MEDIA ADVISORY: USOC to Host Media Teleconference with USA Softball Women's National Team Head Coach Mike Candrea

MEDIA ADVISORY: USOC to Host Media Teleconference with USA Softball Women's National Team Head Coach Mike Candrea The United States Olympic Committee's bi-weekly teleconference series will feature USA Softball Women's National Team Head Coach Mike Candrea, Tuesday, February 19, at 10 a.m. MOUNTAIN (12 noon EASTERN). The USA Softball Women's National Team begins the 2008 KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour on Tuesday, which includes the team competing in over 40 cities in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The 2008 Women's National Team, who will travel to Beijing in August to defend their three gold-medals, will make 45 stops across the country competing in over 60 games. The team will compete against NCAA Division I opponents, Regional All-Star teams as well as International Competition. Highlighting the tour will be 11 nationally-televised games on ESPN. Five consecutive weekly national televised games on ESPN2 in April and May along with two other bonus games plus four games slated for July will round out over 22 hours of original USA Softball branded programming on the ESPN family of networks. Other teleconferences scheduled as part of the series includes a 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials package in June featuring six different preview teleconferences in preparation for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in BMX, Diving, Gymnastics, Judo, Swimming, Track , Field and Wrestling. Also featured in June will be a USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team teleconference. The dial-in number for the "Bound For Beijing" Media Teleconference Series is: 1-800-311-9410 The verbal access code for all calls will be: BEIJING08 Head Coach Mike Candrea Tucson, Arizona The Candrea File Years as a Coach: 31 Birth date: Aug. 29, 1955, New Orleans, La. College: Arizona State, 1978 Advanced Degree: Master's, ASU, 1980 Children: Son, Mikel (28), daughter, Michelle (25) Grandson: Jaylen, born Oct. 27, 2005 Married Tina Tilton on December 30, 2006 in Tucson, rizona 21-year Arizona Totals 1131-228-2 (.832) Five-year Central Arizona JC totals 185-69 (.728) Candrea's 24-year college coaching record; 1316-297-2 (.815) Awards 2006 Named to NCAA Division I Softball 25th Anniversary team as head coach 2004 USOC Olympic Shield Award 2004 University of Arizona Honorary Alumnus 1996 Elected to NFCA Hall of Fame USA Experience 2008 Head Coach of USA National Team which will compete for its fourth Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China 2007 Head Coach of USA National Team which captured gold medals at the Canada Cup, World Cup, Pan American Games and Japan Cup 2006 Head coach of USA National Team that won its first World Cup title with an undefeated record and defended its sixth consecutive World Championship gold medal in Beijing, China 2005 Head Coach of USA National Team who finished second in the World Cup and Japan Cup 2004 Head Coach of USA National Team who captured its third Olympic gold medal with a perfect 9-0 record; Team USA outscored opponents 51-1 2003 Head Coach of USA National Team that captured the Pan American gold medal in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 2002 Head Coach of USA National Team who claimed the World Championship gold medal in Saskatoon, S.K., Canada At Arizona Eight NCAA National Championship titles Nine Pac-10 Conference regular season titles Ten Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors 12 NCAA Title Game Appearances Won 1100th NCAA Division I game in 2007 Two-time NFCA Division I Coach of the Year (1996 , 1997) NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year (2007) Coached five Honda Softball Award winners Coached a total of 79 All-America citations for 34 different players. Produced five National Player of the Year winners About Candrea Prior to Arizona, Candrea began his softball coaching career at Central Arizona College from 1981-85. His team won consecutive NCAA World Series in his final two seasons, earning him national coach the year honors each time. Prior to coaching softball, he was an assistant baseball coach at Central from 1976-80. A baseball player at Central, Candrea's playing career was cut short by an elbow injury. He earned an associate's degree at Central in 1975, a bachelor's degree at Arizona State in 1978 and a master's degree from ASU in 1980. Candrea was married to the former Sue Ellen Hudson for 28 years until her tragic death in July 2004, just 10 days prior to the Olympic Games. On Dec. 30, 2006, Candrea opened a new chapter of his life, as he wed the former Tina Tilton at The Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona. Candrea has a son Mikel, 28, and daughter Michelle, 25, in addition to stepsons Ryan and Sean Tilton. Mikel, a 2004 Arizona graduate, had worked with the baseball team and strength and conditioning programs prior to his graduation. He is currently in his second year as an assistant softball coach at Pacific. Michelle celebrated the birth of her son, Jaylen Mikel, on Oct. 27, 2005. Jaylen is Candrea's first grandchild. Ryan is a student at Arizona and works as a personal trainer. Sean recently completed his redshirt freshman season as a defensive lineman on Mike Stoops' Arizona football team. For more information, please contact the USOC Communications Division at (719) 866-4529.