Looking Back at the NCAA Champions: 1999 UCLA Bruins

Photo courtesy UCLA Athletics

Fall practice has wrapped up around the country in Division I, which allows us to set our sights on the 2024 season that lies ahead.

Early focus will be centered on the University of Oklahoma as they begin the quest to become the first team in Division I history to win four consecutive national championships.

The Sooners tied UCLA (1988, 1989, 1990) as the only teams to ever win three consecutive titles when they defeated Florida State to claim the 2023 title.

Extra Inning Softball will be reviewing the 41 national champions that have previously hoisted the trophy.

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1999 UCLA Bruins

The Venue: ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Head Coach: Sue Enquist

The Players (Women’s College World Series Roster): Casey Hiraiwa, Erin Rahn, Lupe Brambila, Marin Noack, Karen Hoshizaki, Jenny Gardner, Amanda Freed, Lesley Feldman, Lyndsey Klein, Crissy Buck, Stephanie Swenson, Erin Weiler, Julie Adams, Carissa Millsap, Courtney Dale, Julie Marshall, Stacey Nuveman, Christie Ambrosi

The Regular Season: The 1999 Bruins rank as one of the top teams in the history of the program. UCLA finished the regular season with a 55-6 record and finished first in the Pac-10 Conference with a 22-6 record. The Bruins reeled off 35 wins to begin the season and never looked back, or slowed down. UCLA did not lose a non-conference game all season and concluded the season with a school-record 63 wins. The Bruins offense was led by sophomore Stacey Nuveman who blasted 31 home runs and drove in 91 runs while also hitting .446. Christie Ambrosi led the NCAA with 103 hits and finished the year batting .429 while topping the Bruins with 25 stolen bases. All told, seven different players hit over .300 for UCLA during the year. In the circle, UCLA boasted of the combination of Courtney Dale and Amanda Freed. Dale finished the year with a 33-1 record and a 0.98 earned run average, while Freed was 27-4 with a 0.96 ERA.  A school-record six players were named All-Americans as Ambrosi, Dale, Freed, Nuveman, Julie Adams and Julie Marshall each were selected. The Bruins set school records for runs scored (429), home runs (95) and total bases (1042).

The Regional/Super Regional: UCLA hosted the NCAA Regional at Easton Stadium with Alabama, Cal State Northridge, Missouri, Minnesota and Creighton joining the Bruins. UCLA opened the regional with a 7-0 victory over Alabama and followed with a 14-0 win over Creighton. UCLA beat Minnesota 5-0 to advance to the regional final. The Bruins topped the Golden Gophers 12-5 in the rematch to secure a spot in the Women’s College World Series. The Bruins dominance was on full display at the regional with a 4-0 record and outscoring the opposition by a 38-5 margin.

The Field at the Women’s College World Series: Arizona, Arizona State, California, DePaul, Fresno State, Southern Mississippi, UCLA, Washington

The Bruins at the Women’s College World Series: UCLA opened play at the WCWS against DePaul and needed a late rally to defeat the Blue Demons 3-2. DePaul took an early 1-0 lead, but the Bruins tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on a home run from Christie Ambrosi. DePaul regained the lead at 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning, but UCLA responded with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Ambrosi. The Bruins walked it off in the bottom of the ninth inning when Crissy Buck homered giving UCLA a 3-2 win. UCLA faced defending champion Fresno State in its second game of the WCWS and the contest featured Amanda Freed of UCLA and Amanda Scott in the circle. Scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, Julie Adams scored on a Fresno State fielding error giving the Bruins a 1-0 win. Freed went 7.0 innings and allowed just five hits and struck out 11 to earn the victory. A rematch with DePaul awaited the Bruins in their third game and it was another tight contest. DePaul took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but UCLA tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Courtney Dale home run. Lyndsey Klein reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and Stacey Nuveman delivered a walk-off double giving UCLA a 2-1 win. Freed went 8.0 innings and didn’t allow an earned run and struck out six batters. With the win, UCLA secured a berth in the championship game.

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