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".

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.