Staff Picks

Renning: Prior to the ASU/UA football game, ASU receiver Matt Miller told the East Valley Tribune he thought the Wildcats would play dirty. What would have been dirty is if Miller would have caught the game-winner to beat the Wildcats, but instead he dropped a first-down pass in the game's closing minutes on fourth down to preserve UA's 34-27 win and save a 2-8 season for Arizona. Bear Down.
UA Football 34, ASU 27

Bacon: As hard as it is to pick against ASU, the best moment in sports was 44 seconds before the end of the Wisconsin game. Students who hadn't already wet their whistle before the game sure did in "The Day After Tomorrow"-like downpour, and were just waiting for their Wildcats to move past .500. When the field goal left Nick Folk's foot, everyone in the stands thought it was good except The Man Upstairs. But for those few seconds while the ball was in the air, it was good to be a Wildcat football fan.
Football's near-win against Wisconsin

Frazier: Arizona football made up for a more than mediocre entire season in a single game against ASU. Nothing beats sitting in the student section with my little sister who attends Tempe Community College and watching her fall silent for the entire second half. This game was not the best UA sports moment of the fall but arguably one of the best in school history.
UA Football 34, ASU 27

Kensing: I couldn't pick one best moment, no matter how hard I tried. The soccer team's entire season was one great moment. Every win was like a real-life Disney sports movie, as the Cats turned around from a four-win season in 2003 to win the Pac-10 championship. The co-winner is Arizona's 34-27 win against Arizona State Nov. 26 to take the Territorial Cup. It was a great time to be a Wildcat, and you can rest assured it was a sign of things to come from Mike Stoops.
No decision

Renning: In sticking with the UA sports tradition of hating ASU, the two worst moments of the semester came in losses to the Scummies. The women soccer team's loss in Tempe sucked. The Icecats' (1-3) record against ASU needs to get better. However, the volleyball team beat "them" twice, the football team did what it normally does when it's struggling and ASU is ranked (see 1981, '82, '86, '97), and I know rugby holds a 20-year win streak over those guys up north, but any loss to an inferior school is a bad moment.
Any ASU win

Bacon: Instead of producing this like a sports feature, I'll let the "Outside the Lines" crew take the reins. Our football team had a player get shot at a party, multiple marijuana arrests throughout the season (two by the same guy), and one attempt to use a form of identification that wasn't who a player said it was (probably the only fake ID circulating through campus). What is the best way to scar a Cinderella coach slipping his first glass slipper on as lead Wildcat? Off-field distractions.
Football's off-field troubles

Frazier: With a five-point lead at 19-14 and less than two minutes of play in Arizona's Pacific 10 Conference opener against Washington State, the game was as good as won, unless you are a Wildcat. Instead of taking a knee, Arizona decided to run the ball up the middle, and a fumble by Gilbert Harris ensured the defeat. It's hard to say how the season may have turned out had Arizona won, but it would have given the team a lot of momentum.
Football's shocking collapse to Wash. State

Kensing: The UA-Washington State football game Sept. 25 was one of the most exciting showdowns I've had the privilege of attending, but also one of the more heartbreaking. Arizona was obviously over the hump, taking the former BCS-qualifying Cougars to the brink, just to see their hard-earned win literally slip away. However, despite coughing up the ball that led to a WSU comeback win, Gilbert Harris had a great season, and everyone in Tucson is looking forward to seeing him rack up even more yards in 2005.
UA's loss to WSU in football

Renning: Resisting the urge to give it to Matt Miller (see best moment), cross country's Robert Cheseret finished the fall season the closest of any Wildcat to a national championship. He finished ninth at the NCAAs, less than 30 seconds behind the leader. The Kenyan Komet won Athlete of the Year honors in the Pacific 10 Conference after winning the individual conference championship. Cheseret is just a sophomore and should challenge for the national title next year.
Robert Cheseret, cross country

Bacon: Who ever said a diaper dandy can't be the top athlete on campus? The best story of the year was the women's soccer team and what better way to end a season than to have their starting goalkeeper earn a nomination as National Freshman of the Year? McCall Smith came in from Salt Lake City and didn't do much except record 11 shutouts and have the sixth best goals against average in the nation. Not bad while balancing all her general education classes in the pits of Harvill.
McCall Smith, soccer

Frazier: I might be biased, but junior outside hitter Kim Glass deserves the honor as she worked through a shoulder injury she sustained at the beginning of the season. Instead of opting to redshirt, Glass virtually carried Arizona on her shoulders for the entire season and into the NCAA Tournament. Glass was named to the All-Pac-10 team for third time in three years and is by all accounts the backbone of the team.
Kim Glass, volleyball

Kensing: Soccer's senior forward Candice Wilks was a shining star on a team that shone brighter than any other in Tucson. Wilks scored four game-winning goals, the most on the Pac-10 championship team, and was second on the team in total points. She earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors in 2003 and will likely receive the honor again this year.
Candice Wilkds, soccer

Renning: From Feb. 23 to March 20, the UA baseball team plays ASU, defending national runner-up Texas, Mississippi State and UC Riverside at home, then travels to defending national champion Cal State Fullerton. Add that to MLB spring training and you've got a mixture for a lot of missed classes and the least productive school month of my year. Great weather, great baseball and the time of the year those UA butt shorts start giving everyone something to look forward to.
UA baseball, Spring training

Bacon: What is the youngest, toughest, more exciting team to watch on campus? Did you pick men's basketball? Well, you almost got it. Our barely-out-of-puberty squad on the baseball diamond made it to their first College World Series since 1986 last year and is bringing back just about everyone. Junior Trevor Crowe will be the one to lead Arizona back to Omaha with as young a squad as last year. Hopefully they won't stop there - National Championship Drive could use another banner.
UA baseball returns to College World Series

Frazier: Last year, the UA baseball team got a taste of the College World Series for the first time since 1986. But you can guarantee that the Zona boys are far from satisfied. It should be interesting to see what the Wildcats can do with 23 new faces and the return of virtually every position player that competed in Omaha, Neb. This pick is partially influenced as I go through baseball withdrawal every year around this time, but you can bet the Wildcats will put together another memorable year.
UA baseball returns to College World Series

Kensing: Can both the men's and women's basketball team reach the Final Four? Will the baseball team return to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series? Will the softball program win yet another NCAA Championship? Can the Icecats fulfill their goal of running the table in the Spring en rout to the ACHA Tournament? How far will Colin O'Grady and Roger Matalonga go in tennis? The only thing I know for sure, spring 2005 will be the most exciting semester for sports in my time at the UA.
Who knows..Soccer's senior forward Candice Wilks was a shining star on a team that shone brighter than any other in Tucson. Wilks scored four game-winning goals, the most on the Pac-10 championship team, and was second on the team in total points. She earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors in 2003 and will likely receive the honor again this year.
Candice Wilkds, soccer