Arizona State is set to promote Graham Rossini as its vice president of athletics, a source briefed on the matter confirmed to The Athletic.
Rossini has worked in college and pro sports, holding senior positions within Arizona State athletics since 2021. He most recently worked as executive senior associate athletic director and chief business officer. A 2002 Arizona State graduate, Rossini replaces Ray Anderson, who resigned in November.
SunDevilSource first reported the expected hire.
Rossini takes over at a challenging time for the Sun Devils. The football program recently received four years probation and other negotiated penalties for breaking NCAA rules put in place during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period. The men’s basketball program needs a new or renovated arena as well as stronger financial support. The once-proud baseball program hasn’t advanced to the College World Series since 2010.
More than anything, Arizona State needs stronger fundraising, particularly within the name, image and likeness landscape. Under university president Michael Crow, Arizona State was slow to embrace this development, setting the athletic department behind its peers. The decision stalled all three anchor programs, frustrating the fan base, which has questioned the administration’s commitment to its major sports.
Rossini’s hire is the biggest Arizona State has made in wake of the football investigation. Anderson was never accused of wrongdoing, but he drew criticism from fans and media for supporting then-head coach and close friend Herm Edwards throughout the controversy. Deputy athletics director Jean Boyd, a respected voice within the department who oversaw the football program, recently announced he would step down this summer.
Fans pushed for Arizona State to bring in an outside candidate to replace Anderson, who held the role for nearly a decade, to distance itself from the recent past. Jim Rund, senior vice president of educational outreach and student services, held the position on an interim basis.
Arizona State is set to compete in the Big 12 this fall, making the transition along with former Pac-12 schools Utah, Colorado and rival Arizona. Crow has always looked at Stanford as a model: strong in academics and competitive across all sports. That has been reflected in how he compensates the university’s athletic directors. In 2022, for example, Anderson, who was among the highest-paid athletic administrators in the country, was eligible for nearly $500,000 in academic bonuses alone.
In previous roles, Rossini has led Arizona State efforts to increase ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and philanthropic contributions with a particular focus on NIL, fan experience and letterwinner outreach. Notably, he helped secure the naming rights to Mountain America Stadium (previously Sun Devil Stadium) and a 10-year extension for the naming rights to Desert Financial Arena.
Rossini previously worked 13 years as a vice president for the Arizona Diamondbacks, where his responsibilities included ticketing and corporate sponsorships. He also oversaw the design, construction and marketing of Salt River Fields, the organization’s spring training complex.
Kenny Dillingham, an Arizona State graduate, replaced Edwards as head coach and went 3-9 in his first football season. His enthusiasm, passion and “Activate the Valley” campaign have energized fans, but the program, which recently lost quarterback Jaden Rashada and standout receiver Elijhah Badger to the transfer portal, still has not recovered from the Edwards fallout. After a slow start, the program has recruited better, but it still is predicted to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 next season.
Men’s basketball coach Bobby Hurley has led Arizona State to three NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons, although he likely would have added a fourth had the 2020 tournament not been canceled. Despite NIL challenges, Hurley and his staff have 2024’s No. 8 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Head baseball coach Willie Bloomquist, an Arizona State product in his third season, is still building his program.
(Photo: Kirby Lee / Image of Sport / USA Today)
Arizona remains one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but new migration data suggests that growth is starting to level out.
According to the latest numbers from U-Haul, Arizona ranked number seven nationwide for growth in 2025. While that is down one spot from the year before, it marks the sixth consecutive year the state has remained in the top ten.
The rankings are based on more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions for the Arizona-based company.
What stands out in the data is how close those numbers are.
In 2025, 50.3% of U-Haul’s one-way moves came into Arizona, while 49.7% moved out. In practical terms, that means for nearly every family moving into the state, there is another one packing up and leaving.
That does not mean Arizona is losing population. However, it does suggest the margin of growth is getting thinner than it has been in recent years.
Even with that shift, the greater Phoenix metro area continues to be a major driver of growth. Phoenix ranked fifth nationwide among U.S. metro areas, fueled by job creation and new housing across the Valley.
U-Haul leaders point to continued development tied to major employers, including chip manufacturing and data centers, as well as ongoing residential construction, as reasons Phoenix remains a top destination.
Experts who study migration trends say when in-migration and out-migration numbers get this close, it can be a sign that affordability pressures are starting to play a role, especially when it comes to housing.
The latest data does not point to a mass exodus, but it does show Arizona entering a period of transition, balancing opportunity and growth with affordability concerns.
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
Authorities say a prominent California agriculture heir is accused of traveling to Arizona to kill his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce, a case now drawing national attention for its cross-state trail and high-profile ties.
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