University of Arizona

The University of Arizona (UA) is a land-grant institution of higher learning located in Tucson, Arizona. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885 when the state was still a territory. In 2005, total enrollment was 37,036 students.

Athletics

Like many large public universities in the USA, sports are a major activity on campus, and receive a large operating budget (sometimes disproportionate, academics argue, although the athletic department has been self suficient since the early part of this century). Arizona's sports teams are called the Wildcats. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Pacific Ten Conference.

Related Topics:
USA - NCAA - Pacific Ten Conference

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The men's basketball team has been one of the nation's most successful programs since Lute Olson was hired as head coach in 1983. Since then, the team has had 18 consecutive 20-win seasons, and reached the NCAA Tournament 21 years in a row, which is the longest active and second-longest streak in NCAA history (University of North Carolina, 27). Lute has taken the Wildcats to the Final Four 4 times. In 1997, Arizona beat the defending champion, the University of Kentucky Wildcats, to win the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Related Topics:
Men's basketball - Lute Olson - 1983 - University of North Carolina - 1997 - University of Kentucky

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The football team was somewhat successful in the 90s under head coach Dick Tomey and his "Desert Swarm" defense that was characterized by tough, hard-nosed tactics. In 1993, the Wildcats had their first 10-win season and drubbed the powerhouse University of Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl by a score of 29-0. In 1998, the team posted a school-record 12-1 season and made the Holiday Bowl in which they defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Arizona ended that season ranked #3 nationally and #2 in several publications. The University of Arizona is the only school between the Pac-10 and the Big-10 not make an appearance in the Rose Bowl.

Related Topics:
Football - 90s - Dick Tomey - University of Miami - Fiesta Bowl - 1998 - Holiday Bowl - Nebraska Cornhuskers - Pac-10 - Big-10 - Rose Bowl

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The baseball team won several national championships in the 70s and 80s (1976, 1980, and 1986) and the softball team is perennially ranked as one of the best in the nation. The softball team has won six Women's College World Series titles, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, and 2001.

Related Topics:
Baseball - 70s - 80s - 1976 - 1980 - 1986 - Softball - Women's College World Series - 1991 - 1993 - 1994 - 1996 - 1997 - 2001

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The golf team has also been quite successful. The men's team won a championship in 1992, while the women's team won championships in 1996 and 2000.

Related Topics:
Golf - 1992 - 1996 - 2000

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Three championships for synchronized swimming were won in 1980, 1981, and 1984, though these championships were in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, and not the NCAA.

Related Topics:
Synchronized swimming - 1980 - 1981 - 1984 - Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women - NCAA

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A number of notable individuals have also won national championships in the NCAA. These include Amanda Beard in 2001 for swimming and Annika Sörenstam in 1991 in golf.

Related Topics:
NCAA - Amanda Beard - 2001 - Swimming - Annika Sörenstam - 1991 - Golf

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Rivalries

A strong academic and athletic rivalry exists between the University of Arizona and Arizona State University located in Tempe. Rivalries have also been created with other Pac-10 teams especially University of California, Los Angeles which has provided a worthy softball rival and was Arizona's main basketball rival in the early and mid-90s. Since that time, however, UCLA has fallen off somewhat while Arizona has maintained its basketball prowess, appearing most recently in the Elite Eight of the 2005 NCAA tournament.

Related Topics:
Arizona State University - Tempe - Pac-10 - University of California, Los Angeles - Softball - Basketball - 90s

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Mascot

The University mascot is an anthropomorphized wildcat named Wilbur. The identity of Wilbur is kept secret through the year as the mascot appears only in costume. In 1986, Wilbur married his longtime wildcat girlfriend, Wilma. Together, Wilbur and Wilma appear along with the cheerleading squad at most Wildcat sporting events.

Related Topics:
Anthropomorphized - Wildcat - Cheerleading

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Notable Venues

McKale Center, opened in 1973, is currently used by men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, and women's volleyball. The official capacity has changed often. The largest crowd to see a game in McKale was 15,176 in 1976 for a game against the University of New Mexico, a main rival in that period. In 2000, the floor in McKale was dubbed Lute Olson Court, for the basketball team's winningest coach. During a memorial service in 2001 for Lute's wife, Bobbi, who'd passed away after a battle with ovarian cancer, the floor was renamed Lute and Bobbi Olson Court. In addition to the playing surface, McKale Center is host to the offices of the U of A athletic department. McKale Center is named after J.F. Pop McKale, who was athletic director and coach from 1914 through 1957.

Related Topics:
McKale Center - 1973 - 1976 - University of New Mexico - 2000 - 2001 - 1914 - 1957

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Arizona Stadium, built in 1928, seats over 56,000 patrons. It hosts American football games and has also been used for university graduations. The turf is bermuda grass, taken from the local Tucson National Golf Club. Arizona football's home record is 258-139-12. The largest crowd ever in Arizona Stadium was 59,920 in 1996 for a game against ASU.

Related Topics:
Arizona Stadium - 1928 - American football - Bermuda grass

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Jerry Kindall Field at Frank Sancet Stadium hosts baseball games.

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Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium hosts softball games.

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