A look at 24 memorable sports moments in Tucson in 2024

There were plenty of sports moments to celebrate in 2024, especially in Southern Arizona.

As the year winds down with 2025 on the horizon, we wanted to highlight some notable sports moments from this past year — two dozen to be exact.

Here are 24 sports moments that were memorable in ’24.

Arizona football stars announce return at McKale Center

When: Jan. 20

What happened: In the days after former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch accepted the same job at Washington and was replaced by Brent Brennan, many wondered what was in store for the future of a team that just went 10-3 and won the Alamo Bowl. During the first media timeout break of the UA men’s basketball’s matchup with UCLA, McKale Center went dark, and UA quarterback Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and other Arizona stars announced their return for Brennan’s first season with a video that played over the video board at McKale. After the video, players and coaches of the Arizona football team took the floor and were met with a standing ovation and “U of A” chants.

With most of the Indiana Pacers team in the building, former UA basketball star Bennedict Mathurin was inducted into the McKale Center Ring of Honor. UA basketball also rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat the Bruins.

Audrey Jimenez wins state championship in boys division; Audrey Jimenez Day

When: Feb. 11

What happened: Sunnyside wrestler Audrey Jimenez made history earlier this year when she became the first girl to win an Arizona state wrestling title against boys. She captured the Division I title at 106 pounds. Before winning the state title in the boys division, she “won three straight girls’ individual titles and defeated four male counterparts on her way to the record book,” the Star previously reported.

Jimenez also competed in the Olympic Trials for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This past spring, the Pima County Board of Supervisors declared April 2 “Audrey Jimenez Day” in Pima County.

Pueblo wrestler Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith becomes third-generation champion

When: Feb. 15-17

What happened: Then-Pueblo freshman Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith won the Arizona Division I girls wrestling title in the 107-pound weight class. What makes this accomplishment even more rare is that the Smiths are believed to be the first family in Arizona to have three generations of state champions, all from the same school. Orlando Smith (Elizabeth’s grandfather) got it rolling, winning in 1974 and 1975 (138 pounds), and Josiah Smith, who is also Elizabeth’s coach and her dad, won in 1998 (145 pounds).

Arizona women’s basketball sweeps Bay Area schools

When: Feb. 23-25

What Happened: For the first time in 23 years, UA women’s basketball swept the road weekend series in the Bay Area, knocking off then-No. 3 Stanford and Cal. It was part of a gutsy run for the Wildcats, who played with only seven active players over the last stretch of the season. Esmery Martinez was named Pac-12 and AP Player of the Week, averaging 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds. Jada Williams was Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after sparking a 19-3 run with less than 4 minutes left against Stanford (putting up 14 of her 19 points). She averaged 20.5 points (also shooting 50% from the field).

Arizona wins last Pac-12 title at UCLA

When: March 7

What happened: The result from Pullman trickled into Pauley Pavilion just as Arizona had built a commanding lead over longtime (and soon-to-be former) Pac-12 rival UCLA on March 7 in Los Angeles. Only UA coach Tommy Lloyd didn’t realize that Washington had upset Washington State, meaning an Arizona win would give the Wildcats the outright Pac-12 regular-season title.

“I think my whole staff was probably looking on their Apple watches,” Lloyd said. “I’m not a watch guy. So I had no idea.”

But after the Wildcats wrapped up their 88-65 win, Lloyd and former UA standout Richard Jefferson, who had worked the game for ESPN, led a raucous celebration in the cramped visitors’ quarters at Pauley: The Wildcats sprayed water everywhere, sang along to “Bad Boy 4 Life” and donned Pac-12 championship gear.

They owned the final iteration of the Pac-12 as it had been constructed for decades, and did so in its historic heart, where John Wooden, Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton once dominated.

“It was ecstatic,” UA forward Keshad Johnson said. “We Pac-12 Champions.”

Packers draft Jordan Morgan in first round

When: April 25

What happened: The former Arizona star left tackle was taken by the Green Bay Packers at No. 25 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft. Morgan is the highest-selected draft pick from the UA since 1999, when cornerback Chris McAlister was chosen by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 10. The last Arizona offensive lineman to land in the first round was fellow Tucson native John Fina in 1992.

Morgan is also the first Marana High School graduate drafted to the NFL since running back Paul Robinson was drafted 82nd overall in the third round of the 1968 draft; Robinson is the granduncle of Bijan Robinson, was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of last year’s draft.

Wildcats walk off as winners

When: May 18

What happened: The final Pac-12 game of any sort in Tucson had significant stakes. The winner between Arizona and Oregon State at Hi Corbett Field would claim the conference’s regular-season baseball championship.

Fittingly, it came down to the final inning. And the Wildcats came out on top.

Brendan Summerhill drilled a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to give the Cats a 4-3 victory over the Beavers, who had won the first two games of the series. It was Arizona’s seventh walk-off win of the season and gave the UA the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.

“It’s just fitting to end it like that,” said UA starter Cam Walty, who limited OSU to three runs in 8 1/3 frames.

