Greg Hansen's Top 100 Sports Figures of 2017: 100-1
Star columnist Greg Hansen counts down the most prominent sports figures in Southern Arizona from 2017 to kick off the New Year. Throughout the last few days, the list was broken up, here's the complete list. Enjoy!
By Greg Hansen / Arizona Daily StarΒ
100. Adin Hill
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Arizona Coyotes goalie Adin Hill makes a save in the third period against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Arizona beat Minnesota 4-3.
As the Tucson Roadrunners won the Pacific Division, Hill, a goalie, was ranked No. 5 in the American Hockey League goalie statistics, and has shuttled between Tucson and the NHLβs Arizona Coyotes this season.
99. Zak Mohamed and Sam Lossou
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Rincon boys soccer coach Roxanne Taylor exchanges phone info with forward Sam Lossou after the Rangers notched a 1-0 home win, Taylorβs 401st, against Desert View on Tuesday.
Rinconβs dominating soccer twosome combined to score 35 goals in a 13-4-2 season, and this year had 22 goals combined after a 10-2 start.
98. Breezy Hayward and Kaitlyn Anderson
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Cienega's Kaitlyn Anderson drops a sacrifice bunt to move a runner to third base during second inning action against Mountain View in round 2 of the Class 5A state softball playoffs at Cienega High School in Vail, AZ. on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Photo by Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.
As Cienega High School rolled to another state softball championship, Hayward, a freshman with 54 RBI and a .513 batting average, and Anderson, a senior with a .467 batting average and 11 home runs, led the way.
97. Devyn Cross
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Devyn Cross says that during the Wildcatsβ NCAA Tournament loss to Missouri, βI could have personally been more engaged rather than stuck in my head the whole time.β
In her junior year at Arizona, theΒ middle blockerΒ was selected to the AVCA All-AmericaΒ honorable mention team.
96. Addison Mort
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As The Gregory School rolled to the state boys basketball championship, going 27-4 in Class 1A, Mort averaged 26 points and eight rebounds a game.
95. Alex Lopez and Jordan Lopez
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βThey definitely work really, really well together,β Walden Grove coach Corey Noble says of Alex, left, and Jordan Lopez.
The Walden Grove High School twins combined for 4,509 yards from scrimmage in an 8-3 season; Alex, the quarterback, passed for 2,655 yards andΒ 29 touchdowns and rushed for 624 more. Jordan, a junior receiver, caught 54 passes for 1,230 yards and 12 touchdowns.
94. Kalista Kakou
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Salpointe Catholic's Kalista Kakou, left, and Jacuelina Valenzuela (3) celebrate the Lancers' 3-0 voctory over Flagstaff in the girl's 4A state soccer championship game on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in Gilbert, Ariz.
One of the stateβs leading high school soccer players, Kakou helped Salpointe win the 2018 Class 4A state championship and then signed to play collegiately at Eastern Washington.
93. Cole Altherr
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Catalina Foothills pitcher Cole Altherr delivers a pitch against St. Mary's during the third inning of their State 4A Championship semifinal baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz.
Altherr was a top two-way player for Catalina Foothills High School's baseball team, hitting .348 with 15 extra-base hits and going 5-1 as a pitcher.
92. Nils Roth
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Nils Roth
Pima Collegeβs freshman goalkeeper led the NJCAA in goals-against average as the Aztecs won the menβs soccer national title.
91. Kylee Martin
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Kylee Martin
Pima Collegeβs standout soccer player, a Sahuaro High School grad,Β was a first-team All-ACCAC selection.
90. Matt Grevers
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United States' Matt Grevers, Caeleb Remel Dressel and Lilly King, from left, celebrate after winning the gold medal in the mixed medley relay during the swimming competitions of the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, July 26, 2017.
The four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist, a volunteer coach on the UA swimming staff, finished second in the 100 backstroke at the USA finals.
