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INCREASED ATTENDANCE

Beginning with Arizona Softball's NCAA Tucson Regional, I am thrilled to announce that we will increase our home capacity to 100 percent. This will not only include NCAA Postseason for softball, but tomorrow's Tucson Elite meet and remaining baseball games.


 
Our phased approach to allowing fans in the stands has been done in lockstep with Pima County Health as well as the University of Arizona and focused on the health and safety of all. We began with just student-athlete families and methodically grew from there in phases.
 
I've spoken at length on the importance of attendance to the fan experience and the student-athlete experience. Coming to the ballpark and cheering on the Wildcats is part of what makes Arizona Athletics a special place. Our home atmosphere at games this spring has continued to improve as we've safely welcomed the Wildcat Family. It is key to continue this important process as we host NCAA postseason competition, and our student-athletes compete on the biggest of stages. Please remember to follow University of Arizona guidelines, sit in assigned seats and Bear Down!
 
STUDENT-ATHLETE CONVOCATION RECAP



I was honored to be a part of our 2021 Student-Athlete Convocation last week as we celebrated this year's Wildcat graduates safely in-person inside the Cole and Jeannie Davis Sports Center. This outstanding group of student-athletes not only fulfilled their lifelong dreams of earning their college degrees, but they overcame the unprecedented adversity of a global pandemic. My message to these graduates acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the last 18 months and how that helped shaped them to be a determined class of Wildcats.
 
The 2021 class of student-athlete graduates included four valedictorians who graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA and honors. Hats off to Jonny Baham from Beach Volleyball, Courtney Cowles from Gymnastics, Gitte Heynemans from Women's Tennis and Track and Field's Trevor Volpe for this tremendous accomplishment and for your powerful speeches at convocation.
 
These Wildcats are about to begin a new chapter in their lives. They've shown us what it means to Bear Down as student-athletes on the field, in the classroom and in our community. This year's class has proudly represented the athletics department, the University of Arizona, our Southern Arizona community, Wildcats across the globe and their own families. They will continue to be terrific ambassadors as alumni and a part of the Wildcat Family forever. Congratulations again to this year's graduates. Bear Down and Go Cats!
 
THE QUEST FOR A FOURTH NATIONAL TITLE



Arizona Women's Golf will compete for another national championship, beginning this Friday at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale. After advancing through the Stanford Regional in impressive fashion, Arizona is prepared for this year's NCAA Championships.
 
The team has overcome numerous obstacles this spring and continued to grow and improve to play its best golf of the year in the postseason. This was highlighted by senior Yu-Sang Hou shooting the best round of her career when she carded a 66 on the final round of regional play.
 
The NCAA Championships begin with three days of stroke play with the top teams advancing to match play. We've seen just how exciting this event is when the Golf Channel airs the match play championships.
 
Competing for a national championship is the dream of every student-athlete, coach and program. This represents true competitive excellence, and we will be cheering on Coach Ianello and the Wildcats in Scottsdale!
 
POSTSEASON SOFTBALL AT HILLENBRAND



Arizona Softball is onto NCAA postseason play for a 34^th consecutive season, which is the longest streak in the history of NCAA Softball. Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium will once again host NCAA Regionals where iconic moments and Wildcat legends have been made throughout the last four decades. This year's quest for the Women's College World Series begins on Friday, May 21 at 5:30 p.m. (MST) versus UMBC on ESPN3 and ESPN streaming services. Tickets to this weekend's NCAA Regional can be purchased here.
 
Please be aware of updated guidelines for fans visiting the University of Arizona.
 
Before the Wildcats open postseason play, we'd like to recognize the team's impressive run of Pac-12 awards, which included Janelle Meoño winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors after finishing the season as the Pac-12's batting champion with an impressive .442 average. Seniors Jessie Harper, Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza, Dejah Mulipola, Alyssa Denham and Reyna Carranco dominated the all-conference teams. Junior Hannah Bowen was selected to the Second Team All-Pac-12 while freshman Sharlize Palacios joined Harper, Mulipola and Meoño on the All-Pac-12 First Teams. Sharlize and Janelle were joined by Carlie Sculpin on the All-Freshmen Team as well. To see the on-field excellence of a senior class, a junior and underclassmen is a testament to those student-athletes and the program.
 
