Arizona Wildcats softball | |
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2023 Arizona Wildcats Softball team | |
Founded | 1974 |
University | University of Arizona |
Athletic director | Desireé Reed-Francois |
All-time Record | 2,101–683–2 (.754) [1] |
Head coach | Caitlin Lowe (3rd season) |
Conference | Pac-12 |
Location | Tucson, Arizona |
Home stadium | Mike Candrea Field at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 2,956) |
Nickname | Wildcats |
Colors | Cardinal and navy [2] |
NCAA Tournament champions | |
1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2007 | |
NCAA WCWS runner-up | |
1992, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2010 | |
NCAA WCWS appearances | |
1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2021, 2022 | |
AIAW WCWS appearances | |
1974, 1975, 1977, 1979 [3] | |
NCAA Super Regional appearances | |
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024 | |
NCAA Tournament appearances | |
1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024 | |
Regular Season Conference championships | |
1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2017 |
The Arizona Wildcats softball team represents the University of Arizona in NCAA Division I Softball. Having claimed eight national championships (second only to UCLA), the team is one of the most successful in the history of the sport. It plays its home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium in Tucson, AZ. The team was formerly coached by Mike Candrea, who began his UA coaching career in 1986 and announced his retirement on June 8, 2021. He retired as the all time winningest coach in Collegiate softball history with 1,674 wins, more Collegiate national titles with 8 and the fourth most wins of any coach in any NCAA sport. [4]
On August 4, 2023, Arizona announced it would join the Big 12 Conference along with Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah beginning in the 2024-25 academic year. [5]
The Arizona Wildcats officially began softball play in 1974 under head coach Judy Spray in the Intermountain Conference. The first team in the school's history went 11–3 and participated in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Women's College World Series (WCWS). The AIAW and Amateur Softball Association [3] co-sponsored the Women's College World Series through 1982 (the NCAA held a separate tournament in 1982 when it began organizing women's softball). The 1975 team also played in the WCWS. In 1977, the Wildcats finished second in the WCWS, just missing out on winning the tournament. In 1979, the team once again qualified for the WCWS. However, after the 1979 season, the Wildcats failed to make the postseason again until 1987. From 1981 to 1986, the Wildcats were members of the Western Collegiate Athletic Association (WCAA), which renamed itself the Pacific West Conference (PacWest; not to be confused with the current NCAA Division II conference) for its final season. [6] The WCAA/PacWest folded after the 1986 season when the then-Pac-10, home to all five of the final PacWest members, began sponsoring women's sports.
Mike Candrea was hired for the 1986 season to build the Wildcats program. In his first season, the Wildcats won 29 games and missed out on the postseason. However, in 1987, Arizona won 42 games and made the NCAA tournament for the first time since the NCAA began sponsoring the sport. In 1988, Candrea guided the Wildcats to 54 wins and an appearance in the Women's College World Series where the team finished tied for third place. From 1988 to 2003, the Wildcats made sixteen straight appearances in the Women's College World Series. Arizona's first national championship season came in 1991. The Wildcats went 56–16 that year. In 1992, the Wildcats won the school's first Pac-10 title and finished runner-up at the Women's College World Series. The Wildcats continued their hot streak throughout the 1990s winning national championships in 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1997. The 1994 team went 64–3 and was ranked #1 throughout the year. Arizona also claimed the Pac-10 championship in 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998. The Wildcats experienced continued success in the 2000s winning another national title in 2001 after finishing that year 65–4. The Wildcats won the 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007 conference titles. Candrea left Arizona to coach the USA National team in the 2004 Olympics, and Larry Ray was named the interim coach for the 2004 season. The 2004 team won 55 games but lost to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Regionals, which marked the first time since 1987 that