UA baseball does it again at Pac-12 Tourney

When: May 25

What happened: In the final Pac-12 contest of any kind — at least as we’ve come to know the league — Arizona trailed USC 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning of the Pac-12 Tournament championship game at Scottsdale Stadium.

But the Wildcats had one more comeback in them.

Tommy Splaine drove in Emilio Corona in the bottom of the ninth to give the Cats a 4-3 win over the Trojans. The UA’s eighth walk-off win of the season and first Pac-12 Tournament title came by the same score as the previous Saturday’s triumph over Oregon State for the regular-season crown. Arizona also had the same uniform combo and the same starting pitcher, Cam Walty.

“We did it again,” Corona said.

Tucson Roadrunners stay despite Coyotes leaving for Utah

When: June 20

What happened: Local hockey fans experienced quite a scare earlier this year when it seemed like the Tucson Roadrunners were going to move away. The scare was due to Phoenix Coyotes and Roadrunners’ owner Alex Meruelo selling the Coyotes to a Utah-based owner. However, Mayor Regina Romero and the council unanimously approved amendments to the team’s license agreement with Rio Nuevo in June, ultimately keeping the Roadrunners in Tucson a little longer.

Chase Budinger becomes Olympian … in volleyball

When: July-August

What happened: Because UCLA and USC were offering San Diego-area high school star Chase Budinger the chance to play both basketball and his beloved volleyball starting in 2006-07, then-Arizona coach Lute Olson adjusted his recruiting pitch: He told Budinger he could leverage a standout Arizona basketball career into a lucrative NBA career, then play all the volleyball he wanted for the rest of his life once he was done.

Budinger ended up doing just that. Except, after a 7-year NBA career, he isn’t just playing volleyball on casual days at the beach.

Having ended his basketball career following the 2016-17 season, Budinger medaled four times during 2022 and 2023 world vollleyball tours, then finished in ninth place at the Paris Olympics with partner Miles Evans. That was short of a medal, but Budinger picked up a unique distinction: He’s now the only athlete ever to play in NBA and Olympic beach volleyball competition.

Tucsonans in the Paris Olympics

When: July-August

What happened: Already a silver Olympic medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Delaney Schnell this time brought home an experience instead.

Before competing in two diving competitions at the Paris Olympics, Schnell hopped aboard Team USA’s barge down the Seine River during Opening Ceremonies, an experience that might have helped compensate for competing in front of empty stands in Tokyo due to COVID concerns.

“Getting to ride on the Seine and see Paris and the craziness of the crowd…that was super cool,” Schnell told Cronkite News.

Schnell wound up finishing 15th in the 10-meter synchronized diver and sixth in the 10-meter platform dive with partner Jessica Parrato.

Two other Tucsonans, other than those affiliated with UA, joined her in Paris: Mountain View High School alum Daleny Vaughn finished 11th in women’s individual BMX racing while Sunnyside alum Roman Bravo-Young competed in a 57-kilogram freestyle competition for Mexico. A four-time state champion at Sunnyside and a two-time NCAA champ at Penn State, Bravo-Young lost in the first round.

If there’s a Willcox, there’s a way

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When: July 26

What happened: It didn’t matter whom they faced along the way; the Willcox 12U All-Stars would not be denied on their way to the Little League Softball World Series.

The girls from Willcox — population 3,200 — punched their ticket with a win over Dublin, California — population 72,060 — in the West Region Tournament in San Bernardino, California.

“I’m just so proud of this group,” head coach Patrick Macumber said. “I don’t think they know they’re supposed to lose.”

Macumber’s daughter, Hattie, became a star in the process, shutting down one opponent after another.

Willcox won its first game in the World Series before losing the next two. Although it was a disappointing ending, it did nothing to diminish Willcox’s accomplishment. The team was just the fifth from Southern Arizona to reach the World Series in softball.

Twila Kilgore wins gold medal with USWNT

When: Aug. 10

What happened: UA soccer standout Twila Kilgore (née Kaufman), now an assistant coach for USWNT, won gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics. It was a dream come true for Kilgore, who always wanted to coach as there was no professional women’s soccer leagues when she was growing up, and all her role models were coaches. For 10 months — From August 2023 until May of 2024 — Kilgore helped usher in the new era of the USWNT by serving as the interim head coach until the USWNT’s new coach Emma Hayes took over.

Arizona football upsets 10th-ranked Utah in Salt Lake City

When: Sept. 28

What Happened: In the Big 12 opener, Arizona took down No. 10 Utah 23-10 for the Wildcats’ first victory in Salt Lake City since 2014. The Wildcats had four fourth-down stops against the Utes, and UA cornerback Tacario Davis had five pass breakups, including three on fourth-down plays. Davis earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. Arizona went ahead by two possessions with a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Noah Fifita to tight end Keyan Burnett. It was Arizona’s only road victory of the entire season.

Arizona dominates at ‘the birthplace of golf’

When: Oct. 14-16

What Happened: Arizona men’s and women’s golf teams came back champions after playing in the St. Andrews Links Collegiate event at the most storied course in the birthplace of the sport in St. Andrews, Scotland. Junior Zach Pollo took the men’s title by two strokes, shooting a 2-under 68 in the final round. The women claimed the championship in medal match play (4.5 to 1.5 over Northwestern) behind Charlotte Beck’s 66 (seven birdies, one bogey, to win by four strokes), Nena Wongthanavimok (a five-stroke win) and Lilas Pinthier (a two-stroke win). The men finished in second to Northwestern — with the scores flipped.

