 NCAA single season record with 63 wins this season, breaking the mark set by the 1990 Bruin team. |
Bruins bring ninth title to Westwood.
June 21, 1999
Bruins Bring Ninth National Championship to Westwood . . .
The top-ranked and top-seeded UCLA softball team claimed its ninth national
championship on May 31, knocking off No. 3 Washington 3-2, before 4,472 at Don
Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. UCLA third baseman Julie
Adams headlined a total of four Bruins named to the All-CWS Team, as she was
named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Her two RBI single in the top
of the first, along with a third-inning solo home run by Courtney Dale, helped
UCLA to the 3-2 victory.
Championship Game Victory Sets New School Record . . .
UCLA's 3-2 victory over Washington on May 31 in the championship game of the
CWS, marked UCLA's 63rd of the season, setting a new school record for wins.
The previous record was 62 victories set by UCLA's 1990 NCAA Championship team.
Adams Enjoys OUTSTANDING Postseason . . .
Third baseman Julie Adams recently capped off one of the finest postseasons ever
by a UCLA player. In eight postseason games, she batted .565 (13-for-23), with
15 RBI, four home runs, a double and six runs scored. For her efforts, she was
named the Most Outstanding Player at both UCLA's regional in Los Angeles and at
the College World Series. All this, despite suffering a dislocated shoulder in
the Bruins' opening game of the CWS against DePaul.
Dale Joins Fernandez in Single-Season Victories . . .
With her victory in the championship game of the College World Series, sophomore
pitcher Courtney Dale picked up her 33rd win of the season, tying her with
former Bruin great Lisa Fernandez for the UCLA single-season record. Dale
finished the season with a remarkable 33-1 overall mark and 0.98 ERA. Her only
loss was a 6-4, extra-inning defeat to No. 3 Arizona on May 7. Fernandez
notched her 33 wins back in 1990. She finished that season 33-3.
Bruins Place Six Players on NFCA All-America Teams . . . The top-ranked UCLA softball team led all schools, placing a total of six players on the Louisville Slugger All-America first and second teams, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The Bruins' first-team selections included Christie Ambrosi (at-large/outfield), Courtney Dale (pitcher), Amanda Freed (utility) and Stacey Nuveman (catcher). Julie Adams (third base) and Julie Marshall (first base) were UCLA's second-team honorees. It is the second first-team honor for Nuveman as she won the award as a freshman back in 1997. Both Adams and Ambrosi have earned third-team honors before, while it marks the first such honor for Dale, Freed and Marshall.
Six Bruins Named First-Team All-Pacific Region . . .
For the first time since 1991 (and only the second time ever) UCLA had six
players earn first-team All-Region honors. Among the players are third baseman
Julie Adams, outfielder Christie Ambrosi, pitcher Courtney Dale, utility player
Amanda Freed, first baseman Julie Marshall and catcher Stacey Nuveman. It is
the second All-Region award for Ambrosi, as she was a first-team selection at
shortstop in 1997. Both Nuveman and Marshall were named second-team All-Pacific
Region in 1996, while Adams was a second-team honoree. It is the first All-
Region honor for both Dale and Freed.
All-Pac-10 Honors Announced . . .
UCLA had a conference-best eight players earn All-Pac-10 Conference honors.
Headlining the group were Player of the Year Stacey Nuveman, Pitcher of the Year
Courtney Dale and Co-Coach of the Year Sue Enquist. It is the second Pac-10
honor for Nuveman, who was a first-team selection and Newcomer of the Year in
1997. Dale, who earned honorable mention honors also as a freshman in 1997, is
the first-ever Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, as 1999 marks the first season the
conference has recognized this award. Center fielder Christie Ambrosi and first
baseman Julie Marshall were UCLA's other selections to the first team. Third
baseman Julie Adams, econd baseman Lyndsey Klein and pitcher Amanda Freed were
second team honorees, while right fielder Lupe Brambila rounds out the list as
an honorable mention selection.
UCLA Dominates Top-Seeded Regional. . .
The No. 1 ranked UCLA softball team posted four victories (three shutouts) to
win its regional in Los Angeles. UCLA opened the tournament with a decisive 7-0
win over No. 6 seeded Alabama on May 20, mostly in part to a one-hit shutout by
Bruin starter Courtney Dale and two home runs by third baseman Julie Adams.
Then, on May 21, UCLA exploded for 14 runs on 21 hits, including two more home
runs by Adams, to defeat No. 4 seeded Creighton 14-0. In a battle of unbeatens
on May 22, Bruin catcher Stacey Nuveman provided the power, blasting two home
runs in a 5-0 UCLA victory over No. 3 seeded Minnesota. Needing only one win to
advance to Oklahoma City, the Bruins took it to No. 2 seeded Missouri on May 23,
recording 12 runs on 14 hits, to defeat the Tigers 12-5.
