Editor's note: This story appears in the Star's NCAA Tournament preview section, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here.
This March, most of Tucsonβs attention will be focused on the Wildcatsβ menβs and womenβs basketball teams β and rightfully so.
The UA menβs basketball team is a No. 1 seed, while the women are a No. 4 β and hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
Itβs not just the current Cats who are thriving. Former UA players, coaches and administrators are taking part in March Madness; so, too, are players with Tucson ties. Keep an eye on the following people in the tournament:
James Akinjo
Who he is: Baylor point guard
Connection: Akinjo played for Arizona during the pandemic-influenced 2020-21 season.
The rundown: The NCAA granted transfers immediate eligibility, and once former Arizona head coach Sean Miller was fired last spring, Akinjo β and several others β entered the transfer portal. Akinjo picked Baylor, and is averaging 13.4 points, 5.7 assists and 2.1 steals this season for the top-seeded Bears.
Former UA point guard James Akinjo leads the top-seeded Bears into March.
Emmanuel Akot
Who he is: Boise State forward
Connection: Akot played for the Wildcats from 2017-19.
The rundown: After leaving the program halfway through the 2019 season, Akot transferred to Boise State, where heβs played for the last two seasons. Akot is averaging 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for the Mountain West champions.
Alyssa Brown
Who she is: UNLV forward
Connection: Brown is a former Sahuaro High School star and Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year.
The rundown: In her first season with the Runninβ Rebels, Brown has played 18 games, averaging 1.9 points and two rebounds per game. Sahuaroβs all-time scoring lead with 932 points, Brown will play against her hometown Wildcats at McKale Center on Saturday night.
Niya Butts
Who she is: Kentucky associate head coach
Connection: Butts was Arizonaβs head womenβs basketball coach from 2008-16.
The rundown: In eight seasons at Arizona, Butts posted a 101-149 record. Now the former UA leader is the head assistant for the sixth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats.
Greg Byrne
Who he is: Alabama athletic director
Connection: Byrne was Arizonaβs athletic director from 2010-17.
The rundown: In 2019, Byrne hired then-Buffalo coach Nate Oats, the man responsible for handing Sean Miller his final loss in the NCAA Tournament as Arizonaβs head coach. This year, Alabama (19-13) placed fifth in the SEC; the Crimson Tide enters the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed in the West Region.
Jake Cioe
Who he is: San Francisco guard
Connection: Cioe is a Salpointe Catholic High School graduate.
The rundown: The 6-foot, 175-pound guard is a freshman on the Donsβ roster.
Chris Del Conte
Who he is: Texas athletic director
Connection: Del Conte was Arizonaβs senior associate athletic director from 2000-06.
The rundown: Del Conte, who moved from TCU to UT in 2017, oversees one of Americaβs richest athletic departments.
DβMarco Dunn
Who he is: North Carolina shooting guard
Connection: Dunn attended Marana High School.
The rundown: Dunn played in 21 games this season for the Tar Heels and is 12th on the team in minutes.
Kelly Rae Finley
Who she is: Florida head coach
Connection: Finley was a UA assistant coach from 2016-17.
The rundown: Florida removed Finleyβs interim tag and signed her to become the full-time coach of the Gators last month after she led the team to its first 20-win season since 2015-16.
Former UA assistant coach Kelly Rae Finley, right, was recently named Floridaβs full-time head coach.
Brenda Frese
Who she is: Maryland head coach
Connection: Frese played at the UA from 1989-93 and was a volunteer assistant coach at Pima College from 1992-93.
The rundown: The two-time Associated Press Coach of the Year led the Terrapins to a 21-8 record and fourth-place finish in the Big Ten standings. Maryland is playing in its 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
Erick Harper
Who he is: UNLV first-year athletic director
Connection: Harper was Mike Stoopsβ director of football operations from 2003-11.
The rundown: Harper was named UNLVβs full-time AD in January, replacing UA law school graduate Desiree Reed-Francois.
Mitch Lightfoot
Who he is: Kansas forward
Connection: Lightfoot attended Ironwood Ridge High School.
The rundown: The super senior is wrapping up his sixth season at KU, where he averages 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 12 minutes per game off the bench. The Jayhawks are the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region.
Jackie Nared Hairston
Who she is: Oregon assistant coach
Connection: Nared Hairston was a UA assistant coach from 2019-21.
The rundown: The Portland native coached the Wildcats before returning to Oregon, where she served as the Ducksβ director of creativity and video from 2017-18. Oregon is the fifth seed in the Wichita Region.
April Phillips
Who she is: Texas assistant coach
Connection: Phillips is a two-time former Arizona assistant.
The rundown: During her first stint at Arizona, Phillips was on the Wildcatsβ bench for the 2019 WNIT championship. Phillips returned to the UA last spring, but lasted less than two months on the job before accepting a similar position at Texas. The Longhorns are the No. 2 seed in the Spokane Region.
Khayla Rooks
Who she is: UNLV forward
Connection: Rooks is the daughter of former UA menβs basketball star Sean Rooks.
The rundown: In 29.4 minutes per game this season, Rooks is averaging 6.7 points and 5.9 rebounds. Rooks will become the third member of her family to play college basketball at McKale Center, joining her father β also known as βWookie,β who also played in the NBA β and brother Kameron Rooks, who played against Arizona as a member of the Cal Golden Bears.
Sunny Smallwood
Who she is: Montana State associate head coach
Connection: Smallwood was an assistant coach at the UA from 2016-18.
The rundown: Smallwood helped the Wildcats sign one of the top recruiting classes in the Pac-12 in 2018, highlighted by All-American forward Cate Reese. The 16th-seeded Bobcats will face top-seeded Stanford.
Tee Tee Starks
Who she is: UConn graduate assistant
Connection: Starks played for the Wildcats from 2018-20.
The rundown: With Starks serving as a GA under the legendary Geno Auriemma, the No. 2 seeded UConn Huskies will play No. 15 Mercer in Saturdayβs first round.
Jade Thomas
Who she is: UNLV guard
Connection: Thomas is the sister of Arizona forward Sam Thomas.
The rundown: Thomas posted 1.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in the regular season while battling an injury issue.
