Editor's Note: As the calendar winds down on 2025, longtime Star columnist Greg Hansen has ranked the Top 100 sports figures in Southern Arizona for his 30th annual list. We'll count them down on Tucson.com, revealing No. 1 on Dec. 31.
See Nos. 100-80Â here.
See Nos. 79-60Â here.
See Nos. 59-40Â here.
See Nos. 39-20Â here.
19. Alex Bowman. The Ironwood Ridge alumnus finished 13th in the NASCAR driver standings with six top 5 finishes and 16 in the top 10.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) dunks on Baylor forward Norchad Omier (15) during the second half on Feb. 17, 2025, in Waco, Texas.
18. Caleb Love. Saving his best for last, Arizona's prolific shooting guard averaged 17.2 points per game, the engine behind the UA's Sweet 16 season.
17. Kelly Pierce. Salpointe's remarkable girls soccer coach led the Lancers to a sixth state championship in seven seasons before tragically dying on Aug. 1. She was 44 years old.
16. Clancy Shields. Arizona's men's tennis coach won the Big 12 championship and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 with a 26-4 record.
15. Devyn Netz. Becoming an All-American pitcher/hitter, the UA senior from Ironwood Ridge High School went 22-6 as a pitcher with a 2.25 ERA and hit 19 home runs, batting .347 for the Wildcats.
14. Danny Gonzales. Arizona's first-year defensive coordinator reduced the UA's per-game scoring defense yield from 32 to 18 points per game, second-best improvement in school history.
13. Jay Campos. Returning to coaching after eight years in sports administration, Campos led Mica Mountain High School to the Class 4A football state championship by winning the last 10 games in succession.
12. Todd Holthaus. Pima College's elite women's basketball coach finished second in the NJCAA national championships, producing a 29-6 record and winning the ACCAC.
11. Mason White. The UA's slugging shortstop from Salpointe hit 20 home runs, giving him 49 in his career, second in school history. He hit .327 while becoming a second-team All-American, leading the Wildcats to the College World Series.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita uses both hands to protect the ball on his carry up the middle late in the fourth quarter against Arizona State in the Territorial Cup, Nov. 28, in Tempe.
10. Noah Fifita. The first-team All-Big 12 quarterback â Arizona's first all-league QB since 1975 â threw for 26 touchdowns against just five interceptions as he became the school's career leader in touchdown passes.
9. Chip Hale. Arizona's baseball coach won the Big 12 Tournament and then led the Wildcats to the College World Series with a memorable playoff upset at North Carolina.
8. Brian Peabody. Pima College's men's basketball coach went 35-1, finishing third in the NJCAA championships, averaging a national-high 102 points a game, and then opened this season 10-0, averaging a mind-blowing 130 points per game.
7. Kelly Wetteland. Arizona's senior triathlete won the NCAA championship in an impressive undefeated season, guiding her team to a second consecutive national title.
6. Tommy Lloyd. Not only did the UA basketball coach guide Arizona to a third Sweet 16 in four years, but he took it a step further in the 2025-26 preseason, beating five Top 25 teams and climbing to No. 1 in the AP poll.
5. Colton Smith. Possibly the top tennis player in UA history, Smith went 23-2, was the ITA college Senior of the Year and went 13-1 against ranked opponents as the Big 12 Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.
4. DesireÊ Reed-Francois. Arizona's second-year athletic director eliminated the estimated $45 million debt she inherited and sold naming rights to Arizona Stadium for $60 million over 20 years.
3. Leo Gutierrez. Arizona's prep soccer Player of the Year set a state record with 62 goals in a season and 173 in a career at Salpointe. He then led Pima College to the NJCAA "Final Four," scoring a league-high 22 goals, sixth in the NJCAA.
2. Bijan Robinson. Through NFL games as of Dec. 21, the former Salpointe Catholic High School running back led the NFL in total yards gained from scrimmage, 2,026, which included the No. 5 rushing total of 1,250 yards for the Atlanta Falcons.
1. Brent Brennan. From 4-8 to 9-3, Arizona's second-year football coach rebuilt the UA football program, won the Territorial Cup and climbed to No. 17 in the CFP rankings.