the Wildcats did not make it to the Women's College World Series. Candrea returned in 2005, and the Wildcats again returned to Oklahoma City for the World Series. The 2006 Arizona team defeated the Northwestern Wildcats to capture the Wildcats' seventh national title and their first since 2001. The 2007 Wildcats repeated as national champions by defeating the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in the championship series after losing the opening game of the series. Larry Ray again was tagged the interim coach in 2008 when Candrea coached the U.S. National Team at the 2008 Olympics. The 2008 team again made it to the Women's College World Series finishing tied for seventh in the eight team field. The Wildcats participated in the World Series in both 2009 and 2010 finishing tied for seventh and second respectively. [7] In 2011, the Wildcats were eliminated in the NCAA Super Regional play by the Oklahoma Sooners. [8]
Following the retirement of former head coach Mike Candrea, Lowe–Nagy was announced as the next head coach of the Arizona Wildcats softball program. Lowe–Nagy spent the last nine seasons under Candrea following a professional player with the USSSA Pride and internationally with Team USA, winning Silver Medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also was a former player under Candrea, playing from 2004–2007 & had one of the most decorated careers of any player in Arizona history. A two-time national champion in 2006 & 2007, as well as numerous Arizona records such as: second in batting average (.446), fourth in hits (351), fourth in triples (12), seventh in runs scored (242) and first in stolen bases (156). She was unanimously named the greatest centerfielder of all time, both by a fan vote and by the 7Innings Podcast crew in its Greatest Softball Team of All-Time. Lowe–Nagy is one of only six Wildcat players to be named an NFCA All-American in each of her four years with the program and joined Leah Braatz (1994, 95, 97, 98) as the only player in Arizona history to be awarded first-team All-America all four years. [9]
Arizona has had 57 different players selected to All-American teams for a total of 111 times. Arizona has had 6 four-time all-americans(Chellevold, Braatz, Bauer, Hollowell, Lowe & Lastrapes) 9 three-time all-americans(Parra, Espinoza, Dalton, O’Brien, McCutcheon, Pineda, Mascarenas, Giordano, Finch & Harper) & 15 two-time all-americans. [10] Leticia Pineda became the first Division I softball player to be named a first team All-American at three different positions: catcher, third base & first base. [11] Leah Braatz became Arizona's first four-time first team All-American. [12] Caitlin Lowe became Arizona's second player to be a four-time first team All-American. [13]
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Name | Years | Seasons | Won | Lost | Tie | Pct. |
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Judy Spray | 1974–1976 | 3 | 45 | 18 | 0 | .714 |
Ginny Parrish | 1977–1979 | 3 | 82 | 40 | 0 | .672 |
Rocky LaRose | 1980 | 1 | 23 | 23 | 0 | .500 |
Paula Noel | 1981–1985 | 5 | 103 | 93 | 0 | .526 |
Larry Ray (Interim) | 2004, 2008 | 2 | 96 | 25 | 0 | .793 |
Mike Candrea | 1986–2021 | 36 | 1,674 | 436 | 2 | .793 |
Caitlin Lowe-Nagy | 2022–present | 3 | 78 | 48 | 0 | .619 |
All-Time | 50 | 2,101 | 683 | 2 | .754 |
Season | Coach | Record | Notes | |
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Overall | Conference | |||
Intermountain Conference | ||||
1974 | Judy Spray | 11–3 | — | AIAW College World Series |
1975 | 13–8 | — | AIAW College World Series | |
1976 | 21–7 | — | ||
1977 | Ginny Parrish | 22–14 | 6–2 | AIAW College World Series |
1978 | 16–11 | 3–6 | ||
1979 | 44–15 | 15–3 | AIAW College World Series | |
Western Collegiate Athletic Association | ||||
1980 | Rocky LaRose | 23–23 | 2–14 | |
1981 | Paula Noel | 24–20 | 5–11 | |
1982 | 21–20 | 6–14 | ||
1983 | 20–24 | 7–12 | ||
1984 | 28–16 | 5–5 | ||
1985 | 17–16 | 5–7 | ||
1986 | Mike Candrea | 27–13–1 | 5–6–1 | |
1987 | Mike Candrea | 42–18 | 6–4 | NCAA Regional |
1988 | 54–18 | 15–5 | Women's College World Series | |
1989 | 48–19 | 11–9 | Women's College World Series | |
1990 | 49–17 | 12–6 | Women's College World Series | |
1991 | 56–16 | 11–9 | Women's College World Series Champions | |
1992 | 58–7 | 16–2 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series | |
1993 | 44–8 | 15–3 | Women's College World Series Champions | |
1994 | 64–3 | 23–1 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions | |
1995 | 66–6 | 24–4 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series | |
1996 | 58–9 | 23–5 | Women's College World Series Champions | |
