Arizona expecting ‘reduced capacity’ at football games in 2020

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Arizona Wildcats have a new conference-only football schedule that includes a home opener against the Arizona State Sun Devils—what a world!—but it remains to be seen how many, if any, fans will be allowed into Arizona Stadium to take it all in.

That will be determined by the UA at a later date with advice from local, state and federal health officials.

However, season ticket holders were notified by email Friday that although an official decision has not been made, the UA expects to have “reduced capacity” to begin the season.

The email also said tailgating and other fan amenities may be unavailable, though the hope is to increase them, and capacity, as the season progresses.

Arizona’s revised schedule calls for them to have five home games: Sept. 26 vs. ASU, Oct. 10 vs. Colorado, Oct. 24 vs. USC, Nov. 14 vs. Cal, and Nov. 20 vs. Oregon.

What does “reduced capacity” mean?

Well, UA athletic director Dave Heeke said on the radio last week that even 50 percent capacity could be a stretch at this point since the state of Arizona has been a major coronavirus hotspot since late June.

“Lots of social distancing, lots of procedures and protocols,” Heeke said in an interview with Eye on the Ball. “When we think about food service, and we think about parking, we think about tailgating, all of those things are going to be modified dramatically. It’s going to be a much different experience, but we do hope we can have an experience where people can come and at least support the team and watch the team and be part of it.”

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2P9QlXM
via IFTTT

6 takeaways from Arizona’s new 2020 football schedule

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

We now know when the Arizona Wildcats will begin the 2020 football season. Maybe. Hopefully.

Nothing is certain amid a pandemic that has kept college sports from happening for nearly five months, but as it stands now the UA is set to open Sept. 26 at home against rival ASU. It will be the first time the Wildcats have started the season against the Sun Devils, whom they’ve lost three straight against, since 1946.

Arizona has five home games and five on the road in this revised 10-game conference-only schedule. A link to the full schedule, for Arizona and the Pac-12, can be found here, while below are some takeaways from the new slate:

Movable parts

Considering the massive amount of uncertainty that remains amid an ongoing pandemic, the revised schedule does allow for some early games to be moved back if something prevents one team or another from playing.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said during a virtual press conference that this was the onus behind having Arizona and ASU open against each other, since those schools would likely be in the same boat in terms of local conditions. The Wildcats and Sun Devils both have an off date on Oct. 17, allowing for the opener to be moved to this date if needed.

Arizona could also have its road opener at Washington, currently set for Oct. 3, moved to that date since the Huskies also have the same off week.

There’s also an open week between the end of the regular season (Dec. 3) and the Pac-12 title game, which is set for either Dec. 18 or 19, when teams could move a game to if needed.

A tough start

Arizona’s schedule is a lot tougher at the outset than beforehand. Instead of opening with Stanford, UCLA and Colorado, none of which are expected to contend for a conference title, the Wildcats have ASU (home), Washington (road), USC (home) and Utah (road) in four of their first five games.

Arizona is breaking in a whole new defensive staff and only had one week of spring practice, so be wary of a slow start.

Triple-digit Duel in the Desert?

The Sept. 26 date for the Territorial Cup matchup is the earliest in series history. And this normally heated matchup could be the hottest ever in terms of game time temperature.

The warmest it’s been at kickoff of an Arizona/ASU game since 2000 is 84 degrees, per researched conducted by ASU’s media relations department, that coming in 2017 in Tempe when the game was played in the afternoon. The average high temperature in Tucson on Sept. 26 is 92, with a record high of 104, though there’s no doubt this game will be played at night since Arizona hasn’t had a daytime kickoff at home in September in more than a decade.

Ironically, when Arizona lost 24-14 at ASU last November, the game had the “coldest” temperature at kickoff, a brisk 51 degrees.

Welcome back, Cal!

The California Golden Bears were not on Arizona’s original 2020 schedule, one of two schools—along with Washington State—the Wildcats were set to skip this season as they did last year. But if there’s a team the UA wouldn’t mind adding, based on recent history, it’s Cal, which comes to Tucson on Nov. 14.

Arizona has won five straight against the Golden Bears, most recently in 2018 when the Wildcats used pick-sixes by Azizi Hearn and Scottie Young Jr. to rally for a 24-17 victory. Also included in that streak is the infamous Hill Mary game, in 2014, when the UA pulled off a miraculous comeback at home that was capped by Anu Solomon’s Hail Mary touchdown pass to Austin Hill.

Cal, which went 8-5 in 2019, hasn’t won at Arizona Stadium since 2004 when some quarterback named Aaron Rodgers led it to a 38-0 triumph.

While Cal was the only addition to the league slate for Arizona, it did have another game’s location changed. The Wildcats’ first Pac-12 game was supposed to be Sept. 12 vs. Stanford, now that game is the regular-season finale on Dec. 5 and in Palo Alto.

Finishing at home on a Friday

Arizona’s original schedule was to include two Friday night games in October, at home against Colorado and at Washington. Now it has one, at home Nov. 20 against Oregon in what for now is the home finale.

Asked about still having weeknight games on the schedule—league-wide there are eight—Scott didn’t seem to think there would be any additional issues that would arise from not playing exclusively on Saturdays.

“It has not been felt thus far that there is not a significant health and safety difference between Friday and Saturday games,” he said.

Arizona’s Friday game comes at the tail end of a two-game homestand, so at least the shortened week will not involve a travel day, but what if the Wildcats (or Ducks, for that matter) have players test positive within two weeks of the Oregon game? An extra day for them to get cleared to return can only help.

Season-ending California swing

Arizona’s final two games, as of now, are in the Golden State. The Wildcats are set to visit UCLA on Nov. 28 before going to Stanford on Dec. 5.

