Editor’s note: With several sports going on, Wildcat Wrap serves as a recap that focuses on the Arizona programs that we do not have the time to cover on a regular basis but are certainly worthy of recognition.
The Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held this weekend at Arizona’s Drachman Stadium. The event begins Thursday and runs through Saturday.
Arizona enters the postseason with 10 athletes (six men and four women) ranked in the top 25 in their respective events. The Wildcats
are excelling in men’s sprinting and women’s high jumpers competitions, as well as the men’s 1,500 meter.
Kansas State and Texas Tech are the favorites on the men’s side, and BYU, Texas Tech and Baylor will be competing for a conference title on the women’s side.
All coverage will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can purchase single-day tickets for $15 or a three-day all-session pass for $30 on Arizona Athletics’ website.
Women’s golf
Women’s golf’s season came to an end at NCAA Regionals in Stanford, Calif., where the Wildcats finished in eighth place. The top five teams advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Arizona shot a 32-over par across three rounds. The UA was led by Kensley Ni, a freshman, who shot 5-over. Senior Nena Wongthanavimok concluded her collegiate career by shooting 8-over.
Arizona was without Charlotte Back, its top golfer, due to an injury. Arizona coach Giovana Maymon also opted not to start senior Julia Misemer, who had struggled down the stretch of the regular season.
Missing the NCAA Championships is a disappointing result for a team that spent much of the season hovering around the top 25.
Men’s tennis
Men’s tennis will take on top-seed Wake Forest Thursday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament in Athens, Ga. The match will start at 1 p.m. MST and will be streamed on ESPN+.
The No. 8 seed Wildcats are competing in the NCAA Tennis Championships for the first time in program history after taking down Oklahoma last weekend in the Sweet 16.
This is a team that has accomplished their main goal, and now they’re hunting for something else, and they’re playing free, and we’re gonna play free down there in Athens,“ Arizona coach Clancy Shields said after beating Oklahoma. ”I think our team’s gonna have the most fun, and they’re playing with the least amount of pressure. And that’s a dangerous squad. And I think our team also knows how good we are.”
Arizona (24-4) has four singles players ranked nationally, led by No. 4 Jay Friend. Three Wake Forest players are ranked in the top 40. Wake Forest also has the top-ranked doubles pair.
Wake Forest is seeking to win back-to-back national championships. The Demon Deacons (23-3) have a 5-0 record on neutral courts, while Arizona is 2-1 on neutral sites.
