Arizona
Arizona women’s basketball adds transfer center Nora Francois, announces Julie Hairgrove as assistant coach
The news keeps coming for Arizona women’s basketball. New head coach Becky Burke got a late start compared to most of her competitors around the country, but she’s making up for lost time. Arizona picked up its second public commitment from a post player and officially announced the hiring of former Wildcat Julie Hairgrove as an assistant coach on Friday.
The second commit of the day came from former New Orleans center Nora Francois. The 6-foot-2 post will be playing her fifth season. She spent her freshman season at North Iowa Area Community College, making her eligible for the NCAA waiver that allows former junior college, NAIA, DII, and DIII players to compete next season.
Francois was a double-digit producer for the Privateers last year. She scored 15 points per game on volume shooting. Her 13.5 field goal attempts per game were in the 96th percentile of DI women’s basketball.
Despite being listed as a center, Francois took 4.2 of those attempts from beyond the arc where she shot 24.8 percent. Her 101 3PA were the most on her team, coming in at almost twice as many as anyone else. She hit 43.3 percent of her 2-point shots.
The big was effective on the boards last season. She averaged nearly a double-double with 8.2 rebounds per game to go with her 15.0 points. She also contributed 1.5 assists against 2.5 turnovers, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
Francois was whistled for 3.0 personal fouls per outing, but that only comes to 3.9 per 40 minutes because she was on the floor so much during the 2024-25 season. Her fouls per 40 minutes have dropped each season she spent in Division I.
Francois faced several Power 4 teams during her senior year. She opened the season against Alabama with a 3-for-9 night. She scored 10 points and grabbed nine boards.
Her next game was against TCU. She struggled, fouling out in 11 minutes of play with just two points and two rebounds.
Francois had stronger games against two other Big 12 teams. She pulled off the double-double against Texas Tech with 10 points and 17 rebounds. She went off against Baylor, going 10 for 20 from the field and 4 for 5 from 3. She scored a season high 26 points against the Bears.
Joining the Francois in the news was former Wildcat Hairgrove. Hairgrove’s hiring was made official on Friday. News of her addition to the staff leaked on Thursday, bringing part of Arizona’s past into the new era.
Hairgrove (née Brase) played for former Arizona head coach Joan Bonvicini from 1998-2003. She redshirted her true junior season due to an injury. She was the team captain for two years. The program went to the tournament three times during her time on campus.
After college, Hairgrove coached at Loyola Marymount for two years. The program won the WCC title in 2004.
In 2005, Hairgrove took a job as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Mercury. She became the longest-tenured assistant coach in the WNBA, spending 17 years with the Mercury under five different head coaches. She helped coach Phoenix to all three of its league championships before leaving the organization in 2022.
Hairgrove joins former Buffalo assistant coach James Ewing as two of Burke’s Arizona assistants. The new staff also includes the first general manager in the program’s history. Michelle Marciniak was announced as the new hire for that position on Thursday.
The staff page for Arizona women’s basketball currently lists Burke, director of basketball operations Lauren Flaum, director of recruiting operations Ryan Thorne, and associate athletic trainer Bart Jameson.
Arizona
How Arizona Can Limit Kansas’ Rushing Attack
Arizona and Kansas are both vying for the sixth win of the season on Saturday, qualifying for a bowl game and showing improvement after missing out on the postseason in 2024.
The Wildcats would like to keep some momentum going after throttling Colorado last weekend. Earning bowl eligibility in front of a sold-out crowd for homecoming in Tucson is a perfect way to do so.
The Jayhawks took down Oklahoma State in their last outing, 38-21. Jalon Daniels has led the way for the Kansas offense all season long, throwing for 1,991 yards and a career-high 20 touchdowns. He’s also had just three interceptions this season.
While Daniels has plenty of big-play ability, he didn’t throw for at least 150 yards in each of the past two games. The Jayhawks instead have been finding more chunks on the ground.
The Arizona front seven hasn’t been pushed around this season, but they have run into issues against running quarterbacks and talented backfields, which Kansas has.
Kansas ran for 232 yards against the Cowboys, which isn’t all that impressive given what other teams have done to that defense this season. However, they leaned on the ground even while the game was close, possibly to try to develop that identity.
Devin Neal carried the running game for the Jayhawks last season, rushing for 1,266 yards and 16 touchdowns on 219 carries. With Neal off to the NFL, the ground attack has not been as explosive.
