Pair of Player of Year finalists lead UA into season's final road trip

A pair of newly announced player of the year finalists will lead the Wildcats into the Bay Area for a three-game series this weekend against ninth-ranked California ÷ the defending national champion ÷ and No. 16 Stanford.

Freshman pitcher Alicia Hollowell and senior shortstop Lovie Jung were both named among 10 finalists for the 2003 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on Wednesday. [Read article]

Even though it just returned from a season-long, eight-game road swing and will play six straight home games beginning today against Cal, the Arizona baseball team seems anxious to hit the road again.

That's because the next time they leave Arizona's borders, the Wildcats (31-16, 9-6 Pacific-10 Conference) might be on their way to their first NCAA Regional appearance in four years.

"I think everybody is (glad to be back)," senior Brian Pemble said. "But when you make the playoffs you travel to a regional and play two or three games, come home and practice for a day or two, and then travel to another regional. It's good to get used to it in that sense." [Read article]

State bragging rights will step to the starting line this weekend when the Arizona track and field squad heads north to take on two familiar foes in Tempe.

The annual double-dual meet, pitting Arizona against in-state rivals Arizona State and Northern Arizona University, will take place tomorrow at Joe Sellah Track in Sun Angel Stadium. The Wildcats will be looking for redemption over the Sun Devils, who narrowly edged past UA the last time these three schools faced each other in the indoor tri-meet in Flagstaff on Valentine's Day. The Sun Devils men's squad won by one point, 75-74. [Read article]

Men miss out on postseason chance, women finish 7th

After spending most of the season ranked in the nation's top five, the men's lacrosse team found itself shut out of the national championship tournament after a late season slide landed it one spot shy of playoffs.

Unites States Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates voters choose No. 14 Cal Poly (9-7, 3-3) over the No. 15 Laxcats (9-8, 4-3) for the final spot in the playoffs. [Read article]