The Arizona softball team had been set to begin its season this week at the Texas Classic in Austin.
Just hours before the team's scheduled opener against No. 6 Texas on Thursday the event was called off because of inclement weather.
No. 3 Arizona will now open the season next Friday at home against New Mexico as part of the Hillenbrand Invitational.
It has been 11 months since Arizona has been able to take the field against an opponent. The Wildcats' 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic with their last game coming March 10 against St. Joseph's when the team was 22-3.
Needless to say the UA players are eager to finally suit up and play a different team after nearly a year away from competition.
"We're super pumped," UA center fielder Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza said this week. "It's definitely been a long time, but with the senior class coming back, the class we have coming in and everyone in between this team is looking really good. We're excited to have another team in the dugout and not just scrimmaging each other.
"So, we're ready to go."
For senior catcher Dejah Mulipola it has been almost two years since she’s put on the Wildcat uniform. She was one of the few active college players to earn a spot on Team USA in 2019 and was set to play in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo before the event was postponed. The delay allowed Mulipola to rejoin the Wildcats for one last run at a Women's College World Series championship.
She said this week that the opportunity to be able to come back to the coaches and the team meant everything to her.
"Things were a little bit different in the fall just because I hadn't been with the girls for a while," Mulipola said. "So, it was a little bit different getting back into the groove of things, but now that I've been back for a couple months now I feel like nothing has changed."
Because of the NCAA rules allowing seniors to return for an extra season this year, in addition to a new batch of talented freshmen, the Wildcats have one of the top teams in college softball this season.
There is a certain level of anxiousness that comes with that as the Wildcats enter the season with high expectations for head coach Mike Candrea's newest team.
"I definitely think there's always butterflies," Palomino-Cardoza said. "Coach always says as long as they're flying in the same direction we'll be OK. So, I think definitely being able to step on the field we're excited. Yeah, there's gonna be nerves just to be able to play together again for the first time in a long time, but we're definitely ready to go.
"And, we're excited to see what this team can do because it's something special."
Though Candrea has been leading the Wildcats for decades there is still plenty of anticipation for the season for him personally as well, especially coming off an extended offseason that went on for nearly a year.
"We've been waiting a long time for this, so the excitement should be there," he said. "If you look at the body of work over the last few months I've been very pleased with what this team has brought to the field every day. So, I know they're excited to play and we're tired of playing each other.
"I'm sure our pitchers will enjoy seeing someone else and our hitters will enjoy seeing some different pitchers. It seems like it's been years, to be honest with you. It seems like it's been a long time since we put on a uniform and had an opponent in the other dugout. So, we're very excited."
The excitement will have to be sustained for another week after Thursday's news as the anticipation for the start of the new softball season at Arizona continues to build.
WATCH head coach Mike Candrea discuss the start of Arizona's 2021 season
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