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There have been many great teams in the history of the Women’s College World Series. But as it begins today, few teams have entered as ready and prepared as this year’s UCLA squad.

If ever a softball team was built to win the World Series, it is this team. UCLA has great hitting, defense and pitching. But that’s not all that distinguishes the Bruins from the rest of the tournament field. They have accumulated an enormous amount of experience and mental toughness over the years, which comes in handy during the World Series.

If you tally the total number of games played at the World Series by each player on the UCLA roster, you get an amazing, unheard-of 122. The Bruins, who have seemingly made ASA Hall of Fame Stadium their second home, return every player who played in the championship series against Michigan a year ago. On top of the players from last year, 10 current Bruins played on the 2004 national championship team, four of them also playing on the 2003 team that won it all.

“When you have seniors that don’t have a sense of having to prove something, you don’t worry about them trying to grab it too tightly,” UCLA coach Sue Enquist said.

Experience is crucial at the World Series. The environment there is different than the rest of the season. Oklahoma City, Okla., supports the World Series well, filling up the facility for most of the games, with the bigger games known to attract more fans than there are seats. On top of that, there is increased media coverage that isn’t seen during the season, with ESPN and other media treating the World Series as a huge event.

“We don’t make anything bigger than what it is,” senior third baseman Andrea Duran said. “A lot of us are experienced in that now, and we’re just going to go in with a calm kind of confidence.”

The games change significantly on the field. Every team is strong, making nearly every game a close one. Every team throws its ace every game, making the games more low scoring than they were the rest of the season. Executing every bunt and tough defensive play becomes that much more crucial.

And it’s the little things that make this year’s Bruins different than those in years past. They’ve gotten ridiculously good at moving runners over and making tough defensive plays. UCLA’s hitters are extremely patient: working the count, fouling off pitches, and frustrating some of the nation’s best pitchers.

The Bruins don’t have any of the star players of the tournament field. Texas’ Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s Monica Abbott and Arizona’s Alicia Hollowell, all pitchers, were the three finalists for the player of the year award. But UCLA’s Anjelica Selden has been just as dominant as those three, and she is at her best when working out of a jam. She retired 17 straight South Florida hitters with runners in scoring position.

“I’m pretty comfortable in those situations,” Selden said. “I don’t get nervous. I like the challenge, and I think it gives me more focus when I’m pitching.”

The Bruins don’t have either of the star hitters at the World Series. Tennessee’s Sarah Fekete and Arizona’s Caitlin Lowe have received more attention nationally than any of UCLA’s elite hitters.

But UCLA doesn’t need one of those stars because the Bruins, more than any other World Series team, have no weakness at all. Every hitter in the Bruin lineup is dangerous, even the ones in the bottom of the order. Junior outfielder Tara Henry, the ninth hitter, was second in the Pac-10 during conference play in batting average. Junior Ashley Herrera, the eighth hitter, hit a grand slam at the final game of Regionals and hit a home run at last year’s World Series.

It’s tough to win the Women’s College World Series. Even for UCLA, it’s by no means a guarantee. But UCLA is definitely the favorite. This team has everything it takes to win.

E-mail Quiñonez at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.