Adams Named Regional's Most Outstanding Player . . .
Third baseman Julie Adams, following a four home run, 13 RBI performance in the
NCAA Regional at UCLA, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Adams, who was 7-for-14 (.500) in UCLA's four games on the week, blasted two
home runs in the opener against Alabama and then did it again in a showdown with
Creighton the following day. In addition to Adams, Stacey Nuveman, Lyndsey
Klein, Courtney Dale and Amanda Freed, each earned all-tournament honors.
Speed Demon . . .
With her 24th career stolen base in UCLA's game with Creighton on May 21,
Christie Ambrosi became the Bruins' career stolen base leader with 30. She
finished the season 25-for-28 in the stolen base department. She already broke
the UCLA single-season record of 13 earlier in the season.
Nuveman Wins Triple Crown . . .
Bruin slugger Stacey Nuveman finished the season ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10 in
home runs (31), RBI (91) and batting (.446). She becomes the first player to
lead the Pac-10 in those three categories since Arizona's Jenny Dalton achieved
the feat back in 1996 (.469BA, 25HR, 109RBI).
Top-Ranked Bruins Claim Sixth Pac-10 Championship !
With its 7-1 game-one win over Arizona State on May 8, UCLA clinched the 1999
Pac-10 title. It is the sixth Pac-10 championship for the Bruins and first
since 1993, having won the title in 1988, '89, '90, '91, '93 and '99. The
Bruins' six titles is the most by a Pac-10 school as, prior to this season, UCLA
was tied with Arizona at five apiece.
UCLA Dominates Pac-10 Statistics . . .
UCLA finished the season ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10 in team batting (.339), home
runs (95), hits (633), RBI (396), doubles (108), runs (429) total bases (1042),
slugging percentage (.558), on base percentage (.409) and fewest strikeouts
(202). On the defensive side, the Bruins led the conference in pitching
victories (63), runs allowed (97), opposing batting average (.182), fielding
percentage (.974), fewest errors (53), fewest home runs allowed (9), doubles
allowed (32), triples allowed (2) and fewest stolen bases against (18).
Nuveman Named Finalist For Honda Award . . .
Catcher Stacey Nuveman was selected as one of four finalists for the Honda
Award, given annually to the top collegiate softball player in the country.
Danielle Henderson from the University of Massachusetts won the award.
Team Records Broken in 1999
Previous Record 1999 Total Victories 62 (1990) 63 Runs Scored 342 (1995) 420 Total Bases 824 (1997) 999 Home Runs 54 (1997) 91 RBI 316 (1997) 388 Doubles 84 (1995) 105 Hits 575 (1996) 607 Base on Balls 164 (1995) 196 Stolen Bases 52 (1988) 63
Season Superlatives
W L T Total 63 6 0 Conf. 22 6 0 Non-Conf. 37 0 0 Home 21 3 0 Away 16 3 0 Neutral 41 0 0 Day 56 5 0 Nite 7 1 0 vs. Left 4 1 0 vs. Right 59 5 0 1-Run Games 13 1 0 2-Run Games 3 3 0 5+Run Games 36 0 0 Extra Inns 3 1 0 Shutouts 28 1 0 1st Game of DH 18 3 0 2nd Game of DH 18 3 0
1999 USA Today/NFCA Final Poll
1. UCLA (25) 63-6 2. Washington 51-18 3. DePaul 54-14 4. Cal 51-22 5. Fresno State 65-10 6. Arizona 53-16 7. Arizona State 41-29 8. Southern Mississippi 52-9 9. USL 54-11 10. Oregon State 47-25 11. Louisiana St. 55-10 12. Maryland 50-22 13. Illinois-Chicago 67-17 14. Michigan State 41-23 15. Missouri 41-21 16. Michigan 51-13-1 17. Massachusetts 43-10 18. Texas 45-17 19. South Carolina 49-21 20. Nebraska 35-21 21. Hawaii 35-23 22. Minnesota 46-20 23. Oklahoma 39-15 24. Texas Tech 35-31 25. Oregon 40-29
Final Pac-10 Standings
Pac-10 Overall 1. UCLA 22-6 63-6 2. Arizona 19-9 47-13 3. Washington 15-12 44-17 4. Oregon St. 14-14 44-23 5. California 13-14 44-19 6. Oregon 10-18 39-27 Stanford 10-18 40-23 8. Arizona St. 8-20 37-25