1996 UCLA Bruins softball team

1996 UCLA Bruins softball
1996 UCLA Bruins softball
NCAA Regional No. 7 champion
Women's College World Series, 2–2
Conference	Pacific-10 Conference
Record	47–11 (20–7 Pac-10)
Head coach	Sharron Backus (22nd season) & Sue Enquist (8th season);
Home stadium	Easton Stadium

1996 Pacific-10 Conference softball standings
	Conf.				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
No. 2 Washington ‍†‍‍^y	23	–	4	.852	59	–	9	.868
No. 1 Arizona ‍‍‍^y	23	–	5	.821	58	–	9	.866
No. 3 UCLA ‍‍‍^y	20	–	7	.741	47	–	11	.810
No. 6 California ‍‍‍^y	14	–	12	.538	41	–	23	.641
Arizona State ‍‍‍	10	–	18	.357	34	–	27	.557
Stanford ‍‍‍	7	–	19	.269	24	–	29	.453
Oregon ‍‍‍	5	–	18	.217	21	–	30	.412
Oregon State ‍‍‍	3	–	22	.120	15	–	35	.300

† – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of May 31, 1996^[1] Rankings from NFCA/USA Today

The 1996 UCLA Bruins softball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 1996 NCAA Division I softball season. The Bruins were coached by Sharron Backus, who led her twenty-second season and Sue Enquist, in her eighth season, in an uncommonly used co-head coach system. The Bruins played their home games at Easton Stadium and finished with a record of 47–11. They competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished thirdd with a 20–7 record.

The Bruins were invited to the 1996 NCAA Division I softball tournament, where they won the Regional to advance to the Women's College World Series. They finished tied for third place with wins against Michigan and Southwestern Louisiana and losses to eventual champion Arizona and runner-up Washington.^[2]

Personnel

Roster

1996 UCLA Bruins roster^[3]^[4]

Pitchers

4 - Kaci Clark - Senior
10 - B'Ann Burns - Junior

Catchers

5 - Sandra Burkey - Junior
32 - Julie Marshall - Freshman

Infielders

1 - Nicole Odom - Junior
8 - Kelly Howard - Senior
14 - Alleah Poulson - Junior
18 - Julie Adams - Freshman
19 - Kim Wuest - Sophomore

Utility

13 - Lesley Feldman - Freshman
22 - Nikki Barbieri - Junior

Outfielders

3 - Laurie Fritz - Sophomore
6 - Nicole Ochoa - Junior
11 - Ginny Mike-Mitchell - Senior
44 - Christie Ambrosi - Freshman

Coaches

1996 UCLA Bruins softball coaching staff^[3]^[4]
Sharron Backus - co-Head coach - 22nd season Sue Enquist - co-Head coach - 8th season Kelly Inouye - Assistant Coach - 3rd season Lisa Fernandez - Assistant Coach - 1st season

Schedule

Legend
	UCLA win
	UCLA loss
*	Non-Conference game

1996 UCLA Bruins softball game log^[2]

Regular season

January/February
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Jan 27	Loyola Marymount*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 9–0	1–0
Jan 27	Loyola Marymount*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 5–4	2–0
Feb 4	Stanford	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 2–1	3–0	1–0
Feb 4	Stanford	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 11–1 ⁽⁵⁾	4–0	2–0
Feb 10	No. 10 California	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 7–0	5–0	3–0
Feb 10	No. 10 California	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	L 2–5	5–1	3–1
Feb 13	at UC Santa Barbara*	No. 1	Caesar Uyesaka Stadium • Santa Barbara, CA	W 1–0	6–1
Feb 13	at UC Santa Barbara*	No. 1	Caesar Uyesaka Stadium • Santa Barbara, CA	W 12–0 ⁽⁵⁾	7–1
Feb 24	at No. 3 Fresno State*	No. 1	Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA	W 4–1	8–1
Feb 24	at No. 3 Fresno State*	No. 1	Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA	L 4–5	8–2

March
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Mar 2	Ohio State*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA (Reebok Invitational)	W 9–0 ⁽⁵⁾	9–2
Mar 2	Ohio State*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA (Reebok Invitational)	W 13–0 ⁽⁵⁾	10–2
Mar 3	Oregon State*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA (Reebok Invitational)	W 10–2 ⁽⁶⁾	11–2
Mar 3	Oregon State*	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA (Reebok Invitational)	W 11–3 ⁽⁵⁾	12–2
Mar 8	vs Michigan State*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 6–3	13–2
Mar 8	vs Marshall*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 10–1 ⁽⁵⁾	14–2
Mar 8	at South Florida*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 8–0 ⁽⁵⁾	15–2
Mar 9	vs Hofstra*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 9–0 ⁽⁵⁾	16–2
Mar 9	vs Indiana State*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 9–0 ⁽⁵⁾	17–2
Mar 10	vs Western Illinois*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 5–1	18–2
Mar 10	vs No. 13 Florida State*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 4–0	19–2
Mar 10	vs Iowa*	No. 1	USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL (Speedline/USF Softball Classic)	W 2–1	20–2
Mar 14	Arizona State	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	L 3–4	20–3	4–1
Mar 14	Arizona State	No. 1	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 3–0	21–3	5–1
Mar 23	Oregon	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 4–2	22–3	6–1
Mar 23	Oregon	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 4–2	23–3	7–1
Mar 24	San Diego State*	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 3–1	24–3
Mar 24	San Diego State*	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 5–2	25–3
Mar 26	Oregon State	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 8–0	26–3	8–1
Mar 26	Oregon State	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 10–1	27–3	9–1
Mar 29	at No. 1 Arizona	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	L 4–5	27–4	9–2
Mar 29	at No. 1 Arizona	No. 2	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ	L 0–5	27–5	9–3

