| 1996 NCAA Division I softball season | |
| Defendingchampions: | UCLA |
| Tournament Link: | 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament |
| Tournament: | Tournament |
| Wcws Link: | 1996 Women's College World Series |
| Wcws: | Women's College World Series |
| Wcwschamp: | Arizona |
| Wcwstitlecount: | 4th |
| Wcwsrunnerup: | Washington |
| Wcwscount: | 1st |
| Wcwscoach: | Mike Candrea |
| Wcwscoachcount: | 4th |
| Wcwsmop: | Jenny Dalton |
| Mopteam: | Arizona |
| Prevseason Year: | 1995 |
| Nextseason Year: | 1997 |
The 1996 NCAA Division I softball season, play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began in February 1996. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 1996 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in Columbus, Georgia at Golden Park, ended on May 27, 1996.
The 1996 NCAA Women's College World Series took place from May 23 to May 37, 1996 in Columbus, Georgia. The event was held at the same venue that would later host the softball events of the 1996 Summer Olympics.[1] [2]
.514 – Jennifer Weaver, Towson Tigers
109 – Jenny Dalton, Arizona Wildcats
35-6 – Carrie Dolan, Arizona Wildcats
0.48 (16 ER/230.2 IP) – Trinity Johnson, South Carolina Gamecocks
NCAA Division I season doubles:29 – Nina Lindenberg, Fresno State Bulldogs[3]
NCAA Division I single game stolen bases:7 – Stacy Hughes, Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles; April 14, 1996
Sophomore class RBIs:96 – Leticia Pineda, Arizona Wildcats
Senior class season of perfect stolen bases:47-47 – Gina Freeman, South Carolina Lady Bulldogs
Team doubles:142 – Tennessee Volunteers
Jenny Dalton, Arizona Wildcats[4] [5]
| YEAR | G | AB | R | H | BA | RBI | HR | 3B | 2B | TB | SLG | BB | SO | SB | SBA | |
| 1996 | 67 | 179 | 84 | 84 | .469 | 109 | 25 | 1 | 12 | 173 | .966% | 64 | 11 | 19 | 20 |
The following players were members of the All-American Teams.[6]
First Team
| Position | Player | Class | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heather Meyer | SR. | Washington Huskies | |
| B'Ann Burns | JR. | UCLA Bruins | |
| Cheryl Longeway | SR. | ULL Rajin' Cajuns | |
| C | Leticia Pineda | SO. | Arizona Wildcats |
| 1B | Michelle Church | SR. | Washington Huskies |
| 2B | SR. | Arizona Wildcats | |
| 3B | Christine Kubin | SR. | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| SS | SO. | Nebraska Cornhuskers | |
| OF | Alison McCutcheon | JR. | Arizona Wildcats |
| Shamalene Wilson | SR. | FSU Seminoles | |
| Rachel Nelson | JR. | Minnesota Golden Gophers | |
| DP | Lisa Dacquisto | JR. | Arizona State Sun Devils |
| UT | SO. | Michigan Wolverines | |
| AT-L | Lindsay Parker | FR. | Fresno State Bulldogs |
| Scia Maumausolo | SR. | CSUN Matadors | |
| Kendall Richards | SR. | Texas A&M Aggies | |
| Nina Lindenberg | SO. | Fresno State Bulldogs | |
| Sara Pickering | JR. | Washington Huskies |
Second Team
| Position | Player | Class | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Johnson | JR. | South Carolina Gamecocks | |
| Susie Bugliarello | JR. | Sacramento State Hornets | |
| Carrie Dolan | JR. | Arizona Wildcats | |
| C | Jennifer Cline | SR. | Washington Huskies |
| 1B | Alleah Poulson | JR. | UCLA Bruins |
| 2B | Cynthia Smith | SR. | Oklahoma State Cowgirls |
| 3B | Krista Gomez | SR. | Arizona Wildcats |
| SS | Keri Lemasters | JR. | Michigan State Spartans |
| OF | Rashunda Taylor | SR. | Nicholls State Colonels |
| Amber Hegland | SO. | Minnesota Golden Gophers | |
| Chanda Lee | JR. | South Carolina Gamecocks | |
| DP | Tia Morenz | SO. | Hawaii Rainbow Wahine |
| UT | Jennifer Richardson | SR. | CSUN Matadors |
| AT-L | Brandi Shriver | JR. | Arizona Wildcats |
| Myssi Calkins | JR. | FSU Seminoles | |
| Renee Espinoza | SR. | FSU Seminoles | |
| Jill Most | JR. | Oklahoma Sooners | |
| Patti Raduenz | SR. | Michigan State Spartans |
Third Team
| Position | Player | Class | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitney Floyd | JR. | California Golden Bears | |
| Audrey West | SR. | Boston Terriers | |
| Gina Ugo | SR. | Indiana Hoosiers | |
| C | Stephenie Little | SO. | Oklahoma State Cowgirls |
| 1B | Kari Knopf | JR. | Iowa Hawkeyes |
| 2B | FR. | DePaul Blue Demons | |
| 3B | Julie Adams | FR. | UCLA Bruins |
| SS | Christy Hebert | JR. | Iowa Hawkeyes |
| OF | Kellyn Tate | SO. | Michigan Wolverines |
| Jenifer Henry | SR. | Fresno State Bulldogs | |
| Jamie Foutch | FR. | Oklahoma State Cowgirls | |
| DP | Katie Marten | JR. | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| UT | Erin Field | SR. | Texas A&M Aggies |
| AT-L | Lynn Britton | SR. | ULL Rajin' Cajuns |
| Kim Rondina | JR. | UNLV Rebels | |
| Carolyn Wilson | SO. | Pacific Tigers | |
| Tobin Echo-Hawk | SR. | Nebraska Cornhuskers | |
| Becky Newbry | FR. | Washington Huskies | |
| Robyn Yorke | JR. | Fresno State Bulldogs |