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#WILDCATSCARE



We are in the middle of Mental Health Awareness week, and our athletics department is once again showing that Wildcats care as part of the Pac-12 Conference's ongoing campaign. Mental health and wellness are key initiatives of the Wildcat Way strategic plan and a foundational piece of our first-class student-athlete experience.
 
Arizona Athletics' annual recognition and support of this important cause will be carried out throughout the week. We have distributed Wildcats Care t-shirts for all staff and student-athletes. We will welcome renowned mental health speaker and advocate Victoria Garrick to campus for a pair of panels with staff and student-athletes as well as some yoga and other restorative activities.
 
Mental health and wellbeing are pillars of our Commitment to an Athlete's Total Success (C.A.T.S), and we will support and recognize the important role it plays in all our lives. We are Arizona Wildcats and #WildcatsCare!
 
FAMILY WEEKEND IN TUCSON



Arizona Football returns to the field to host UCLA at 7:30 p.m. (MST) on Saturday on ESPN as we celebrate Family Weekend at the University of Arizona. This is a full weekend of festivities on campus and throughout Southern Arizona that centers around our home football game.
 
Family Weekend is a significant time when Wildcats welcome their family, friends and loved ones to campus to celebrate the greatness of being a Wildcat. We think back on our great memories and make new ones with the Wildcat Family. Join in on the pageantry and tradition of what it means to be a Wildcat and to Bear Down.
 
Saturday's game against the Bruins is a White Out, and I encourage all our loyal supporters to don their white Arizona gear to help us build a fantastic atmosphere for the game. Our friends at the University of Arizona BookStores have a white t-shirt option available for this week's gameday gear line. Click here to get your tickets for our Family Weekend game, and I can't wait to see everyone at Arizona Stadium on Saturday.
 
As a reminder for fans who may be attending a football game for the first time this season, we moved to mobile ticketing, cashless concessions and have new game day health and safety guidelines.

• Fans are required to have a mask in their possession for entry into Arizona Stadium
• Fans are required to wear a facial covering when in indoor spaces, which includes restrooms, elevators, common indoor areas, and other entertainment spaces
• Fans are required to wear a mask when circulating the facility and concourse areas at all times
• Please have your mobile tickets loaded into your Apple Wallet, Google Pay or ArizonaWildcats app prior to arriving to the stadium
• Mobile parking passes should be loaded onto your smart device before leaving for the stadium

STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT



Delaney Schnell has come to embody Arizona Athletics' Wildcat Way student-athlete experience and strategic initiatives at the highest levels. She is a Pac-12 champion, a three-time All-American and an Olympic silver medalist.
 
She's done all of that after growing up in Tucson and dreaming of leaving a mark at the University of Arizona. Read our ArizonaWildcats.com profile on Delaney's amazing Wildcat journey, and what it has meant to her and our entire community.
 
BEARDOWN WITH COACH BARNES AND THE CATS



The 2021-22 Arizona Women's Basketball season is just around the corner, and it was terrific to see the program honored and recognized on Saturday afternoon in McKale Center. Coach Barnes and company held their own Media Day last week as the excitement continues to build towards their season.
 
We continue to hear from fans about availability of season tickets for women's basketball, and they are still on sale! As Coach Barnes said to our crowd of 10,000 fans on Saturday, we want to lead the Pac-12 Conference and all of women's college basketball in attendance. We can do it, and you can click here to purchase your season tickets now.
 
BEARDOWN PODCAST



Arizona Athletics has released the official podcast of the Arizona Wildcats. The BearDown Podcast tells the stories of our student-athletes, coaches and staff in their own words. The podcast is available through a variety of platforms for you to watch or listen to. All the episodes are published to our official Arizona Wildcats YouTube channel, as well as through ArizonaWildcats.com and Apple Podcasts. New episodes are available on Tuesdays, so download, subscribe and like today!
 
Our first episode featured Jill Aguilera of Arizona Soccer who is climbing the program's all-time scoring list while earning tremendous academic and community service accolades. A conversation with head coach Tommy Lloyd of Arizona Men's Basketball marked our second episode.
 
RECAPPING RED-BLUE



McKale Center welcomed the best fans in college basketball for the First Watch Red-Blue Game, which marked our first basketball competition in front of fans in nearly 18 months. The atmosphere was electric, our student-athletes put on a show for everyone in attendance, and the Wildcat Family got their first glimpse of this year's team under new head coach Tommy Lloyd.
 
Saturday afternoon was a terrific display of what's to come from Arizona Men's Basketball, and I know many of you left the arena even more energized for the upcoming season. Season tickets are still on sale, so click here to get your tickets today before our we begin our 2021-22 official schedule.
 
ARIZONA VOLLEYBALL IN MCKALE



Coach Rubio and the Wildcats are atop the Pac-12 Conference standings entering the week with a pair of key matches in McKale Center where the team is undefeated at home with seven victories without dropping a set.

Senior middle blocker Merle Weidt is leading the league with an impressive .451 hitting percentage, and sophomore Emery Herman is sixth in the Pac-12 in assists at 9.23 per match.
 
Arizona welcomes the Washington schools for matches on Friday and Sunday this week. First up will be the Huskies at 6 p.m. (MST) on Friday, Oct. 8 on Pac-12 Networks before we host the Cougars at 12 p.m. (MST) on Sunday. Be sure to join us in McKale Center to cheer on the team. Bear Down and Go Cats!
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS BEGINS SEASON



Arizona Women's Tennis opened their season in impressive fashion last week at the Baylor Invite. A talented group of newcomers, that includes graduate transfer Salma Ziouti, earned singles victories over Arkansas, Texas A&M, Tulsa and others in the loaded field.
 
The group of newcomers earning singles wins also included the freshman quartet of Mary Grace Armistead, Taylor Meraz, Parker Fry and Belen Nevenhoven.
 
The Wildcats will look to continue this momentum from their season opener as they play in the USC Invite in Los Angeles this weekend. Follow ArizonaWildcats.com and @ArizonaWTennis for match details and information for the tournament.
 
SUCCESSFUL DAY ON COURSE FOR CROSS COUNTRY



Our annual Dave Murray Invitational was held at Rolling Hills Golf Course on Friday, and our men's and women's cross country teams showed out at the event. Sophomore Grace Driskill won the 6K race for her first collegiate win to lead the women to the team win. Grace was joined in the top 10 of the women's side by Maddy Christopher and Alisa Lyesina.
 
Junior Shem Kemboi was Arizona's top finisher on the men's side with a time of 24:47 to finish in fourth place in the 8K race. He was joined in the top 10 by Ayden Schilb and Jeffrey Sillers.
 
Arizona Cross Country will return to action in two weeks when they run in the Pre-NCAA Invitational in Florida before competing in the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships, which are being hosted by the University of Utah.

WEAR THE COLORS – SHARE THE PHOTOS

Send us your photos of you wearing the colors while staying safe!

Thank you for wearing the colors and sharing your Arizona pride! Make sure to take a picture the next time you are wearing the colors and send it to us, we just might include it in next week's Wildcat Wednesday! And even if your photo submission doesn't make  next week's edition, please check our "Wear the Colors" album at facebook.com/ArizonaAthletics on Fridays.
 
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.

Stay Safe, Bear Down and Mask Up!
 
Dave Heeke
Director of Athletics
University of Arizona
uofaad@arizona.edu