Teresa Wilson

The offseason of change continues for the Arizona softball team, as pitching coach Teresa Wilson has resigned to pursue a head-coaching position, the school announced Friday.

(On Thursday, head coach Mike Candrea talked to TucsonCitizen.com about his new slugging transfer from Tennessee, the departure of a backup infielder and his intention to have a smaller roster in 2012.)

Wilson was at Arizona for three years, helping the team navigate to the championship round of the Women’s College World Series behind freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler in 2010.

But offseason changes to Fowler’s pitching motion — designed in part to eliminate the illegal pitch calls that dogged her at the World Series — didn’t stick. Fowler reverted to her previous motion and was pitching well before suffering a late-season concussion that cost her playing time and conditioning at the critical part of the year.

Wilson has been a head coach for 21 years — at Oregon, Minnesota, Washington and Texas Tech.

“I’m more than pleased to have been part of Arizona softball for three seasons, but I’d like to return to having my own program,” Wilson said in a news release.

Said Candrea: “Teresa has been a great asset to our program. Her passion, knowledge of the game and work ethic have been second to none.”

Candrea said he expects to have a replacement by the end of July.

Jessica Spigner

When the Arizona Wildcats softball team was eliminated from an NCAA Super Regional, coach Mike Candrea promised change.

In less than a month, he has added a power-hitting transfer and lost a backup infielder.

The transfer is Jessica Spigner, a corner infielder from Tennessee who projects into the middle of Arizona’s lineup for the 2012 season. Spigner will have one season of eligibility at UA after hitting 38 home runs with the Vols.

“I know Arizona was a place she was interested in; she had come to some of our camps,” Candrea said Thursday afternoon.

“It just so happened that things did not work out (at Tennessee) and she was looking for a place. She has done a pretty good job of swinging the bat for Tennessee, so she brings great experience at this level.

“We could have a kid who could hit 15, 20 home runs and drive in a lot of runs.”

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Oklahoma celebrates at Hillenbrand Stadium after eliminating Arizona at an NCAA Super Regional. ESPN3 screenshot

It was 5:30 p.m., and almost all was quiet at Hillenbrand Stadium.

ESPN personnel were packing up equipment. The clean-up crew was patrolling the grounds. The Arizona sports information staff was wrapping up the unhappy news.

Wildcats softball coach Mike Candrea had just left the stadium, walking across the outfield grass, past the eight national championship banners, past the spot on the right field wall that marks all 22 of the team’s appearances in the College World Series.

There won’t be any additions to those tributes in the offseason.

There won’t be any more Arizona softball this season.

“It’s agonizing,” Candrea said following a 5-2 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday that eliminated the Wildcats from the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional. “It’s agonizing.”

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Arizona's power hitters did plenty of celebrating around home plate this weekend, as Stacie Chambers did Saturday. Photo by Mark Evans, TucsonCitizen.com

The Arizona Wildcats softball team did what it should have done. It took care of business in the NCAA regional this weekend, capped by a 10-2 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday.

Whether it was the Red Raiders, or New Mexico State on Saturday, or Harvard on Friday, none of the opponents had the pitching to challenge Arizona.

The Wildcats won by a combined score of 28-2. That’s the way it often is in this round of the playoffs.

But those days are over.

Arizona will take on Oklahoma this weekend in a best-of-three Super Regional at Hillenbrand Stadium. Friday’s game begins at 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU). The teams will play Saturday at 2 p.m. and, if necessary, at 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

The Sooners beat UA 11-1 in a season-opening tournament in Tempe on February. They won again, 5-3, in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., on March 17.

Oklahoma has one of the nation’s best pitchers — hard-throwing left-hander Keilani Ricketts, who ended the regular season fourth in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings (11.5).

“From here on out,” said coach Mike Candrea, “the margin of error becomes so slim.”

With the stakes, the pressure and the competition rising, here is a look at what’s going good and what’s going bad for the Wildcats:

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The last 21 Arizona teams coach by Mike Candrea have reached the College World Series. Photo by Mark Evans, TucsonCitizen.com

The Arizona softball coaching staff searched, unsuccessfully, for game tape on its first NCAA regional opponent, Harvard.

Perhaps it didn’t matter much.