Daniel Hishaw Jr., who ran behind Neal last season, and Leshon Williams, an Iowa transfer, have combined for 754 yards and 10 touchdowns. Williams has cracked the 100-yard mark once this season, but that’s all for the backfield.
Despite the lack of overwhelming success, they still lean on it often. Kansas averages 4.5 yards per carry this season and continues to grind runs between the tackles and on outside zone. Both backs are a big part of that, but so is their quarterback.
Daniels has run for 271 yards and two scores this season. He’s very athletic and has decent speed and enough toughness to lean into a few hits.
Arizona’s struggles with dual-threat quarterbacks have been well-documented this season. Houston and BYU both gave them fits on the ground, allowing 490 rushing yards between the two games. Last week, they had success stopping Kaidon Salter outside the pocket, but Colorado also fell into an early hole and had to throw for the whole day.
The Wildcats allow 138.4 rushing yards per game, which ranks 55th nationally. It really has been a case of just a few games blowing that number up, but the Jayhawks can slow the game down and win on the edge if they find some running lanes early on.
An X-factor in this game for the Wildcats is Taye Brown. The inside linebacker has been great this season at reading and flowing instinctually into run fits against zone-schemed runs. Kansas does a lot of that, making him and fellow inside linebacker Max Harris crucial to the team’s success.
Brown is second on the team with 54 tackles this season, but is one of Arizona’s best run defenders. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has also turned outside linebackers Chase Kennedy and Riley Wilson into more of an edge rushing duo, which will still be important this week, but they are the edge pieces that will have to stop the quick motion runs Kansas works on.
On the inside, Deshawn McKnight has been fantastic, and Leroy Palu has really stepped up in recent weeks. This game will be all about fits against a zone scheme, so they don’t necessarily need to be the ones in space making plays, but with all of the pre-snap motion the Jayhawks run, getting a good initial push to change the route of the play can be a big help.
Overall, this game could develop into a shootout with Noah Fifita and Daniels taking chances downfield and connecting, but there’s a way Kansas could control this game on the ground. Either way, it’s a big week for the Arizona defense to make a stand.
What do you think of Arizona’s game against Kansas? To let us know, just click the link to find us and be sure to give us a follow while you’re there.
Arizona
ASU, state of Arizona launch initiative to power up the public workforce
Arizona’s public employees keep the state moving — maintaining infrastructure, supporting families and serving communities.
Through a new initiative from Arizona State University and the state of Arizona, these employees have the opportunity to strengthen key skills and apply them in service to their communities.
This statewide initiative brings together a broad portfolio of professional learning offerings developed by ASU’s schools and colleges — spanning business, data analytics and visualization, collaboration, leadership and more — to meet the evolving needs of Arizona’s workforce.
Participating ASU schools and colleges
The collaboration was created in response to employee engagement survey feedback that professional learning and development ranked among employees’ top priorities. Data also showed that employer-paid certifications are among the most valued workplace benefits, evidence that continued learning builds both satisfaction and performance in the workplace.
Due to its strong alignment with the needs of Arizona state employees, the program reached capacity just two weeks after launch. More than 1,000 employees expressed interest, and 600 have already enrolled. Additional enrollment will be offered as more space or funding becomes available.
In collaboration with their supervisors, employees were able to choose what fits their goals, such as a short course to sharpen computer application skills or a longer certificate that builds leadership, data and technology expertise. Every option is flexible, practical and available to eligible employees at no cost.
“Arizona’s state employees are the heart of public service. This partnership invests in them — helping our workforce strengthen its skills, stay adaptable and continue delivering the best possible service to the people of Arizona,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said. “The incredible demand for the program shows how much state employees value high-quality professional development and the opportunity to earn a credential, which will generate a strong return on investment for the state.”
Preparing Arizona’s workforce for the future
Across industries, work is being reshaped by new technologies, automation and artificial intelligence.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 “Future of Jobs Report,” nearly 40% of job skills will change within the next five years, while more than 170 million new roles will emerge globally as others evolve or disappear.
Arizona’s public agencies are navigating that same transformation. The ASU-Arizona partnership provides a structured, accessible way for employees to build digital fluency, strengthen leadership and enhance problem-solving skills relevant to their roles in government.