A HISTORIC MEN'S TENNIS SEASON



Hats off and congratulations to our men's tennis program for their tremendous year. The team not only posted its winningest season in program history, but it re-wrote the record books in the NCAA Tournament by advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Coach Shields and the Wildcats showcased what it means to Bear Down all season long, including when it made national headlines downing Michigan and Kentucky in the postseason.
 
This magical season is a great accomplishment for all the student-athletes, coaches and staff, especially for the seniors on the team who helped raise the program to new heights. Arizona Men's Tennis has grown from a program on the rise to a program of national prominence in a short amount of time.
 
Congratulations again to the entire program on a phenomenal season. Thank you to the upperclassmen for their years of hard work and dedication. We also want to wish freshman Gustaf Strom good luck when he continues his singles postseason competition on Sunday. The future is bright for Arizona Men's Tennis, and we can't wait to see what's next.
 
TRACK & FIELD EARNS PAC-12 TITLES



Arizona Track & Field brought home four individual conference titles from the Pac-12 Championships in Los Angeles over the weekend. Freshman Johnnie Blockburger continued his record-breaking season in the 400 meters by winning the individual conference championship. Samantha Noennig brought home a Pac-12 crown in the shot put while Jordan Geist made it a shot put sweep with his title on the men's side. Arizona's fourth champion was Justice Summerset who won the Pac-12 Championship in the high jump.
 
The championship-filled weekend was yet another chapter in the outstanding spring season for our outdoor track and field program. Next up will be NCAA Regionals in College Station next week as the Wildcats will look to continue their banner postseason.
 
I also want to congratulate Johnnie Blockburger on being named Pac-12 Men's Track & Field Freshman of the Year and Jordan Geist on being named Pac-12 Men's Field Athlete of the Year. Johnnie and Jordan have performed at an elite level all season long.
 
NEW PAC-12 LEADERSHIP

I am excited to welcome new Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff to the Conference of Champions. George brings an impactful blend of sports media and business experience, but he also has roots in the college athletics model as a former student-athlete at Boston University. His professional experience will create a vision for the Pac-12 Conference that will navigate the everchanging landscape of college athletics while also continuing to improve and refine the student-athlete experience on all 12 university campuses in the Pac-12 footprint.
 
George is a relationship builder and a problem solver who has a deep appreciation and understanding for that it means to be a part of the Conference of Champions. I look forward to hosting him and our conference counterparts on our campus for his listening tour, and I believe he will help us increase collaboration with the conference office. The future of the Pac-12 Conference is bright, and I look forward to working side by side with George to ensure it is realized.

COMPLIANCE CORNER
Dear valued alumni, donors, and fans:

 As incoming prospective student-athletes plan their housing arrangements in preparation for their arrival in Tucson, please remember that NCAA rules generally prohibit boosters, including former student-athletes and fans from arranging or facilitating housing for prospective student-athletes. NCAA rules broadly prohibit boosters from providing prospective student-athletes with special arrangements or benefits, and any involvement in arranging or facilitating housing for a prospect may result in a NCAA legislation and risk the individual's eligibility.
Examples of impermissible housing arrangements include:

• Allowing a prospect to couch surf at your home or arranging housing on behalf of the prospect
• Otherwise providing free or discounted accommodations at hotels, Airbnb, housesitting, etc.
• Facilitating special housing arrangements with landlords or management property companies with discounts or extra perks based on athletics participation (e.g., free parking, waiver of safety deposit, etc.)

Prospects will understandably have questions about housing and likely reach out to their coaches or perhaps even boosters to inquire about housing recommendations. Please remember that if a prospect calls you on his or her own initiative, you must direct the prospect's call immediately to a coaching staff member. Institutional staff are permitted to provide information about popular housing locations and provide general directory information. However, it is impermissible for staff and boosters to arrange housing accommodations for a prospect. Arizona staff should not direct prospects to contact boosters for potential housing arrangements.

Arizona alumni, donors and fans are reminded to bring any questions about prospective or current student-athlete housing to the Compliance Office. Ask before you act! You can reach the Compliance Office at ica-compliance@email.arizona.edu.

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