89. Carlie Scupin
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In her first two seasons at Tucson High, Scupin, a first baseman, has hit 24 home runs; her sophomore softball season was her best, producing a .619 batting average.
88. Mackenzie McRee
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Mackenzie McRee grew up playing golf and watching the Masters with her dad, Jim McRee.
Not only did the freshman golfer from Salpointe Catholic qualify to compete in the Drive, Chip and Putt competition on the week of the Masters, she won the state Division II girls golf title.
87. Rashaad Henderson
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Flowing Wells' Rashaad Henderson (23) manages to out run Mountain View's Branden Devoy (8) in the third quarter of their football game at Flowing Wells High School, Friday, October 26, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
Flowing Wellsβ senior running back gained 1,366 yards, scored 23 touchdowns and made 43 tackles for Mark Brunenkantβs 8-3 Caballeros.
86. Abram Carrasco
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Abram Carrasco, right, has already reached the 1,000-point mark.
The Cholla High School grad averaged 16.6 points per game on Pima Collegeβs national basketball runnerup team, and is now leading the team with a 20.1 points-per-game average this season.
85. Greg Wenneborg and Chad Harrison
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Chad Harrison, left, is Pima College's head coach.Β
Β Pima Collegeβs veteran track and cross country coaches produced five NJCAA All-Americans at the national finals: 800 meter runner Collin Dylla, pole vaulter Tony Chavez, high jumper Cameron Crandall, long jumper Anahiramar Lopez and high jumper Megan Schiffmacher.
84. Majok Deng
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Salpointe Catholic's Majok Deng, left, drives to the basket past Buckeye Union's Otis Frazier during the second half of the boy's 4A state semifinal game on Feb. 23, 2018, in Phoenix.
Salpointe Catholicβs senior basketball standout led the Lancers to the state championship game as a junior. Now a senior committed to Pepperdine, Deng averaged 17.9 points per game in his first 11 games.Β
83. Yu-Sang Hou
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Arizona's Yu-Sang Hou watches her shot from the first tee during the final round of the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, May 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Arizonaβs sophomore golfer, a vital part of the NCAA championship, was the Pac-12βs November golfer of the month, and finished in the top 20 of six tournaments.
82. Cesar Salazar
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Arizona catcher Cesar Salazar (12) cuts off the throw home as Oregon State outfielder Jack Anderson (29) scores during the sixth inning of the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 5 Oregon State University Beavers college baseball game on April 6, 2018, at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Ariz.
As a junior catcher at Arizona, the Sahuaro High School grad was an All-Pac-12 first-team catcher, hitting .339.Β
81. Abdi Abdirahman
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Abdi Abdirahman, of Tucson, took home bronze in the 2016 New York City Marathon and was the first American to finish the race.
Abdirahman, who turns 42 on New Year's Day, was 15th in the Boston Marathon and fifth in the Doha Half-Marathon.
80. Kelsey Jenkins
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Kelsey Jenkins takes a swing at the ball during batting practice at Sabino High School in 2014.
Sabino High School grad starred at Wisconsin, where she was an All-Big Ten defensive-team player. She also hit .321 and made the NCAA All-Regional tournament team at second base.
79. Nick Rosquist
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Nick Rosquist of the Gregory School jumps for a shot over Bisbee defenders during a game on February 02, 2017.
Rosquist finished his career at The Gregory School with a 28-point scoring average, most among all Tucsonans, and more than 2,000 career points.
78. Neysia Howard
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Tucson Highβs outstanding track and field athlete finished second in the state finals in the long jump and in 200 meters. She was also third in the 100 meter finals.
77. Alexis Kaiser, Ellessa Bonstrom and Arianna Acedo
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Canyon del Oro's Arianna Acedo (14) yells at teammate Anya Gonzalez after scoring the second run on Gonzalez's two RBI single that made it 5-0 in the fifth inning against Salpointe in the state 4A softball semifinal at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2015.