1997 | 61–5 | 26–1 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions | |
1998 | 67–4 | 27–1 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series | |
1999 | 53–16 | 19–9 | Women's College World Series | |
2000 | 59–9 | 16–4 | Women's College World Series | |
2001 | 65–4 | 19–2 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions | |
2002 | 55–12 | 15–6 | Women's College World Series | |
2003 | 56–7 | 19–2 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series | |
2004 | Larry Ray | 55–6 | 17–3 | Pac-10 Champions, NCAA Regional |
2005 | Mike Candrea | 45–12 | 13–8 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series |
2006 | 54–11 | 15–6 | Women's College World Series Champions | |
2007 | 50–14–1 | 15–5–1 | Pac-10 Champions, Women's College World Series Champions | |
2008 | Larry Ray | 41–19 | 13–8 | Women's College World Series |
2009 | Mike Candrea | 46–17 | 13–7 | Women's College World Series |
2010 | 52–14 | 12–8 | Women's College World Series | |
2011 | 43–18 | 11–10 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2012 | 44–16 | 12–12 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2013 | 33–24 | 9–15 | NCAA Regional | |
2014 | 44–16 | 14–10 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2015 | 41–20 | 13–11 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2016 | 40–21 | 13–11 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2017 | 52–9 | 18–6 | Pac-12 Champions, NCAA Super Regional | |
2018 | 43–14 | 13–11 | NCAA Super Regional | |
2019 | 48–14 | 19–5 | Women's College World Series | |
2020 | 22–3 | 0–0 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |
2021 | 41–15 | 12–10 | Women's College World Series | |
2022 | Caitlin Lowe-Nagy | 39–22 | 8–16 | Women's College World Series |
2023 | 29–25 | 6–18 | ||
2024 | 28–13–1 | 9–9 |
National seeding began in 2005. The Arizona Wildcats have been a national seed 14 of the 16 tournaments. Seeds in bold were national title seasons.
Years → | '93 | '94 | '95 | '96 | '97 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '14 | '15 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '21 |
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Seeds → | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 11 |
National Champions 1991 50–15 | National Champions 1993 44–8 | National Champions 1994 64–3 | National Champions 1996 58–9 | National Champions 1997 61–5 | National Champions 2001 65–4 | National Champions 2006 54–11 | National Champions 2007 50–14–1 |
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Jenny Dalton 1996 | Nancy Evans 1996 | Jennie Finch 2001 | Alicia Hollowell 2006 | Taryne Mowatt 2007 |
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Retired Softball Jerseys | ||||||||||||||
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Name | Seasons as Wildcat | Position | Accomplishment |
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Leah Braatz | 1994–98 | Catcher | Four Time 1st Team All American, Two Time National Champion (1994, 1996) |
Jenny Dalton | 1993–96 | 2nd Base | All-Time NCAA Career RBI (328) leader, Single Season Runs Scored (101) leader, Three Time 1st Team All American, Three Time National Champion (1993, 1994, 1996) |
Laura Espinoza | 1992–95 | Shortstop | All-Time NCAA Single Season Home Run (37), RBI (128) & Total Bases (232) Record, Two Time 1st Team All American, Two Time National Champion (1993, 1994) |
Nancy Evans | 1994–98 | Pitcher | NCAA Highest Career (Min 75 decisions) Winning Percentage (.939, 124−8), Two Time 1st Team All American, Three Time National Champion (1994, 1996, 1997) |
Jennie Finch | 1999–02 | Pitcher | NCAA Consecutive Victory Record (60), Perfect Season Record (32−0), Three Time 1st Team All American, Olympic Gold Medal (2004), National Champion (2001) |
Alicia Hollowell | 2003–06 | Pitcher | All Time Arizona Wins Leader (144), 17 Career No−Hitters, 4 Perfect Games, Two Time 1st Team All American, Olympic Silver Medal (2008), National Champion (2006) |
Brittany Lastrapes | 2008–11 | Outfield | Three Time 1st Team All American |
Caitlin Lowe | 2004–07 | Centerfield | Arizona All Time Steals Leader (156), Committed 0 Errors (234 Games), Four Time 1st Team All American, Olympic Silver Medal (2008), Two Time National Champion (2006, 2007) |
Alison McCutcheon | 1995–98 | Outfield | Three Time 1st Team All American, All-Time NCAA Single Season (132) & Career Hits (405) leader, Two Time National Champion (1996, 1997) |
Leah O'Brien | 1993–97 | Centerfield | Three Time 1st Team All American, Three Time National Champion (1993, 1994, 1997), Olympic Gold Medal (1996, 2000, 2004) |
Honda Softball Award
USA Softball Female Athlete of the Year
ESPY Award
Lowe's Senior Class Award