April
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
Apr 6	No. 2 Washington	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	L 1–4	27–6	9–4
Apr 6	No. 2 Washington	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	W 4–3 ⁽⁸⁾	28–6	10–4
Apr 13	No. 1 Arizona	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	L 3–5	28–7	10–5
Apr 13	No. 1 Arizona	No. 3	Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA	L 1–5	28–8	10–6
Apr 20	at No. 24 Arizona State	No. 4	Sun Devil Club Stadium • Tempe, AZ	W 5–0	29–8	11–6
Apr 20	at No. 24 Arizona State	No. 4	Sun Devil Club Stadium • Tempe, AZ	W 16–3	30–8	12–6
Apr 23	at Santa Clara*	No. 4	Santa Clara, CA	W 1–0 ⁽⁸⁾	31–8
Apr 23	at Santa Clara*	No. 4	Santa Clara, CA	W 4–2	32–8
Apr 27	at Oregon State	No. 4	Corvallis, OR	W 3–0	33–8	13–6
Apr 27	at Oregon State	No. 4	Corvallis, OR	W 10–0 ⁽⁶⁾	34–8	14–6
Apr 28	at Oregon	No. 4	Howe Field • Eugene, OR	W 8–1	35–8	15–6
Apr 28	at Oregon	No. 4	Howe Field • Eugene, OR	W 9–5	36–8	16–6

May
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	Pac-10 record
May 3	at Stanford	No. 4	Stanford, CA	W 4–2 ⁽¹⁰⁾	37–8	17–6
May 3	at Stanford	No. 4	Stanford, CA	W 7–2	38–8	18–6
May 4	at No. 11 California	No. 4	Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA	W 2–0	39–8	19–6
May 4	at No. 11 California	No. 4	Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA	W 8–3	40–8	20–6
May 12	at No. 1 Washington	No. 4	Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA	W 8–5	41–8	21–6

Postseason

NCAA Regional No. 7
Date	Opponent	Rank	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	NCAAT record
May 17	No. 15 Cal State Fullerton	No. 4	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	L 1–5	41–9	0–1
May 18	Southwest Missouri State	No. 4	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	W 8–2	42–9	1–1
May 18	No. 6 Cal State Northridge	No. 4	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	W 7–5	43–9	2–1
May 19	No. 15 Cal State Fullerton	No. 4	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	W 14–1 ⁽⁵⁾	44–9	3–1
May 19	No. 15 Cal State Fullerton	No. 4	Anderson Family Field • Fullerton, CA	W 7–2	45–9	4–1

NCAA Women's College World Series
Date	Opponent	Rank (Seed)	Site/stadium	Score	Overall record	WCWS Record
May 23	No. 7 (6) Michigan	No. 4 (3)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 2–0	46–9	1–0
May 24	No. 2 (2) Arizona	No. 4 (3)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	L 0–4	46–10	1–1
May 25	No. 5 (6) Southwestern Louisiana	No. 4 (3)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	W 3–2	47–10	2–1
May 26	No. 1 (1) Washington	No. 4 (3)	Golden Park • Columbus, GA	L 2–8	47–11	2–2

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
**Legend:** ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
	Week
Poll	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Final
NFCA/USA Today	1	1	1	3	2	3	3	4	4	4	4	3

References

↑ 2018 Softball Media Guide. Pac-12 Conference. p. 52. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
1 2 2025 Softball Information Guide: Yearly Results (PDF). UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
1 2 "1996 Softball Roster". UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
1 2 "2022 Softball Information Guide: Letterwinners" (PDF). UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.

[1] 2018 Softball Media Guide. Pac-12 Conference. p. 52. Retrieved December 25, 2019.

[media-2] 1 2 2025 Softball Information Guide: Yearly Results (PDF). UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.

[roster-3] 1 2 "1996 Softball Roster". UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.

[personnel-4] 1 2 "2022 Softball Information Guide: Letterwinners" (PDF). UCLA Bruins. Retrieved February 28, 2026.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

UCLA Bruins softball
Venues	Sunset Field (1979–1993) Easton Stadium (1994–present)
Head coaches	Sharron Backus (1975–1988) Sharron Backus & Sue Enquist (1989–1996) Sue Enquist (1997–2006) Kelly Inouye-Perez (2007–present)
Seasons	1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 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 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
National Championships in bold; Women’s College World Series appearances in italics