KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior pitcher Jennie Finch warms up in Hillenbrand Stadium earlier this month.

What's up next for the Wildcat softball team?

If you had asked its players last May, they probably would have said they were going to Disney World.

After knocking off UCLA 1-0 in the NCAA softball championship to top off a 65-4 season, the Wildcats sat atop the softball world and had little left to accomplish.

Arizona's senior class of 2001 earned the sixth NCAA championship under head coach Mike Candrea and maintained a streak that began with his first title in 1991 - every single four-year class since has won at least one national championship.

While the graduation of eight seniors changed many of the faces of this year's Wildcats, the team's commitment to remain one of the nation's elite programs has not altered at all.

The Wildcats were picked along with UCLA as the preseason favorite to win the Pacific 10 Conference.

With eight new freshmen aboard, UA returns a core of seven players from its national championship team, headed by senior All-American Jennie Finch.

File Photo/Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore first baseman Leneah Manuma stretches to put out a runner at first during a game last season against Oklahoma in Hillenbrand Stadium.

The 2001 Honda Sports Award winner and College World Series Most Outstanding Player comes off a season of perfection that few in college athletics have ever achieved.

Finch became the first Arizona starting pitcher to finish a season undefeated on the mound with a spotless 32-0 record and a 0.54 ERA. She also starred at the plate last season, hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs.

"(Finch) is obviously going to be the backbone of this team this year," assistant coach Larry Ray said. "Being a senior, I know that she wants to go out with a bang. She's worked hard, she's probably in the best shape she's ever been in, and we're expecting big things from her."

Transfer Meaghan Finnerty will join Finch as the team's only other senior, but that is no cause for worry, as the Wildcats return a plethora of accomplished underclassmen for the 2002 season.

After clubbing a freshman record 20 home runs in 2001, sophomore catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest returns behind the plate this season, while fellow sophomore and "bash sister" Leneah Manuma is back at first base for the Wildcats.

Manuma clubbed 19 home runs a year ago, with sparkling offensive numbers that mirrored those of Vandergeest. The 61 RBIs by both players are tops among returning starters, as is Manuma's .349 batting average.

The two will lead the offensive charge following a year in which UA clouted an NCAA-record 126 home runs, smashing the Wildcats' own record of 100 set by the 1995 squad.

Rounding out an experienced infield for the Wildcats are junior second baseman Lisha Ribellia, junior transfer Lovie Jung at shortstop and freshman third baseman Jackie Coburn.

Despite an outfield that may consist of three true freshmen as starters, the Wildcat coaching staff is confident the age of its freshmen will quickly be outshined by their talent.

"All of the freshmen played a pretty high level of summer ball, so they're a very talented group," Ray said. "It's just like the (Arizona) basketball team - they're gonna make some young mistakes, and that's to be expected.

"But we've got some pretty decent pitching as well, and sometimes, that can cover up some of those things."

Sophomore Jenny Gladding follows Finch to anchor the staff. In her freshman season, Gladding posted a 14-2 record with an ERA of 0.92. She also led the Wildcats holding opponents to a .139 batting average.

Freshmen Marissa Marzan and Courtney Fossatti will also spend some time on the mound for UA this season.

For the Wildcats lone returning senior, anything short of repeating on last year's success will be considered a disappointing season.

"I'm planning to win it all and finish on top," Finch said. "We have a good core coming back, and the freshmen have done a great job of preparing. They're a very talented bunch.

"I'm looking for a consistent year, to take things one game at a time. But to not repeat (as national champions) would be a big disappointment."

For the 2002 Arizona softball schedule, visit www.Arizcats.com.