Arizona

Arizona volleyball stretches winning steak to 9, advances to NIVC semifinals

Published

1 year ago

December 12, 2024

Arizona volleyball stretches winning steak to 9, advances to NIVC semifinals

The rest of the Big 12 is done playing volleyball this season with all six teams that made the NCAA Tournament knocked out by the second round. That leaves Arizona (22-9, 9-9 Big 12) to carry the postseason banner for the league in the NIVC. One more win and the Wildcats would be in the “Fab 4” of the secondary tournament.

The Wildcats did that in relatively quick fashion, defeating the Wyoming Cowgirls 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-17) to stretch their winning streak to nine matches. With another match less than 24 hours away, it was a relief.

“It’s really important because we got to get our rest,” said junior outside hitter Jordan Wilson. “A lot of us have to prepare for finals. A lot of people are studying and have their studies to attend to so I’m happy that we really took care of business. We noticed in the third set that we were starting kind of slow, and we picked ourselves back up. We’re like, hey, this team really likes to go to five. They’re pretty good at doing that, so we got to stay disciplined and take care of business or else they will.”

The Cowgirls (17-13, 7-11 MWC) had gone to five sets in 12 of their 29 matches coming into Wednesday evening.

All three of Arizona’s pins ended up with double-digit kills. Wilson led the way with a double-double. She finished with 13 kills on .276 hitting to go with her 11 digs. She also had a solo block and a service ace to score 15 points.

Carlie Cisneros and Jaelyn Hodge both ended with 10 kills. Cisneros hit .261 while Hodge went for .308. Hodge also had four total blocks and five digs. Cisneros threw in eight digs.

Senior middle blocker Alayna Johnson had a lot to say about it, too. After starting most of her career, she took a place as a reserve for most of her final season. She has been starting the last few matches in the absence of Kiari Robey, and she’s made the most of it.

“She made a big impact,” Wilson said.

Against the Cowgirls, Johnson had seven kills on .545 hitting. She also had an assist, an ace, two digs, and five total blocks (one solo). The blocks were especially big as Arizona blocked Wyoming nine times.

“For AJ, it is just a matter of her just believing that, one, I believe in her, and that her teammates believe in her,” Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs said. “And so it’s just a reminder, hey, jump hard. You’re gonna get rewarded. And Avery (Scoggins) rewarded her a lot today. As a blocker, I mean, there’s no secrets there. That was probably her weakest part of her game, but she’s embracing it more now because she has confidence. And she’s always said she has confidence, but I actually see her confidence now, which is refreshing.”

Arizona didn’t run away with the match, but the Wildcats quietly controlled it most of the time. Wyoming’s last lead in the first set was 2-1. Arizona kept a two- to three-point lead for most of the set. The Cowgirls got within a point at 18-17, but Arizona pulled away at the end with an 8-2 run to go up 1-0.

The Wildcats led wire-to-wire in the second set. Once again, the Cowgirls closed the lead to two points on several occasions. That stalled at 19-17 with Arizona winning six of the last seven points to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Wyoming got a better start to the third set, going up 4-1. Arizona tied it at six point apiece. The final tie came at 7-7. The Wildcats used a 5-0 run to take an 11-7 lead. The Cowgirls never got closer than two points after that.

Stubbs was able to play more of her bench in the final set. She got senior opposite Amanda DeWitt in and also played Ana Heath at setter briefly. Heath was the starting setter last year but gave way to Pacific Region Freshman of the Year Scoggins this year. During a pause in action, Scoggins went to the huddle of players on the floor and hugged Heath. When Scoggins returned to the court, Heath stayed in to play opposite.

“Ana is definitely Avery’s biggest fan and encouraging her along the way, and Avery was excited to be able to do that back to her while she was out there on the floor,” Stubbs said. “And then when Avery went back in to set, she was like, ‘Oh, I’m setting Ana right now so that I can show her how much I appreciate what she’s doing.’ Because it’s not an easy role that Ana has been put in, but because she’s a great person, and, I mean, she’s just a model citizen. Everything about her is awesome. She is made for the role she’s in, but she still wants more, and so the key is for me to find more for her.”

The first set to Heath was an attack error. The second got Arizona to set point. Then, last year’s starting setter gave her team the kill that put the match away.

Arizona now moves on to face Northern Colorado on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. MST in McKale Center. The Bears engineered a reverse sweep of Arkansas State just before the Wildcats faced the Cowgirls.

Arizona and Northern Colorado played an exhibition match in Greeley, Colorado earlier this year. The Bears took a set off the Wildcats, but it wasn’t the same team they will face on Thursday.

“What I do know about Arizona is they’re in a different lineup than they were when we saw them in early August, mid-August, I should say, as an exhibition match,” UNC head coach Lyndsey Oates. “That’s a long time ago. I just said to the team, ‘We might be familiar with this team,’ and they all went, ‘No, we’re not.’ That seems like a world away in terms of time that we played them.”

Thursday is not a world away, though. The two teams will vie for the right to play for a championship in less than 24 hours.

Lead photo by Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Athletics

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Arizona

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

TEMPE – The Phoenix metro has not been kind to Arizona baseball through the first month of the season.

Arizona fell to rival ASU 10-4 on Tuesday night in front of a packed crowd at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Wildcats clawed back after falling behind 6-1, but the Sun Devils closed the door in the late innings.

The nonconference game was the first of five matchups between the rivals, with the UA hosting a 3-game Big 12 Conference series in early April followed by one more non-league game in Tempe.

Arizona (6-10) is now 0-4 in the Phoenix area, with three losses coming in the opening weekend College Baseball Series in Surprise. Arizona dropped to 0-3 in midweek games.

