OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - They play in, what is considered, the toughest conference of ANY collegiate sport. A conference where seven teams spent a large majority of the season inside the top ten rankings. Their record was stellar, their strength of schedule was second to none. Yet, there was something not quite right with Mike Candrea’s Wildcats. There was a sense that they were not national championship material. So, with six weeks left in the season, Candrea challenged his squad to become great, to carry the torch of the previous six Arizona national champions_they responded.

The Wildcats swept surprise finalist Northwestern, in the best of three series by the scores of 8-0 and 5-0. With the victories Arizona claimed its seventh national championship in program history and first since 2001. The Wildcats were also crowned national champs in 1997, 1996, 1994, 1993 and 1991. With the exception of the 2005 class, every Arizona senior class has claimed a national championship since 1991. U of A finished the season with an overall record of 54-11.

Northwestern ended its season with a 50-15 mark after making its first appearance in the WCWS national title game/series.

For Arizona, it came down to doing what they’ve done best for the last fifteen years, superb pitching and senior leadership.

Wildcat pitcher Alicia Hollowell, who was named the WCWS Most Outstanding Player, fanned 64 batters in the 2006 WCWS, breaking the previous record of 62 held by UCLA’s Debbie Doom since 1982.

Hollowell tied the WCWS record for most complete games in a series with six. She now shares the record with Michigan’s Jennie Ritter (2005), UCLA’s Anjelica Selden (2005), UCLA’s Keira Goerl (2003), UCLA’s Lisa Fernandez (1993) and Texas A&M’s Shawn Andaya (1987).

In Hollowell’s three outings against Northwestern this season, Hollowell pitched three complete games (20 innings) and allowed zero runs while surrendering 10 hits and striking out 41 batters. In the 25-year history of the WCWS, 16 of the championship games have been shutouts. Hollowell’s shutout marked her third of this year’s WCWS and 20th of the season.

Seniors Hollowell and Autumn Champion, who went out on a strong note, going 3-for-4, with a run scored and two RBI in the championship finale, junior centerfielder Caitlin Lowe and sophomore designated player Taryne Mowatt were named to the All-WCWS team, but players in Arizona’s lineup from top to bottom all had key contributions as the team clearly played the best team softball in the country at the most important time of the season.

In going 5-1 in the WCWS tournament Arizona beat Oregon State and Texas, lost to Tennessee, and then beat Tennessee to reach the championship best-of-three series that determines the women’s final pairing.

Arizona will use this championship to build towards another dynastic run. They only graduate Hollowell and Champion, and their incoming recruiting class is loaded with top prospects, including the number one pitching prospect in the nation.

For the Northwestern Wildcats the future is bright despite losing five seniors. Eileen Canney is one of six starters who will be back next year. Two-time Big Ten player of the year and first baseman Garland Cooper and outfielder Katie Logan, who had three hits in the season-ending 5-0 loss to Arizona, also will be seniors. Northwestern loses five seniors, pitcher Courtnay Foster, outfielder Sheila McCorkle, second baseman Ashley Crane, designated hitter Kristen Amegin and catcher Jamie Dotson.

The WCWS’ final game saw an attendance of 4,423 that increased this year’s WCWS total attendance to 46,122, shattering the previous record of 41,683 set in 2005. This year’s WCWS spanned nine sessions while last year’s spanned 10. This year’s per-session average was 5,125, approximately 1,000 more than last year’s per-session average of 4,168.