Off to Oklahoma City!

So, it’s 2019. You’re the University of Arizona. You have eight national titles in softball, but you haven’t been to the Promised Land of Oklahoma City since 2010. What do you do when that drought is finally over?

Feel joy? Feel relief? Cry? Arizona head coach Mike Candrea did all three on Saturday night, and Arizona fans joined him.

For the first time since 2010, the Wildcats are heading to the #WCWS! pic.twitter.com/fSXS58xqsk

— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) May 26, 2019

“Well, it’s sweet because maybe I won’t have to answer that anymore, to be honest with you,” Candrea said about getting back to the Oklahoma City following eight years without Arizona being in the final eight.

So, now Arizona is off to OKC. And so am I. I will be covering the event for AZ Desert Swarm. You can find our coverage in the softball section of the site.

On a personal note, as a freelancer, I will be paying my own travel costs. I started a Go Fund Me campaign to help with travel costs for the Women’s College World Series and other travel expenses I incur while covering women’s sports. For example, I attended media day for the Phoenix Mercury on behalf of High Post Hoops.  I spent approximately $100 on the trip, using funds from the campaign to cover those costs.

I intentionally set the request amount low, because it was difficult for me to ask for help. I was so pleased when people helped me exceed that goal in just over one day. If you are in a position to give, I would appreciate it immensely. If I end up with more than I need for Oklahoma City, I will continue using the funds to cover other women’s sports–not only the Women’s College World Series but the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament, the Phoenix Mercury. You name it, I want to be there and I want to write about it, whether I’m writing for this site, AZ Desert Swarm,  High Post Hoops, Her Hoop Stats, or someone else.

See you in Oklahoma City!