Arizona Daily Wildcat
It has been a long time since the Arizona men's golf team has been ranked as low as No. 17 in the nation, but that's exactly where the powers-that-be of the golf world have placed the Wildcats.
After coming off their best finish of the year in Hawaii, placing second in a talented field, the team still has been denied the respect that is usually given to a program that has been on top for decades.
The Wildcats hope to better their rankings this weekend when they travel to Houston for the Golf Digest Invitational, although UA coach Rick LaRose doesn't seem bothered by the national oversight.
"I don't really worry about the rankings much. The only ranking that really counts is the one at the end," LaRose said. "I kind of like the fact that we're not ranked quite as high as we have in the past, because I think it gives us incentive to improve and work hard."
Ä Curtis Acosta
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If they were not rivals before, the Wildcats and the Bruins certainly are now.
The fifth-ranked Arizona women's tennis team (10-2 overall, 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference) returns to defend its home court this weekend against No. 2 UCLA and Southern Cal, which is ranked 13th in the country.
The Wildcats are fresh off an appearance in the semifinals of the ITA Women's National Indoor Team Tennis Championship, where they were bounced by the very same Bruins in a tough dual match, 5-3. The Wildcats entered the tournament ranked 17th and jumped to No. 5 after it.
"We have to keep our goals in sight," UA coach Becky Bell said. "We have said this from the beginning and stayed with it. We've got to work hard, keep improving and set our sights on the NCAAs."
Arizona will play UCLA at 1:30 today and USC at noon tomorrow at the Robson Tennis Center.
Ä Craig Sanders
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The Arizona men's tennis team (4-5 overall, 0-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division) is looking for a way to get back in the thick of things as the matches in the Pac-10 South heat up.
What better way to do that than to go to Los Angeles and beat the two teams that literally embarrassed the Wildcats here in Tucson back in February.
The Wildcats will be traveling to Los Angeles this weekend for a match against No. 7 Southern Cal today and UCLA tomorrow. The Bruins (8-2, 2-0) are currently ranked fifth in the country.
Earlier in the year, UCLA won by a score of 4-3 and USC won 7-0.
Said assistant coach Tom Hagedorn: "The doubles point is crucial to the overall match and it gives you a great boost of confidence to know that your team is up 1-0 going into the singles matches."
Ä Steve Fanucchi
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Who says that spring break is for having fun. Certainly not the Arizona club rugby team.
The Wildcats will be at UC-Santa Cruz next Thursday to face the Fighting Banana Slugs before they travel to Berkeley to christen the newly built 5,000 seat rugby stadium.
The other teams visiting Cal for next weekend's tourney are Washington, the UA's first opponent and Ohio State.
The stadium, the first in the United States designed especially for college rugby, will be where the Wildcats will spend the majority of their spring break.
Ä Larry Mullenix
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This weekend, the UA men's club lacrosse team is hoping that it can improve its record to 5-3.
The Laxcats (4-3) will be taking on the Seawolves of the University at Stonybrook Sunday. The game will take place on the Tucson High School football field at 1 p.m.
The Laxcats are hoping they can continue emulating the newfound style of play they established while falling to No. 5 Alfred University 10-6 Tuesday night at home.
"We are going into this game with an attitude that we will win this game," Felton said.
Ä Julie Shiroma
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Three members of the UA boxing club will be fighting in the Western Regional Championships in Reno, Nev., March 17-18.
Junior Fernando Quiroz won the regional title last year and went on to win his weight bracket in the national championships. This year, Quiroz hopes to win another title in the 115-pound weight class.
Quiroz is joined in Reno by fellow club members Jeff Valus and Chris Bort. Valus is fighting in the flyweight bracket and Bort, the heaviest fighter going to the tournament, will be fighting in the 156-pound weight class.
Ä Jason A. Vrtis