Colorado University Athletics
Arizona, Women's Basketball Take The Pac-12 Spotlight
|
|
||
Arizona Location: Tucson, Ariz. Colors: Cardinal Red and Navy Blue Chief Rival: Arizona State |
 Photo Courtesy: Luke Adams, Arizona Athletics Photography |
|
NCAA Championships: M Basketball, 1997; Baseball, three; Softball, eight; M Golf, 1992; W Golf, two 12 Top Student-Athletes: Amanda Beard, swimming; George DiCarlo, track; Sean Elliott, basketball; Jenny Finch, softball; Natalie Gulbis, golf; Trevor Hoffman, baseball; Keshon Johnson, football; Steve Kerr, basketball; Ryk Neethling, swimming; Lorena Ochoa, golf; Damon Stoudamire, basketball; Amy Van Dyken, swimming Other Famous Alumni: Politics ? Stewart Udall,
former Secretary of the Interior, Barry Goldwater and Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senators; Shining Moment: The WildcatsGÇÖ path to the 1997 NCAA basketball championship was a difficult one, as they defeated three No. 1 seeds ? Kansas, North Carolina and finally Kentucky in the title game. It was legendary UNC Coach Dean SmithGÇÖs final season, and the Tar Heels had advanced by ousting Chauncey Billups and the Buffs in the second round. Arizona won the championship game 84-79 (OT). Quotable: GÇ£Success is aiming for the stars, because if you fall short, you are going to land on the moon ? and there are not too many people on the moon now, are there?GÇ¥ ? Arizona alum and Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken Classic CU: Buffs Rally To Upset Arizona In 1985 |
 |
|
|
Bet You DidnGÇÖt Know: Half of ArizonaGÇÖs NCAA championships have been won in softball, with former pitcher Jenny Finch among the sportGÇÖs most recognized players...Arizona has been referred to GÇ£Point Guard U.GÇ¥ because of former players such as Jason Terry, Damon Stoudamire, Khalid Reeves, Steve Kerr and Gilbert Arenas, among others...Credit the L.A. Times for nicknaming Arizona the Wildcats. In 1914, the newspaper said the school GÇ£showed the fight of wildcatsGÇ¥ in a football game against Occidental College. The nickname became popular and stuck...The identities of mascots Wilbur and Wilma are kept secret until the final home basketball game. Then the IDs of the pair of students is revealed...ArizonaGÇÖs former conference affiliations were in the Border Conference, which folded in 1961, and the Western Athletic Conference...One of a pair of bells taken from the USS Arizona following the attack on Pearl Harbor was placed in the schoolGÇÖs clock tower in the Student Union Memorial Center. The bell is rung seven times on the third Wednesday of every month at 12:07 p.m., honoring UA achievements. It also is rung following WildcatsGÇÖ football victories over any out-of-state school...In 1985, CUGÇÖs football team won 14-13 at Arizona to improve to 3-1 for the season, en route to Bill McCartneyGÇÖs first bowl game as CUGÇÖs head coach. Buffs vs. Wildcats/By The Numbers: Football: CU leads 12-1; M Basketball: CU leads 8-5; W Basketball: CU leads 6-3; Volleyball: UA leads 1-0; Tennis: UA leads 11-5; Soccer: Teams have never met. |
|
Above: Colorado women's basketball defeats Stanford 80-67 on March 25, 1993 to advance to its first ever NCAA Elite Eight. Classic CU: Buffs Break Cardinal Rule In 2002 Sweet 16 |
|
|
Pac-10 women's basketball has been dominated by Stanford for the better part of two decades, although several schools have been working hard to close the gap. The Cardinal have won or shared the last 11 league titles and have been to four straight NCAA Women's Final Fours. It was Hall of Fame head coach Tara VanDerveer's team that halted UConn's national-record 90-game winning streak this past season. Arizona State has been a solid program, making three Sweet 16 appearances since 2005. UCLA and USC are resurging programs. After several down seasons, UCLA made the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. The Trojans, under former Los Angeles Laker great Michael Cooper, made a run to the finals of the 2011 postseason WNIT, defeating Colorado 87-70 along the way. Colorado and Utah will bring a combined 29 NCAA Tournament appearances to the newly expanded league. CU, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State competed as members of the Intermountain Conference (AIAW) in the late 1970's/early 1980's. The new Pac-12 will play an 18-game schedule, featuring a home and road game against each institution's traditional rival (Utah for CU), six other opponents both home and away (for two consecutive years), and four opponents on a single-game basis - two at home and two on the road (rotating every two years). |
CU In The Pac-12...W Basketball Coach Linda LappeGÇÖs Take: GÇ£WeGÇÖre looking at (the conference change) as a very intriguing time for womenGÇÖs basketball. ItGÇÖs going to be a season of unknowns in the Pac-12, with all the new coaches (changes at UCLA, Washington, California and Arizona State) and two new schools (CU, Utah) coming in. But the unknowns make it exciting. I like it because it doesnGÇÖt put us at much of a disadvantage...The teams at the top last year were Stanford and UCLA. Stanford has been good for a long, long time; teams in the Pac-10 have had a tough time competing with them for a lot of years. But weGÇÖre hoping to come in with a lot of confidence as a team thatGÇÖs had a year under its new coaches. ItGÇÖs tough to compare the Big 12 and the Pac-12. We know the Pac-12 is going to be very quick; thereGÇÖs going to be a lot of full-court basketball played. Stanford is probably the most physical team in the Pac-12, but that could change with all the new coaches. Overall, itGÇÖs just a very tough league that, in my opinion, doesnGÇÖt get the national respect that it should. But I think weGÇÖll make headway pretty fast in getting that changed. The move is going to help our recruiting in the Northwest and West, but weGÇÖll still go into the Midwest and into Texas. The big thing, though, will be to win on the road ? particularly out West. People there already know about CU, and they know were coming their way. ItGÇÖs all very exciting.GÇ¥ |
Pac-12 Spotlight content provided by B.G. Brooks, CUBuffs.com Contributing Editor and the Colorado Sports Information Office. |
 Photo Courtesy: Redbox Pictures |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |