J.F. "Pop" McKale's first team as UA athletic director and coach, its tenacious, hard-fought loss to west coast powerhouse Occidental College in Los Angeles prompted Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Henry to write, "The Arizona men showed the fight of wildcats." Immediately thereafter, the UA student body voted to adopt "Wildcats" as the nickname for The University’s athletic teams. At the end of the season, this first Wildcat team defeated Pomona College 7-6 for the Southwest Football Championship, Arizona's first athletic title. In addition to "Pop McKale, UA Sports Hall of Fame members Orville "Speedy" McPherson and Asa Porter were members of this team.