Arizona Women's Softball Team seeks 9th National Championship - A Proud Alumni

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When you have something good to talk about, then talk about it.  My college, the University of Arizona in Tucson, gives one many reasons for having a little pride not the least of which is the amazing accomplishments of the Women's Softball team.

Arizona has won eight NCAA national championships, second only to fellow conference member UCLA. Speaking of conference, the PAC 12 continues to be the dominate conference with an incredible five teams in the top 11 tournament rankings.

Besides Arizona as the number two national seed, other PAC 12 seeds include Oregon No. 3, UCLA No. 5, Washington No.6, and Utah No. 11.  All are hosts teams for the first rounds.  Arizona won the conference championship against the best competition in the nation.

In the trivia column the Wildcats will be playing in their 31st consecutive NCAA championship, more than any other school in history.  Arizona coach Mike Candrea, the most successful softball coach in Arizona history, was a graduate of Arizona's bitter instate rival the ASU Sub Devils.

Two Arizona players out of ten nationwide are nominated for the most prestigious award in women's softball, the NCAA Player of the Year.

Katiyana Mauga broke the career home run record for the Wildcats.

Danielle O'Toole, star pitcher led the nation in wins the past two seasons.

Add to that freshman Jessie Harper winning other honors and you have one celebrated bunch.

Here is what SB Nation had to say about the Cats.

    

NCAA Softball Tournament bracket: Arizona hosts New Mexico State, St. Francis (PA), and South Carolina

The road to OKC goes through Tucson

by Jason Bartel  May 14, 2017, 7:35pm PDT

For the 31st consecutive season, the Arizona Wildcats are in the NCAA Softball Tournament.
This wasn’t a question heading into Sunday night since Arizona had clinched an auto-bid with its first Pac-12 title since 2007, but the question really was would they be a national seed and be guaranteed to stay in Tucson the first two weekends?

Well, they are a national seed — No. 2 to be exact — and will have the opportunity to host a Super Regional for the first time since 2011 assuming they can get through the first weekend.
The No. 2 national seed is the highest Arizona is ranked in the tournament since 2007, which happens to be the same year as the program’s most recent National Championship.

The Wildcats, who have a 48-7 overall record this year (18-6 Pac-12), will welcome New Mexico State, St. Francis (PA), and South Carolina to Tucson this coming weekend.

Tucson Regional:
South Carolina vs. Saint Francis (PA)
New Mexico State vs. Arizona

10:28 PM - 14 May 2017

The Regional round is a four-team, double elimination pool. Arizona will play NMSU first, and then progress from there throughout the weekend. The first game for U of A will begin at approximately 6:30 PM PT and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

The Super Regional round is still a best-of-three format, but will take place over three days instead of the customary two days in the softball tournament.

If Arizona does indeed win its regional, they would play the winner of the Waco Regional, which includes Baylor, Kent State, Oregon State, and James Madison.


In other Pac-12 news, Oregon is the No. 3 national seed, while UCLA is the No. 5 seed. Washington is the No. 6 seed and Utah is the No. 11 seed, making it five different Pac-12 host sites. ASU will travel to the Oxford Regional to potentially face Ole Miss. Former Wildcat Taryne Mowatt is on the Rebels’ coaching staff. Cal will travel to Auburn.
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