MEN'S BASKETBALL TO WEAR U.S.S. ARIZONA UNIFORMS THIS FRIDAY
There is plenty of tradition and history between Pearl Harbor and the University of Arizona, in particular the U.S.S. Arizona, which we outlined earlier this year when we wore custom uniforms and held a number of remembrances during the football game against Hawai'i. Now, our men's basketball team will don special U.S.S. Arizona uniforms from Nike for Friday's game against Michigan State in the Armed Forces Classic.
The special camouflage jerseys have "USS Arizona" stitched on the front over the numbers, while they all list "At 'Em Arizona" on the backs as players' last names. If you recall, that phrase was the rally cry of the U.S.S. Arizona. The team will also wear special Nike "United We Stand" camouflage warm-ups, while the coaching staff will don custom polos during the game honoring Veteran's Day.
If you have yet to see the uniform release video, you can do so by clicking HERE.
In September, our men's basketball team had a chance to meet U.S.S. Arizona survivor Lauren Bruner, who was recognized at the football game vs. Hawai'i, and welcomed him to practice. They listened to Mr. Bruner's amazing story as the second-to-last man to get off the ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Bruner and the Wildcats posed for a picture with a U.S. flag that flew over the U.S.S. Arizona after the attack and was later a part of the University's special collections. That flag has been shipped back and will be on display when the team tours the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial tomorrow.
We've been so proud to have the chance to recognize the upcoming 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the loss of the U.S.S. Arizona, including the 1,177 officers and crewmen who lost their lives on Dec. 7, 1941. In order to centralize some of the events from this year while giving Wildcat fans a chance to learn more about our connection to the U.S.S. Arizona, we've developed a website with a lot of different content. You can visit that site, ArizonaWildcats.com/WeRemember, by clicking HERE.
Thank you to all the people involved who have worked so hard to bring these recognitions and events together this year. It's been a special experience for all of us and one we hope you've gotten something out of as well.
VOLLEYBALL MOVES INTO THE TOP 25
Our volleyball program just completed another special weekend. We continued our late-season surge, defeating No. 25 USC and No. 9 UCLA, completing a season sweep of those two teams for the first time in school history. The wins were numbers five and six versus ranked opponents in the last five weeks, and we were rewarded by moving into the AVCA Top 25 for the first time this year at No. 25. Also last weekend, we celebrated head coach Dave Rubio's 25 years at Arizona. Over 60 Wildcats from the last quarter century returned to honor Dave, a testament to the family atmosphere he has built and one we're all very proud of. We'll look to keep it going this weekend with two more key conference matches, at No. 8 Washington on Thursday and Washington State on Sunday.
CANDREA EXCITED FOR 2017 SOFTBALL SEASON
With fall softball wrapping up a few weeks ago, there is a sense that the 2017 season could be a special one for head coach Mike Candrea and our softball program. We could go into the different reasons why there is so much excitement, but we'll let Coach Candrea do it for us. He sent the following letter to previous season ticket holders and it will give you an inside look at what's to come for Arizona softball.
Well, it is hard to believe that softball season is around the corner and we are so excited for the 2017 season to arrive! I just wanted to take this time to share with you a quick outlook of our team this year, as I find myself feeling very good about this team. I feel we have all the pieces in order to make a strong run in the Pac-12 Conference as well as a deep run in the postseason. We lost only one player (Lauren Young) from last year's Super Regional team that was one game from a return trip to Oklahoma City. Our goal this year is to play as many games in postseason as we can at Hillenbrand Stadium. We hope that you will continue to purchase your season tickets and more importantly help us return as the #1 team in attendance in college softball.
Why am I so excited about the upcoming season? Well, we return a large senior class that consist of five seniors (Alexis Dotson, Michelle Floyd, Katiyana Mauga, Mo Mercado, Eva Watson) and three fifth-year seniors (Nancy Bowling, Danielle O'Toole, Mandie Perez). This will be a team with great experience along with a talented group of underclassmen that will contribute to the success of this team. Alyssa Palomino (niece of Arizona great Toni Mascarenas) will be making her debut after suffering an ACL tear last year. She will provide some serious power in the middle of our lineup to complement Mauga and Mercado. Along with Palomino, we return starters Taylor McQuillin, Ashleigh Hughes, Joelle Krist and DP Tamara Statman. Our freshman class, who was ranked in the top 3 in the country, will include catcher Dejah Mulipola (Garden Grove, California), who is a very talented young lady that can hit with power and the top catching prospect in the country. Jessica Harper from Stevenson Ranch, California is a talented middle infielder that has serious home run power and will hit somewhere in the middle of our lineup. Jess led the PGF National Tournament last year in home runs and we feel like she will be an impact player this year. Also in the freshman class is a very talented middle infielder, Reyna Carranco from Oxnard, California. Reyna possesses very good hands and can hit with power, short game and has good speed. Rounding out the freshman class is Malia Martinez, who plays the corners and is from San Diego, California and Jaycee Lindley another middle infielder from Mesa, Arizona. This class has brought great competition during our fall season and will make this team so much better.
This team is working extremely hard and I feel possesses everything that is necessary for a deep run this year. This team will provide Hillenbrand Stadium with some exciting moments and most of all a winning attitude and all the pieces to the puzzle that is necessary for a highly successful year.
We hope that you will make it a point to renew your season tickets and join us for an exciting 2017 Arizona Softball Season!