California hasn’t been a happy place for Arizona in recent memory. It has lost four straight in the state overall, winning at Cal in overtime in 2017, and hasn’t won at UCLA since 2010 or at Stanford since 2006.

The Rose Bowl and Stanford Stadium are also natural grass surfaces, which has been a major bugaboo for Arizona. Since installing artificial turf in Arizona Stadium prior to the 2013 season, the Wildcats are 4-17 on the real stuff with all four wins coming at Colorado’s Folsom Field.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3hVZUWq
via IFTTT

Arizona’s new 2020 football schedule unveiled, will host ASU in opener

Photo by Carlos Herrera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Updated 2020 schedule includes 10 games, begins Sept. 26

The Arizona Wildcats have their revised 2020 football schedule, and boy does it start with a doozy.

The UA will host ASU in the Territorial Cup on Sept. 26, the first time the Wildcats will have opened the season against their in-state rivals since 1946. This will also be the earliest meeting in series history, with the 1946 clash the last time they played in September, while every meeting since 1949 taking place in November or December.

The Wildcats have lost three straight Duel in the Desert matchups against the Sun Devils, most recently 24-14 to end the 2019 season. Arizona’s last win against ASU came in 2016 when it won 56-35 in Tucson without attempting a pass in the second half.

ASU is one of five home opponents on Arizona’s schedule, the others being Colorado (Oct. 10), USC (Oct. 24), Cal (Nov. 14) and Oregon (Nov. 20).

Arizona’s road games are at Washington (Oct. 3), Utah (Oct. 31), Oregon State (Nov. 7), UCLA (Nov. 28) and Stanford (Dec. 5).

Here are the schedules for every Pac-12 team:

The Pac-12 announced earlier this month it was moving to a conference-only schedule as a way to deal with the continuing coronavirus pandemic.

Under normal circumstances, Arizona would have been starting preseason training camp this weekend in preparation for the Aug. 29 opener against Hawaii, but that game as well as ones Sept. 5 vs. Portland State and Sept. 19 at Texas Tech were canceled.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said the revised schedule does allow for flexibility to move around games, if needed, such as the opener. He mentioned ASU-Arizona and UCLA-USC were scheduled as openers so that they can be rescheduled later. Scott noted that Arizona and Los Angeles are both coronavirus hotspots.

Arizona has an off week Oct. 17, as does ASU, while games can also be moved to Dec. 12, pushing the Pac-12 title game to either Dec. 18 or 19.

That title game will not be in Las Vegas, as previously planned, instead being held at the home stadium of the highest-seeded team.

As for other fall sports like soccer and volleyball, Scott said their schedules will be announced in a few days.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/33fUEZY
via IFTTT

Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, Washington State’s CJ Elleby staying in NBA Draft

Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Some considered the Stanford Cardinal to be the favorite in the Pac-12 after landing five-star forward Ziaire Williams, but their stock took a big hit Friday when freshman point guard Tyrell Terry announced that he will remain in the 2020 NBA Draft.

On to the next chapter pic.twitter.com/XKuRLpHF5u

— Tyrell Terry (@tyterry05) July 31, 2020

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has Terry at No. 26 on his big board, meaning Terry has a good shot at being a first-round pick.

An All-Pac-12 honorable mention, Terry averaged 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his one and only campaign with the Cardinal. He was a terrific shooter, making 41 percent of his 3s.

In other Pac-12 news, Washington State wing CJ Elleby also announced he will be going pro after two seasons on the Palouse.

I will always be a Coug! And I have so much love for the Pullman Community. The last two years have been my best! But I have made my decision. I’m going ALL IN THANK YOU PULLMAN pic.twitter.com/iM4lwcILCE

— CJ (@EllebyCj) July 31, 2020

Elleby was a bright spot for the lowly Cougs, averaging 18.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore (though he only shot 40 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the arc).

Elleby will be a second-round selection if he is drafted at all. Vecenie lists him at No. 100 on his big board.

Terry and Elleby staying in the draft helps Arizona’s chances of winning the Pac-12, but it also weakens the conference. But who knows if there will even be a college season at this point, which was likely a sticking point for Terry and Elleby.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3160ytF
via IFTTT

5-star center Nathan Bittle includes Arizona in final 4

Courtesy 247Sports

One of the top players in the 2021 recruiting class has trimmed his list of suitors, and the Arizona Wildcats have made the cut.

Nathan Bittle, a 5-star center from Oregon, announced a top for of Arizona, Gonzaga, Oregon and UCLA on Friday:

2021 five-star Nathan Bittle is down to four schools. @Nathanbittle33 pic.twitter.com/qyRFQRt7v6

— Tipton Edits (@TiptonEdits) July 31, 2020

The 6-foot-10 Bittle is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 9 player in the 2021 recruiting class, as well as the second-best center and the No. 1 prospect from Oregon. A star at Crater High School in Central Point, Ore., where he averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 2.5 assists as a junior, Bittle has been compared to former UA star Channing Frye by 247Sports national recruiting analyst Josh Gershon, citing his 3-point shooting and shot blocking while calling him a potential NBA first-round pick with further physical and athletic development.

Bittle is listed at only 175 pounds, meaning he’s got plenty of room to grow.

Arizona has been high on Bittle for a while, having him in for an official visit during last season’s Red-Blue Game.

Bittle is one of two top-tier 2021 prospects from Oregon that Arizona is big on. The other, 4-star power forward Ben Gregg, recently told The Oregonian that the Wildcats are moving up his list thanks to constant communication from coach Sean Miller and his staff.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3hSOe6Y
via IFTTT

Arizona volleyball and soccer scheduled to report on August 10

Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After a month-long pause, the Arizona Wildcats are resuming their student-athlete re-entry plan on Monday by welcoming football’s freshmen, the last members of the team to arrive on campus.