Coach of the Year
Pac-10 Conference Medal
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year
Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year
CoSIDA Academic All-Americans [14]
The Arizona Wildcats lead the all-time series regardless of conference affiliation vs. eight other Pac-12 opponents(Colorado, USC & Washington State do not field a softball teams), trailing only UCLA. [15]
Opponent | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. | Streak |
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Arizona State | 105 | 61 | 1 | (.632) | Arizona 4 |
California | 91 | 38 | 0 | (.705) | California 2 |
Oregon | 92 | 38 | 0 | (.708) | Arizona 1 |
Oregon State | 117 | 18 | 0 | (.867) | Arizona 4 |
Stanford | 85 | 19 | 1 | (.814) | Stanford 1 |
UCLA | 61 | 97 | 0 | (.386) | UCLA 1 |
Utah | 48 | 16 | 0 | (.750) | Arizona 2 |
Washington | 72 | 46 | 0 | (.610) | Arizona 1 |
Source: [16]
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† indicates Pac-12 record ‡ indicates NCAA record See alsoRelated Research ArticlesJennie Lynn Finch Daigle is an American former softball player. She played for the Arizona Wildcats softball team from 1999 to 2002, where she won the 2001 Women's College World Series and was named collegiate All-American. Later she led the United States women's national softball team to the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also pitched for the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch from 2005 to 2010. Stacey "Nuvey" Nuveman-Deniz is an American, former professional softball player and current head coach at San Diego State. She played for the UCLA Bruins at the catcher position on-and-off from 1997 to 2002, winning a National Championship in 1999. She also won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal for Team USA. John Michael Candrea is the former head softball coach and served as interim Athletic Director between Feb. 2 and March 3, 2024 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. He was the head coach of the United States women's national softball team in 2004, when Team USA won a gold medal, and in 2008, bringing home silver. At the time of his retirement in 2021, Candrea was the all-time winningest coach in college softball history, and ranked fourth of any coach in any NCAA sport with 1,674 wins. The Arizona Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Arizona's chief intercollegiate rival is the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the two universities' athletic departments compete against each other in multiple sports via the State Farm Territorial Cup Series. Alicia Kay Hollowell-Dunn is an American, former collegiate four-time All-American, retired professional softball pitcher and assistant coach. She played college softball at Arizona Wildcats softball from 2003 to 2006, collecting 144 career wins and 1,768 strikeouts, both top-10 NCAA career records. She currently holds the Arizona Wildcats records for career strikeouts, shutouts and innings pitched, in addition to the Pac-12 Conference wins and strikeout ratio records. Hollowell won the 2006 Women's College World Series. Leah Marie O'Brien-Amico is an American, former college softball outfielder and sports commentator. O'Brien-Amico is best known for playing for Arizona from 1993 to 1997, winning three National Championships, and earning gold medals at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. She is a USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree. Taryne Lee Mowatt is an American, former collegiate All-American, right-handed hitting, retired pro softball pitcher. Mowatt is the current pitching coach for Mississippi State. She played college softball at Arizona and helped them win the 2006 and 2007 Women's College World Series. From 2008 to 2013, Mowatt played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch, selected in the 2008 NPF draft by the Washington Glory. She ranks in several pitching categories for the Wildcats and holds the Women's College World Series records for strikeouts and wins. Lovieanne Jung is a Filipino-American, former collegiate All-American, two-time medal winning Olympian, retired softball player. She began her college softball career at Fresno State as a second baseman, then transferred to Arizona and played as a shortstop. She represented the United States women's national softball team winning a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Caitlin Faith Lowe-Nagy is the head coach of the Arizona Wildcats softball team. Lowe is a former collegiate four-time first team All-American and medal winning Olympian. She played college softball for Arizona and led her team in back-to-back