The statistical leaders of CDOβs 30-4 state championship softball season. Kaiser hit .433 with 14 home runs; Bonstrom hit .495 with 11 homers; Acedo hit .485 with 36 RBI.
76. Pat Nugent
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Cienega's head coach Pat Nugent tries to get a play into the offense as the Bobcats line up against Shadow Ridge in the third quarter of their game at Cienega High School, Friday, September 1, 2017.
Cienegaβs football coach piloted the Bobcats to a 12-1 season and the Class 5A state semifinals.
75. Taylor Bigelow
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Salpointe defender Taylor Bigelow (9) and Ironwood Ridge forward Kaylee Wallentine (8) jump for a corner kick during the second half of the Ironwood Ridge vs. Salpointe Catholic girl's high school soccer match at Salpointe Catholic High School in 2016.
As Pima Collegeβs womenβs soccer team went 15-5-1 and reached the Region 1 semifinals, Bigelow, a Salpointe Catholic grad, became a first-team All-ACCAC selection.
74. Eric Tatham
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Cienega head coach Eric Tatham, right, high-fives the players and staff after the Bobcats won on the final out of the state Division II softball championship game between Salpointe and Cienega in 2015.
Coached Cienega to a 28-7 record and its second state softball championship.
73. Chris Cooper
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Midfielder Chris Cooper, left, races a teammate to the ball as the Rangers run through some light drills at the Rincon High School soccer practice in 2016.
Pima Collegeβs sophomore engineering major from University High School was selected to the All-ACCAC first team with nine goals and 12 assists for the ACCAC conference champs.
72. David Korn
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David Korn
In his second year as head coach of Division II Maryville-St. Louisβ menβs soccer team, the Canyon del Oro grad went 13-4-2 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
71. Chris Klassen
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Lauren Green poses with her mom, Rochelle, left, and Rattlers club team coach Chris Klassen during National Letter-of-Intent signing day at Cienega High School on Nov. 8, 2017.
Coach has turned the Tucson Rattlers into a top girls AAU basketball team and, helping 11 of his Rattlers players earn college scholarships in the last three years. Klassen is also an assistant coach for the Pima College women's team
70. Harrison Jacobs
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Harrison Jacobs.Β Photo courtesy of Cal Tech athleticsΒ
The former Catalina Foothills baseball player was a key part of Cal Techβs stunning March victory over Pomona-Pitzer, which broke a 29-year conference losing streak dating to 1988. Jacobs, who started 34 games, helped the Beavers win eight games in the season.
69. Matt Muehlebach
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Arizonaβs starting point guard on Pac-10 championship teams of the late-'80s and early-'90s has blossomed as one of the top TV analysts for the Pac-12 Networks.
68. Jerry Carrillo
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The Salponte Catholic and UA grad coached Cochise Collegeβs menβs basketball team to another banner season, 25-7 in the ACCAC, and opened this season 9-1 to reach 497 career wins before Christmas.
67. Matt Bushman
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BYU tight end Matt Bushman left runs with the football while Hawaii linebacker Russell Williams Jr. (44) gives chase during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game, Nov. 25, 2017, in Honolulu.
In his freshman season at BYU, Bushman, a Sabino High Schoool grad, caught 49 passes at tight end β the most among all freshmen tight ends in NCAA football.
66. Shannon Woolridge
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The Empire High School softball coach won his second state championship in three years, going 26-9 to take the 3A title.
65. Doug DβAmore
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Catalina Foothills' head coach Doug D'Amore shouts out instructions to his players from the bench during the second half of their Division II state basketball playoff game against Agua Fria in 2016.
Catalina Foothillsβ boys basketball coach, a former Mountain View High School and Euro League standout, reached the state 4A semifinals last season.
64. Jared Oliva
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Arizona center fielder Jared Oliva (42) tracks down a sinking liner by Washington's Willie MacIver (9) in the fifth inning of their Pac-12 game at Hi Corbett Field in 2017.