The soccer and volleyball teams will follow soon after, with those squads set to report on Aug. 10, according to multiple sources.

However, like everything else during the coronavirus pandemic, that date is subject to change depending how UA handles the virus.

So far the school has only reported three positive cases among the 366 tests it has conducted, though it’s been over a week since the last test results were released.

From what I understand, soccer and volleyball will have their entire rosters reporting at once, despite Arizona’s original re-entry plan listing two report dates (July 13 and 20) for both sports.

Arizona soccer’s first official practice was supposed to be Aug. 3 and volleyball’s was scheduled for Aug. 10. It’s unclear when those will take place now.

It’s also uncertain when their seasons will start, but returning to campus is at least a step in the right direction. UA soccer and volleyball players have been at home since the spring.

Like football, Pac-12 soccer and volleyball will have a conference-only schedule this fall. The Pac-12 season typically begins in late September in those sports, which seems like a realistic start date considering the conference is reportedly hoping to begin football season on Sept. 13.

Arizona volleyball coach Dave Rubio, who thinks his sport would be better off playing in the spring, suggested the Pac-12 moves to a double round-robin in volleyball this year to make up for some of the lost non-conference games.

Pac-12 volleyball teams typically play nine conference rivals twice and the other two once for a total of 20 league games. A double round-robin would add two more to the slate.

Soccer normally plays a single round-robin.

The Pac-12 said earlier this month that scheduling models would be released by the end of July, so an official announcement should be made today.

That should include dates for when football, soccer and volleyball can officially begin prepping for their 2020 seasons.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2XgYBK1
via IFTTT

Constant communication could result in Arizona landing 4-star forward Ben Gregg

Courtesy 247Sports

The Arizona Wildcats are still without a commitment for the 2021 recruiting class, though plenty of the nation’s top prospects remain in play. Among those showing a lot of interest in the UA is Ben Gregg, a 4-star power forward from Oregon who told The Oregonian he may commit somewhere “in the next month.”

If that ends up being to Arizona, it will likely be due to how much attention they’ve paid lately to the 6-foot-9, 210-pound prospect from Clackamas.

“Arizona, I’ve talked to one of their coaches every day,” Gregg told The Oregonian. “We’ve built a really good relationship. Sean Miller calls me two-to-three times a week. If I go there, I’ll have a really good chance of turning professional. That’s big for me—what I will do after my three-to-four years in college.”

Gregg is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 60 player in the 2021 class, as well as the 14th-best power forward in the country and the No. 2 prospect from Oregon. The top player in the state, 5-star center Nathan Bittle, will announce a top four on Friday that is likely to include Arizona.

The other schools Arizona is competing with for Gregg, the reigning Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year who averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists during his junior season, are Gonzaga, Oregon, Oregon State and Virginia.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3jTJbVz
via IFTTT

Arizona adds walk-on Lakin Gardner to finalize 2020-21 roster

Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team has finalized its roster by adding Lakin Gardner as a walk-on. The 5-foot-11 freshman hails from Spokane, Washington where she attended Gonzaga Prep.

Arizona is listing her as a guard but she was a frontcourt player in high school. Gardner averaged 12.0 points per game as a senior and made a career-best 13 3-pointers. She scored 15 or more points in six of her last seven games.

Gardner will wear No. 31 with the Wildcats.

She will get to return to Spokane in the 2021-22 season when the Wildcats face the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Sources say Arizona is scheduled to host Gonzaga in 2020-21 to begin that home-and-home series, though that could be up in the air due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The addition of Gardner brings Arizona’s roster total to the maximum of 15. She is just the third walk-on to play for the Wildcats under Adia Barnes. The two others were Ali Reese and Lindsey Malecha, who eventually earned a scholarship.

Division I women’s basketball programs are allotted 15 scholarships per season, hence why walk-ons are so rare.

Here’s a look at Arizona’s 15-person roster + some of Gardner’s highlights.

1. Aari McDonald (Rs. Sr.)
2. Sam Thomas (Sr.)
3. Trinity Baptiste (Sr.)
4. Cate Reese (Jr.)
5. Shaina Pellington (Rs. Jr.)
6. Semaj Smith (Jr.)
7. Bendu Yeaney (Jr.)
8. Helena Pueyo (So.)
9. Mara Mote (So.)
10. Tara Manumaleuga (So.)
11. Sevval Gül (So.)
12. Marta Garcia (Fr.)
13. Derin Erdogan (Fr.)
14. Lauren Ware (Fr.)
15. Lakin Gardner (Fr.)

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2XcOea0
via IFTTT

Indiana transfer Bendu Yeaney receives hardship waiver, will play two seasons at Arizona

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana transfer Bendu Yeaney will get to play two seasons for the Arizona Wildcats instead of one. Sources say she recently received a hardship waiver for her junior season after she only appeared in six games for the Hoosiers due to injury.

Arizona is still waiting to hear from the NCAA if Yeaney can play in 2020-21 or if she has to sit out the season due to transfer rules.

“If she can play, she’s a tremendous athlete, a great defender, very strong,” Arizona head coach Adia Barnes said in May. “I mean, her next to Aari (McDonald), Shaina (Pellington), Sam (Thomas), we would be extremely athletic and explosive. But then if she has to sit out, she has a year in our system, Aari’s leaving, she kind of fills in a spot.”

Barnes also said in the spring that it’s possible Yeaney redshirts even if she receives a waiver to play immediately. She tore her Achilles in the final game of Indiana’s 2018-19 campaign, causing her to be extremely limited in 2019-20 before she left the program.

“I think that for her the main thing is she has to get healthy because she’s recovering from an Achilles injury,” Barnes said. “If she could play, that’d be great. But if she’s not 100 percent, I don’t want her to waste a year playing.”

Known for her defense, Yeaney averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 76 career games at Indiana, including 69 starts.

