Greg Hansen's Top 100 Sports Figures of 2018: 60-41
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Greg Hansen
Columnist
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Star columnist Greg Hansen counts down the most prominent sports figures in Southern Arizona from 2018. Find out who makes the cut.
60. Ian Kinsler
UpdatedWinning a World Series as Boston’s second baseman the last half of the season, the CDO grad hit 14 home runs and was awarded his second career Gold Glove.
59. Taylor McQuillin
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Arizona pitcher Taylor McQuillin (18) leaves the field past Mississippi State after winning 4-3 to advance to the Super Regional.
Arizona’s pitching ace won 28 games, had a 1.67 ERA and was third in the Pac-12 with 287 strikeouts.
58. Adia Barnes
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Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes directs a drill during the first UA women's basketball practice of the season at McKale Center, Sept. 28, 2018.
Rebuilding Arizona’s women’s basketball program, Barnes produced the nation’s No. 4 overall recruiting class and guided her team to nine consecutive wins in November and December.
57. Nick Quintana
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Arizona's Nick Quintana (13) bangs helmets with on deck batter Donta Williams (3) after crushing a solo homer in the fifth inning against UCLA at Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz., Thursday, May 3, 2018.
Arizona’s all-Pac-12 third baseman hit .313 with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs as a sophomore.
56. Trenton Bourguet
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Marana's Trenton Bourguet looks to pass against Horizon during their game on Aug. 17, 2018.
Marana High School's senior quarterback passed for 2,460 yards, giving him a Tucson prep career record of 7,612 yards, with 89 career touchdown passes.
55. Jesse Ybarra and Anthony Leon
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Ybarra, a junior ranked No. 12 in the nation, has won back-to-back state wrestling championships and accepted a scholarship offer to Iowa. Head coach Anthony Leon piloted the Blue Devils to yet another state title.
54. Tim Derksen
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San Francisco's Tim Derksen drives during a game against UC Riverside in November 2016. Derksen scored the game-winning basket with 3.7 seconds left, leading the Dons to a 58-57 win. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Trapp/USF
After opening his EuroLeague career in Spain, the former Amphitheater High state player of the year was leading the Slovakian league with 18.9 points per game.
53. Steve Botkin
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Sahuaro High School head coach Steve Botkin cheers on his team as the Cougars take on the Mesa Jackrabbits during the high school Division II state quarterfinals on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.
Sahuaro High School's enduring girls basketball coach won his 500th game at the school. No other girls coach in Tucson prep basketball history has even 400.
52. Bernard Lagat
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Bernard Lagat, left, celebrates a win in the finals of the men's 5000-meter run with Paul Chelimo at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2016.
51. Umajesty Williams
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Umajesty Williams, left, helped the Wildcats pass the finish line first in the men's 4X400 relay at the Pac-12 championships.
A freshman, Arizona’s school-record holder at 400 meters finished second in the Pac-12 finals and then capped the meet in a dazzling comeback in the 400 relays, giving Arizona its first-ever championship in the event.
50. Nick Gonzales
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New Mexico State’s Nick Gonzales runs to first base during an NCAA Tournament game against Texas Tech on Friday, June 1, 2018, in Lubbock, Texas.
After a strong prep season at Cienega High School, Gonzales became the starting second baseman for New Mexico State’s WAC champions, hitting a team-high .347. He was named the WAC Freshman of the Year.
49. Shelley Duncan
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Shelley Duncan, right, a former Wildcat showed playing in the University of Arizona baseball alumni game on Jan. 27, 2018, recently was hired as a field coordinator for the MLB's Toronto Blue Jays.
48. Jim Monaco
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Pima head coach Jim Monaco finished the season and the football program with strong memories and satisfaction of a memorable year.
Even though his school chose to eliminate its football program beginning in 2019, Monaco persevered, coaching Pima College to a 6-4 record, the Heart of Texas Bowl and a No. 20 ranking in the NJCAA. He was recently named the school's athletic director.
47. Alyssa Thompson
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UA track athlete Alyssa Thompson works on her high jump during practice at Drachman Stadium, 501 S Plumer Ave, Tucson, AZ. on March 9, 2018.
In her final season at Arizona, the Salpointe Catholic grad finished third in the Pac-12 long jump and third in the Pac-12 heptathlon, and was one of 12 conference student-athletes selected as a Postgraduate Scholarship recipient.
46. Brent Strom
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Seth Clem takes a selfie with his parents and Strom during the fundraising event. Strom won College World Series titles in 1970 and 1971 with USC before beginning his professional career, which included a stop with the Tucson Toros in 1980.
Houston’s accomplished pitching coach, a longtime Tucson resident, helped the Astros reach the American League Championship Series after winning the AL West Division.
45. Javier Holguin, Alex Rangel, Gabe Mendoza
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Pima College's men's soccer team celebrates after winning the NJCAA National Championship.
Pima College’s assistant men’s soccer coaches not only helped the Aztecs win the national championship, but were chosen as the staff of the year by the United Soccer Coaches of America.
44. Neysia Howard
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Tucson High's Neysia Howard takes the baton from teammate Jenica Bosko and sprints to the finish to win the Division I girl's 4x100 Relay during the AIA Track & Field State Championships at Mesa Community College on Friday, May 5, 2018, in Mesa, Ariz.
Howard swept the 100 and 200 meters at the state championships and was part of Tucson High’s state-title-winning 4x100 relay team. She is now a freshman at Arizona.
43. Bill Leith
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Bill Leith, president of Sun Belt Baseball and a half-dozen other youth baseball ventures poses for a photo at Kino Sports Complex on July 10, 2018 in Tucson, AZ.
The director of both the Kino Baseball League and the Sun Belt College Baseball League experienced the most productive season yet in the sixth year of his vast organization.
42. Eric Tatham
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Cienega's head coach Eric Tatham instructs his team against Sahuaro during the 5A high school softball state championship game in Tempe, Ariz. May 15, 2017.
Cienega’s able softball coach piloted the Bobcats to their third state title in four years, finishing 29-6.
41. Kate Bruno
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In her sophomore season at Pima College, Bruno, from Canyon del Oro High School, won the ACCAC and Region championships in cross country and finished ninth in the NJCAA, backing up her spring finish of No. 9 in the NJCAA 1,500 meter finals.
Greg Hansen
Columnist