Oliva hit .321 with 54 RBI for Arizonaβs NCAA Tournament baseball team. He was namedΒ to the All-Pac-12 first team.Β
63. Courtney Brown
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Pima Community College softball player Courtney Brown. Photo courtesy of Pima athletics
Pima Collegeβs hard-hitting outfielder from Flowing Wells High School hit .423 with 43 RBI for the Aztecs.
62. Delaney Schnell
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Delaney Schnell, 18, works on her form before falling into the water during a workout at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center on June 28, 2017. Schnell says she started diving when she was 10 years old. She is now one of the best in the nation.
Now in her freshman season at Arizona, the former Tucson High diver made the Team USA World Championship diving team in Budapest, Hungary, finishing 27th overall.
61. Cesar Salazar
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Arizona's Cesar Salazar (12) singles in the seventh inning against Coastal Carolina and would eventually come around to score in their final series game at TD Ameritrade Park in the College World Series, June 27, 2016, Omaha, Neb.
Arizonaβs sophomore catcher was selected to the All-Pac-12 first team.
60. Allonzo Trier
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Arizona guard Allonzo Trier (35) draws back for an over head two-hand slam against Connecticut in the second half of their game at McKale Center on December 21, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Returning from a long suspension, Trier averaged 17.2 points to help lead Arizona to the Pac-12 conference and tournament championships.
59. Mo Mercado
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Arizona's Mo Mercado (11) doinks a blooper into the infield that ended up falling between three South Carolina players for a hit in the seventh inning of their NCAA Regional championship game at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2017.
Hit .396 and played shortstop for the Pac-12 champions. Mercado was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection.
58. P.J. Ponce
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P.J. Ponce (far right) poses with the Mountain View state championship wrestling team.Β
Mountain Viewβs wrestling coach led the Mountain Lions to the big-schools state championship.
57. Levi Wallace
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Auburn running back Kamryn Pettway (36) is tackled by Alabama defensive back Levi Wallace (39) as he carries the ball during the second half of the Iron Bowl NCAA college football game, Nov. 26, 2016, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Breaking into the starting lineup for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Tucson High grad was 10th on the team with 39 tackles. He also intercepted three passes and had 4 Β½ quarterback sacks.
56. Krystal Quihuis
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Krystal Quihuis of Salpointe in 2012.
Arizonaβs senior golfer from Salpointe was chosen to the All-Pac-12 team after finishing in the top five in 10 tournaments.
55. Maddie Pothoff
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Maddie Pothoff. Photo courtesy of Alabama athleticsΒ
One of Tucsonβs finest tennis players ever, Pothoff became an All-American as a freshman at Alabama, reaching the finals of the NCAA tournament and winning 16 doubles matches in the season. Pothoff has since transferred to Santa Clara.Β
54. Annette Gutierrez
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From left, assistant coach Felicia Greenhouse, head coach Annette Gutierrez and assistant coach Greta Naranjo watch at the Tucson High School girl's basketball varsity team practice in 2015.
Tucson Highβs girls basketball coach produced a 25-3 record and a No. 4 finish in Class 6A, the stateβs highest classification.
53. Tori Brown
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Cienega's Tori Brown scores as the Mountain View catcher bobbles a bad throw during 4th inng action action in round 2 of the Class 5A state softball playoffs at Cienega High in 2017.
In her final softball season at Cienega, Brown led the Bobcats to the state championship, hitting 10 home runs, batting .396 with 50 RBI.
52. Alfonso Cabrera
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Salpointeβs soccer standout scored 24 goals as a sophomore, leading the Lancers to the boys state championship game and a 20-4-1 record.
51. Danny Preble
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Salpointeβs baseball team made its closest bid ever to win the state title, finishing second at 26-8 under Prebleβs leadership.
50. Trenton Bourguet
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Marana's Trenton Bourguet (5) throws on the run during the second quarter of the No. 1 Cienega vs. No. 9 Marana high school 5A quarterfinal football game at Cienega High School in 2017.