Arizona is listing the Portland, Oregon native as a 5-foot-10 guard. She will wear No. 23 for the Wildcats after wearing No. 1 for the Hoosiers.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/39HvnZz
via IFTTT

Arizona guard Brandon Williams looking spry in return from knee surgery

Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s still not completely clear what the future holds for Brandon Williams, but there is no doubt he can ball when healthy.

Some recent highlights of the Arizona guard surfaced on Instagram, and Williams looked impressive, sinking some long jumpers, flashing a tight handle, and even showing some explosion off the dribble as he wore a compression sleeve on his right knee in what appears to be a gym in Woodland Hills, California, a short drive from his hometown of Encino.

View this post on Instagram

Can I call you Mr Smooth? @thebwill2 @Dash XX @t.n.t_training Private Run

A post shared by Chinese Baller Vision /北美篮球社 (@chineseballervision) on Jul 28, 2020 at 2:51pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Does your work translate to the game ? @thebwill2 . Clock work #dashletics #nba #work #hoop #basketball

A post shared by Dashletics (@dashletics) on Jul 25, 2020 at 3:52pm PDT

Williams was cleared to return to basketball activities by his doctors in early June after missing all of last season after undergoing another knee surgery to correct osteochondritis dissecans, a congenital condition that has hindered him since high school.

Williams said earlier this offseason that he will “definitely” play in 2020-21, but “it’s just a matter of where.” That comment led to speculation that he will be transferring or going pro, but Arizona coach Sean Miller left the door open to a return.

Miller said in June that the key will be getting Williams back on campus so UA doctors can evaluate him and see how his body holds up after going through intensive workouts.

The Wildcats are expected to return to campus in mid-August for the first time since the 2019-20 season was canceled in March. Normally they return in June, but the coronavirus pandemic forced the UA to delay re-entry.

“Especially coming back from a surgery of that magnitude, that may be the most crucial part,” Miller said in June. “It’s the time where you’re put on the court with others. It’s a time where you get cleared to do more than just straight-line running, jumping, going side to side and shooting. And then you start to monitor his symptoms. Does he experience swelling when you do this? No. And then the other part is... when you go through surgery like you go through, it’s not your knee, you’re more susceptible to other injuries. Like, you lose your hamstring, you lose your quad. He hasn’t played 5-on-5 basketball in quite some time. So without his ability to finish everything that we set out to finish, what he did is what all of our players did. He went home, finished school, and did the best that he could.”

As constructed, Arizona’s roster is one player over the 13 scholarship limit, another reason it has seemed unlikely Williams will suit up for the Wildcats again.

But until a move is announced one way or another, Williams remains a part of the program and his status will be something to monitor as the season approaches.

If the redshirt sophomore does to return to the Wildcats and can stay healthy for a full season—another big question mark—he will be a big boost to a backcourt that returns Jemarl Baker Jr. and adds Georgetown transfer James Akinjo, Seattle U grad transfer Terrell Brown and Estonian guard Kerr Kriisa.

Williams averaged 11.4 points and 3.4 assists as a freshman in 2018-19 while shooting close to 40 percent from 3 in Pac-12 play.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fceBTK
via IFTTT

Taking Stock 2020: How Arizona women’s golf is looking under coach Laura Ianello

Photo by Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

We haven’t had college sports for more than four months now due to the coronavirus pandemic, making this the longest offseason ever. Literally, not just figuratively.

And who knows when they’ll ever resume. The Pac-12 has already made adjustments to fall sports, eliminating non-conference competition, and it’s entirely possible more chances will be made in the near future.

Nevertheless, now is as good a time as ever to take a look at each of the Arizona Wildcats’ 19 different men’s and women’s programs to see what shape they’re in and what prospects they have for the near future.

To help prepare you for the 2020-21 seasons of Arizona’s 19 different men’s and women’s programs, over the next few weeks we’ll break down each team and evaluate how it is performing under its current coaching staff, looking at the state of the program before he/she arrived and comparing it to now (as well as looking at this season and beyond).

NOTE: The information in the ‘before’ section has been repurposed from last year’s series to provide continuity.

Next up: Laura Ianello’s women’s golf squad.

How it looked before

Women’s golf has consistently been one of Arizona’s best programs both in terms of individual and team results, routinely finishing at or near the top of the Pac-10/12 and regularly making the NCAA championships while also producing numerous professionals. Ianello, a former Wildcat standout (and member of the 2000 NCAA title team) joined the program in 2007 as the top assistant for head coach Debbie Haywood, who was in her first year in charge after serving as the top assistant under Greg Allen the previous three seasons.

Haywood’s contract was not renewed after the 2009-10 season, despite Arizona winning the conference title and taking first in the NCAA West Regionals. Ianello and men’s golf coach Rick LaRose piloted the Wildcats at the NCAA championships, where they placed fifth, and not long after Ianello was handed the keys to the program.

Where things stand now

Ianello has been at the helm for nine seasons now, the longest tenure since Kim Haddow was head coach for 12 seasons (1984-95). Under contract through the 2023 season, she made $130,000 in 2019-20 which feels like a bargain considering the results she’s produced.

Arizona won the 2018 NCAA title and reached the semifinals in 2019, falling to eventual national champion Duke. The most recent squad was primed for another deep postseason run before the season was canceled in mid-March, having won their own Wildcat Invitational for the first time since 2016 just before things were halted.

Vivian Hou was named WCGA Freshman of the Year, also earning All-American honors after averaging 70.68 strokes per round. She was part of a youth movement for the Wildcats, as 45 of 98 rounds were played by freshmen. Her older sister Yu-Sang Hou, a junior, was named a Second Team All-American. Sophomore Ya Chun Chang was an All-American honorable mention.