Bear Down,
Coach Candrea
As those of you who follow the softball program know, Coach Candrea isn't the type of coach that sugar coats expectations. So, if he thinks we have a chance to be highly competitive, I certainly believe him. It sounds like you won't want to miss a moment of action out at Hillenbrand this spring. Thank you to our season ticket holders who have been so supportive over the years. You continue to make Arizona softball special. If you've yet to renew your season tickets for this year or you're interested in jumping on board, you can do so by clicking HERE or contacting the McKale Ticket Office at (520) 621-CATS during normal business hours (M-F, 9-5 p.m.).
FOOTBALL WELCOMES COLORADO ON SATURDAY
Our football team returns to Arizona Stadium this Saturday night to welcome No. 16 Colorado. While the season hasn't gone as anyone had hoped, our coaches and student-athletes continue to work as hard as they can in preparation for the final three regular-season games. We hope to see you there Saturday night. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. and the Wildcat Walk will take place at 5:45 p.m. As part of Veteran's Day recognition, we will have a special military flyover at the Wildcat Walk that you won't want to miss. Click HERE to get your tickets today.
RIDE THE CAT CRUISER
There are still spots available on the Cat Cruiser for this Saturday's football game. With a late kickoff, it's a great opportunity for our fans from Phoenix to enjoy a ride to and from the game without the worry of driving or parking. It costs $20 per person to ride and there are two routes to choose from. You can make a reservation by clicking HERE.
REMINDER ON UPCOMING MCKALE TICKET OFFICE HOURS
A reminder on some variances in the McKale Ticket Office operating hours. The ticket office will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veteran's Day. Later in the month, the ticket office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving and will open at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25 in preparation for the football game against our rivals. Please plan accordingly and if you have any questions, feel free to contact our Ticket Office at (520) 621-CATS (M-F, 9-5 p.m.).
A NEW ERA BEGINS
Come watch a new era of women's basketball as Adia Barnes coaches her first official game against Alcorn State on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. in McKale. It's Native American Heritage Day. The first 300 fans will receive a turquoise t-shirt and there will be a special performance by one of the Native American tribes at halftime. For tickets or more information, call (520) 621-CATS (M-F, 9-5 p.m.) or click HERE.
BASKETBALL HOLIDAY PACKS STILL AVAILABLE
Red and Blue mini-plans are almost sold out, but we still have men's basketball holiday packs available. This is a great opportunity to check out four exciting games inside McKale. Most of the seat locations are in the lower bowl thanks to the ZonaZoo being on winter break. Holiday packs include two non-conference games and two Pac-12 games: Dec. 14 vs. Grand Canyon, Dec. 20 vs. New Mexico, Jan. 5 vs. Utah, and Jan. 7 vs. Colorado. For tickets, call (520) 621-CATS or buy online tonight by clicking HERE.
MEN'S BASKETBALL DIGITAL GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE
We continue to partner with our friends at IMG to produce both pre and postseason men's basketball digital guides and the 2016-17 Arizona Men's Basketball Digital Guide is now available. This year's guide provides information on the players and coaches, along with our schedule, stunning videos and historical numbers we think you will appreciate. If you want to check it out, you can do so by clicking on the cover image below.
BASEBALL TO HOST WILD VS. CATS DRAFT ON MONDAY
Baseball will host its second annual Wild vs. Cats World Series Draft on Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Sands Club at Arizona Stadium. A live stream of the draft will be available through ArizonaWildcats.com. Coach Johnson and his staff place a major emphasis on fall practice, and the Wild vs. Cats World Series serves as the culmination of the fall. Two captains will represent each team Monday night as sides are selected for the World Series. Be on the lookout this week for a Sawyer Gieseke produced video promoting the event. The actual World Series is set for Nov. 18-20 at Hi Corbett Field.
COMPLIANCE CORNER
Today is an important day for most of our programs because it is the first day a recruit can sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI), a commitment to enroll at the University of Arizona and participate in athletics. The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an institution. With the exception of two programs (football and soccer), verbal commitments can become official today for the many prospects our coaches have been busy recruiting across the country. Before signing, our coaches were prohibited from making public comments, however those restrictions are lifted once the prospect signs an NLI. This early signing period lasts for one week, so prospects in these programs who did not sign NLIs will have another opportunity to sign beginning on April 12, 2017, while football prospects (except junior college prospects who have their own signing period in December) and soccer will have just one general signing period beginning Feb. 1, 2017. You can visit ArizonaWildcats.com today and throughout the week to learn more about our signees. Congrats and welcome to all future Wildcats who sign an NLI during this early November signing period.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
To view the list of upcoming events, broadcast information, start times and stat links, click HERE. (Note: All times are listed as Mountain Standard Time, i.e. Tucson time.)
To access live stats from your desktop or mobile device, visit ArizonaLiveStats.com.
WEAR THE COLORS – SHARE THE PHOTOS
Thank you for wearing the colors and sharing your Arizona pride! If your photo submission did not make this week's edition of the Wildcat Wednesday, please check our "Wildcat Wednesday" album at facebook.com/ArizonaAthletics.
NOTE: Please submit photos for Wildcat Wednesday with an original email to uofaad@arizona.edu using the subject line 'Wildcat Wednesday photo.' Also, please ensure all submissions are clear and properly lit. We also ask that you identify everyone in the photo so we can highlight them accordingly.
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