Leading Marana High to a 9-3 football season, the junior quarterback passed for 2,984 yards and 38 touchdowns.
49. Pat Darcy
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Pat Darcy in 2014.
In his first year as chairman of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame, the former World Series pitcher from Rincon High School, has spear-headed one of the top classes in 27 years of the PCSHF.
48. Dennis Bene
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Salpointe's head coach Dennis Bene gestures to his offensive unit after they failed to get the play off against Cactus in the first quarter of their state quarterfinal game, Friday November 10, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Salpointeβs accomplished football coach again reached the state championship game, finishing 12-2.
47. Jessie Harper
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Arizona's watches Jessie Harper (19) her second home run of the first inning clear the fences against Stanford at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2017.
Possibly the top freshman in college softball, Harper was chosen to the NFCA All-American first team, hitting .333 with 19 home runs for Arizona.
46. Dan Slania
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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Dan Slania throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game, Friday, June 30, 2017, in Pittsburgh.
Making his major-league pitching debut for the San Francisco Giants, Slania, of Salpointe Catholic and Notre Dame, also pitched 141 innings in Triple-A and Double-A appearances.
45. Brian Holstrom
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Salpointe head coach Brian Holstrom makes a point to his bench players during the Salpointe vs. Sahuaro boys high school basketball game at the MLK Basketball Classic in 2014.
In his final season as Salpointe Catholicβs boys basketball coach, Holstrom reached the state championship game, guiding the Lancers to 21 victories.
44. Todd Holthaus
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Pima Community College coach Todd Holthaus doesn't agree with a call against his Aztecs during their game with Gillette College at the Native American Classic being held at Pima Community College in 2016.
Pima Collegeβs womenβs basketball coach, whose team was ranked No. 1 part of last season and won 23 games, enters winter break this year at No. 4 nationally.
43. Kelly Fowler
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Canyon del Oro's head coach Kelly Fowler sends Hope Banales (26) home for the Dorado's first score of the night in the bottom of the first inning against Sunrise Mountain in the 4A state championship game in 2017.
Winning 30 games again at Canyon del Oro High School, Fowler coached the Dorados to her third state championship, finishing 30-4.
42. Alfonso Rivas
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Arizona's Alfonso Rivas runs around the bases after hitting the game-winning home run during an NCAA college baseball tournament regional game against Delaware, Saturday, June 3, 2017, in Lubbock, Texas.
As a UA junior outfielder, Rivas hit .371 with 63 RBI. He returns as one of the top players in college baseball.
41. Gabi Stoian
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FC Tucson forward Gabi Stoian (6) makes a kick during FC Tucson Women's 0-0 draw against the San Diego Sea Lions at Kino North Stadium on July 10, 2015.
Arizonaβs stellar soccer player scored two game-winning goals in her senior season for an NCAA Tournament team.
40. Abdi Abdirahman
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Abdi Abdirahman of the United States crosses the finish line in third place in the men's division at the 2016 New York City Marathon in New York in 2016.
Tucsonβs remarkable 40-year-old distance runner was the first American to finish the New York Marathon in November, No. 7 overall, which backed up his impressive No. 6 overall finish at the Boston Marathon in April.
39. Justice Summerset
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Tucson Mountain View's Justice Summerset attempts to clear the bar at 7 feet 1 inches during the Boy's Division II High Jump Final at the State Track and Field Championships in Mesa on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Summers won the event with a jump of 6 foot 9 inches.
In his first year at Arizona, the Mountain View High School grad finished third in the NCAA finals with a jump of 7-feet 1 ΒΎ inches to become an All-American.
38. Haley Moore
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Amateur player Haley Moore reacts to her putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in 2015 in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
A first-team All-Pac-12 golfer, Moore won the Sugar Bowl Invitational and placed in the top five in eight tournaments for Arizona.