There was only one senior on the team, Sandra Nordaas, but she’s set to be replaced by Maya Benita, a Tucsonan who won the Division 2 state championship in November.

One big question

When will they play? Golf is a sport that runs nearly the entire school year, as last season’s schedule began in mid-September with the first of five fall tournaments. Action resumed in early February and would have run into late May had it not been interrupted.

As it stands right now there is no public schedule for women’s golf, which isn’t a surprise since none of the program’s student-athletes have returned to campus. Thankfully, this is a sport that—at least in Arizona—can be played at any point of the year, so schedule adjustments won’t be as disruptive as in others.

There’s no reason Arizona can’t compete for a national championship when/if things get started.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/31018t3
via IFTTT

Arizona center Christian Koloko frustrated as coronavirus crisis delays his development

Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko became something of an internet sensation last month when an Instagram post showed him looking like the Incredible Hulk as he lifted a barbell above his head in a gym in Southern California.

“He’s finally taking my dang advice and eating,” senior Ira Lee quipped last month.

Other teammates chimed in on Koloko’s new physique, but he laughed it off.

“I was just laughing because I knew I didn’t gain any weight,” he said.

To that end, it’s been a frustrating offseason for the 7-footer, who still registers at 220 pounds, the same weight he played at last season after entering the program at 195.

Koloko wants to weigh 235 by the time he takes the court as a sophomore, and he saw the spring and summer as a chance to close the gap, but the coronavirus had other ideas.

The Wildcats have been away from campus ever since the Pac-12 Tournament was abruptly canceled in mid-March, and they won’t be able to return until mid-August at the earliest. So instead of being in Tucson where he’d have every resource imaginable to train, Koloko has spent the last four months at his sister’s house in Tarzana, California.

Koloko has been in constant contact with Arizona strength coach Chris Rounds during the pandemic, but working out at home is “just a lot different.”

“There’s not a lot of things he can actually help me do,” Koloko said. “I’m lifting but I don’t have all the equipment. ... I just have like probably two dumbbells and some bands.”

Head coach Sean Miller said earlier in the offseason that Koloko more than anybody could be affected by the pandemic. The big man is hoping to build off a freshman season in which he, despite arriving as a three-star recruit, established himself as an elite defender, albeit in a small sample size.

Despite his slender frame, Koloko led the Wildcats in defensive rating and rebounding percentage, while posting the ninth-best block rate in the country, something he credits to his natural instincts. (Though having a 7-foot-4 wingspan certainly helps.)

“I definitely don’t work on my shot blocking,” Koloko said. “When I see a ball leave your hand, that’s when I’m going up.”

Koloko has been honing his offensive game, though. He knows he will need to be a lot more proficient on that end if he wants to play more than the 233 minutes he received across 28 games as a freshman.

Koloko only averaged 2.3 points per contest, shooting 48 percent from the field and 35 percent from the free throw line.

Koloko has been able to get some workouts in at a facility near Sierra Canyon, his old high school in Chatsworth, but California has had some of the most restrictive lockdown measures in the country, so gyms have been opening and closing over the last few months.

“I just tried to work more on my shot, my free throws and my post moves, a little bit of my ball-handling,” Koloko said. “But it was mostly my shot...mid-range, sometimes trying to step out and shoot 3s.”

In 2020-21, Koloko will be a key cog in a rebuilt Arizona frontcourt that will include returners Ira Lee and Jordan Brown as well as incoming international recruits like Azuolas and Tautvilas Tubelis, Daniel Batcho and Tibet Gorener.

When asked what kind of role he hopes to have, Koloko said he just wants to play—and win.

“I’m willing to do anything Coach asks me to do,” he said. “... I think it’s going to be like last year when we had five different bigs, but we’re all different, so I think it’s gonna be interesting to see how we complement each other, to see how we play together.”

A French connection

A native of Cameroon, French is Koloko’s first language. The same is true for two of his new teammates—Batcho, who’s from France, and freshman wing Bennedict Mathurin, a Haitian Canadian.

Mathurin hails from Quebec where the dialect is different, but Koloko said they can understand each other. He envisions that trio speaking lots of French this season.

“There’s just some differences, but it’s not a big deal,” Koloko said. “[Mathurin’s] accent is kind of different, but I was his host on his visit so we already talked together. It’s going to be fine.”

Koloko says defending Jordan Brown is a “nightmare”, James Akinjo is “a good point guard”

While former Nevada forward Jordan Brown did not play last season due to NCAA transfer rules, he practiced with the Wildcats all season. By all accounts, the former McDonald’s All-American was impressive.

“Jordan is a really good player,” Koloko said. “When he gets the ball in the post, that’s actually a nightmare right there. Even Ira, he can tell you, when Jordan got the ball, there’s not a lot he can do to really stop him.”

Koloko also shared his thoughts on Georgetown transfer point guard James Akinjo, who, like Brown, practiced with the Wildcats last season but did not play.

“He’s a good point guard,” Koloko said. “He’s not selfish, he looks for his teammates. I really like playing with him, playing pick-and-roll. If you’re open he’s going to find you. They’re both really good guys. I’m excited about this year.”

Christian Koloko interview 7/29

Christian Koloko discussed his offseason regimen, Arizona's frontcourt, and lots more in Wednesday's Zoom interview with local media

Posted by AZ Desert Swarm on Wednesday, July 29, 2020

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3gdLY9Q
via IFTTT

Arizona to resume student-athlete re-entry plan next week

Photo by David Madison/Getty Images

The Arizona Wildcats will resume bringing student-athletes back to campus on Monday, the school has announced.

Freshman football players will be the first batch of athletes to return since the UA paused its re-entry plan in late June due to Pima County's high COVID-19 case count. Prior to that it had seen 83 football players come back to campus for voluntary off-season workouts.

Those 83 players had been subject to a combined 366 coronavirus tests as of July 17, with three positive cases.