Collin McKinney got the start for the Wildcats, allowing four earned runs on five hits and six strikeouts. McKinney conceded one run in the first inning but escaped out of a bases loaded jam. He looked sharp until giving up a 2-run homer to ASU’s Dean Toigo in the fourth inning.

“We saw the velocity at times. We saw the breaking stuff,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said. “It was very encouraging from us on our side for him.“

The Sun Devils tacked on three more runs in the fourth, including a 2-run blast from Landon Hairston off reliever Matthew Martinez.

Arizona answered in the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Roman Meyers drilled a 450-feet 3-run homer to bring the score to 6-4. It was Meyers’ third homer of the season.

“He always has a chance. He’s got massive power,” Hale said. “So if he hits it he has a chance for a home run.”

Arizona’s five through nine hitters combined for six of the team’s eight hits, led by 2-hit games from Caleb Danzeisen and Cash Brennan.

Arizona’s offense, however, couldn’t keep up with the Sun Devils, who added runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to pull away. Wildcats pitchers gave up eight free bases on the night.

Arizona is back in action Friday when it begins Big 12 play at Utah. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST.

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Arizona

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

Published

14 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

PEORIA, AZ — What if a simple dinner could help someone rebuild their life? In Peoria, a local chapter of Helping One Woman is doing just that by gathering once a month for a “Girls Night Out” with a powerful purpose.

Each month, women in the community nominate someone facing an unimaginable challenge: the loss of a spouse or child, a cancer diagnosis, or another life-altering hardship. That woman becomes the evening’s honoree.

At the dinner, attendees each contribute at least $10 and take part in raffles supported by local businesses. By the end of the night, the funds raised are gifted directly to the recipient to help with expenses during a difficult time.

But organizers say the money is only part of the impact. The room full of encouragement, hugs, and shared support can be just as powerful.

ABC15’s Cameron Polom talked with the Peoria chapter president and two women whose lives were changed thanks to the group’s generosity. See the full Uplifting Arizona story in the video player above.

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Arizona

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

The NFL’s legal tampering window is officially open, and it didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to get in the mix.

A running list of the new names and familiar faces coming to Arizona in 2026:

New names on Cardinals roster this free agency

Kendrick Bourne

The former San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots wide receiver brings another body to Arizona’s wide receivers room that includes Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr.

He’s got plenty of familiarity with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur from their time together in San Francisco (2017-20). Bourne also spent a year with expected Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett in 2024 with the Patriots.

The wide receiver caught 37 passes for 551 yards in 16 games played (eight starts) last year.

He’s now on board for two years in Arizona.

Isaac Seumalo

The guard spent the past three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a seven-season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He’s started 104 out of 125 games played and has spent time at both left and right guard during his NFL career.

According to Next Gen Stats, the guard allowed a 3.7% pressure rate last year. That was the lowest rate among all eligible guards in 2025.

Gardner Minshew

Minshew agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Monday.

He’s expected to back up expected starter Jacoby Brissett in 2026, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.

Coming off his seventh NFL season and first with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minshew appeared in four games (one start) last year. He completed 46.2% of his throws for 37 yards and an interception.

Before landing with the Chiefs, Minshew spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), Indianapolis Colts (2023), Philadelphia Eagles (2021-22) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-20).

RB Tyler Allgeier

Allgeier comes over to Arizona on a reported two-year contract.

Before agreeing to terms on the $12.25 million deal with Arizona on Monday, Allgeier played four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

He ran for 514 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries last year, while adding another 14 catches for 96 yards.

While he worked mostly behind Bijan Robinson the past three years, Allgeier did surpass the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie in 2022.

Familiar faces

L.J. Collier

Collier is back on a one-year deal.

The defensive lineman appeared in four games in 2025 due to a knee injury suffered in Week 2.

He recorded six tackles and two QB hits in what was his third season with the team.

Roy Lopez

After a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions, Lopez is back with his hometown team on a reported two-year deal.

In 17 games played last year, he recorded two sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass defensed.

Before his time in Detroit, Lopez spent two seasons with Arizona from 2023-24. During that span, he registered a sack, six tackles for loss, three passes defensed and a forced fumble in 30 games played (21 starts).

K Chad Ryland

Ryland is back on a one-year deal, the team announced.

Ryland went through plenty of struggles last season after a having a career year in 2024. His accuracy dropped from 87.5% in 2024 to 75.8% last season. He was especially inconsistent from 40 yards and on, compiling a 13-of-20 mark (65%). Inside 40 yards, though, Ryland was 12-of-13 (92.3%).

Arizona brought in kicker Josh Karty late in the year (more on him later), but Ryland never gave up his role and appeared in all 17 games.

A one-year deal isn’t going to break the bank by any means.

P Blake Gillikin

The Cardinals must feel pretty good about where Gillikin is at in his recovering from a back injury last year with their signing of the punter to a one-year deal.

Before he went down five games into the season, the punter was leading the league in yards per punt with 51.7.

Not only that, across his five seasons (65 games) in the NFL, he holds the all-time record for yards per punt at 48.5.

Staying healthy is key for Gillikin, who also missed time in 2024 due to an ankle injury.

RB James Conner

Technically not a free agent, Conner was a potential cut candidate given his contract.

But after reportedly revising his deal, Conner is returning for his sixth season with the Cardinals.

The running back brings plenty of leadership and a bruising running style to the mix.

He’s coming off an abbreviated 2025 (three games) due to an ankle injury but had rushed for a pair of 1,000-yard seasons the two years prior. He scored at least seven rushing touchdowns each season from 2022-24.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Much like Conner, Murphy-Bunting was another prime cut candidate due to his contract but reportedly revised his deal with Arizona as well.

Murphy-Bunting has a lot to prove after missing all of 2025 due to an injury suffered away from the team facility.

In his first season with the Cardinals, the cornerback recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles across 15 starts.

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