Wildcats Defeated, but Not Discouraged

As the Arizona baseball team advances to the College World Series finals, light should also be shed on the success of the softball team for the 2016 season.

Although the Arizona Wildcats 2016 softball team was one victory short of making it to the Women’s College World Series, Tamara Statman brought inspiration and determination to the team by recognizing the successes they did have in their season and how they will carry the lessons learned into the future 2017 season.

The Wildcats finished their regular season with a record of 36-19, allowing them to appear in their 11th NCAA Super Regional tournament in the past 12 years. Although the team was able to claim one victory against Auburn, they were stopped in games two and three which ended their softball season.

Designated hitter/pitcher Tamara Statman, a freshman, explained that closing series was an overall struggle the team had this season. “We would win the first game and then not the next one or the one after. This happened, I believe, a few times during PAC Play and then again in super regionals,” said Statman.

Although this was a challenge, Statman noted that having one common goal – to win – brought the team together and got everybody on the same page. “The one goal we had in mind was to win the next game and we had to take everything one game at a time,” she said.

The Wildcats will be heavy on experience in the 2017 season, as catcher Lauren Young is the only senior who will not be returning.

“I’m not sure I can completely speculate on how we will bring the freshman up to speed, but I know since we only lost one senior, there’s going to be a standard with such a senior-heavy class,” provided Statman.

“Between hitting, base running and pitching, I have quite a lot to work on,” Statman explained. She has many aspects of her game she is looking to improve in preparation for the upcoming season, but is ready to challenge herself to better her individual game to bring more to the team as a whole.