37. Ali Farhang and Alan Young
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Attorney Ali Farhang, the Arizona Bowl local organizing commissioner chairman, talks about the inaugural Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl scheduled for Dec. 29, 2015 at Arizona Stadium. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
In three years, Farhang, the chairman, and Young, the executive director, have put the Arizona Bowl on the map and made a serious run at selling out the Utah State-New Mexico State game.
36. Lainey Burdett
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Freshman goalkeeper Lainey Burdett focuses a shot coming her way during University of Arizona Soccer practice in 2015.
Arizonaβs second-team All-Pac-12 soccer goalie allowed just 17 goals in 20 games for the Wildcats.Β
35. Jamarye Joiner
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Cienega quarterback Jamarye Joiner (11) fires a pass during the first quarter of the No. 1 Cienega vs. No. 9 Marana high school 5A quarterfinal football game at Cienega High School in 2017.
As a Cienega High School senior quarterback, Joiner passed for 2,196 yards and ran for 1394 more, combining for 44 touchdowns.
34. Andy, Sofia and Christian Fetsis
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Pusch Ridge Christian quarterback Christian Fetsis (10) looks back as he streaks downfield during the third quarter of the Pusch Ridge Christian vs. Empire high school football game at Empire High School in 2017.
The Fetsis family had a remarkable year in sports: Father Andy was Pusch Ridgeβs defensive coordinator in a 13-1 football season and coached the Pusch Ridgeβs girls tennis team to a 17-1 record and the state championship. His daughter, Sofia, finished No. 3 in the Division III singles finals, and his son, Christian, rushed for 1,181 yards and passed for 1,296 more, for 32 touchdowns, to lead the Lions to the state finals.
33. Luis Gonzalez
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Center fielder Luis Gonzalez (6) of the Kannapolis Intimidators bats in a game against the Greenville Drive on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville won, 12-2.
The Catalina Foothills grad hit .381 for Mountain West champion New Mexico and was drafted No. 87 overall by the Chicago White Sox.
32. Jesse Mermuys
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Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov, right, of Russia, enjoys a moment with assistant coach Jesse Mermuys, left, during warmups before an NBA preseason basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in Los Angeles, Oct. 11, 2016.
The Salpointe Catholic graduate worked his way up from low-level jobs at Southern Utah, New Mexico State and Arizona to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he's Luke Walton's No. 1 assistant.
31. Carlie Scupin
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Tucson Highβs power-hitting first baseman hit .551 with 13 home runs as a freshman. She verballyΒ committed to play for Arizona as an eighth-grader.
30. Sydni Stallworth
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Guard Sydni Stallworth pulls up for a jumper in a shooting drill during practice for the Pima Community College basketball team in 2015.
A first-team NJCAA All-American point guard at Pima College, Stallworth averaged 17 points per game for the Aztecs.
29. Lauri Markkanen
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Chicago Bulls' Lauri Markkanen, center, drives between Philadelphia 76ers' Richaun Holmes, left, and Robert Covington during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in Chicago.
The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year averaged 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds before becoming the seventh overall selection in the NBA draft. He immediately became a double-figure scorer for the Chicago Bulls.
28. Bijan Robinson
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Salpointe's Bijan Robinson (5) right, finds some room to run around the end and by Saguaro's Antonio Cuevas (5) in their 4A state championship game at Arizona Stadium on December 2, 2017.
Salpointeβs star running back gained a city-record 2,023 yards as a sophomore, and scored 26 touchdowns for the stateβs Class 4A runner-up team.
27. Colin Schooler
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Arizona Wildcats linebacker Colin Schooler (7) roars after sacking Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins (5) during the second quarter of the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. Arizona State University Sun Devils in the Territorial Cup college football game on Nov. 25, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz.
Arizonaβs freshman linebacker made 13Β½ tackles for loss and was chosen the Pac-12 defensive Freshman of the Year.
26. Julian Gaona
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Tucson's Julian Gaona, Arizona Daily Star All Star, in camera double exposure in 2016.
