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CONGRATULATIONS ARIZONA WOMEN'S GOLF

I had the privilege of watching our women's golf team compete in person at the NCAA Championships in Scottsdale this week. The Wildcats continued a legacy of postseason excellence as they became the only program in the nation to reach the semifinals of match play in each of the last three NCAA Championships. Arizona made it three for three this year in dramatic fashion as Gile Bite Starkute buried a birdie putt in a playoff hole to create yet another iconic moment for the program. The team fought until the very end and came up just short versus Ole Miss in the semifinals.


 
Tip of the cap to our outstanding student-athletes, Coach Ianello, Coach Bubser and the entire program for another great season. This has been one of the most challenging seasons to navigate, and Arizona Women's Golf showed the nation yet again what it means to Bear Down! The Wildcat Family is incredibly proud of this special program and the tremendous ambassadors for our University that you all are.
 
SOFTBALL IS ON TO FAYETTEVILLE



With a thrilling final victory to win the Tucson Regional, Arizona Softball has punched its ticket to Super Regionals for a seventh consecutive season and for a 15^th time in program history. With new attendance guidelines in place for the regional, a jam-packed Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium over the weekend was a picturesque scene to witness. The energy in the stadium was dynamic, and it served as a reminder to the powerful impact our gameday experience can have for those on the field and in the stands.
 
Deep postseason runs represent an elite level of competition and Arizona Softball represents this championship excellence. Their 2021 season continues at the University of Arkansas, beginning with an opening game with the Razorbacks at 4 p.m. (MST) on Friday, May 28 at 4 p.m. (MST) on ESPNU. This has already been a tremendous season for Coach Candrea and the Wildcats, and we can't wait to see them keep it going in Arkansas. Bear Down and Go Cats!
 
PAC-12 CHAMPIONS: ARIZONA BASEBALL



Another one of our programs clinched a conference title last week when Arizona Baseball won its marquee series at Oregon State to win at least a share of the conference title. The 2021 crown marked the first Pac-12 championship for the program since 2012 in what is one of the toughest leagues to play in nationally. Coach Johnson and the Wildcats have built this banner season on a foundation of being one of the top offenses in the nation and clutch pitching on the mound. This conference title is a great accomplishment for the program who has put its heart and soul into each and every day of the season.
 
With the Pac-12 regular season complete, Arizona Baseball will host Dixie State for a non-conference finale this week. The three-game series with the Trailblazers begins on Thursday, May 27 at 6 p.m. (MST) at Hi Corbett Field. Click here to get your tickets to watch one of the best teams in college baseball in their final series before the NCAA Tournament begins. Hi Corbett Field is one of the top venues in the nation, and the electric game day atmosphere is truly one of a kind.
 
THANK YOU TONY AMATO



I want to thank Tony Amato for his eight years of service as head coach of our soccer team. Coach Amato finished his Arizona career as the winningest coach in school history and took us to five NCAA Tournaments after the program had only played in two prior to his arrival. Tony built Arizona Soccer into a national program as his teams starred on the pitch, in the classroom and in our community. He established a program of sustained excellence at Arizona, and I would like to commend him on that.
 
We will certainly miss Tony and his family in at the University of Arizona, and I want to wish him the best of luck as he takes over another program. We will find another great leader to be our head coach to write the next great chapters in Arizona Soccer history as we prepare for another outstanding season this fall.
 
MORE CONFERENCE ACCOLADES FOR WILDCATS



Arizona Women's Tennis earned recognition from the Pac-12 Conference in its postseason awards as Jelena Lukic and Kayla Williams were named All-Pac-12 Honorable mention for their hard work on the court this spring. Jelena was an outstanding competitor in singles and doubles this season and became the first Wildcat since Lauren Marker in 2017 to make an all-conference first or second team. Kayla's honor came in her sophomore season as she posted a strong 6-2 record in the No. 2 spot for the team.
 
Congratulations Jelena and Kayla on these accolades for your excellence on the court. It's not easy to be recognized by the Conference of Champions, and this is a testament to your hard work and dedication to being great. Bear Down!
 
MEN'S TENNIS DOMINATES PAC-12 AWARDS



Our men's tennis team had a fantastic season and was recognized by the Pac-12 for their efforts this year. For the second season in a row, Clancy Shields was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year in just his fifth season as head coach. Coach Shields is the first coach in Arizona history to be named Pac-12 Coach of the Year twice, and I couldn't be more proud of his leadership he has displayed in his time at Arizona.
 
I also want to give a shoutout to Gustaf Strom, who was named Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Pac-12 First Team. Gustaf qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships last week and has a very bright future ahead of him. Jonas Ziverts, Alejandro Reguant and Filip Malbasic rounded out our Pac-12 postseason awards. Hats off to all these Wildcats on the well-earned awards and on a terrific season.
 
BEAR DOWN BEACH VOLLEYBALL



After one of the most successful seasons in program history, our beach volleyball team saw four players receive All-Pac-12 honors, the most in a season since 2016. Congratulations go to Sarah Blacker, Alana Rennie and Alex Parkhurst on being named to the Second Team, while Mady Noble was named to the All-Freshman team. As a team, the Wildcats finished with a 22-6 overall record with six wins over Top 25 teams and narrowly missed out on being one of eight teams selected for the NCAA Championship.
 
Coach Walker and the Wildcats continue to establish Arizona Beach Volleyball has a premier program nationally in one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Each season bring more success and accolades, and we are proud to have this special group of student-athletes and coaches representing the University of Arizona.
 
BEST OF LUCK ARIZONA TRACK & FIELD

After a successful Pac-12 Championships in Los Angeles that saw four Wildcats win individual titles, the postseason continues for Arizona Track and Field at NCAA West Prelims at Texas A&M. The action in College Station begins on Thursday as our student-athletes will look to Bear Down and qualify for NCAA Championships in June at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Follow along at @ArizonaTrack on social media platforms and visit ArizonaWildcats.com for updates from Texas A&M. Good luck to our 25 Wildcats competing for NCAA glory.
 
GET READY FOR FOOTBALL SEASON

We are offering a variety of ticketing options for the fans who are ready to lock in their seats for the 2021 Arizona Football season. Utilize our flex pack options to pick any three of our six home games this fall for a discounted ticket rate per game. Pricing is dependent on selected games but start at just $35.
 
Fans can also use the Wildcat Mobile Pass for your paperless ticketing needs. This pass guarantees entry to all six of our home games at Arizona Stadium with a variety of seating areas to choose from to allow fans to experience different views and amenities. Mobile tickets get delivered to your device 24 hours prior to kick off and start at just $70 for the regular pass and $150 for premium.
 
COMPLIANCE CORNER

Now that we have completed the spring semester, many of our student-athletes will take advantage of the additional time to seek employment opportunities to improve their resumes and get quality work experience. While employment is permissible year round, the summer tends to be the time when student-athletes have more flexibility to explore jobs and internships in Tucson and around the country. Please remember, NCAA rules specify that a student-athlete must be paid the local going rate for their job and must perform the duties of the job for which they were hired. Furthermore, student-athletes must have all employment approved by the Compliance Office. If you're thinking about hiring a student-athlete, please contact the Compliance Office with any questions you may have.

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