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Mike Candrea

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Mike Candrea
Biographical details
Born (1955-08-29) August 29, 1955 (age 69)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma materCentral Arizona College
Arizona State University
Playing career
Baseball
1973–1974Central Arizona
Position(s)Second baseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Baseball
1976–1980Central Arizona (asst.)
Softball
1981–1985Central Arizona
1986–2021Arizona
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2024Arizona (interim AD)
Head coaching record
Overall1,674–433–2 (.794)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • 4× Speedline/NFCA Division I (1994, 1996, 1997, 2007)
  • 3× National Coach of the Year (1994, 1996, 1997)
  • 12× Pac-12 Coach of the Year (1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000–2003, 2007, 2017)
  • NFCA West Region (2017)
  • 3x Pacific Region Coach of the Year (1994, 1995, 1997)
  • Northwest Region Coach of the Year (1988)
  • CAC Hall of Fame (2009)
  • USA National Softball Hall of Fame (2017)[1]
  • National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1996)[2]
  • Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame (2009) [3]
  • Pima County Sports Hall of Fame (1998) [4]
Records
2nd on List of college softball coaches with 1,000 wins
Medal record
Head Coach for Women's Softball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens Team competition
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing Team competition
Head Coach for ISF Women's World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2002 Saskatoon
Gold medal – first place 2006 Beijing
Head Coach for World Cup of Softball
Silver medal – second place 2005 Oklahoma City
Gold medal – first place 2006 Oklahoma City
Gold medal – first place 2007 Oklahoma City
Head Coach for Softball at the Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2003 Santo Domingo
Gold medal – first place 2007 Rio de Janeiro

John Michael Candrea (born August 29, 1955)[5] is the former head softball coach and served as interim Athletic Director between Feb. 2 and March 3, 2024 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.[6][7] He was the head coach of the United States women's national softball team in 2004, when Team USA won a gold medal, and in 2008, bringing home silver. At the time of his retirement in 2021, Candrea was the all-time winningest coach in college softball history, and ranked fourth of any coach in any NCAA sport with 1,674 wins.

Education and career beginnings

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Born in New Orleans, Candrea moved with his family to Phoenix at age seven.[8] He graduated from Sunnyslope High School and later earned an associate degree at Central Arizona College in 1975, a bachelor's degree at Arizona State University in 1978, and a master's degree from Arizona State in 1980.[9][10]

Candrea was an assistant baseball coach at Central Arizona from 1976 to 1980 and a softball coach from 1981 through 1985.[9]

University of Arizona

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Under Candrea, the Arizona softball team has become one of the top programs in the United States and a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA. Candrea has coached at Arizona since 1986, where he has garnered 1610 NCAA wins,[9] along with eleven Pac-10 Conference titles. Candrea also has ten Pac-10 coach of the year awards. The Arizona softball team has won eight Women's College World Series titles, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, and 2007, all under Candrea.[9] The team appeared in the NCAA Women's College World Series 16 consecutive years, from 1988 to 2003, and again from 2005 to 2010—22 appearances, all coming in the last 23 seasons. In addition, UA has appeared in 12 WCWS title games, including eight consecutive appearances, from 1991 and 1998. UA has most recently appeared in the 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2010 WCWS games. Under Candrea at UA, the number of WCWS appearances is second only to UCLA.

On March 26 he became the second coach in NCAA division 1 with 1,500 wins the fastest to ever do so.[11] On March 5, 2019, Candrea won his 1,580th game tying him with Carol Hutchins of Michigan for most in NCAA Softball history. Later during the 2019 season, on April 19, Candrea defeated Stanford 9−1 to become only the second coach in NCAA softball history to reach the 1,600 win plateau, and the fastest coach to reach the milestone.[12]

On June 7, 2021, the University of Arizona announced that Candrea would be retiring after 36 seasons as head coach. The next day Candrea officially announced his retirement at a farewell news conference in McKale Center. He finished his career as the winningest coach in collegiate softball history with 1,674 wins and fourth most of any coach in any NCAA sport. During his career he led the Wildcats to eight national championships, 24 appearances in the Women's College World Series, 34 postseason berths, and 10 conference championships.[13][14]

