During a one-week span beginning at the end of June and finishing up on the 4th of July, over 800 softball teams will arrive in the greater Denver area. This year the Colorado 4th of July tournament is celebrating its 52nd anniversary, and as always, will feature some of the top club softball teams from across the country.

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Olympian, former NPF player and head coach and All-American Lauren Lappin has been hired as Arizona Softball's assistant coach. Lappin has been the head coach for the Chicago Bandits for two years and an assistant coach for University of Missouri - St. Louis softball for five years. "I could not be more excited to welcome Lauren to the Wildcat Family," said head coach Caitlin Lowe. "Her experience as a player and coach at the highest levels will be a huge asset to our program. She has always impressed me with her ability to make everyone around her better. Her passion and energy for this game is infectious and will no doubt have an immediate impact on our program." Lappin has an outstanding softball resume, including playing at Stanford, NPF experience and being a member of Team USA. Lappin also has eight years of coaching experience in the NCAA, the NPF and with Athletes Unlimited. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to join the Arizona Wildcat softball family and the entire UA community," said Lappin. "Caitlin Lowe is one of the best leaders and humans in our sport and I feel incredibly honored to join this amazing staff to carry on the rich tradition of Arizona Softball. I cannot wait to get to Tucson, meet the team, and Bear Down!" Collegiately, Lappin played at Stanford from 2003-06 and proved to be a force on the softball field at catcher and at shortstop. In the Stanford record books, Lappin remains eighth all-time in batting average (.337) and hits (247), sixth in runs scored (168), seventh in stolen bases (31), third in assists (511), and tenth in triples (8). In her four years at Stanford, Lappin was a two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006 and received second- and third-team NFCA All-America honors in 2004 and 2005. Lappin was also named first-team All-Pac-10 in 2004, second-team All-Pac-12 in 2003, and second-team All-Pacific Region in 2006. In 2004, Lappin was a WCWS All-Tournament Team selection as a sophomore. As an Olympian in 2008, Lappin was a silver medalist with Team USA, led by former head coach Mike Candrea and teammates with Arizona greats: head coach Caitlin Lowe, Jennie Finch, and Lovie Jung. Lappin played with Team USA from 2004-2012 and is a three-time World Cup Champion and a Pan American gold medalist. Following her years playing on Team USA, Lappin went on to serve as assistant coach for the U.S. Women's National Team in 2012. During her NPF career, Lappin played with the USSSA Pride and the Pennsylvania Rebellion. Lappin and Lowe were teammates on the 2010 USSSA Pride Cowles Cup championship team, and Lappin helped the Pride to another Cowles Cups championship in 2013. She also earned All-NPF honors as a second baseman with the Rebellion in 2014. After playing in the NPF for five years, Lappin announced her retirement in 2015 and helped build the softball program at Chicago's Roosevelt University, where she coached for four years. Most recently, Lappin served as an assistant coach with UMSL, the head coach for the Chicago Bandits, and a facilitator for Athletes Unlimited. Lappin spent five years as the assistant coach at UMSL, helping the Tritons to a 162-116 record. With Lappin on the staff, the Tritons had three trips to the NCAA tournament and two GLVC tournament championships. As the head coach of the Chicago Bandits, Lappin led the team to the title of NPF 2019 Regular Season Champions and was awarded NPF Coaching Staff of the Year in 2019 with fellow coaches Amber Flores and Lance McMahon. With Athletes Unlimited, Lappin acted as a facilitator to act as a mentor and support the athletes and captains.  Lappin will join head coach Caitlin Lowe and assistant coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney to complete the Wildcats' coaching staff.

It’s not unusual for a travel team to consistently change its roster from year to year. Coaches are often on the lookout for talent as players enter college or move to another organization.

With a 5-1 win over Florida State in Wednesday afternoon’s winner-take-all game three of the 2021 NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series, the Oklahoma Sooners captured their third Nationa Championship in five years. The national title is OU coach Patty Gasso’s fifth while in Norman.

