With Thanksgiving today, I posted the question on social media: Who is the University of Arizona athlete past or present that you are most thankful for?
Here are the responses, strictly from fan and reader responses:
David Adams, Jerry Beasley and Jon Horton, Arizona standouts in the early 1990s mentioned together here because they all stayed home and played for the hometown team after stellar careers at Sunnyside.
Adia Barnes, a legendary player who has coached her alma mater to unprecedented success, including the appearance in the 2020-21 national championship game and drawing significantly large crowds at McKale.
Mike Bibby, led Arizona to its lone national title in 1996-97 as a freshman point guard, exhibiting grace under pressure.
Darrell Brooks, defensive back during the mid 2000s who mentored former Arizona defender Victor Yates.
Tedy Bruschi, ESPN NFL analyst who was a catalyst of the Desert Swarm defense under Dick Tomey recording a Division I sack record of 52 before playing 13 years in the NFL with the New England Patriots (three-time Super Bowl champ).
Brandon Dawkins, quarterback who took on the responsibility of leading the team during a 3-9 season in 2016, ending with a 56-35 win over Arizona State to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Jay Dobyns, an inspiration leader as a wide receiver on Larry Smith’s early 1980’s teams who went on to be a federal agent.
Bob Elliott, “Big Bird” as he was called during his Arizona days because of his height and kind manner, was part of the early Fred Snowden teams that established the Wildcats as a national program.
Sean Elliott, Arizona’s best basketball player from Cholla High School who played a full four years although enticed after his junior season of going pro.
Jennie Finch, dominant pitcher for Mike Candrea who is one of the school’s most appreciated ambassadors as a widely popular figure in softball.
Kevin Flanagan, one of Arizona’s most popular reserves who played in only 66 games with seven starts in his four-year career with the Wildcats from 1990-94.
Terry Francona, baseball great who donated funds to build a hitting facility for the Wildcats at Hi Corbett Field and is a future Hall of Famer as a manager who led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles.
Al Fleming, a “Kiddie Korps” member during Snowden’s early years who was a hard-working rebounding extraordinaire.
Carla Garrett, world-class distance thrower who has impacted many as a longtime strength and conditioning coach at Salpointe (also Pima Community College).
Jacob Hazzard, four-year Arizona reserve who played in only 43 games during the Sean Miller years (2012-16) yet kept a healthy attitude
Richard Jefferson, loquacious ESPN broadcaster who six years after reaching the 2000-01 national title game with the Wildcats donated $3.5 million for a basketball and volleyball practice facility to be built adjacent to McKale Center.
Steve Kerr, part of Lute Olson’s foundational teams after Olson came to Arizona in 1983 who came to Tucson widely unknown but left as one of the most popular athletes ever to wear a Wildcat uniform.
Kayden Luke, a freshman running back who after leading Canyon del Oro to an unbeaten season last year joined the program as a preferred walk-on and has contributed significantly as a lead blocker out of the backfield in key situations.
Art Luppino, the “Cactus Comet” who became one of the first nationally recognized football players out of the program as the nation’s leading rusher in 1954 and 1955.
Gail Masi, Wildcat softball pioneer who led Arizona to its first Women’s College World Series appearances in 1974 and 1975.
TJ McConnell, another inspirational leader who became a fan favorite during the Sean Miller era and has defied the odds by entering his 10th season in the NBA.
Randy Robbins, cornerback who went on to play with the Denver Broncos and is now a longtime athletic director at Casa Grande High School.
John “Button” Salmon, the most inspirational leader of Arizona athletics, a captain of the 1926 team, who that year reportedly told coach Pop McKale on his deathbed after an automobile accident: “Tell them … tell the team to ‘Bear Down’.”
Brandon Sanders, Arizona football staffer who after being part of the Desert Swarm defense and playing in the NFL for the New York Giants returned to Tucson and served the community as coach at Pueblo High School.
Michael Scurlock, jack-of-all-trades defender for Dick Tomey’s Desert Swarm defense who graduated from Cholla after attending Sunnyside.
Miles Simon, Arizona’s Final Four MVP whose ascent during the NCAA tournament that year was legendary (“Simon says, ‘Championship,'” Billy Packer said as the national championship game against Kentucky came to an end).
Jason Terry (and Terry’s knee-high “ARIZONA” socks), significant reason why Arizona won the 1996-97 national title because in his second year in the program, he accepted his role as a sixth man giving way to freshman sensation Mike Bibby at the point guard spot.
Sam Thomas, women’s basketball fan favorite who helped get Adia Barnes’ program off the ground.
Max Zendejas, Sun Devil killer who made game-winning field goals against Arizona State at Tempe in 1983 and 1985 and also converted a last-second field goal to beat Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator in 2016 and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.
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