Arizona Softball Extends Head Coach Caitlin Lowe’s Contract Through 2026-27

Credit: Arizona Athletics

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON www.si.com/onsi/softball

The University of Arizona is extending softball head coach Caitlin Lowe’s contract through the 2026-27 season, according to Kim Doss of the Arizona Desert Swarm. 

The four-time Wildcat All-American and Olympic silver medalist was named Arizona's seventh head softball coach in June of 2021, following Mike Candrea’s retirement, and four seasons as the team's associate head coach.

About to enter the final year of her contract in the 2025-26 season, this will mark the first extension for Lowe. While the terms of the extension are unknown, Lowe was paid $225,000 for the 2025 fiscal year according to the University’s searchable salary database. 

The Wildcats had one exciting season in their first year in the Big 12, landing in second. They walked away with three NFCA All-Americans, including Dakota Kennedy, Sydney Stewart, and Devyn Netz. Netz also represented the team as the Big 12 Player of the Year and a Rawlings Gold Glove recipient.

Lowe even guided the team to lead the Big 12 in batting average (.348), hits (557), home runs (82), on-base percentage (.437), RBI (388), scoring (7.10), slugging percentage (.571), total runs (433), and triples (19).

Making Super Regional appearances in the last two years, the Wildcats looked promising going into the 2025 postseason, but it concluded with several disappointments. In Lowe’s first time hosting a Regional, the 13-seed Wildcats forced game seven against Ole Miss, but were only able to plate three runs on nine hits. Rough defense and pitching didn’t help either, and the season prematurely ended at home. 

It didn’t get much better for the Wildcats after the season either. Ten players announced they were entering the transfer portal, including star Kennedy. Lowe and her staff seemingly recovered, though, and have picked up six players through the portal so far, including UConn standout Grace Jenkins.

The program has certainly had its ups and downs under Lowe’s direction, which is quite the switch-up from Candrea’s historic tenure. Lowe will now have two more years to make a difference at Arizona.