Every year the same question is asked: UA or UCLA?

But basketball is not the topic of conversation; it is who will win the national title in college softball.

No. 2 Arizona will start its quest today to be the answer to that question for the third time in the last four years (the Bruins won it last year) when it opens play against No. 5 UNLV at the Coca-Cola Classic at Phoenix's Cave Creek Sports Complex at 6 p.m.

But there are four obstacles standing in the way of the Wildcats' steamroller - namely graduation, injury, the Olympics and pregnancy.

"It's a new look," senior second baseman Jenny Dalton said. "And it may be one that Tucson isn't used to seeing."

About the only sure thing in the Wildcats' lineup is Dalton. Last year, the two-time All-American hit .390 with 28 home runs and 98 RBI.

Graduation took the services of the most prolific power hitter in college softball history - Laura Espinoza. During her senior season at UA, Espinoza set 10 power hitting records and tied two others. Her 37 home runs and 128 RBI in 1995 will be tough to duplicate.

Add that to the fact that All-American catcher Leah Braatz € who hit 21 home runs in 1995 - is expecting a baby and will be redshirting and you have a serious power shortage in the Wildcats' lineup.

Trying to fill the void in power hitting and at the catcher position is sophomore Lety Pineda. In three exhibition games earlier this year, Pineda hit five home runs.

"Lety swung the bat very well last year and I feel that is probably one of her biggest strengths," Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said. "That just shows you how hard she worked over the summer in the weight room."

The loss of Braatz also means a new battery partner for returning All-American pitcher Carrie Dolan. Dolan was 33-2 last season with a Greg Maddux-like 1.09 ERA.

"She (Braatz) caught for me for five years on our travelling team before I even got to Arizona," Dolan said. "But I'm just up there looking at the glove. One time Lety had come in and I didn't even notice."

Dolan will bear the brunt of the pitching duties until All-Pacific 10 Conference performer Nancy Evans returns from a broken foot. Tiana Hejduk, a sophomore transfer from Boston University could see some time as well.

With All-American centerfielder Leah O'Brien redshirting to participate in the Summer Olympics in Atlanta this summer, the outfield will have a new look as well.

Sophomores Julie Reitan and Alison Johnsen and juniors Andrea Doty and Brandi Shriver will all see time in the outfield. Picking which three will play should be a difficult task for Candrea as all four hit over .300 last season and should contribute the same this season.

Freshman Michelle Churnock will follow in Espinoza's shoes at the shortstop position. Churnock was a second-team All-American at Foothill (Santa Ana, Calif.) High School.

Second-team All-Pac-10 third baseman Krista Gomez will return. Gomez hit .377 in the nine spot last season and was named to the All-College World Series team.

Another new addition to the team is junior Heidi Bomberger. Bomberger is a three-time letterwinner with the Arizona volleyball team who walked onto the team last fall. She should compete for the first base job with Hejduk.

The task now for Arizona is to mesh all this new talent right away, especially with the fifth-ranked Runnin' Rebels staring them in the face.

"Rankings at this point don't really mean anything," Candrea said. "Basically they're for the fans, now it's time to get it done between lines. Our biggest goal is to reach our potential and to do that we have to get a little bit better everyday."