A first-team NJCAA All-American in menβs soccer at Pima College, the Tucson High grad scored a team-high 16 goals for the nationβs No. 3 team.
25. Bryce Cotton
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Utah Jazz guard Bryce Cotton, left, drives for a shot past Denver Nuggets guard Jameer Nelson in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in 2015.
The Palo Verde High School grad scored 45 points in the Australian National Basketball League championship game, and was named the league's MVP. He is averaging 19 points for Perth this season.
24. Heather Moore-Martin
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Salpointe's head coach Heather Moore-Martin directs her squad in the second game against Mesquite in their DII quarterfinal playoff match at Salpointe Catholic High School in 2015.
Won her second straight state girls volleyball championships at Salpointe Catholic High School. She now has four state titles in her career.
23. Jon Pearlman
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FC Tucson coach Jon Pearlman has won with the Men in Black before, and will now attempt to turn around the teamβs season.
In his first season as head coach of FC Tucson, Pearlman won the franchiseβs fourth straight division title, went 9-2-3 and put together a 10-match undefeated string.
22. Mike Candrea
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University of Arizona head coach Mike Candrea talks with the media about bringing in Taryne Mowatt as the new softball pitching coach in 2017.
Arizonaβs softball coach won another Pac-12 championship with a 52-9 record, reaching the regional finals.
21. Donny Toia
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D.C. United's Patrick Nyarko, right, grabs Orlando City's Donny Toia by the arm as they try to get possession of the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer game, Wednesday, May 31, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. Orlando Won 2-0.
Four years into his Major League Soccer career, the CDO and Pima College veteran started 29 games for the Orlando City SC.
20. Matt Brase
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Former Arizona Wildcats basketball player Matt Brase led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the NBA D League Championship. -
Not only did the former Catalina Foothills High School and UA basketball player coach the NBA G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the 2016-17 championship finals, his team opened this season with a 13-game winning streak
19. AJ Valenzuela
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AJ Valenzuela was a first-team pick by the NJCAA and United Soccer Coaches.
Pima's Valenzuela was the ACCAC Player of the Year in menβs soccer, and was then named a first-team All-American twice, by the soccer coaches of America and the NJCAA.
18. Cory Petska
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Cory Petska competes in the team roping event during the final night of the National Finals Rodeo, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas.
The Marana team-roper finished No.2 in the 2017 Pro Rodeo Association standings, earning $133,000 en route to the National Finals Rodeo.
17. Turner Washington
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Turner Washington practices throwing the discus at CDO High School in Oro Valley in 2016.
The top prep distance thrower in Arizona history, Washington won the national championship in the summer and claimed another state championship with a throw of 227 feet 4 inches, the fourth-best distance in high school history.
16. Katiyana Mauga
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Arizona's Katiyana Mauga (34) watches her shot head for the stands and a 2-0 lead against Oregon in the fifth inning of their Pac-12 game at Hillenbrand Stadium in 2017.
Mauga, a third baseman, hit 25 homers and drove in 61 runs for the Pac-12 softball champs and was the leagueβs co-Player of the Year.Β Along the way, she became the Pac-12βs career home run leader.
15. Tony Amato
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Head coach Tony Amato directs activity during University of Arizona Soccer practice in 2015.
Arizonaβs soccer coach won seven Pac-12 games, tops in school history, and finished 11-5-4 overall afterΒ leading his team to the NCAA Tournament's second round.Β
14. Deion James
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Deion James, ex-basketball player for Pima Community College will take his talents to the Pac-12 and play for Washington State.
The Empire High School grad led Pima College to a No. 7 overall finish nationally, averaging 20.6 points and 9.7 rebounds, and was named NJCAA Division II menβs basketball player of the year. He now is a starter at Colorado State.
13. Blake Martinez
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In his second season as Green Bayβs starting inside linebacker, the CDO and Stanford grad had 119 tackles in his first 13 games, including 16 against New Orleans and 15 against Pittsburgh.
