3 Gifts Arizona Wildcats Fans Should Want For Christmas
2024 was not quite the year that Arizona or their fan base was hoping to have across the board.
While the football team looked like they had turned the corner with a Alamo Bowl victory against Oklahoma to secure their 10th win and close out 2023 on a strong note, head coach Jedd Fisch left for Washington and the Wildcats had to pivot, bringing in Brent Brennan whose first campaign in charge was a complete disaster.
Both Arizona's basketball programs made the tournament, but the men exited earlier than expected once again and the women's team was defeated in the first round after winning their First Four game.
The once dominant softball program missed out on the Women's College World Series for the second year in a row, and neither the men or women's golf teams won a tournament.
Thankfully, the triathlon team was able to secure a national championship, marking the athletic department's first since 2018.
So, with that in mind, Wildcats fans are hoping for a more successful showing in 2025.
Here are three wishes the fan base should have heading into next season.
Men's Team Makes Deep Run
It's hard to begin a tenure more successfully than what Tommy Lloyd has done since coming to Tucson. He's wracked up an AP Coach of the Year Award, two Pac-12 regular season titles and two Pac-12 tournament titles, while also winning 27-plus games in each of his three years.
But, Arizona has yet to advance past the Sweet Sixteen.
This Wildcats team has not been impressive with a 6-5 record through the nonconference schedule, failing to beat any of the best opponents they have faced, but if they can gel together at the right time during the gauntlet that the Big 12 presents, they could be set up for success if they make the tournament.
Football Figures It Out
While nobody is expecting Arizona to compete for a national championship on the gridiron every year, Fisch did show that winning can be achieved in Tucson.
That's exactly what Brennan is trying to do, but following a brutal debut, his leash could be a whole lot shorter than imagined when he was predicted to pick things right up from his predecessor and keep the momentum going.
The Wildcats have been busy in the transfer portal trying to make the necessary improvements it will take to get back to a bowl game, and by making the decision to hire Seth Doege to become their offensive coordinator, that is a great start in the right direction for Brennan heading into 2025.
Softball Starts Winning Again
When the softball team was the best in the country, they were making headlines on SportsCenter.
But the last time they won a national championship was in 2007, making it close to two decades since they've lifted the trophy.
Caitlin Lowe-Nagy has the unenviable job of replacing a coaching legend in Mike Candrea, who won 1,674 games in his 36 seasons as head coach with eight Women's College World Series and 11 Pac-10/12 titles to his name.
She has done a good job so far, winning roughly 62% of her games, but the Wildcats pale in comparison to what they used to be.
Fans should be hoping they can turn the corner in 2025.
