Reliving the 2020-21 sports year: Three days UA fans will long remember

Ask any Arizona Wildcats fan what their favorite day is in UA sports history, and some will respond without even having to say the words “Arizona,” “Wildcats” or “U of A.”

Whether it’s “Simon Says Championship,” “12-15-12 (Dec. 15, 2012),” “Chuck Cecil’s 106-yard interception” or “Leap by the Lake,” the Wildcats have had several “Where were you when it happened?” moments that span across decades.

During a year unlike any other, with strict pandemic-inspired protocols and truncated seasons, not every day was as memorable as some of the aforementioned feel-good moments for UA fans. Heck, the UA men’s basketball program and football team played home games on the same day for the first time in exactly 50 years, on Dec. 5, but it’s a forgettable fact since fans weren’t allowed to attend either contest.

But that doesn’t mean Tucson was gloomy the entirety of the 2020-21 sports season.

This week, the Star is honoring the best of the best in UA sports from this past year.

Up next: best day.

Honorable mention

April 24: Spring Game creates buzz around Jedd Fisch’s football program; Arizona baseball, softball teams dominate at home

Even with limited attendance in coordination with Pima County health officials, new Arizona football head coach Jedd Fisch generated one of the most highly-anticipated UA Spring Games in recent memory — perhaps of all time.

To conclude the month-long spring practice period, Fisch divided his roster into two teams with ex-Arizona greats Tedy Bruschi and Rob Gronkowski as honorary coaches. Gronkowski, who set a then-Guiness Book of World Record after catching a football dropped over 600 feet from a helicopter at Arizona Stadium the day before, doused fans in the “Gronx Zoo” with water balloons and a hose during the game, and chest-bumped tight end Stacey Marshall — who also wears No. 87 — after a touchdown catch.

Before the game, UA men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd and women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes decided which team received the ball first by performing a jump-ball instead of a coin flip. The Easter egg of the afternoon: Fisch donning a retro Arizona windbreaker, similar to the one legendary coach Dick Tomey often wore.

Said Bruschi on Fisch busting out the Tomey threads: “It’s like he knows what to do, you know what I mean? He told me he was going to do that, and it’s like — it makes me feel so much stronger about him. … Little things like that are so important to a lot of people, and it’s important to me, too.”

Bruschi and Gronk weren’t the only alumni in Tucson for the spring game: Antoine Cason, Lance Briggs, Vance Johnson, Nick Folk, Willie Tuitama, Brooks Reed, Eben Britton and “Leap by the Lake” creator Ortege Jenkins, among others, were at Arizona Stadium for the event. Gronkowski even caught a few touchdown passes from his former quarterback, Tuitama, to end the afternoon.

“Those are great signs, because alumni have instincts,” Bruschi said. “You have instincts about coaches and feelings about them and what they’re like. … Jedd’s done such a great job at being proactive and welcoming guys, whether it’s Zoom meetings or personal calls or personal interactions.

“Word gets out and the alumni want to come see for themselves, and when the alumni want to come see for themselves, it’s a great sign.”

Later on that day, the UA baseball team handled USC 10-6 at Hi Corbett Field, while the Wildcats’ softball team run-ruled Utah 14-0 in five innings at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium.

Runner-up

April 15: Aari McDonald drafted third; Tommy Lloyd introduced as head coach of men’s basketball team

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When Tommy Lloyd and his family walked into McKale Center for the first time since he was hired, the McKale Center pep played the school’s fight song, boosters and fellow UA coaches applauded and the newest face of “the biggest show in town” was officially introduced to Tucson, a basketball-crazy town passionate about the Wildcats.

Lloyd signed a five-year contract to become the next head coach at Arizona, replacing 12-year leader — and Lute Olson successor — Sean Miller, after over 20 years as an assistant at Gonzaga.

“It’s a program we’ve always looked up to, always admired, enjoyed competing against,” Lloyd said. “In competing against Arizona, I’ve witnessed in this building the full force of Wildcat Nation bearing down on an opponent. … I’ve always been impressed by the following the passion, and it’s something that I wanted to be a part of.”

Later on that evening, arguably the greatest women’s basketball player in Arizona history, Aari McDonald, was drafted third overall by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Draft, becoming the highest-selected Wildcat ever. The Pac-12 Player of the Year’s name was properly pronounced “Air-e” by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

“Just to hear my name called is crazy,” McDonald said. “Having my loved ones here — people who have been with me throughout my journey. It’s amazing. I just can’t wait to keep doing what I’m doing and make them even more proud.”

McDonald’s Arizona teammate, forward Trinity Baptiste, was drafted in the second round by the Indiana Fever.

In the professional sports realm, ex-Wildcat Deandre Ayton tabbed 26 points on 10-for-11 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and just one turnover in the Phoenix Suns’ 122-114 win over Sacramento.

Winner

May 29: Arizona softball team advances to 24th WCWS; UA baseball team celebrates Pac-12 title

This year was historic for a number of reasons for both the Arizona softball and baseball programs.

More importantly, it was the final season for Mike Candrea as Arizona’s softball coach after 36 years. He led the Wildcats to eight national championships, 24 Women’s College World Series appearances and a 1,674-433-2 (.794) record — all NCAA bests.

This year was also the first time ever that the UA softball and baseball programs both went to the World Series in the same season.

How did the Arizona softball team punch its ticket to Oklahoma City? In the Wildcats’ second game of the Super Regional at Arkansas, with Arizona trailing the Razorbacks 1-0, UA super senior Alyssa Palomino Cardoza — on her 24th birthday — blasted a two-run, go-ahead home run in the fifth inning. The Wildcats tacked on two additional runs in the sixth inning to complete the sweep of No. 6-seeded Arkansas in Fayetteville.

“I’m very proud of this group — a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication to maintain our bubble and be able to even get on the field this year and play,” said Candrea. “I commend these young ladies for the job they’ve done over these months, and for the senior class and just for everyone, just to be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor all year and have it work out and culminate into a victory and another trip to Oklahoma City is pretty fun for me.”

Moments later in Tucson, the UA baseball team finished its regular season with a come-from-behind win over Dixie State. The Wildcats trailed Dixie State 4-1 in the fifth inning, but their high-powered offense, coupled with relief pitcher TJ Nichols’ 4 2/3 scoreless innings, lifted the Wildcats over the Trailblazers 5-4. Arizona won in walk-off fashion courtesy of star freshman Jacob Berry’s double off the left-center wall at Hi Corbett Field.

The win sealed Arizona hosting both a Regional and eventually a Super Regional round in the postseason, and the Wildcats celebrated their first Pac-12 baseball title since 2012 after the game.

“It was just a great way to wrap up our regular season,” said Berry, who entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this week. “We worked really hard to this point. We deserve to be Pac-12 champions.”