At 24-4, Arizona is tied for the second-fewest losses among teams left in the NCAA Tournament. Three of the teams that beat the Wildcats are still left in the field, including the one who handed them their first defeat to open the 2026 season.
Eighth-seeded Arizona will host No. 9 Oklahoma (20-6) in the Super Regionals at 1 p.m. PT Saturday at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center. It’s the first time in program history the Wildcats will host a Sweet 16 match.
Arizona began the regular season in January at
Oklahoma, losing 4-2. Asked about that result on Saturday, UA players and coaches remember it vividly.
“They exposed us, they showed us where we needed to get better,” coach Clancy Shields said.
Added senior Jay Friend: “We beat ourselves, honestly. If we went in there with a chip in our shoulder like we did every other match, we would have been able to take that. But we beat ourselves. We weren’t ready. We weren’t prepared. But now we are.”
Friend’s match at No. 1 singles went unfinished, but four of his teammates lost singles matches in straight sets. The only Wildcat to win was sophomore Matthias Uwe Kask, who won in straight sets at No. 6 against Clemson in the second round in place of an ill teammate.
Arizona started the season 3-2, losing at home to LSU in the first round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend tourney, and were 5-3 after a loss at San Diego before running off 16 consecutive wins to claim the Big 12 regular season title and reach the conference tournament final.
The Wildcats are making their fifth appearance in the Sweet 16, including four consecutive visits, but have yet to advance further. A win over Oklahoma will send them to Athens, Ga., for the quarterfinals on May 14.
A solid crowd was on hand for the win over Clemson, and Shields is hoping an even bigger one will be there next weekend especially after seeing the atmosphere at Oklahoma in January.
“It was the best crowd, it’s the loudest match maybe I’ve played in ever,” Shields said. “I mean, it was rocking, it was inside. It was so loud. And I hope we can return the favor if we play them. I want this to be the loudest place and to bring so much energy.”