“It’s more about us,” said Wildcats coach Mike Candrea.

He has spent the week — OK, most of the season, really — trying to fire up a self-described quiet team, one that has had trouble maintaining a high level of emotion and intensity.

If not now, when?

The postseason starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium.

“Anybody who walks into that ballpark, wearing that uniform, without the energy we need should not be in it,” Candrea said. “If you can’t get yourself ready to play a regional in Hillenbrand Stadium right now, then we have issues.”

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Kenzie Fowler hugs coach Mike Candrea after the Wildcats beat Tennessee at the College World Series last season. ESPN3.com screenshot

Through the wins and losses, the ups and downs, the main goal of the Arizona softball season has been to make sure sophomore pitcher Kenzie Fowler was in good shape for the postseason … and then turn her loose.

How has that worked out?

We’ll find out Friday when the Wildcats take on Harvard at 6:30 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium in the first round of a double-elimination NCAA regional.

“Right now, I think she’s in a good frame of mind, and, for me, that’s the most important thing,” coach Mike Candrea said.

“The only thing I can really control is to make sure we’re in a good mindset.”

The frame of mind is one thing. Fowler’s physical health is another.

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Arizona coach Mike Candrea is looking for something that will inspire his Wildcats. Photo by Mark Evans, TucsonCitizen.com

I’m not above taking a little credit for the Arizona softball team’s postseason slogan.

Although most of the credit goes to Oregon football coach Chip Kelly.

I was talking with Wildcats coach Mike Candrea after Saturday’s regular-season finale — a 6-3 home loss to Cal, after which he, on the record, lamented the fact that he hasn’t been to find the right buttons to push to fully motivate this team.

For a coach who always has a postseason theme, here was a coach who didn’t have a postseason theme.

So, we were just talking, and, for some reason, I ended up mentioning Kelly’s persistence that his team simply “Win the Day.” Kelly is relentless about not letting his team think about anything beyond that.

Apparently, after thinking about it Saturday night, that turns out to be a theme Candrea can work with.

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Mike Candrea and his wife, Tina, react to the good news of Arizona being a host site of an NCAA regional. Photo by Anthony Gimino, TucsonCitizen.com

Arizona Wildcats coach Mike Candrea prepared for the worst. He got the best.

It was a happy surprise that as he watched the NCAA Tournament selection show last night at his house with friends, family, former Wildcats and invited media, Arizona’s name came up as a No. 8 seed and as a host for a regional this weekend at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Candrea, who had told his team Saturday to prepare to play on the road, called the Wildcats’ postseason scenario a “blessing” — as good as it could possibly be.

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The Arizona softball team is going to have to come together in the postseason. Photo by Mark Evans, TucsonCitizen.com

When it comes to motivational strategies, Arizona Wildcats softball coach Mike Candrea is the king.

He once promised his team that he would shave his head if his team won the College World Series. It did, and he did.

His postseason theme in 1997? “Operation Victory.” He had T-shirts made with the players’ initials forming a flying V formation. Arizona won the national title.

Before his team’s 2006 championship, he used lessons he found in a book at the airport: “Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game.”

He once compared his team’s postseason run to a car race. His players, as they vanquished opponents, would smash toy cars with the end of their bats, sending parts flying through the dugout. Arizona won it all that year, 1994.

Simply, and quite effectively, after the game that preceded the 1993 title game, he went around in a postgame circle and pointed to every player. “I believe in you,” he said, moving on to the next player. “And I believe in you, and I believe in you …”

Inspirational videos, inspirational sayings, inspirational stories, inspirational themes … Candrea seemingly has an endless bag of tricks.

Until, maybe, this year.

“I don’t know what to do,” he said after Saturday’s game.

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Hallie Wilson/Photo submitted by Hallie Wilson to USA Softball

Arizona Wildcats softball coach Mike Candrea signed four players to national letters-of-intent this week, including a trio who play for the U.S. Junior Women’s National Team.

Those three are outfielder/first baseman Hallie Wilson, shortstop Shelby Pendley and catcher Chelsea Goodacre. They helped Team USA win the 18-under Pan American championship in August.

Candrea also added third baseman/outfielder Samantha Davis from Scottsdale Chaparral High School.

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