Head coaching record

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The following lists Candrea's record as a head coach at the NCAA level.[15]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Arizona Wildcats (Pacific West Conference) (1986)
1986 Arizona 27–13–1 5–6–1 3rd
Arizona Wildcats (Pacific-10 Conference) (1987–2003)
1987 Arizona 42–18 6–4 T–3rd NCAA Regional
1988 Arizona 54–18 15–5 2nd Women's College World Series
1989 Arizona 48–19 11–9 3rd Women's College World Series
1990 Arizona 49–17 12–6 2nd Women's College World Series
1991 Arizona 56–16 11–9 4th WCWS Champions
1992 Arizona 58–7 16–2 1st WCWS Runner-up
1993 Arizona 44–8 15–2 2nd WCWS Champions
1994 Arizona 64–3 21–3 1st WCWS Champions
1995 Arizona 66–6 24–4 1st WCWS Runner-up
1996 Arizona 58–9 23–5 2nd WCWS Champions
1997 Arizona 61–5 26–1 1st WCWS Champions
1998 Arizona 67–4 27–1 1st WCWS Runner-up
1999 Arizona 53–16 19–9 2nd Women's College World Series
2000 Arizona 59–9 16–4 2nd Women's College World Series
2001 Arizona 65–4 19–2 1st WCWS Champions
2002 Arizona 55–12 15–6 2nd WCWS Runner-up
2003 Arizona 56–7 19–2 1st Women's College World Series
Arizona Wildcats (Pacific-10 Conference) (2005–2007)
2005 Arizona 45–12 13–8 1st Women's College World Series
2006 Arizona 54–11 15–6 2nd WCWS Champions
2007 Arizona 50–14–1 15–5–1 1st WCWS Champions
Arizona Wildcats (Pacific-10/Pac-12 Conference) (2009–present)
2009 Arizona 46–17 13–7 3rd Women's College World Series
2010 Arizona 52–14 13–8 3rd WCWS Runner-up
2011 Arizona 43–18 11–10 T–3rd NCAA Super Regional
2012 Arizona 38–19 12–12 T–4th NCAA Super Regional
2013 Arizona 33–26 9–15 7th NCAA Regional
2014 Arizona 44–16 14–10 5th NCAA Super Regional
2015 Arizona 41–20 13–11 3rd NCAA Super Regional
2016 Arizona 40–21 13–11 5th NCAA Super Regional
2017 Arizona 52–8 18–7 1st NCAA Super Regional
2018 Arizona 43–14 13–11 5th NCAA Super Regional
2019 Arizona 48–14 19–5 3rd Women's College World Series
2020 Arizona 22–3 0–0 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Arizona 41–13 12–10 5th Women's College World Series
Arizona: 1,674–433–2 (.794) 485–212–2 (.695)
Total: 1,674–433–2 (.794)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Team USA

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Further information: Softball at the Summer Olympics

Team USA won its third consecutive gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games. In addition, Candrea led the national team to two consecutive World Cup championships, most recently in 2007.

Personal life

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Candrea was married to Sue Ellen Hudson for 28 years until her tragic death in July 2004, 10 days before the Olympic Games.[9] Candrea has two children from this marriage, Mikel and Michelle.[9][16]

In 2005, Candrea welcomed his first grandchild from his daughter Michelle.[17]

In 2006, Candrea married the former Tina Tilton. He gained two stepsons from his marriage with Tilton.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mike Candrea". USA Softball. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  2. ^ "NFCA Hall of Fame". NFCA. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame (Mike Candrea)". Arizona Softball Foundation. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Mike Candrea". Pima County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Bio: Mike Candrea". ArizonaWildcats.com. 2004. Archived from the original on April 6, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  6. ^ "Dave Heeke out as University of Arizona director of athletics". 22 January 2024.
  7. ^ "University of Arizona Appoints Desireé Reed-Francois as Director of Athletics". 19 February 2024.
  8. ^ Harper, Justin (July 16, 2006). "Collected wisdom: Mike Candrea, softball coach for Team USA". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Mike Candrea". ArizonaWildcats.com. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "8 titles later, Candrea remembers starting at bottom". Arizona Daily Star. August 13, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  11. ^ "Arizona's Mike Candrea becomes fastest coach to hit 1,500 wins".
  12. ^ "Candrea Wins 1,600th Game in Run-Rule Wins". 19 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Coach Mike Candrea: An Appreciation to the Standard". arizonawildcats.com. June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea announces retirement after 36 years". azfamily.com. June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "2018 Media Guide" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Mike Candrea - Softball Coach". University of Arizona Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  17. ^ "Mike Candrea - Softball Coach". University of Arizona Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  18. ^ "Mike Candrea - Softball Coach". University of Arizona Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
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