# 1996 Arizona Wildcats softball team

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.

## Schedule

Legend :
| | Arizona win |
| | Arizona loss |
| * | Non-Conference game |
1996 Arizona Wildcats Softball Game Log :
Regular season :
February :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall 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 10–0$^6$ | 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 19–3$^5$ | 15–2 | |
| Mar 7 | No. 14 Michigan* | No. 3 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^6$ | 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 12–2$^5$ | 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 9–0$^5$ | 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 2–1$^9$ | 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 10–2$^6$ | 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 | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | 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 |