Greg Hansen's Top 100 Sports Figures of 2018: 40-21
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
Greg Hansen
Columnist
- Updated
Star columnist Greg Hansen counts down the most prominent sports figures in Southern Arizona from 2018. Find out who makes the cut.
40. Kelsey Jenkins
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Kelsey Jenkins takes a swing at the ball during batting practice at Sabino High School in 2014.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star39. Yash Parikh and Harsh Parikh
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Salpointe Catholic's Yash Parikh hits a backhand return during the Division II Boy's Singles Final against Thunderbird's Carlos Hassey at the Paseo Racquet Center in Glendale on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
Ralph Freso / for the Arizona Daily Star38. Mike Van Ryn
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Former Tucson Roadrunners head coach Mike Van Ryn, center, talks to his players on the bench during Game 1 of a first-round AHL playoff game against the San Jose Barracuda, April 19, 2018.
Tony Avelar / for the Arizona Daily StarHis first and only year as coach of the Tucson Roadrunners was a triumph, as the Roadrunners went 42-20-5-1 and won the AHL Pacific division.
37. Keven Biggs
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Sophomore guard Keven Biggs moves in for a hug from head coach Brian Peabody at a congratulatory rally for the Pima Aztecs basketball team that finished second in the national NJCAA Division II Tournament in March 2018.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily StarA big part of Pima Collegeβs run to the NJCAA menβs basketball championship game, Biggs, a Cienega High School grad, averaged a team-high 17 points per game.
36. Brooks Reed
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Atlanta Falcons defensive end Brooks Reed (50) rushes in against the Carolina Panthers offense Sept. 16, 2018, in Atlanta.
Jeff Haynes, Associated PressThe Atlanta Falcons pass-rusher, now in his eighth season in the NFL, has 24 tacklesΒ . He is a Sabino High School and UA grad.
35. Marvol Barnard
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Golf instructor Marvol Barnard, named the LPGAβs National Teacher of the Year, is Director of Instruction at Haven Golf Course in Green Valley.
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily StarA golf instructor at Green Valleyβs Haven Golf Course, Barnard was named the PGA of Americaβs 2018 National Player Development pro of the year.
34. Isabel Pacho
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Ironwood Ridge shortstop Isabel Pacho, right, greets infielder Maddie Judge during practice. Pachoβs coach, Dave Martinez, calls her βa complete captain.β
Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily StarPacho closed her productive Ironwood Ridge High School softball career with 30 career home runs and 149 RBI. She is now part of Mike Candreaβs Arizona softball team.
33. Kym Adair
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Kym Adair is one of just three women who serve as bowl directors.
Rick Wiley / Arizona Daily Star 2019After helping the growth of the Arizona Bowl in its marketing department, Adair became the gameβs executive director this year. She is just the second of two females to hold such a position in the NCAAβs 41 bowl games.
32. Preston Clifford
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Starting pitcher Preston Clifford of Sabino during the Arizona 3A baseball championship game at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson on May 14, 2018.
Rick Wiley / Arizona Daily StarLeading Sabino High to its first state baseball championship in 21 years, Clifford, a junior, went 8-0 as a pitcher and hit .398. He was the winning pitcher in the state title game.
31. Kristiana Watson
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Kristiana Watson photographed in the Arizona Daily Star studio on May 22, 2018.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily StarIn her sophomore season at Amphitheater High School, Watson hit an astonishing .716 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI.
30. Alyssa Palomino
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Arizona's Alyssa Palomino celebrates at second after scorching a line drive off the glove of the Saint Francis second baseman in the NCAA Regional, May 18, 2018.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily StarArizonaβs sophomore first baseman hit .363 and led the Pac-12 with 19 home runs as a first-team all-conference selection.
29. Alex Verdugo
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Los Angeles Dodgers' Alex Verdugo in action during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in Los Angeles, Monday, Sept. 3, 2018.
Kelvin Kuo / Associated PressThe Sahuaro High School grad played in 37 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting .260, after playing at a star level at Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .329 with 10 home runs in half a season.
28. Kendra Dahlke
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Arizonaβs Kendra Dahlke (8) attempts a kill in the first set against Missouri as teammate Paige Whipple looks on during the NCAA volleyball first round, Nov. 30, 2018,Β
Francis Gardler / Lincoln Journal StarA first-team All-Pac-12 volleyball player, the UA senior also was part of the AVCAβs honorable mention All-American team.
27. Ben Kern
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Former Palo Verde golfer Ben Kern was the only club pro to make the cut at the PGA Championship.
Richard Ulreich / zuma pressThe former Tucson golf pro, a state champion from Palo Verde High School, qualified for the PGA Championship by finishing No. 9 in the PGA Club Professionals championship. He was the only club pro to make the cut in the PGA finals, finishing 42nd and earning $33,281.
26. The Fetsis family
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Pusch Ridge quarterback Christian Fetsis throws against Casteel's defense during the 3A state title game at Campo Verde High School, Nov. 25, 2017, in Gilbert.
Darryl Webb / for the Arizona Daily StarIn a remarkable tennis season at Pusch Ridge, the Lions won the state championship in boys and girls competition behind coach Andy Fetsis, whose daughter, Sofia, won the Division III state singles title, and whose son, Christian, won the Division III doubles state title.
25. Izzy and Ilyssa Galindo
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Pueblo's head coach Izzy Galindo looks for an explanation from an official after a foul call during second half action against South Mountain in the Division III state basketball playoff game, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, at Gila River Arena in Glendale.
Ralph Freso / for the Arizona Daily StarThe father-daughter combo for Pueblo Highβs girls state championship runner-up set a school record with 30 wins. Izzy, the coach, had gone 113-22 in four-plus seasons through Dec. 20. Ilyssa, a senior guard, averaged 12.4 points and 7.0 assists.
24. Ali Farhang
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Chairman Ali Farhang says the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl has βgot to belong to the communityβ if itβs going to last.
Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily StarThe successful founder and chairman of the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl somehow found time to become a partner in the Tucson Sugar Skulls of the Indoor Football League.
23. Julie Hairgrove and Matt Brase
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Phoenix Mercury assistant Julie Hairgrove, right, was a star at Catalina Foothills High School and the UA.
Benjie Sanders / APThe sister-and-brother pair from Catalina Foothills High School and the UA each coached into the playoffs in their respective pro basketball league. Hairgrove, an assistant for the WNBAβs Phoenix Mercury, helped her team reach the Western ConferenceΒ finals. Brase, head coach of the G Leagueβs Rio Grande Valley Vipers, reached the conference semifinals, then was hired as a full-time assistant coach of the Houston Rockets.
22. Dennis Bene
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Head coach Dennis Bene directs his team during Salpointe Catholic High School football practice at the school, 1545 E. Copper St., on Aug. 1, 2018, in Tucson.
Mike Christy / Arizona Daily StarSalpointeβs football coach has gone 26-2 the last two seasons, reaching two state championship games while establishing himself as one of the top football coaches in Tucson history.
21. Allonzo Trier
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New York Knicks guard Allonzo Trier reacts after a 3-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks in an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, in Dallas.Β
Richard W. Rodriguez / AP PhotoAveraging 18.1 points in his final season at Arizona, Trier was chosen to the All-Pac-12 first team and then made the New York Knicks roster as an undrafted free agent, averaging 11.3 points through 27 games.
Greg Hansen
Columnist
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