Dear Wildcats, 

In the month of January, the Arizona Wildcats have continued our momentum from 2025 and we thank you for the role that you continue to play in our ascension. Your loyalty, belief, and pride in the University of Arizona are not just visible on game days — they are felt in the daily lives of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff. Because of you, Arizona Athletics is more than a department—it is a community. 

Our student-athletes finished the semester with a record setting 3.41 cumulative GPA and our sports programs continue to flourish since my last message to you: 

• Football finished the season with nine wins, including the Territorial Cup, demonstrating remarkable progress. 
• Men’s Basketball stands undefeated at 19–0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation. 
• Women’s Basketball earned a signature win over BYU. 
• Swimming & Diving placed first in multiple events at the Big 12 West Tournament. 
• Men's Golf won its first event of the spring, the Copper Cup, by defeating ASU and UCLA.
• Gymnastics, Track & Field, Tennis, and Golf have all opened their seasons with impressive performances. 

Results matter. But what matters just as much is how they are achieved — through discipline, accountability, and pride in representing Arizona. 

That pride is also what connects the stories that define this Wildcat community. 

Baseball student-athlete Chaz McNellis balances academics, competition, and fatherhood. His one-year-old son (known affectionately as “Baby G”) has grown up in the Wildcat clubhouse, surrounded by teammates who consider themselves his extended family. His story recently captured national attention - because it is authentic and reflects responsibility, maturity, and the support system that Arizona Athletics strives to provide every student-athlete. You can read the story here.   

At a recent Gymnastics meet, television analyst Michele Strom, parent of current Wildcat gymnast, Emma Strom, was on the microphone while watching her daughter compete on the beam. The moment resonated across the country and will soon be featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter. It was not just a television moment; it was a reminder that Arizona Athletics is built on generations of Wildcats who continue to invest in this place and in each other. 

That same generational pride was evident at our Big 12 home basketball opener against Kansas State, when our team met Michelle, a Tucson native, and her children, Mary and Matthew. They proudly shared how they learned the Arizona fight song at a young age and told them what makes McKale Center special — from the band to the energy of the crowd. In that moment, we were reminded that every season is carried forward by families, traditions, and shared memories. 

These stories are different, but they are connected. They reflect what makes Arizona Athletics unique, a place where competition and character, tradition and future, excellence and family all coexist. 

Last week, we launched the Saguaro Society, a philanthropic leadership program created to support the priorities of the Bear Down Blueprint and enhance the student-athlete experience. The Saguaro Society reflects our belief that Arizona Athletics is strongest when our community leads together. For more information on the Saguaro Society visit our website here.  

As we look ahead, we invite you to continue walking this journey with us. 

Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Football season ticket renewals are launching soon, and we sincerely hope you will renew your seats for the upcoming season. Your renewal is more than a transaction — it is a commitment to the student-athletes who represent this university, to the traditions we protect, and to the future we are building together. We encourage you to renew early and remain part of the environment that makes Arizona one of the most special places in college athletics.  

A special thank you to those that completed our recent feasibility study surveys. We heard you and we look forward to sharing enhancement updates to McKale Center and Casino Del Sol Stadium soon.  

In 2026, we will continue to celebrate wins, growth, resilience, and the people who define Arizona Athletics. We look forward to seeing you in our venues, hearing your cheers in our stands, and sharing another year of memories together. 

Thank you for believing in our Wildcats. Thank you for believing in this community. 

Bear Down, 

Desireé Reed-Francois

R. Ken Coit Director of Athletics

University of Arizona