BYU head coach Kalani Sitake gestures to his team during a timeout in the first half of a game against Texas Tech on Nov. 8 in Lubbock, Texas.
– I can't argue with the Big 12 football coaches voting BYU's Kalani Sitake as the league coach of the year over Arizona's Brent Brennan. Sitake played both 11-1 Texas Tech and 10-2 Utah, who were not part of Arizona's schedule. Sitake also had to find a quarterback in mid-summer after his incumbent, Jake Retzlaff, transferred to Tulane after a school suspension. True freshman QB Bear Bachmeier was terrific in short order. Brennan probably finished second in the voting. That's the trouble with being in a conference with 16 teams. How often can you expect to be judged No. 1 of the 16 by your colleagues? Arizona might not have a coach of the year for another decade or two.
– Salpointe Catholic basketball standout Taliyah Henderson has been a key part of No. 11 North Carolina's 8-2 start, through Friday. A freshman, Henderson averages 13 minutes and 4.7 points per game and is shooting .576% from the field. She was a key part of Salpointe's 2022 and 2024 state basketball championships, as well as winning six individual state championships in track and field.
– One of the top tight ends in UA football history, 10-year NFL player Brandon Manumaleuna, will be inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame on Jan. 17 in Los Angeles as part of the annual Polynesian Bowl high school all-star game. Manumaleuna was a starter for Dick Tomey's historic 12-1 team of 1998 and caught 40 passes for 544 yards at the UA. He will join ex-Wildcat Joe Salave'a (Class of 2019) and former Amphitheater High linebacker Riki Ellison (Class of 2017) in the Hall of Fame. Ellison is in Tucson this week to help Amphi celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1975 state football championship. Former Panthers QB Jim Krohn, who went on to start for Arizona, and standout receiver Steve Doolittle, who went on to start at Colorado, also returned for the celebration.
– Four months after the death of Salpointe's six-time state championship soccer coach Kelly Pierce, the Lancers named their annual post-Thanksgiving girls tournament the Kelly Pierce Classic. Pierce died on Aug. 1 at age 44. She also played on Salpointe's 1999 state championship soccer team. Salpointe athletic director Phil Gruensfelder hired another ex-Lancer state champion, Jessica Rushton, to replace Pierce. Rushton went on to play for Arizona, 2008-12, and has been a coach at Pusch Ridge High School. Rushton knows a bit about adversity. While working as a fitness trainer and working to run 26-mile marathons, she required two ACL knee surgeries and also broke her leg. Rushton survived to successfully complete a marathon.
