Crown in 1996 with a .469 average, 25 home runs and 109 RBI … Recorded an NCAA-record 328 RBI in her career … Also holds NCAA records in runs scored in a season (101-1995) and a career (293) … 1996 WCWS Most Valuable Player … Finished seventh in Arizona history with a .412 career average … Walked 178 times in her career, most in school history … Led the NCAA in home runs (25), RBI (109) and walks (59) in 1996 … A two-time Academic All-American … Member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … Winner of the 1996 Pac-10 Conference Medal.
Laura Espinoza
Shortstop (1992-95)
Holds the NCAA record for home runs in a season when she hit 37 in 1995 … Second in Arizona history and tied for fourth in NCAA history with 85 career home runs … Also drove in 128 runs in 1995, an NCAA record … Third in UA and NCAA history with 314 career RBI … Led the country in both 1994 and 1995 in home runs and RBI … Named Fastpitch World Player of the Year in 1995 and College Sports Player of the Year in 1994 … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … 1995 Pac-10 Player of the Year … Three-time All-American, including two first-team citations … Two-time National Champion.
Nancy Evans
Pitcher (1994-95, 97-98)
National Player of the Year in 1998 … Holds the NCAA record with a surreal career winning percentage of .940 (124-8), the second most wins in Arizona history … First-team All-American in 1997 and 1998 … Most Valuable Player at the 1997 Women's College World Series … A three-time 30-game winner … Seventh in Arizona history with 733 career strikeouts … Pitched 835.2 innings, fourth most in school history … Threw 55 career shutouts and five no-hitters … A national nominee for 1998 NCAA Woman of the Year … 1998 Academic All-American … In addition to her pitching accolades also hit 51 doubles in her career, seventh in Arizona history … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … Honored with the 1998 Pac-10 Conference Medal.
Jennie Finch
Pitcher/First Base (1999-02)
Two-time National Player of the Year (2001 and 2002) … 2001 National Champion and WCWS Most Outstanding Player … A winner of 60 consecutive games from 2000-02, an NCAA record, including a 32-0 2001 campaign, also an NCAA record … One of 14 players in Arizona history with 50 career home runs … Two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year (2001 and 2002) and 2002 Pac-10 Conference Medal winner … A member of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Teams … Three-time first-team All-American … Went 32-0 with a 0.54 ERA in 2001 in one of the best seasons in the circle in the history of the sport … Had a career 1.09 ERA … Third in Arizona history with 119 career victories … One of three players in Arizona history with over 1,000 strikeouts … Pitched 71 career shutouts, including eight no-hitters, tied for second in UA history … 2009 USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
Alicia Hollowell
Pitcher (2003-06)
Far and away Arizona's all-time leader in career strikeouts (1,768) and victories (144) … Winner of the 2006 National Championship and WCWS Most Outstanding Player … Finalist for the 2004 Honda Award and 2004 and 2006 USA Softball National Player of the Year Awards … Named 2004 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year a year after being named the 2003 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year … A four-time All-American … Struck out 12.1 batters per seven innings in 2004, an Arizona record, to lead the country … Struck out 20 batters in a perfect game against Indiana in 2004, second most in NCAA history for a seven-inning game … Had 22 solo shutouts in 2003, a school record, 22 of her 81 career shutouts, also a school record … Has UA freshman records in both victories (40) and strikeouts (394) … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
Caitlin Lowe
Outfield (2004-07)
One of two four-time first-team All-Americans in school history … Winner of the 2007 Senior CLASS Award … A two-time National Champion and all-WCWS performer … Second in career batting average in school history with a .446 career figure, helped out by her .510 performance in 2005, one of three seasons over .500 in Arizona history … Named 2005 Pac-10 Player of the Year, 2004 Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year and 2007 Pac-10 Defensive Pac-10 Player of the Year … Arizona's all-time leader in steals with 156, including 56 straight, an Arizona record … Also in the top 10 in career hits, triples and runs scored … Holds the school record in runs scored by a freshman with 76 in 2004 … Finalist for the 2005 and 2007 National Players of the Year … Earned the Adidas Golden Shoe Award in 2007 … Silver Medalist at the Olympics in 2008 … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
Alison McCutcheon
Outfield (1995-98)
Three-time first-team All-American … Arizona's all-time leader in career batting average at .466, including a .534 figure in 1997, a school record … Posted 132 hits in 1997, an NCAA record, 132 of her 405 career hits, most in NCAA history … School leader in career triples (22) … Second in Arizona history with 289 runs scored … Stole 67 bases in 1998, a school record … Has two of the top five runs scored totals in NCAA history … Back-to-back Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998 … Finalist for the 1997 National Player of the Year … Led the nation in both hits and runs scored in both 1997 and 1998 … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.
Leah O'Brien
Outfield (1993-95, 97)
Three-time first-team All-American … Three-time National Champion and two-time All-WCWS performer … Hit .428 in her career, third best average in school history … Additionally, in the career top 10 for hits, runs scored, doubles, at-bats and fielding percentage … A finalist and state winner for NCAA Woman of the Year … Three-time Academic All-American … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … Winner of the 1997 Pac-10 Conference Medal … Gold medalist at the 1996 and 2004 Olympics.
Susie Parra
Pitcher (1991-94)
Winner of the 1994 Honda Award as the National Player of the Year … Three-time National Champion (1991, 1993, 1994) … All-WCWS in both 1993 and 1994 … Three-time All-American … Put together the best season-ERA in school history when she posted a 0.30 figure in 1992 … Finished second in Arizona history with a 0.63 career ERA … Had an incredible .918 career winning percentage, posting 101 victories compared to just nine losses, third best in NCAA history … Struck out 874 batters in her career, fifth most in school history … Shut out 67 opponents, third in Arizona history … Her .971 winnings percentage (33-1) in 1994 is fifth in NCAA history … A member of the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame … 1994 Pac-10 Player of the Year.
Up Next: Arizona heads to Oregon for a three-game series with the Ducks this weekend (April 29-May 1) in a key Pac-12 showdown.
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