The next group to return to campus after football will include men's and women's basketball, according to Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star.

“Our decision to resume our re-entry process for student-athletes was made after consultations with President Robbins, University leadership, the University of Arizona Re-Entry Task Force as well as our Re-Entry Advisory Group of campus and community medical experts,” Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said in a statement. “Our comprehensive and phased approach centers around safety, health and wellbeing as we continue to follow the guidance of campus and community partners. The safe and healthy return of student-athletes has been the focus of all decision making throughout this process, and it will continue to guide us moving forward.”

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2CRhCvG
via IFTTT

Christian Koloko discusses his weight gain, skill development, the frontcourt, French connections and more

Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko met with reporters on Zoom on Wednesday from his sister’s house in Tarzana, California. He discussed his skill development, minimal weight gain, the frontcourt, being one of several French speakers on Arizona’s 2020-21 roster and more.

Here’s the interview in its entirety.

Christian Koloko interview 7/29

Christian Koloko discussed his offseason regimen, Arizona's frontcourt, and lots more in Wednesday's Zoom interview with local media

Posted by AZ Desert Swarm on Wednesday, July 29, 2020

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/30bc2x1
via IFTTT

Suspended Arizona lineman Edgar Burrola shares his side of the story, admits to breaking COVID-19 protocol four times

Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Edgar Burrola was recently suspended for violating the program’s COVID-19 protocol, and the redshirt junior shared his side of the story in an interview with KVOA’s David Kelly on Tuesday night, admitting to breaking the rules four times.

Burrola said the first violation occurred on June 30. He said he grabbed food at the team facility without wearing a mask—or a shirt—because it was a grab-and-go spread and he didn’t think it was necessary.

“They want to make it seem like I was coughing on everybody and being rude, when in reality it was just like a small mistake,” he said. “My coach called me and I apologized.”

The second violation, Burrola said, occurred when one of his roommates tested positive for coronavirus and Burrola broke quarantine to make a food run.

“He was in his room. I was in mine,” Burrola said. “But you gotta leave the house sometimes, right? You can’t be in a house all day.”

Burrola said the third violation occurred when he entered the team’s COVID-19 testing area without a mask because he thought he was scheduled for drive-by testing.

“So I show up without a mask, I ask politely for a mask, and then while I’m getting one, Stephen Paul, somebody in charge of the protocol, comes and starts yelling at me, saying ‘Edgar, when you come in here, you need to have your mask on, you need to have it on as soon as you get out the car,’” Burrola said.

Burrola said he recently broke quarantine again to help his friend move, though he insists he wore a mask and stayed physically distant throughout the process. Burrola said he received a call from a coach warning him that his actions could warrant suspension.

“But during that conversation, I told my coach I didn’t trust the medical staff,” Burrola said. “I don’t feel safe. And he basically told me, ‘I’m listening. I understand your concerns, I just don’t agree with them.’ And then the next day, the 23rd (of July), I get suspended.”

Burrola said his distrust of Arizona’s medical staff stems from last season when he suffered a shoulder injury that he claims was misdiagnosed.

“They said I had a bone bruise,” he said. “This happened week three or week four, I believe. And then I played on it the whole season. And so what ended up happening was I had to go get my own MRI, and the MRI said I had a separated AC joint, a torn labrum, tendonosis in my shoulder and fluid in my shoulder. And the staff did not care to look this deep into my injury, so I ended up playing on a really bad shoulder.”

Burrola said he had surgery in Las Vegas, his hometown, without the UA’s permission.

“I asked the school if they could reimburse me for the surgery, but they said our doctor didn’t approve it, so no,” Burrola said.

Burrola has posted tweets that downplay the significance of the coronavirus pandemic, but he told Kelly that he believes it’s a real virus (though he didn’t give his opinion on the severity of it).

“I just don’t trust the protocols to keep us safe,” he said. “My roommate had COVID, he didn’t receive any treatment. I asked about hydroxychloroquine, one doctor said studies show it doesn’t help. Another doctor said the same thing. And I told him it does work. So he sent me an article saying it only helps people with COVID. But if it only helps people with COVID, why didn’t my roommate get some treatment? We didn’t get educated on the immune system. They didn’t tell us anything about that.”

Burrola insists he still has not received an email that affirms his suspension, but he says he did receive a notice that his scholarship has been reduced.

“I only get books, tuition and fees,” Burrola said. “I lost my meal plan. I tried to get food after I got suspended. I could not get food that the school provides us. ... You can stop at certain locations. I went to go get food, I couldn’t get food. They took my meal plan that same day. Then I get a letter saying my scholarship is reduced a couple of days later. But I have yet to receive my letter suspension. I have asked many times for it and I keep getting pushed it aside.”

Burrola, who appeared in 11 games at right tackle in 2019 including six starts, said he is open to playing for Arizona again, but his “love for the truth is more important than that, so whatever happens, happens.”

Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin, not mentioning Burrola directly, told the Arizona Daily Star on Tuesday that “if you’re not gonna pay attention to the protocol...we just can’t have you around.”

So far, Arizona’s protocols have been highly effective, with only three of 366 tests returning positive.

“It’s not the same Arizona I committed to,” said Burrola, who was recruited by former UA head coach Rich Rodriguez. “I would love to play. I had a lot of fun last year with my teammates. It was my first year playing, I have a house here, I have plans to be here. But I guess I don’t know. There’s just certain politics that come in hand with this.”

In the meantime, Burrola has returned to Las Vegas where he has been working as a roofer.

“Other players are happy to be there, so they’ll probably say some different things than I’m saying, but at the end of the day the truth will come out,” Burrola said. “Nobody really feels like they can say anything because if they did that to me, what would they do to them? I’m lucky I have my own business and I have my savings saved up for a rainy day. But who’s gonna speak for other people who can’t?”

