Arizona Athletics
- Baseball’s College World Series Run: The Arizona Wildcats advanced to their 19th Men’s College World Series in Omaha. Their journey included winning the Big 12 Tournament, the NCAA Eugene Regional, and the NCAA Chapel Hill Super Regional. The Wildcats lost their first two games in Omaha but left there feeling the program was back in high standing nationally. Arizona reliever Tony Pluta was presented the 2025 NCBWA Stopper of the Year award the day the Wildcats started play in the CWS.
- Salpointe Grad Mason White Completes Illustrious Arizona Career: White posted a team-high 20 home runs while driving in 73 runs and batting .327 on the season. During the NCAA postseason, White hit four home runs, drove in seven RBI and racked up eight hits. White belted 49 home runs putting him second all-time in program history behind Shelley Duncan, who hit 55 with the Wildcats. To go along with his 49 home runs, White drove in 173 RBIs in 704 plate appearances where he racked up 222 hits while batting .315 for his career. He did all this while starting in 177 games during his time with the program.
- Chip Hale Earns Four-Year Contract Extension: Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale, who guided his alma mater to four straight NCAA tournaments and the College World Series in 2025, signed a four-year contract extension that extends through the 2030 season, athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois announced June 23. Arizona baseball has long been one of the nation’s premier programs, and coach Chip Hale has honored that legacy while elevating our standard of excellence,” said Reed-Francois stated in a press release.
- Carter Bryant Taken 14th Overall in NBA Draft: Carter, whose NBA draft stock rose throughout his freshman season in 2024-25, reached the No. 14 pick overall (the last lottery selection) by the San Antonio Spurs on June 25. Bryant, a 6-foot-7 wing player who can also play power forward, is the 27th player in Arizona history to be selected in the first round (this is not including Leon Wood, who started his career at Arizona before transferring to Cal State Fullerton and became a first-round pick in 1984). Bryant, 19, answered “definitely” to ESPN Radio after his selection when asked if he was looking at the Spurs as a possible suitor during the draft process. He will become a teammate of 7-foot-3 center Victor Wembanyama, a budding star at only 21.
- Other Arizona Coaches Earn Extensions: Gymnastics coach John Court signed through 2028 after being named Big 12 Coach of the Year and leading the team to a Sweet 16 finish. Women’s Tennis Coach Ryan Stotland also signed through 2028.
Other Developments
- Tucson Baseball Team Announces Official Start of Operations: The Tucson Baseball Team of the Mexican Pacific League held a press conference June 20 to announce the official beginning of their operations at the Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.
- Audrey Jimenez Sweeps to Final X Championship: Sunnyside graduate Audrey Jimenez, a pioneer in female wrestling in the state as the best to emerge in the burgeoning competition, will represent the United States at the United World Wrestling (UWW) Senior World Championships in Croatia in September after sweeping her best-of-three series against Erin Golston on June 13 at Final X at Prudential Center at Newark, N.J. Jimenez, entering her sophomore year at Lehigh University, won her matches 10-2 and 12-2 Saturday to secure the World Team spot at 50 kg (110 pounds).
Jet Sports Training Athletes of the Month
USA wrestler Audrey Jimenez
Sabino track runner Milo Mandolini
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