Athletics Director Greg Byrne's weekly email discussing Wildcat Athletics
March 21, 2012
BASEBALL ECONOMICS
I thought you might be interested in some of our financial numbers so far as we have reached the half-way point in the number of home games this season for our #5 ranked Arizona baseball team. So far we have $113,312 in ticket revenue this baseball season compared to a season total of $69,087 last year. We feel there is a good opportunity to approach $250,000 in ticket sales this season.
Concessions revenues have been positive as well. Last year our net revenues at the end of the year were $21,700 with gross sales of $90,800. Half-way through this season our net sales have been $39,823 with gross sales of $108,619.
All in all a great start at Hi Corbett and I want to thank all of our fans who have come out and supported our team. A college baseball showdown is coming up next weekend. #2 Stanford comes to Hi Corbett for a weekend series starting Friday, March 30. You can purchase tickets for future games here.
STUDENT-STUDENTS
Four of our student-athletes were cited for the first half of that designation this week - Lindsey Fearing of women's basketball, Michael Lopez of baseball and Sergio Carrillo and Alexandra Weatherly of track and field. Our academic services staff awards C.A.T.S. Student-Athletes of the Month honors half a dozen times each year and this group stepped up their game to earn the award for January-February. With a student population north of 450, being named an S-A of the Month is pretty special. Our thanks to the students, their sports, and the academic staff for continuing to foster premier scholastic achievement. Bear Down.
TOP FIVE AND COUNTING
Our women's swimming and diving team finished a solid fifth in the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships last weekend, and our menleft today (I will be joining them Saturday in Seattle for the final day) in the quest for the top spot at the men's NCAA meet. The women pulled in 11 All-America honors in their appearances, with 30 total awards from the 11 - Margo Geer, Kait Flederbach, Emma Darlington, Alyssa Anderson, Samantha Pickens, Sarah Denninghoff, Ellyn Baumgardner, Lauren Smart, Chelsey Salli and Monica Drake. The women gave us a ninth consecutive top-five finish in the NCAAs. Way to go, women, and Bear Down to the men!
PHOENIX AREA FOOTBALL
Join us in the Valley this Saturday at Glendale Community Collegewhen Coach Rich Rodriguez and the Wildcat football team will hold a free open practice at noon. Football practice resumed this week and this is an early opportunity for our Phoenix-area fans to get a look at the new coaches, new offense and new defense. It's still early in the transition but I know you'll notice some renewed energy and a visible up-tempo pace from the Cats. There is plenty of free parking, and we'll have concessions available, some Fan Fest activities as well as a 30-minute autograph session with Coach Rod afterward. Athletic Department staff will be on hand to assist fans looking to purchase season tickets and join the Wildcat Club. Remember, Phoenix is Wildcat Country!
NORTH END ZONE FACILITY
Once a week I walk to the top of the Cherry Street garage and admire all of the work that is taking place across the street as the North End Zone Facility moves forward. I hope you've seen the progress on the project as well. Lots of activity and on schedule. Take a look (click on the photo for a link to the live webcam):
GETTING MORE SOCIAL
Last week we announced the launch of Social Wildcats, a rewards program for sharing and engaging with Arizona Athletics on social media. We have had a great response. Thanks for getting involved and being active social media ambassadors. Speaking of social media, we now are on Google+ and Pinterest. Google+ is very similar to Facebook, but I am looking forward to their video hangout feature. We're looking to use Pinterest to help extend our brand by "pinning" various Arizona Athletics images related to our history, merchandise, facilities, and more. We're just getting started with these new social media pages. If you're on Google+ start following us byclicking here. If you're on Pinterest, you can follow us atPineterest.com/ArizonaWildcats.
A-CLUB LETTERWINNERS NOTES...
Arizona Athletics is proud of women's basketball letterwinner Adia Barnes ('98), as she helps lead the Washington Huskies into the WNIT quarterfinals. Adia still holds the school record for most points scored in a career and season, along with several others records. This is her first year as an assistant collegiate coach and even though Adia may be coaching for the Huskies, she will always be a Wildcat at heart!
We inadvertently left out former Wildcat Jordan Brown on the list of players in Major League Baseball this spring. He's in the Houston Astros camp... More than 20 graduating and former Wildcats took part in Pro Timing Day activities Monday with pro scouts from nearly all teams on campus. The NFL Draft is April 26-28, and some of our student-athletes are poised to be picked...
SCHEDULE NOTES...
· The softball team played host to New Mexico State in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. today. The Cats were rained out of three more games (in Fullerton, Calif.) last week... The Wildcats travel to ASU for a three-game series Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (noon), with a State Farm Territorial Cup Series point on the line. Arizona leads the SFTCS by a 7.5 to 3.5 margin...
·Men's golfis at the Barona Collegiate Cup in San Diego Thursday and Friday...
·Our men's swimming and diving team is at the NCAA Championships Thursday through Saturday in Federal Way, Wash. We have a solid chance at the team title. I'd ask you to cross your fingers but it's not a question of luck...
· Baseball opens a three-game Pac-12 series at Oregon State Friday night. Also games Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The team took a series over WSU at Hi Corbett (2-1) to open league play last week...
·Women's tennis plays host to Washington (1:30 p.m.) Friday and Oregon (noon) on Saturday in key conference matches. Admission is free...
·The gymnastics team travels to the Pac-12 Championships Saturday evening in Salt Lake City at host Utah. The Cats whipped up on the competition in their final home meet last week. Go Cats!
SHOOTING FOR NUMBER ONE
Below, a group of Nogales, Ariz., friends offer their pick for the top team extant (although truth be told, it was prior to a basketball game viewing), what we hope for this week in Washington with our men's swimming club. From left:Steve Morris, Nils Urman and David Courtland (rear) with Lois Morris, Chris Courtland and Sharon Urman in front. At bottom, Bill Hussey shows off his colors on the beach in Barbuda.
Note to those wanting to submit pictures for the Wildcat Wednesday: Do not use the reply on this email, as it will not allow you to attach files. Please send pictures to filippellib@arizona.edu. Also, please be sure to identify those in the picture and be aware that we are unable to use poor resolution images (i.e., fuzzy or unfocused). Many more images are submitted each week than can be used. Thanks for your understanding.
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