The last time Arizona hosted an NCAA Regional, UA senior and Big 12 Player of the Year Devyn Netz was a freshman.
Netz is the only player on the current rendition of Arizona to play in an NCAA Regional in Tucson. Four years later, Netz leads Arizona into the regional round at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium, where the 13th-seeded Wildcats will take on Santa Clara on Friday, then potentially Ole Miss or Grand Canyon.
It's also the first time Arizona is hosting an NCAA Regional with head coach Caitlin Lowe, who was hired in 2022, at the helm.
"We're pumped," said Lowe. "It's a different vibe when you're watching the (selection show) together as a team and you have that hosting chance. To see our name get called and know we're going to play in front of our Tucson faithful feels pretty great."
Lowe joined "Spears & Ali" on ESPN Tucson this week to talk about the Wildcats hitting their stride, Netz's growth as a player since the last time Arizona hosted a regional and the head coach's favorite memory — and blooper — playing for the Wildcats in the postseason. Here's part of that interview:
Arizona has the 14th-best ERA (2.47) and the eighth-best batting average (.347) in college softball. How imperative has the balance been for your team?
A: "Just a lot of maturity throughout the lineup from top to bottom. Everyone knows the season is a grind and you have to be mentally tough to deal with the highs and lows of the game and stay emotionally steady, and our team does a great job with that. I think we have some great leadership, like Devyn Netz and quite a few of our players provide that. It's exciting when they catch fire together. The best part is once we hit those bumps, we haven't stayed in them for long and that's a sign of emotional maturity."
Arizona starter Miranda Stoddard (11) warms up before the Wildcats take on Texas Tech in a Big 12 game in Tucson on April 17, 2025.
Despite falling short to Texas Tech in the title game, what did you gain from the single-elimination Big 12 Championship?
A: "The great thing is that we've won a lot of different games. We (scored early in games) at the beginning of the season and came out on fire, where in the Big 12 Tournament, we actually came from behind in a couple of games. That was much-needed going into the postseason. We never counted ourselves out in any game. They trusted the process and just stayed with it. This team is a team that does best when they're hungry.
"That loss at the end of the tournament made them hungrier for what's about to happen this weekend. They're excited and they're excited to play on their home field finally, because not many of them have in the postseason. We've always gone somewhere and had everyone cheer against us, so it's going to be a great feeling to play in front of our fans."
How would you summarize Netz's evolution as a player, especially considering she hardly played early on and then missed last season due to injuries?
A: "We talked about that when she won (Big 12 Player of the Year). The injury year last season was a tough year with what she went through and grinding back from that. I go back to her freshman year. I think it's good for young softball players to understand that she only pitched in 20 innings that year and had five at-bats, which is crazy, because you look at the Big 12 Player of the Year now, she's got double-digit homers and she's the ace. The evolution has been awesome.
"All she has done is go to work after seasons she didn't love. I go back to '23 and she was in a lot of pressure moments that we had and she failed a lot to get to this point. That's so important for our young pitchers and our young players to understand, that you're going to be put into these moments continuously and we trust that you're going to get better with every one. It takes a special mindset to just go to work in those moments, get knocked to the ground and continue to fight; that describes Devyn perfectly and it's why you see so much fire and passion behind her play this year."
Arizona's Devyn Netz delivers a pitch against Iowa State in the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
What did you think about Netz getting drafted by the Bandits of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, and how much the sport has grown professionally in the U.S.?
A: "I'm so excited for her. Our sport is absolutely exploding and has been for a while. Female athletes, softball players specifically, they tend to peak in their mid-20s or late 20s and those women don't reach their full potential because we haven't had as many opportunities as much as we should have. ... Devyn is feeling her best.
"Her body is healthy and it's awesome that she's not just going to have this one year, she's going to keep playing the sport she loves. There's something different when you take school out of it and you get to just be a softball player. I'm excited for her to do that and grow as a player and a human. I'm ready to follow her. She's surrounded by a bunch of great athletes in that league."
What is your favorite postseason memory from your playing days at Arizona?
A: "There was one game that everyone brings up all the time. I ran my face into a wall. I say that to say my team was awesome. It's what you want to see in the postseason, everyone having each other's backs. It didn't matter how many runs that we were down, there was a mentality that we wouldn't be denied a win and a trip to the World Series. I think that's so important, that in the end, you're playing as one cohesive unit. Everyone has the same goal and you're just getting after it, and I think it's a true testament to the best team at the end of the year instead of the best group of players. I'm excited for it.
Center fielder Caitlin Lowe collides with the outfield wall after trying to make a catch in the 2007 NCAA Softball Super Regional against Cal State Fullerton. Lowe left the game with a bloody nose and did not return.
"Sometimes, it's not always the most talented team, it's the team that played together in the end. I'm excited for this group and I think it's why they've been consistent all year long. Forty-five wins is not an easy feat and they've been able to bounce back from losses, which is a true testament to us being battle-tested and ready for the postseason."
When you ran into the right-center wall at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium against Cal State Fullerton, you were tracking a fly ball that turned into a home run. What do you remember about that play and the UA overcoming a five-run deficit?
A: "It wasn't a home run actually. It hit the wall and I knew I had a beat on it and would've caught it if the wall wasn't there. We didn't have a warning track back then. I saw the doctor right after and watched the team in the dugout. I had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. To watch it unfold in front of me was awesome. To get punched early, chip away and come back and create momentum, I was happier than ever to get in the lineup the next day, but at the same time, it showed the team dynamic and how much you have to go to work regardless of the circumstances. ... It was a great team moment for us and it gave us momentum for the postseason, just facing adversity."
Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe talks to home plate ump Keith Kearney, protesting Texas Tech starting pitcher NiJaree Canady getting a new ball mid-windup in the third inning of their Big 12 game April 17, 2025, at Hillenbrand Stadium.
What do you think about the challenges the other teams present this week?
A: "I think we have one of the most competitive regionals. We know we're going to have to play the best in order to get to where we want to go. We love the challenge of it. ... We are hardcore focused on nobody except for Santa Clara in our our scout, film and team preparation. We're excited about the challenge on Friday and we're trying to not look too far ahead. It's very competitive and this is what we need. We're going to be challenged every step of the way, so I'm excited to be where our feet are and take care of one thing at a time. ... The most important game of the season is on Friday."