ASU, ranked No. 1 in the nation for innovation by U.S. News & World Report for 11 consecutive years, already has supported more than 1 million learners worldwide through its continuing and professional learning programs.
A leader in workforce development, the newest Global Employability University Ranking and Survey, or GEURS, again ranked ASU second among public U.S. universities for employable graduates — ahead of UCLA, the University of Michigan and Purdue. That same expertise now supports Arizona’s public workforce, offering learning experiences that help employees meet today’s challenges while preparing for those ahead.
“As a lifelong Arizonan, I’ve seen firsthand the impact public employees have in every community across our state,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost. “Arizona will continue to thrive thanks to programs like this one, which ensures that our public employees have opportunities to learn and grow throughout their careers. This partnership reflects ASU’s commitment to transforming the university experience into a lifelong relationship that empowers people at every stage of life.”
Practical learning with measurable value
Eligible employees were able to participate in one of two program types designed to meet different professional goals:
-
Skills-based courses, focused primarily on digital and project management skills — including areas such as data analytics, agile project management and technology-enabled collaboration — many of which can be completed in eight hours or less.
-
Career certificate programs, providing deeper study in leadership, strategic thinking and data-driven decision-making.
Each offering provides practical, job-relevant tools that employees can apply immediately in their work. Upon completion, participants earn a digital credential from ASU, which can be shared in professional portfolios or annual performance evaluations.
The partnership also includes up to eight keynote sessions throughout the year, led by ASU experts, on leadership, innovation and managing change — giving employees a chance to learn together and share ideas across agencies.
By connecting the state’s workforce goals with ASU’s learning resources, the collaboration strengthens leadership and innovation across public service and supports Arizona’s capacity to adapt, grow and shape what’s next.
Learn more
While the program is at capacity, eligible employees can visit hr.az.gov/asu-careercatalyst-program to explore available offerings and join an interest list.
Arizona
Hamilton vs. Chandler: Watch live Arizona high school football showdown Friday night (11/7/2025)
If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
The undefeated Hamilton Huskies (9-0, 3-0) travel to take on the red-hot Chandler Wolves (8-1, 3-0) in a pivotal 6A Fiesta League regular-season finale showdown on Friday night. With both teams sporting impressive resumes, this matchup is a can’t-miss battle for supremacy in one of Arizona’s top high school football rivalries.
The Huskies have been dominant all season, most recently cruising to a 63-0 victory over Cesar Chavez. Sophomore quarterback Jax Sculley tossed three touchdown passes, while fellow sophomore Jake Disanti added two more scoring strikes, and senior signal-caller Daniel Vaita also found the end zone through the air in the rout.
Chandler enters this clash riding a seven-game winning streak after last week’s 28-22 triumph over Pinnacle. Junior quarterback Will Mencl was the catalyst, throwing for 338 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two scores. Sophomore running back David Douglas chipped in with a rushing touchdown of his own in the victory.
Opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT on Friday, November 7 with a live TV broadcast on NFHS Network.
• WATCH: Hamilton vs. Chandler football is livestreaming on NFHS Network
High school sports on NFHS Network
Watch high school sports anywhere from wherever you are.
Watch now
How to watch Hamilton vs. Chandler football livestream
What: Hamilton and Chandler vie for Fiesta top spot in regular-season finale
When: Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT on Friday, November 7
Where: Chandler High School | Chandler, Arizona
Watch live: Watch Hamilton vs. Chandler live on the NFHS Network
-
Austin, TX2 days agoHalf-naked woman was allegedly tortured and chained in Texas backyard for months by five ‘friends’ who didn’t ‘like her anymore’
-
Culture1 week agoVideo: Dissecting Three Stephen King Adaptations
-
Education1 week agoOpinion | New York City Mayoral Candidates: Who Would Be Best?
-
Seattle, WA6 days agoESPN scoop adds another intriguing name to Seahawks chatter before NFL trade deadline
-
San Diego, CA1 week agoAdd Nick Hundley, Ruben Niebla to list of Padres’ managerial finalists
-
Business1 week agoCommentary: Meme stocks are still with us, offering new temptations for novice and unwary investors
-
Business1 week ago
Disneyland Resort lays off 100 people in Anaheim
-
Politics1 week agoVirginia school district slapped with complaint alleging new claims in viral trans locker room fight