Jan. 4, 2012

BREAKING GROUND ON THE FUTURE

We'll be holding the official groundbreaking ceremony for the North End Zone project at Arizona Stadium on Friday, Jan. 20^th. The four-story edifice will change our stadium dramatically and provide our football program with a modern headquarters and the facilities to match any out there. It's an ambitious undertaking. Although putting a shovel into the ground in ceremonious fashion is a starting point, utility work already is under way.You can see watch the project's progress here on a University webcam.

The project will incorporate upgraded premium seating and fan amenities as well as a new home for Arizona Football, plus settle into the end zone with concourses cross-connecting the east and west seating sections. The expected completion date will be in Summer 2013.

We're deeply grateful for the University of Arizona supporters who have made it possible for us to begin construction -- and to those who will support this project and many others in the immediate future.

The simplest method is to join our family of season ticket holders. I received a note from reader Laura Bartkowski recently citing her parents, Bob and the late Joan Briggs, for their lengthy stint in the stands at the Stadium and their background as UA graduates. They began attending games in the 1950s and the family has been season ticket holders for 40 years. We anticipate that Coach Rich Rodriguez's style of play and his proven success in directing top-level programs will help us increase such support. We don't want to be left out of the bowl season again, and don't expect the extra time off from here on out.

HI CORBETT SHAPING UP

Earlier today I had the opportunity to take some members of the local media on a tour of Hi Corbett Field. It's really coming along well! Our staff is working hard to transform the facility into one that is truly the home of Arizona baseball. Check back on ArizonaWildcats.com and/or our Facebook page to watch a video of the tour. I would like to thank Ryan Finley of the Arizona Daily Star and the rest of the media for coming. And please come out this Saturday to see the stadium for yourself! We're hosting a Select-A-Seat event this Saturday morning. Fans can purchase season tickets and select their seats, there will be an opportunity to meet Coach Lopez and some of the players, and more. Season ticket holders, Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Club members can attend from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the general public is welcome from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. RSVP for your spot.  Please feel free to bring family, friends, and additional guests to the Select-A-Seat event. There is no charge for admission. Hope to see you there.

SPRING FOOTBALL

In case you missed it the Pac-12 released the 2012 football schedule earlier today. Spring signing day is Feb. 1, and we're working on details for signing day events in Tucson and Phoenix. More information to come...

CALENDAR NOTES...

Women's basketball plays host to UCLA on Thursday in McKale Center, with the second game of the weekend on Saturday against USC. Please come out and support the 11-2 Wildcats on our home floor. Tickets are available at ArizonaWildcats.com... The 10-4 men's team will travel to Los Angeles to meet UCLA on Thursday in the Honda Center and USC on Sunday. It would be great to get our Southern California alumni to come out and relive the excitement of the last year's NCAA run, especially at the Honda Center, the site of UA's victory over Duke. Tickets to the UCLA game at the Honda Center can be purchased online by clicking here... Ourgymnastics team will travel to the Yucatan peninsula for an invitational meet in Cancun on Friday. The team's home opener is Jan. 20 in McKale... Both our swimming and diving teams will be in the Hillenbrand pool this Friday for competition at 2 p.m. involving a number of schools...

AROUND THE WORLD

Below, from top down, are Fred Volland at a base camp below Mt. Everest, Rick Malkin at the Great Wall, and Phil Bentley at the Top of the World highway up north -- some Cats on the prowl.
 

 

 


Continue to do what you can to help Arizona Athletics and:

1. Join the Wildcat Movement
2. Buy Season Tickets
3. Wear the Colors (Especially on Friday)
4. Get Others to Do the Same

 
Bear Down with Pride,

Greg Byrne
Director of Athletics
University of Arizona
uofaad@arizona.edu