UA triathlon wins national championship

When: Nov. 9

What happened: In the program’s second season, UA triathlon snagged its first USA Triathlon national championship.

Collectively, measuring biking, swimming and running times, Arizona had four Wildcats place in the top 10: junior and New Mexico native Kelly Lynn Wetteland, Slovakian freshman Margareta Vrablova, Canadian junior Molly Lakustiak and sophomore and Czech Republic native Dana Prikrylov. The title marked the 24th overall national championship for UA Athletics and the first since the 2018 women’s golf title.

Tucsonan wins El Tour de Tucson

When: Nov. 23

What happened: When Tucsonan Tyler Stites crossed the 102-mile Century course at this year’s El Tour de Tucson, there wasn’t another rider in sight. He shattered the 102-mile Century course record with a time of 3 hours, 30 minutes and 33 seconds. The event marked his first race after getting hit by a car in August.

T-Mac becomes Arizona’s top receiver

When: Nov. 23

What happened: In Arizona’s blowout loss to TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, which officially eliminated the Wildcats from bowl contention, UA star Tetairoa McMillan became Arizona’s all-time leader in receiving yards and passed current receivers coach Bobby Wade. The NFL-bound McMillan ended his Arizona career with 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns, the third-most in program history.

Pusch Ridge Christian keeps 3A state title in Tucson

When: Nov. 30

What Happened: After the Sabino Sabercats cruised to the Class 3A state football championship in 2023, the Pusch Ridge Christian Academy Lions kept the state title in Tucson with a 26-7 win over American Leadership Academy-West Foothills. The Lions won 12 straight games en route to their second football state championship as a school.

Mica Mountain reaches pinnacle

When: Dec. 6

What happened: It took forever for Pat Nugent to win his first state championship. It took Mica Mountain no time by comparison.

With Nugent leading the way, Mica Mountain defeated Chandler Arizona College Prep 42-13 to claim the 4A state championship at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.

Nugent won his first crown in his 27th season as a prep head coach and retired soon after. He guided the Thunderbolts to a 14-0 record in just their third full season of varsity football.

Senior Josiah Thornwell rushed for 182 yards and four touchdowns. Fellow senior Jayden Thoreson passed for 183 yards, rushed for 70 and accounted for two scores.

“It’s emotional,” Nugent said. “To go out on top like this is pretty special.”

Marana’s Dezmen Roebuck named Ed Doherty Award winner

When: Dec. 14

What happened: Marana High School standout Dezmen Roebuck was named the Ed Doherty Award recipient for Arizona’s top high school football player. The wide receiver and safety became the first Tucson-area player to win the Ed Doherty Award since Atlanta Falcons running back and former Salpointe Catholic star Bijan Robinson in 2019.

Roebuck was also named Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and MaxPreps Player of the Year in Arizona after leading the Tigers to an undefeated regular season and top seed in the Open Division.

Arizona volleyball wins NIVC championship

When: Dec. 17

What happened: A recent moment, but still one of the more memorable ones for Tucson sports fans. When Arizona volleyball defeated Bowling Green in five sets on Dec. 17, it marked the first championship in program history. The win came after the team was snubbed for a slot in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats ended the season with 11 straight wins to end head coach Charita Stubbs’ second season at the helm.

TJ McConnell enters UA Ring of Honor

When: Dec. 18

What happened: Not long after snagging Duquesne transfer T.J. McConnell and installing him as the engine for his best Arizona teams in 2014 and 2015, then-UA coach Sean Miller floated the notion that the 6-foot-1 point guard would be an NBA player someday.

McConnell once said he was surprised to hear it. And NBA scouts must have been surprised, too: They didn’t even invite him to the 2015 NBA Combine until Miller lobbied hard for him.

McConnell shined at the predraft camp and, while he didn’t get drafted, signed with the Philadelphia 76ers immediately afterward. He spent four seasons in Philadelphia and the past five-plus in Indiana, with the 10 combined NBA seasons qualifying him for UA’s Ring of Honor.

As he did upon leaving UA as a player in 2015, McConnell kissed the McKale floor while his Pacers teammates and UA fans cheered.

“I didn’t even know I’d be playing professional basketball,” McConnell said after the ceremony. “The world works in mysterious ways. I’ve been incredibly blessed.”

Snoop swoops into Tucson

When: Dec. 28

What happened: The first Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop lived up to the hype and then some.

Yes, the game itself was a blowout; Miami (Ohio) defeated Colorado State 43-17. The rest? Showtime.

After making an appearance at the pregame tailgate, Snoop Dogg participated in the coin toss; called the first offensive play for each team; provided color commentary during The CW’s game broadcast; directed the marching bands at halftime as they performed a medley of his songs; and rode onto the field in an old-school Chevy Impala convertible to present the RedHawks with trophies and gold chains.

Take that, Pop-Tarts Bowl.