SAN FRANCISCO (April 26, 2016) – Filled with Olympians and Honda Award winners, the Pac-12 All-Century Softball team was announced Monday night during Pac-12 Networks’ flagship show, ‘Pac-12 Sports Report.’
This team was voted on by a panel of 35 consisting of coaches, players, administrators and member of the media. Members were voted to the team based on their collegiate careers. The All-Century Team consists of 30 players in total, with 17 field and 13 pitchers.
UCLA leads all schools with 14 players, followed by Arizona (11), Arizona State (2), California, Stanford and Washington with one. Twenty-eight of 30 players on the all-century roster have won at least 1 NCAA WCWS title. In total, the team has 23 Olympic medals won, and 21 Conference Player of the Year Award winners. Additionally, all 30 players on the team have played in at least one NCAA WCWS.
Arizona’s head coach Mike Candrea was named the Softball Coach of the Century, with the Bruins’ Lisa Fernandez earning Player of the Century honors.
Candrea is in his 31st year at the helm of the Arizona softball program with a career record of 1,439-363-2 (.800). A winner of eight national championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2007), Arizona has made 22 trips to the Women’s College World Series under his guidance, missing just six times in the last 27 years (2004, 2011-2015). On Feb. 27, 2015 vs. UTEP, Candrea became the sport’s fastest ever coach, and second all-time, to reach 1,400 wins; Candrea is the sport’s Division I wins leader. Under Candrea, Arizona has a spectacular postseason record of 161-54. Fifty-four All-Americans with a staggering 95 total citations have played in the program since Candrea took over. At some point this season, Candrea will pass Margie Wright, the current all-time NCAA Softball wins leader. Candrea also was the head coach of Team USA during its Olympic runs in 2004 (gold) and 2008 (silver).
Fernandez is a four-time First-Team All-American, as well as a Four-Time All-Region and All-Conference member. She won the1993 Honda-Broderick Cup Award, in addition to the 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Honda Award. With the Bruins, she won the 1990 and 1992 National Champion and a four-time All-WCWS. Fernandez is second in school and NCAA history in ERA (0.22), and first in UCLA history in shutouts (74), fourth in hits (287), fifth in strikeouts (784), sixth in wins (93) and complete games (95) and eighth in batting average (.382). An 11-Time Pac-10 Pitcher and Player of the Week, she has tossed 11 no-hitters. Her #16 jersey is retired, and was a 2003 UCLA and 2013 ASA Softball Hall of Fame inductee. Fernandez is also a three-time Olympian (‘96,’00,’04).
See below for the entire team:
Pac-12 All-Century Softball Team
CATCHER
Stacey Nuveman – UCLA, 1997, 99, 2001-02
Leah Braatz – Arizona, 1994-95, 97-98
FIRST BASE
Amy Chellevold – Arizona, 1992-95
Tairia Mims – UCLA, 2000-2003
SECOND BASE
Jenny Dalton – Arizona, 1993-96
Caitlin Benyi – UCLA, 2003-06
SHORTSTOP
Natasha Watley – UCLA, 2000-03
Dot Richardson – UCLA, 1981-83
Laura Espinoza – Arizona, 1992-95
THIRD BASE
Jennifer Brundage – UCLA, 1992-95
Janice Parks – UCLA, 1986-1989
OUTFIELD
Jessica Mendoza – Stanford, 1999-02
Caitlin Lowe – Arizona, 2004-07
Leah O’Brien – Arizona, 1993-95, 97
Kaitlin Cochran – Arizona State, 2006-09
Alison McCutcheon – Arizona, 1995-98
Gina Vecchione – UCLA, 1980-82
PITCHER
Lisa Fernandez – UCLA, 1990-93
Jennie Finch – Arizona, 1999-002
Michele Granger – California, 1990-93
Danielle Lawrie – Washington, 2007-10
Debbie Doom – UCLA, 1982-85
Keira Goerl – UCLA, 2001-2004
Nancy Evans – Arizona, 1994-95, 97-98
Susie Parra – Arizona, 1991-94
Alicia Hollowell – Arizona, 2003-06
Tracy Compton – UCLA, 1982-85
Katie Burkhart – Arizona State 2005-08
Lisa Longaker – UCLA, 1987-1990
Amanda Freed – UCLA, 1999-2002
COACH OF THE CENTURY
Mike Candrea – Arizona, 1986-Present
PITCHER OF THE CENTURY
Lisa Fernandez – UCLA, 1990-93