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2DecyBk
via IFTTT

SB Nation reacts: Would you attend a college football game this season?

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Arizona Wildcats fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

The logistics involved in getting a 2020 college football season are daunting. One of the most dramatic and noticeable changes this year as opposed to any other may not be what is happening on the field, however.

As the NBA, NHL and MLB return to action without fans, schools across the country are forced to deal with a tough reality. While some schools have announced plans that allow fans to attend college football games in a limited capacity—Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke recently admitted even pulling off 50 percent capacity will be difficult—that doesn’t mean fans are eager to pack the stands.

In the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, fans were asked if they would be open to attending a college football game in person this season. Just over 50 percent of fans said they would.

All four of the major American sports leagues have struggled with the bottom-line hit caused by losing ticket sales. But none of them pack in crowds like the biggest college football stadiums around the country, which pack in sometimes upwards of 100,000 fans each game.

To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2CYkl6n
via IFTTT

AZ Desert Swarm Podcast Episode 1: On Arizona’s offense and 2021 commits

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

We take a look at the offensive side of the ball

How’s it going AZ Desert Swarm readers? We have been wanting to start a podcast for the site and it took us a little while till we decided to start with recording Zoom calls.

We recorded our first episode this past weekend and we feel we found a good format for it. It is a little lengthy, but what do you expect when we haven’t been able to talk football and recruiting this in depth?

In our first episode, we talk about Arizona’s offense, including returning players. We also talk about 2021 commits on that side of the ball and take a look at their film.

If you have any ideas for any improvements, feel free to comment below. We will also start answering reader questions, so if you have any, email us at azdesertswarmpodcast@gmail.com.

We hope you enjoy the very first episode of the AZ Desert Swarm Podcast!

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/305z2xh
via IFTTT

Arizona football suspends OL Edgar Burrola for violating COVID-19 protocols

Mike Christy / Arizona Athletics

The Arizona Wildcats have suspended redshirt junior offensive lineman Edgar Burrola for violating the athletic department’s protocols related to COVID-19, according to Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star.

Burrola, who started six games at right tackle in 2019, has reportedly been resistant to safety protocols, including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing during voluntary offseason workouts.

This led to a “reduction” of his scholarship in the form of his meal plan being taken away, something Burrola first noted on his Twitter page on Monday, where he’s also shared claims that Arizona is forcing football players to work out during a pandemic while also expressing skepticism over the severity of the coronavirus.

The Las Vegas native, who underwent shoulder surgery in January, has alleged on Twitter his scholarship was reduced for bringing up concerns about his safety, though he later admitted the reduction (and suspension) was due to violating COVID protocols.

“I did ‘break the rules’ but there’s a lot more to that story,” Burrola tweeted. “I got something coming.”

The Pac-12 announced earlier this month it would honor all scholarships for athletes that opted out of competition over safety concerns.

“There’s some people that are saying that we’re making guys do this, we’re making guys do that,” coach Kevin Sumlin told the Star, not addressing Burrola directly. “What we are making them do is go through the protocol. And if you’re not gonna adhere to the protocol, then we can’t have you here. It’s my job to protect and uphold that protocol for everybody else that’s involved in this organization — players, coaches, administrators, medical (personnel). You’ve got coaches’ families. If you’re not gonna pay attention to the protocol, wear a mask, all that other stuff, we just can’t have you around.”

Arizona has reported three positive tests among football players since they began returning in June. The school “paused” its student-athlete re-entry plan in late June due to Pima County’s high COVID-19 case count, though voluntary workouts have continued. A source has indicated the remaining football players, mostly newcomers, are set to begin arriving in Tucson next week.

There’s no word on when official preseason practice would begin, however. The Pac-12 is reportedly planning on a 10-game conference-only schedule that could be announced later this week.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3fa24Ab
via IFTTT

3-star California DE Ja’Quez Harvey commits to Arizona over ASU, Oregon

Courtesy 247Sports

The Arizona Wildcats don’t know when they’ll play their first game in 2020, or even if they will. Meanwhile, the 2021 squad continues to beef up with new players.

The latest is Ja’Quez Harvey, a 3-star defensive end from Los Angeles who picked the Wildcats on Tuesday over offers from ASU, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington State.

First i will like to thank god & thanks to all the schools and coaches who believed in me Its been a long process however i will like to announce that i will be committing to the university of Arizona ✍ @MikeKlyce31 @CoachEggenAZ @CoachSumlin @CoachGregBurns @ArizonaFBall pic.twitter.com/kptFYonNoO

— Ja ‘ Quez Harvey (@D1Quezz) July 28, 2020

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Harvey is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1,349 player in the 2021 recruiting class, as well as the No. 81 strong-side defensive end and the No. 115 prospect from California. He has played defensive end and tight end for Alain Leroy Locke Senior High School, helping his team to Division II city championship in 2018. His head coach is UA alum Mike Klyce.

Harvey is Arizona’s 19^th commit for 2021, the sixth from California and the fifth on the defensive line (and second in three days after 3-star New Orleans DE Ja’Marian Peterson committed on Sunday). The Wildcats’ class currently ranks 42nd nationally and sixth in the Pac-12.

Here are some of Harvey’s junior highlights:

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3jRvAht
via IFTTT

Women’s basketball legend Diana Taurasi once had Arizona in her final 3

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Racking up 25 wins including an NCAA Tournament victory, the Arizona women’s basketball team enjoyed its best season in school history in 1999-00 and nearly followed it up by landing the top recruit in the country.

Joan Bonvicini, who coached the Cats from 1991 to 2008, confirmed a rumor that the legendary Diana Taurasi once had the Arizona Wildcats in her final three.

“Yes, that is true!” Bonvicini tweeted.

