Cardinal top men's cross country for title

Junior Robert Cheseret of the Arizona men's cross country team raced to his second straight individual men's title at the 2005 Pac-10 Championships on Saturday morning at Dell Urich Golf Course.

Cheseret easily won the 8,000-meter race under the warm Tucson sun with a time of 23:57. Teammate Obed Mutanya finished 16 seconds later to come in second. [Read article]

Senior Glass becomes UA's career kills leader

A trio of Arizona volleyball seniors rewrote the record books Friday night, as the No. 9 Wildcats knocked off Washington State in McKale Center, 30-18, 31-33, 30-19, 30-15.

Senior outside hitter Kim Glass became Arizona's all-time kills leader when she recorded her 1,860th kill in the second game, passing Barb Bell.

Senior middle blocker Bre Ladd recorded her 1,000th kill later in the second game, and senior outside hitter Jennifer Abernathy followed suit in the third game, becoming the 14th and 15th Wildcats, respectively, to accomplish the feat. [Read article]

The best of the weekend's athletic performances

Football: Willie Tuitama

No. 7 • Quarterback Threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns in first career start.

Volleyball: Kim Glass

No. 86 • Outside hitter Became Arizona's all-time kills leader in win over Washington State.

Cross Country: Robert Cheseret

Junior Repeated as Pac-10's men's individual champion in [Read article]

Edwall comes up big after hard-luck loss

The Arizona men's club hockey team split its first home series of the season, winning 3-1 Saturday night over in-state rival ASU in the Tucson Convention Center Arena.

Freshman goaltender Nick Boddy was supposed to start Saturday, but sophomore Luke Edwall, coming off Friday's 3-2 loss, asked Icecats head coach Leo Golembiewski for a chance in the net instead. [Read article]

The Arizona swimming and diving teams started off their season with wins in their first meet over the weekend against Wisconsin and Penn State at Hillenbrand Aquatic Center.

The men's team earned victories in 13 events, defeating Wisconsin 176-85, while the women's team took 10 events, beating Wisconsin 138.5-123.5 and Penn State 152-110.

"The kids did a nice job," said Arizona head coach Frank Busch. "It was the first meet for a lot of the kids." [Read article]

It wasn't the ending they were hoping for.

In the final home game of the 2005 season, the Arizona soccer team and its five departing seniors lost 2-1 to ASU on Saturday night for the Wildcats' 11th straight defeat in the series.

Although Arizona (9-5-3, 4-2-1 Pacific 10 Conference) did not pull out the win, one of the seniors, midfielder Jennifer Klein, had a victory of her own with her first goal of the season. [Read article]

In the wake of the death of Shawntinice Polk, Arizona women's basketball head coach Joan Bonvicini said Polk's jersey will be retired on Feb.18, coinciding with the team's last regular-season home game.

Polk, a three-time All-Pacific 10 Conference center, died Sept. 26 from cardiac arrest as a result of blood clots that traveled to her lungs, shortly after collapsing in McKale Center.

Polk's jersey retirement will be the first for the women's basketball team. [Read article]

It may have a high spot in many preseason polls, but the Arizona men's basketball team now ranks even higher in the hearts of many Special Olympians.

About 90 Special Olympics athletes from Southern Arizona visited Saturday's practice and scrimmage and received personal instruction from Arizona head coach Lute Olson and each member of the 2005-06 team.

The Wildcats led the Special Olympians in drills ranging from layups to free throws. [Read article]

Montana and Rice. Aikman and Irvin.

Tuitama and Thomas?

To mention Arizona's teenage tandem of Willie Tuitama and Mike Thomas in the same breath as two of the most recognizable quarterback-receiver combinations in NFL history is premature, to say the least.

But please excuse Arizona fans if they get a little excited after Saturday's 29-27 win at Oregon State.

Two weeks removed from talk of a possible 1-10 season after a tough loss to Stanford, Arizona found new hope in rain-soaked Reser Stadium behind the freshman Tuitama's 335 yards and two touchdowns through the air, as he spread the ball to seven different receivers. [Read article]