A few weeks ago, the Star took to social media asking Arizona Wildcats fans to share their favorite memories of the year.
The COVID-19 outbreak abruptly ended the season of many UA sports in progress, so while games are on hiatus for the foreseeable future, we can still look back on some of the good times to fill some of the void.Β
Gary Maestas via Instagram: "Zona football 99-yard drive without a single pass vs Texas Tech."
Arizona RB Gary Brightwell filled in for the dinged-up J.J. Taylor and had 85 yards and two TDs against Texas Tech.
With the Wildcats up six points in the fourth quarter against the Red Raiders back in last September, Khalil Tate and UA's staple of running backs went on a 13-play drive lasting 7:10 to go up by two touchdowns. Arizona started at its own 1-yard line and ran the ball 13 times in a row to find the end zone.
Gary Brightwell accounted for 39 of those yards on eight carries, Bam Smith had a couple carries including burst of 40 yards and Tate added seven yards. Brightwell punched it in from one-yard out with 4:05 to go and the Cats went on to win 28-14.
Amanda Hunziker via Instagram: "Seeing the USA women's softball team play at Hillenbrand againstΒ the Wildcats."
Arizona players mob teammage Dejah Mulipola while she tries to give a TV interview. Mulipola is redshirting this season to play in the Olympics.
following USAβs 5-4 win over the Wildcats in an exhibition game at Hillenbrand Stadium, February 18, 2020 Tucson, Ariz.
The U.S. Women's National Team visited Tucson in February for a a highly-anticipated exhibition matchup against the Arizona Wildcats. The game drew sold-out a crowd ofΒ 2,941, which marked the seventh largest crowd in Hillenbrand StadiumΒ history. Dejah Mulipola returned to Hillenbrand as a catcher for Team USA and greeted head coach Mike Candrea with a hug at home plate during the pregame lineup exchange.
UA's Jessier Harper hit two home runs on the night off legendary pitcherΒ Cat Osterman, though the Wildcats lost by a final score of 5-4.Β
Arizona's Jessie Harper rounds first after slapping a three-run homer, her second round tripper of the night, to right against Team USA in the fifth inning of an exhibition game at Hillenbrand Stadium, February 18, 2020 Tucson, Ariz.
Also of note, many former Wildcat Olympians came back to celebrate the historic night includingΒ Jennie Finch, Lovie Jung, Leah O'Brien, Nicole Giordano and Alicia Hollowell.
Debbie Summers via Facebook: "Women's basketball win over UCLA."
SHE GONE20-point lead pic.twitter.com/iQBZo42Zrn
— Arizona Women's Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) February 1, 2020
Arizona earned its first win over a top-10 program since 2004 with a blowout win over the Bruins in late January. Aari McDonald's 27 points and Sam Thomas' 20 points lifted the 16th ranked Wildcats to a 92-66 win for their highest scoring output of the season. The Cats hit 11 of their 24 3-pointers that night.
Gustavo De La Torre via Facebook: "Arizona women's basketball sweeping ASU for first time in 20 years."
Aari McDonald, left, and teammate Cate Reese leads a Wildcats team that could be ranked in the top-10 nationally this season.
The Wildcats completed the initial step of a sweep over ASU with a win in Tempe in late December. A month later, the Sun Devils traveled down to McKale Center for round two.Β
In front of a record-setting 10,160 fans, the Wildcats won a physical matchup 59-53 to earn a sweep over their rival for the first time since 2000.Β
"It's about damn time," head coach Adia Barnes said that night.
@ArizonaWBB defeat of Stanford. One of my favorite in-person sports moments of my sports loving life.
— Jane (@FairallJane) March 16, 2020
Arizona Women's Basketball OT win over Stanford. I don't think there's anything else that's close.
— Justin M. Carroll (@ArtOfJCarroll) March 16, 2020
The Wildcats surround Aari McDonald, center, after she hit the winning layup in the UAβs overtime win against No. 4 Stanford.
The run away choice for top moment of the year is Arizona's overtime win against Stanford at the end of February. McDonald hit the game-winning shot with eight seconds to go in OT to clinch UA's first win over a top-five team in school history.
AARI MCDONALD FOR THE WINShe's COLD pic.twitter.com/L1GZUwskDP
— Arizona Women's Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) February 29, 2020
McDonald return from a leg injury that kept her out of the previous two games and scored 13 of her 20 points in the final 15 minutes of action.Β
"We talk about leaving our legacy, and we are doing that," Barnes said postgame.
Didn't get a chance to send in your favorite memory? Follow us on Facebook or Twitter, send us a message and we'll add it to this list.