Yes, that is true! https://t.co/vDsOysbL2R

— Joan Bonvicini (@CoachBonvicini) July 26, 2020

What a program-changing addition that would have been.

Taurasi, from Chino, California, wound up committing to UConn, where she won three national championships and two National Player of the Year awards before a long, successful pro career that has included three WNBA championships with the Phoenix Mercury, who selected her No. 1 overall in 2004, and four Olympic gold medals.

Arizona went a solid 79-43 during Taurasi’s college career and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004, but failed to advance past the first round, and saw things go downhill from there.

Arizona was a first-round exit again in 2005, then went 29-63 in Bonvinci’s final three seasons after senior all-conference forward Shawntinice Polk tragically died just before the 2005-06 campaign.

It took a long time for the program to recover, as it failed to record another winning season until 2010-11, the lone winning campaign in Niya Butts’ eight years at the helm.

Arizona has recently become a national power under Adia Barnes, but that probably happens a lot sooner if Taurasi’s time in Arizona began with the Wildcats instead of the Mercury.

Considering what kind of domino effect her commitment could have had on the program, it’s easy to envision the Wildcats’ trajectory mirroring the one Oregon has enjoyed since landing Sabrina Ionescu—the nation’s top guard at the time—in 2016.

The only question would have been if Arizona could have kept things rolling after Taurasi graduated, though her presence in the program undoubtedly would have resulted in a recruiting boost.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2EpcMpD
via IFTTT

Arizona offers 2021 wing Shane Nowell, younger brother of Jaylen Nowell

Jacob Snow-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Wildcats have yet to land a commitment for the 2021 class, but that does not mean Sean Miller and his staff are just sitting on their hands watching as prospects come off the board.

On Monday, Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com reported that Arizona has offered Shane Nowell of Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, Washington.

Arizona just offered four-star junior Shane Nowell, he told @Stockrisers.

— Jake (@jakeweingarten) July 28, 2020

A 6-foot-5 wing, Shane is the younger brother of current Minnesota Timberwolves forward and former Washington Husky Jaylen Nowell.

According to 247Sports he is the No. 82 player in the class as well as the 16th-best SG and No 4. prospect out of the state of Washington, where the Wildcats have been recruiting aggressively since hiring Jason Terry as an assistant coach.

Scorebooklive.com shows that as a junior last season Shane averaged 13 points per game, making 12 3-pointers over 16 games.

“I believe the strongest parts of my game are the ability to create for myself and teammates, finishing around the rim, my pull-up, getting downhill in transition and being a player with a high IQ,” Nowell told Endlessmotor.net. “Also, a great defender that will pick up full court and guard 1-4.”

The younger Nowell already holds offers from Washington, Washington State and Oklahoma. You can check out his junior highlights here:

Earlier Monday Arizona officially missed out on a pair of 2021 targets, as Peyton Watson and Angelo Brizzi chose UCLA and Villanova, respectively.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/3jNxD6c
via IFTTT

Arizona targets Peyton Watson and Angelo Brizzi commit elsewhere

Tipton Edits

As expected, two Arizona Wildcats targets committed elsewhere on Monday, as the program still searches for its first 2021 commitment.

Five-star forward Christian Watson committed to the UCLA Bruins, while three-star point guard Angelo Brizzi pledged to the Villanova Wildcats after listing Arizona in his final 8.

That’s exactly where the experts at Rivals and 247Sports predicted they would land.

Brizzi, from Virginia, is a top-120 recruit. Watson, from Long Beach Poly, is a top-20 recruit. He took an official visit to Tucson last September.

Nova Nation let’s get it!!! pic.twitter.com/FejV12QgUK

— angelo brizzi (@abriz14) July 27, 2020

2021 five-star Peyton Watson has committed to UCLA. @peytonfromlb pic.twitter.com/X1XVpH5Idh

— Tipton Edits (@TiptonEdits) July 28, 2020

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2P28jv7
via IFTTT

Former Freshman All-American Dayton Dooney leaving Arizona baseball

Photo courtesy Arizona Athletics

Sophomore infielder Dayton Dooney, one of Arizona’s top hitters, is transferring to Central Arizona College in Coolidge, as first reported by D1Baseball. The Arizona Daily Star later confirmed Dooney’s departure.

This move was telegraphed a few weeks ago when the San Diego League, a summer circuit for college players, listed Dooney as a member of Central Arizona, not the UA. However, a source close to the situation said then that Dooney was still a member of the Wildcats and hadn’t entered the transfer portal.

Dooney was named a Freshman All-American by several outlets in 2019 after hitting .323/.417/.596 with 10 homers, 14 doubles and 53 RBI in 48 games (40 starts). He struggled in the abbreviated 2020 season, batting just .146 in 13 games (12 starts).

Dooney played every infield position but catcher at Arizona, and also served as the designated hitter at times.

While a notable loss, Arizona will have a larger roster than usual in 2021 after the MLB Draft was shortened to five rounds and two of its four seniors—pitchers Preston Price and Vince Vanelle—opted to return for another season.

Even accounting for Dayton’s transfer and the loss of star catcher Austin Wells and utilityman Matthew Dyer to the MLB Draft, Baseball America ranks Arizona at No. 12 in its early preseason Top 25. And that was before the Wildcats added three highly-regarded players.

“Having Austin Wells depart was no surprise, whereas having Matthew Dyer drafted was more of one, but either way, Arizona’s offense will be extremely dangerous in 2021,” the site wrote. “The arrival of Daniel Susac should also help the Wildcats recover from having two catchers drafted. Their experienced pitching staff should also be improved and helped by the addition of four recruits ranked inside the BA 500.”

Arizona was 10-5 before the 2020 season was canceled by the coronavirus crisis.

from Arizona Desert Swarm - All Posts https://ift.tt/2P0HSG7
via IFTTT