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Following the retirement of legendary head coach Mike Candrea on Monday, Arizona Athletics has announced the promotion of Caitlin Lowe, who has been chosen as the next head coach of Arizona Softball.One of the best players in Arizona history and the history of the sport, Lowe has spent the last nine seasons under Candrea and will now become the Wildcats' seventh head coach in program history. "Coach Candrea has built a culture of excellence that puts his players at the forefront," said Lowe. "He has shown us all what it looks like to fiercely pursue our passion. He has led this team with integrity, class, and the upmost humility. I could not have asked for a better mentor in this game and most importantly in life. I take great pride in carrying on the tradition of what it means to be an Arizona Wildcat. I am so honored and extremely humbled to represent Tucson and the University of Arizona as your next head coach. Bear Down!"Lowe learned under Coach Candrea as a player both at Arizona and the U.S. Olympic Team and then for the last decade on his staff. "Caitlin Lowe has been a super star her entire life," said Candrea. "From her days as a four-time All-American at the University of Arizona to being a member of our USA Olympic Team to the National Pro Fastpitch league. Caitlin is special and she has continued that growth and success as the associate head coach for Arizona Softball. She is bright, a good communicator, understands what it takes having been there as an athlete, and the players love her. Without a doubt, Caitlin is the best person to continue the Arizona legacy into the future. She will be a super star for many years to come."Lowe was an outstanding player at the sport's highest levels, succeeding collegiately at Arizona, professionally with the USSSA Pride and internationally with Team USA, before returning her to alma mater to join Candrea's staff for the 2013 team. Lowe served as the program's director of operations in 2013 and then the volunteer assistant coach in 2014 before joining the coaching staff full time in 2015. She has served as the team's associate head coach for the last four seasons, and will now take over as head coach for the 2022 season."We are excited to have Caitlin Lowe lead our storied softball program," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. "Caitlin represents championship excellence as a student-athlete, coach and alumni of our nationally-renowned program. Her experience playing and coaching the game at the highest levels are the foundation of her outstanding coaching pedigree. She has played a key role in the program's legacy under hall of fame coach Mike Candrea and established herself as a rising star in softball coaching. I look forward to Arizona Softball's future as it continues its first-class success on the field, in the classroom and in our community."Lowe, a letterwinner from 2004-07, boasts some of the most impressive credentials in her time with the sport. A two-time national champion (2006 and 2007), Lowe's name is scattered throughout the Arizona record books: Lowe remains second in batting average (.446), fourth in hits (351), fourth in triples (12), seventh in runs scored (242) and first in stolen bases (156). She was unanimously named the greatest centerfielder of all time, both by a fan vote and by the 7Innings Podcast crew in its Greatest Softball Team of All-Time.In 2007, Lowe was awarded the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, given annually to the senior displaying excellence in the community, the classroom, character and in competition, as well as the adidas Golden Shoe Award, given to the nation's best base-stealer. The Tustin, Calif., native was a two-time finalist for the Honda Softball Award (2005 and 2007) as well as a finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year in 2005. Lowe is one of only six Wildcat players to be named an NFCA All-American in each of her four years with the program and joined Leah Braatz (1994, 95, 97, 98) as the only player in Arizona history to be awarded first-team All-America all four years.An Olympian in 2008, Lowe took home the silver medal competing for Team USA under Head Coach Mike Candrea. Lowe competed for Team USA from 2005-2008. One of the best centerfielders and leadoff hitters in the sport's history, Lowe has become an even better coach. She has made in immeasurable impact with UA's outfielders and its offense. Over the last five seasons with Lowe on staff, Arizona has a Pac-12 Championship, two trips to the Women's College World Series and four 40-win seasons, including a 52-9 year in 2017. Lowe will be introduced on Wednesday in a press conference at McKale Center. It will be streamed live beginning at 10:30 a.m. MST.

In a coaching career that spanned four decades, Mike Candrea established a legacy of elevating the game of softball, growing women's sports, and helping build a program and athletics department at the University of Arizona that became synonymous with championships. Candrea was able to achieve all of that and moreover, the course of 36 seasons as thousands of student-athletes, coaches, staff members, and fans had their lives changed for the better by a man affectionately known as "Coach".

We now know the final eight teams headed to the 2021 Women’s College World Series. The 64-team field has been taken down to those worthy of a trip to Oklahoma City next weekend, now that this past weekend’s Super Regionals have come to a conclusion.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thirty student-athletes are in the running for the 2021 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, the Association revealed on Thursday afternoon. The winner will be announced prior to the start of the 2021 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Mark Allister is the author of Women’s College Softball on the Rise: A Season Inside the Game. He welcomes story ideas and comments at allister@stolaf.edu.

Find photos of Arizona softball from the 2021 Hillenbrand Invitational taken by photographer Rebecca Sasnett from USA TODAY Sports.

Here's how to watch the 2021 Wildcat Invitational on FloSoftball.

Here's how to watch the 2021 Hillenbrand Invitational on FloSoftball.

LSU reclaims the crown as Best Dressed Division I team of 2020 voted on by fans. See the top 10 results below of best dressed DI teams.

Who will wear the crown of the best-dressed Division I softball team of 2020? 

University of Arizona head softball coach Mike Candrea didn’t set out to become the winningest college coach in the sport’s history. When he enrolled at Central Arizona College, his heart was set on playing major league baseball.