12. JJ Matijevic
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J.J. Matijevic hops up to snare a floating liner as the Wildcat infielders run through fielding drills during Arizona's practice at Hi Corbett Field, Wednesday, February 15, 2017, Tucson, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
One of the leading offensive players in the NCAA, Matijevic led the Pac-12 with a .383 batting average and hit 10 home runs with 65 RBIs for the Wildcats. He was aΒ first-team all-conference selection.
11. Danielle OβToole
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Arizona starting pitcher Danielle O'Toole (3) deals against Oregon in the fifth inning of their Pac-12 game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 21, 2017.
Winning 30 games and pitching nine shutouts with a 1.21 ERA, OβToole was a first-team All-America pitcher for Arizona.
10. Sage Watson
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Arizona's Sage Watson, right, raises her arms in victory as she defeated Southern California's Anna Cockrell to win the women's 400 hurdles during the NCAA outdoor college track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, June 10, 2017.
The top female hurdler in college track and field, Watson, an Arizona senior, won the NCAA championship and then finished sixth at the World Championships in August.
9. Kristiana and David Watson
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Amphi High School offensive lineman David Watson works on blocking techniques during football drills at Amphi High School in Tucson, AZ. on August 22, 2017.
Tucsonβs leading sister-and-brother athletic tandem: Kristiana hit an astonishing .753 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI as an Amphi High School freshman softball player. David, who accepted a football scholarship to Arizona, was a two-way lineman starter for the Panthers.
8. Brian Peabody
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Not only did Peabody win his 500th career game as a coach, he guided Pima Collegeβs menβs basketball team to 22 victories, a Region 1 championship and seventh place in the NCAA national championships.
7. Alex Verdugo
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Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Alex Verdugo (61) in the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Denver. The Dodgers won 6-3.
After hitting .309 at Triple-A Oklahoma City, the Sahuaro High School grad was promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers in September, where he played in 15 games for the National League champions.
6. Roman Bravo-Young
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Roman Bravo-Young of Sunnyside defeated Rylan Evans of Mesa Mountain View for the 120 pound Arizona Interscholastic Association Championship at the Prescott Valley Event Center.
At 43-0 as a junior, the Sunnyside High School wrestler, oft ranked No. 1 nationally in his weight class, won a third consecutive state championship and remains undefeated in his amazing prep career.
5. Dave Cosgrove
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Dave Cosgrove. Photo courtesy of Pima athletics
Pima Collegeβs menβs soccer coach led the Aztecs to their first-ever conference championship, a 15-2-3 record and a No. 3 finish in the NJCAA finals.
4. Khalil Tate
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The latest offseason highlight for Arizona QB Khalil Tate: Being invited to the Manning Passing Academy.
Mr. October came to Arizonaβs rescue, winning a record four consecutive Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week awards. The sophomore quarterback rushed for 327 yards, an NCAA record for quarterbacks, against Colorado and completed the regular season with 1,353 rushing yards.
3. Francisco Romero
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Francisco Romero
A Pueblo High School grad, Ramirez is the Astros' Spanish-language radio play-by-play man and holds similar duties for UA football and basketball.
2. Craig Bjornson
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Bullpen coach Craig Bjornson, a former Tucson High School baseball and football standout, will be receiving a winnerβs share of about $350,000 for helping the Astros claim the World Series.
The bullpen coach of the World Champion Astros, Bjornson βΒ a Tucson High grad β was hired away by the Boston Red Sox last month.
1. Brent Strom
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Brent Strom, pitching coach for the Houston Astros, center, speaks with lifelong Astros fans Seth Clem, left, and his parents Sarah and Chris during a World Series celebratory event at the Centerfield Baseball Academy, 5120 S. Julian Dr., on Dec. 16, 2017.
The Houston Astros pitching coach, who has lived in Tucson since 1990, won it all against Dodgers in the World Series.
