Mike Candrea Bio

As one of the most accomplished coaches in any sport on any level, Mike Candrea is synonymous with softball excellence.

Candrea’s accomplishments on the college level are astounding, more than 1,100 Division I victories, 22 Women’s College World Series appearances, and a remarkable eight national titles in the last 19 years. But his incredible coaching and leadership acumen have extended beyond the college game and onto the international stage where he guided the US National Team from 2002-2008. During his six seasons with the national team, he guided the US to a pair of Pan-Am Games victories, Japan Cups, as well as World Championship titles in 2002 and 2006.

On the grandest softball stage there is, he guided the US Olympic Softball team to a gold medal in 2004 in Athens and a silver medal in the 2008 games in Beijing.

Candrea's efforts earned him the United States Olympic Committee's most prestigious award, the Olympic Shield, which he was awarded in 2004. With the citation, Candrea became the first coach in any sport so honored.

At Arizona the success of the program under his watch is almost unparalleled. In addition to the superb education both on and off the field a student-athlete at UA will receive, a Wildcat can almost guarantee a chance to win it all. Since 1988 every four year letter winner, with the exception of one class has left Tucson with a national championship ring.

In 1996 he was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was named coach of the Women's College World Series 25th Anniversary Team.

Candrea was hired at Arizona before the 1986 season, UA finished 27-13-1 that first year, his "worst" record to date. The following year, the Cats were 42-18 and qualified for their first of 23 consecutive NCAA postseason appearances, a year later the Cats were in the WCWS for first time.

After a pair of close losses in the WCWS, the breakthrough came in 1991. A dynasty was born that year in Oklahoma City with the clinching of the program’s first national championship with a 5-1 win over softball superpower UCLA.

Tucson soon became a destination for many of the best young players in the game, and with it came plenty of wins, and seven more national championships in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2007.

Candrea began his softball coaching career at Central Arizona College from 1981-85. His team won consecutive NJCAA World Series in his final two seasons, earning him national coach the year honors each time. Prior to coaching softball, he was an assistant baseball coach at Central from 1976-80.

A baseball player at Central, Candrea's playing career was cut short by an elbow injury. He earned an associate's degree at Central in 1975, a bachelor's degree at Arizona State in 1978 and a master's degree from ASU in 1980.

No matter if its one of his 40 All-Americans, 21 US National Team participants, 5 National Player of the Year winners, or merely a walk-on, Candrea's goal is to have each on of his players maximize their ability. His own desire to succeed is surpassed only by his passion for the process required to achieve greatness. It is not uncommon to see him hitting fungoes until his hands ache, or work with a hitter so long after practice the lights have to be turned on.

Candrea is sought out by softball and baseball coaches around the country and he has delivered instructional clinics throughout the nation. He is known for hitting techniques, team fielding drills and squad motivational preparation. In recent years, he has consulted with major league baseball stars and other respected coaches to conduct national hitting clinics. He participates in dozens of such sessions to help improve the way softball is taught and played. He has written several books and produced a number of videotapes on various softball subjects and has designed specific practice aids and equipment that are widely used at various levels of play.

Candrea is married to former Tina L. Tilton. He has a son Mikel, 30, and daughter Michelle, 28, in addition to stepsons Ryan, 24 and Sean Tilton, 21. Mikel, a 2004 Arizona graduate teaching Hitting Lessons in Northern CA. Michelle celebrated the birth of her son, Jaylen Mikel, in 2005. Jaylen is Candrea's first grandchild. Both Ryan and Sean are students at The University of Arizona, and Ryan works as a personal trainer.