Wildcat Wednesday - Celebrating APIDA Heritage Month
05/04/2022 | Wildcat Wednesday, Inside Athletics
CELEBRATING APIDA HERITAGE MONTH
This week marks the beginning of our athletics department's Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month in collaboration with campus partners. We will celebrate APIDA Heritage Month with special content, events hosted by our Inclusive Excellence Council, and recognitions at a variety of home events.
Arizona Football's Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan were featured by the Pac-12 Networks to celebrate this important heritage month in an excellent interview with Yogi Roth. The freshmen duo talk about their pride in representing Polynesian culture as student-athletes at the University of Arizona during their journeys as Wildcats.
We will include updates and additional content throughout the month in upcoming Wildcat Wednesday emails as we celebrate a community that is as colorful and vibrant as it is diverse. APIDA Heritage Month is part of our department's strategic plan and commitment to our core values of diversity and inclusion. It's who we are as Wildcats, and it's how we live the Wildcat Way.
MEN'S TENNIS HEADS EAST FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT
Arizona Men's Tennis is off to the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season, which is a historic achievement for the program. While we are disappointed that we did not get the opportunity to host here in Tucson, we know our student-athletes, coaches and staff will show our Bear Down spirit of determination in North Carolina.
The Wildcats will face Princeton in the first round at 11 a.m. (MST) on Friday, May 6 in Cary, North Carolina with Navy and the host Tar Heels rounding out the field. Visit ArizonaWildcats.com for streaming and live stats information and links on match day. Bear Down and Go Cats!
SOFTBALL WINS AGAIN WITH MORE PAC-12 AWARDS
With a pair of wins over Fresno State over the weekend, Coach Lowe and the Wildcats have now won six straight games and 11 of their last 13 heading into this week's road trip. The four wins last week earned the program a pair of weekly awards with Allie Skaggs being named Pac-12 Player of the Week for a second consecutive week. Allie continues her dominant play at the plate with three home runs and nine runs batted in four wins over New Mexico State and Fresno State. She now sits in second in the Pac-12 with 19 homers for the season.
Allie was also our most recent guest on our department's "BearDown Podcast" where she discussed her journey to the program and a successful sophomore season. You can watch the episode here or explore streaming options to listen.
Paige Dimler earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors for her work at the plate as well. Paige tallied four home runs and eight RBI while earning a 1.313 slugging percentage for the week. She is now second among all freshmen in the conference in home runs with 10.
Arizona travels to the Bay Area for its final road series of the regular season this weekend. The Wildcats will play three games at California, beginning at 3 p.m. (MST) on Friday, May 6. Follow along all weekend at ArizonaWildcats.com for your gameday information.
MEN'S GOLF AT NCAA REGIONALS
Coach Anderson and the Wildcats are off to Texas for NCAA Regionals after the NCAA Selection Show aired on the Golf Channel earlier today. We are the sixth seed in the Bryan, Texas Regional, which begins on Monday, May 16. The Cats are part of a 13-team field that will play 54 holes over three days with the top five teams advancing to the NCAA Championships.
Earlier in the day, the golf duo of Christian Banke and Chase Sienkiewicz were named to the Pac-12's All-Conference teams. Christian was first team selection and Chase made the second team for a second consecutive season. Hats off to these two outstanding Wildcats on the well-earned awards and we want to wish the entire program good luck at NCAA Regionals.
SENIOR SEND OFF AT DESERT HEAT
Saturday's Desert Heat Classic was not only our final home track and field meet before the Pac-12 Championships, but it was our senior celebration for the outstanding student-athletes who live the Wildcat Way as academic, athletic and life champions. A dozen Wildcats were honored before the meet, with family and friends, as tributes to outstanding careers.
A plethora of personal bests were recorded in a variety of events during the meet, which included another Arizona sweep of the podium in the women's high jump. Alexa Porpaczy won the event with a mark of 1.78 meters with Lillian Lowe and Diana Ramos finishing second and third. The long jump also yielded impressive marks with Jenica Bosko posting the eighth-best mark in school history with her personal best of 6.10 meters. Other Wildcats with career marks on Saturday included Neysia Howard with a time of 11.51 seconds in the 100 meters and Trayvion White-Austin with the fastest time of his career in the 200-meter dash at 20.85 seconds.
The Pac-12 Championships are up next for Arizona Track & Field at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. The meet will begin on Friday, May 13 as our Wildcats prepare to proudly represent the Block A as a member of the Conference of Champions.
STUDENT-ATHLETE CONVOCATION
Holding a graduation ceremony for our student-athletes is one of our department's marquee events. It's a special moment to see these outstanding young women and men fulfill their lifelong dreams of earning their college degrees in front of their family and friends. It marks incredible memories and powerful moments for each and every Wildcat that hears their name called and walks across the stage. It's equally powerful to witness this life-changing moment in person.
We will host this special convocation at 9 a.m. (MST) on Thursday, May 12 inside the Cole and Jeannie Davis Sports Center with free admission. If you are unable to attend, Arizona Athletics will be livestreaming the ceremony to our dedicated Pac-12 streaming platform.
COMPLIANCE CORNER
As incoming prospective student-athletes plan their housing arrangements ahead of their arrival in Tucson, please remember that NCAA rules still prohibit boosters, including former student-athletes and fans, from arranging or facilitating housing for prospective student-athletes. This would be considered a recruiting inducement to the prospect and can negatively impact their 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.
Please reach out to the compliance office with any questions. Ica-compliance@arizona.edu
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO THE WILDCAT FAMILY
With Mother's Day on the horizon on Sunday, May 8, I want to wish all the wonderful mothers in the Wildcat Family and beyond a very happy holiday. As your family celebrates the amazing moms in your family on Sunday, please thank them for their sacrifices and show appreciation for everything they do. Bear Down!
WEAR THE COLORS – SHARE THE PHOTOS
Send us your photos of you wearing the colors!
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.
Bear Down and Go Cats!
Dave Heeke
Vice President and Director of Athletics
University of Arizona
uofaad@arizona.edu
