LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Wildcat alums Jennie Finch (Softball) and Richard Jefferson (Men's Basketball) will represent Arizona on the Big 12's inaugural Alumni Council, as announced by the league office on Wednesday.

The Big 12 Alumni Council is comprised of 32 former student-athletes from men's and women's programs across each Big 12 institution. The Council was created to leverage the experience and expertise of some of the Big 12's most notable student-athlete alumni as the Conference enters a new era. These alumni will provide guidance and insights surrounding a variety of topics, including brand building, athlete relations, storytelling, digital content and much more.

In turn, each Council member will receive a variety of resources and amenities, including networking access to the Big 12's Business Advisory Board for professional networking, league support of council member's community initiatives, media opportunities on behalf of the league and VIP access to all Big 12 Championships and Conference events.
 
The Council will be overseen by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and VP of Communications & Strategy Clark Williams. The Council will kick off in August 2024, as the Big 12 officially becomes a 16-team league.

Finch, a three-time All-American, graduated from Arizona in 2002. She was the two-time Honda Softball Player of the Year and led the Wildcats to their 2001 NCAA Championship. Finch competed for the United States in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, helping the team to a gold medal in '04 and silver in '08. She remains the owner of the best perfect season in NCAA Softball history, going 32-0 in 2001. After graduating, she was named USA Softball Athlete of the Year in 2009 and was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Jefferson played for Arizona Men's Basketball from 1998-2001, earning All-Pac-10 Freshman Team distinction alongside All-Region and All-Final Four Team accolades during the team's 2001 NCAA Tournament run. He was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Pac-12 Basketball Hall of Honor in 2012. Jefferson was selected in the 2001 NBA Draft with the 13th pick by the Houston Rockets and played in the league until his retirement in 2018. He reached the NBA Finals in each of his first two pro seasons and won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics with Team USA.