Arizona Wildcats' 'Santa Claus' is Brian Brigger, the #EMOY by Arizona Daily Star
Top-Seeded Wildcats Credit Equipment Manager as Their X-Factor by KOLD News
Brian Brigger joined Arizona Athletics as assistant director of equipment operations for Men’s Basketball in 2012 and rose up the ranks of the department before being promoted, most recently, to Assistant A.D., Equipment Operations in January of 2023.
He is responsible for all facets of McKale Center equipment operations, which includes Wildcats’ shoes, uniforms, apparel and equipment as well as serving as Arizona’s Nike liaison. Brigger has spent the duration of his tenure in Tucson serving the Arizona Men’s Basketball program while also working with men’s tennis, women’s soccer and its golf programs.
Known affectionately as “EMOY”, he oversaw the creation and rollout of Arizona Men’s Basketball newest uniform revision. The plethora of historical throwback uniforms are tributes to Arizona’s late 1980’s and mid 1990’s championship teams.
Prior to his arrival at Arizona, Brigger spent seven seasons at the University of Pittsburgh. His time at Pitt was split among numerous programs, including men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s basketball and men’s basketball. He spent the last five seasons as the equipment manager for head coach Jamie Dixon and the Panther basketball program.
Prior to his tenure in Pittsburgh, he was an equipment intern at the College of William & Mary and the University of Central Florida where he worked with a variety of programs, including baseball and football.
Brigger began his career in college basketball as a four-year manager for the Xavier Musketeers under head coaches Thad Matta and the late Skip Prosser while earning his undergraduate degree. As a part of extensive postseason runs at Pitt and Arizona, he has garnered a dedicated social media following with his popular postseason shoe and apparel creations.
The Wyoming, Ohio native is a certified equipment manager through the Athletic Equipment Managers Association (AEMA) and a 2004 graduate of Xavier University with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. Brigger had a decorated, three-year prep career as a goalkeeper at Wyoming High School.
