Caitlin Lowe, arguably one of the best players in Arizona softball’s illustrious history, has joined fellow former teammate Alicia Hollowell in rejoining the Wildcats.

Lowe joined the UA staff as director of operations in September after the National Pro Fastpitch season ended.

“We’re very excited to have her back. She’s one of the great Wildcats,” head coach Mike Candrea said. “It’s very nice to have her back, in a different role, director of [operations]. Just to have her around will be good for the program and I’m very happy to have her.”

Candrea created the position of director of operations, a non-coaching role, for Hollowell last year, before she was promoted to assistant coach.

“It’s very exciting for me,” Lowe said. “I kind of told my parents when I first got back here, like I was coming home again. It’s just really exciting to be part of the program and to get to work with coach [Candrea], Alicia and [assistant coach] Stacy [Iveson]. You know, great softball minds, so it’s a great opportunity for me.”

Lowe played center field at Arizona from 2004 to 2007, winning two national championships. In the UA record books, she is second in batting average at .446, fourth in hits with 351, fourth in triples with 12, seventh in runs scored with 242 and first in stolen bases with 156.

“It’s really exciting, just having her around, her presence,” Hollowell said. “She was probably one of my favorite people to have playing behind me because I knew she was going to give 100 percent every pitch, so just having her presence around is good for the program.”

This year in the NPF, Lowe won Mizuno Player of the Year, even though she is endorsed by Under Armour. Lowe, who plays for the USSSA Pride in Florida, led the league in batting average, .440 and hits.
At the UA Lowe is in charge of video and handles recruiting correspondence, community service coordination, scheduling and travel. Lowe said the job is a lot of office work and travel planning.

“It’s kind of just nice to be able to be around the office, kind of pick coach’s [Candrea] brain,” Lowe said.

In 2007, Lowe won the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award, which is “given annually to the senior displaying excellence in the community, the classroom, character and in competition.” She also won the Adidas Golden Shoe award, for best base stealer in the country in 2007.

Lowe will be inducted into the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame next month during Homecoming.

Candrea said she is one of the best that’s played the game.

“She brings a wealth of knowledge and she’s a great short gamer, so yeah, we’re picking her brain all the time,” Candrea said.

Candrea said the biggest difference in Lowe and when he recruited her is that she has grown up.

“Her database of the game has grown quite a bit,” Candrea said. “She’s a lot more mature, a lot more open.”