Women's College World Series championships in 2006 and 2007. She won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Lowe played with National Pro Fastpitch's USSSA Pride for six seasons, winning three titles and being named 2012 Player of the Year, before officially retiring in 2015. The Florida Gators softball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of softball. Florida competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gators play their home games at Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, and are currently led by head coach Tim Walton. In the twenty-six year history of the Florida Softball program, the team has won two Women's College World Series (WCWS) national championships, nine SEC regular season championships, five SEC tournament championships, and have made eleven WCWS appearances. Katherine Burkhart is an American, former collegiate All-American, retired professional All-Star softball pitcher and softball coach. She played college softball at Arizona State, and won a national championship with the team in 2008 and was named Most Outstanding Player. Burkhart holds the career records in wins, strikeouts, perfect games, WHIP, innings pitched and strikeout ratio for the school. She also ranks in several career pitching categories and the top-10 for strikeouts and perfect games for both the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA Division I. She has also pitched for the USA Softball team. She also helped remove snakes from a plane that was bound from Hawaii to Phoenix in 2023. Connie Sue Clark is an American, former collegiate All-American right-handed softball pitcher and head coach. Clark began her college softball career at the junior college level before finishing her last two years with the Cal State Fullerton Titans from 1986–87 and leading them to the 1986 Women's College World Series championship title. She is the Big West Conference career leader in ERA and WHIP for her two seasons, she also ranks top-10 for those records for both the Titans and the NCAA Division I. Jenny Dalton-Hill is an American former collegiate All-American softball player and current sports commentator. She played for the Arizona Wildcats from 1993 to 1996 where she won three Women's College World Series championships. Having also played baseball, Dalton-Hill is a former member of the Colorado Silver Bullets and United States women's national baseball team, earning a bronze medal at the 2010 Women's Baseball World Cup. She holds the career Pac-12 and NCAA Division I records in RBIs. She is the first and one of nine NCAA players to hit .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800 slugging percentage in her career. Kristie Lynn Fox is an American, former collegiate All-American softball shortstop and current head coach for UNLV Rebels softball team. She attended Mt. Carmel High School and later played for the Arizona Wildcats softball team from 2004 to 2007. Fox led the Wildcats to back-to-back Women's College World Series championships in 2006 and 2007. The 1991 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1991 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea, who led his sixth season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 56–16. They competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished fourth with a 11–9 record. The 1997 NCAA Division I softball season, a play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began in February 1997. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 1997 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 1997 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in held in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, ended on May 26, 1997. The 2001 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 2001. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 2001 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in held in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, ended on May 28, 2001. The 1998 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 1998. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 1998 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 1998 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in held in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, ended on May 25, 1998. The 2002 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 2002. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 2002 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament and held in held in Oklahoma City at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, ended on May 27, 2002. References
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