Something to cheer about

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Junior guard Miles Simon holds up the NCAA National Championship trophy in April, 1997 at Arizona Stadium.

But as success comes regularly to University of Arizona athletic programs nowadays, it wasn't always that way.

Fans in the early 1980s recall going to McKale Center for a men's basketball game and being able to choose from an array of courtside seats.

But since Arizona joined the Pacific 10 Conference in 1978, the program has gained more national exposure than ever. Coaches have been able to recruit better, stronger athletes from not only the U.S., but around the world.

"The whole program gradually got larger and more competitive each year," UA Athletic Director Jim Livengood said. "Certainly that's a credit to our coaches and staff. The recruiting has gotten better, and that's our lifeblood."

Together, with hard work and high goals, coaches and student-athletes have made the UA one of the country's premiere athletic programs. After the 1997-98 season, Arizona finished No. 6 in the Sears Directors' Cup, which ranks schools on their performances in all varsity sports. In all, 16 of the 18 sports made it to the postseason.

The following teams have left a mark of greatness at the UA. They symbolize the joy and heart that it takes to be a student-athlete at the Division I level.

Men's Basketball

Arizona basketball and head coach Lute Olson are synonymous names.

Since taking over a dormant program in 1983, Olson's teams have won a national championship, reached three Final Fours, won eight Pac-10 championships and established Arizona as one of the nation's top basketball programs.

When asked to pick the greatest UA team of all-time, Olson said he can't.

"When I came here, the previous year they were 1-17 in the Pac-10 and the place was half-full at best," he said. "Now, we've gotten the program to national recognition. That was our intention."

The 1997 national championship team will always hold a place in Wildcat fans' hearts.

The team - led by juniors Miles Simon, Michael Dickerson and Bennett Davison and a talented freshman point guard, Mike Bibby - finished 25-9 and went on a memorable tournament run, defeating No. 1 seeds Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky.

"The 1997 team will forever be in the record books, at this point, to beat three No. 1 seeds," Olson said. "I doubt if you'll see that again."

Up until 1997, the most popular team was the 1987-88 Wildcats.

Sean Elliot and Steve Kerr, who helped Arizona win its first Pac-10 championship in 1986, led Arizona to its first Final Four. The team went 35-3 before bowing out to Oklahoma in the national semifinals.

Guards Damon Stoudamire, Khalid Reeves and Reggie Geary took the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1993-94, going 29-6 and losing to eventual national champion Arkansas in the semifinals.

"In getting to the Final Four, the 1988 and 1994 teams certainly placed themselves in a position of recognition," Olson said. "The 1988 team established this program as a national power and will always be remembered for that. They were the school's first-ever No. 1 basketball team."

Baseball

The baseball program is all about endurance.

Thriving in the national spotlight since the 1950's, head coaches Frank Sancet and Jerry Kindall gave Arizona 46 years of success.

Now in his third season managing UA baseball, Jerry Stitt recalled his days as a center fielder from 1966-68.

"Our 1967 team was as good as any, but from what I've heard, the best team we've ever had here is the team we had in 1974," Stitt said. "They got beat in the regionals, but in 1976 they won a national championship with many of those players on the team."

Arizona won the College World Series in 1976, 1980 and 1986 - all of them managed by Kindall.

"Our baseball program has always been one of the top programs in the country," Stitt said. "It was almost routine for us to go to the College World Series and we were a prominent baseball school."

Football

Arizona fans do not have to look deep into their memories to remember the school's greatest football team. The 1998 Wildcats finished No. 4 in the country with a 12-1 record and won the Culligan Holiday Bowl over Nebraska.

"I don't think there's any question that it's the best team in the history of the University of Arizona any way you measure it," head coach Dick Tomey said. "Their unselfishness and character made them a joy to coach."

The 1998 season left Arizona hungry for more success and with plenty of memories. Sophomore quarterback Ortege Jenkins' flip into the end-zone to beat Washington, junior running back Trung Canidate's 288 yards rushing in a 50-42 win over Arizona State, senior cornerback Chris McAlister's leaping interception that sealed Arizona's victory over Nebraska and the team's 38-3 drubbing of Oregon were just some of the highlights from a memorable season.

"I don't think about great accomplishments in terms of singular teams or events, I think about how I have been involved with outstanding student-athletes involved in our program," Tomey said. "That's the greatest accomplishment for me."

Women's Basketball

The 1997-98 women's basketball team reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, its furthest progression ever. The team, built on a core group of seniors, brought Arizona towards the top of women's basketball.

Led by Adia Barnes, the program's first WNBA draft pick, the team finished 23-7, second in the Pac-10.

"We had a nice blend of shooters, athletes and definitely a go-to player in Adia Barnes," associate head coach Denise Dove said. "They were definitely a team that gelled together."