Mizuno USA Inc., has reached a multi-year agreement with the University of Arizona Wildcats to become an “Equipment Partner of the Women's Softball Program.”
Arizona's softball team will be equipped in Mizuno, utilizing the company's ball gloves, equipment bags, protective gear, and the high performance Frenzy 3.0 fastpitch bats in 2011.
Arizona finished the 2010 season as the National Runner-Up with a 52-14 overall record, finishing third in the Pac-10 conference. The Wildcats are coached by Mike Candrea, a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Candrea has won eight national titles with Arizona, with over 1,110 career wins since joining the program in 1986. He also served as the head coach of the US National Team from 2002 to 2008, winning a Gold Medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics and a Silver Medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“Mizuno is very excited to begin a partnership with a premier academic and athletic softball program in the University of Arizona, and a truly legendary coach in Mike Candrea,” said Bob Puccini, President Mizuno USA Inc. “We have a storied history of supporting fastpitch softball. Many of the games best players, at all levels of play, rely on the quality and craftsmanship of our products to help them perform to their potential. We're looking forward to helping the Wildcats continue to be one of the most dominant programs in all of NCAA Fastpitch.”
“We look forward to our new partnership with Mizuno, and working with a company that has been instrumental in growing the sport of fastpitch softball,” said Candrea. “Mizuno's commitment to our game is evident through their excellent product line and visibility at softball events around the country. Our program is eager to work with such a great company that is dedicated to sporting goods innovation and the future of fastpitch softball.”
Mizuno is an Official Supplier of Team USA and has brand ambassadors like Jennie Finch and Natasha Watley.
