Despite differing paths, Wildcat softball seniors form an 'Arizona family'

Arizona’s senior class features six members: one four-year player in infielder Tayler Biehl and five transfers. Utility/catcher Sydney Stewart, utility Grace Jenkins, pitcher Jalen Adams and infielders Kiki Escobar and Camila Zepeda are the transfers.

“My time has been a dream here, I’ve had the best four years I could ever imagine,” said Biehl, who has been the starter at shortstop since early in 2024. “I've been able to play with a ton of different girls between the ones that were here, not here anymore, to the ones that transferred in and the freshmen this year and so it’s incredible being able to play with so many people and just make memories for the last four years, and I've had the best time and I can’t say anything that I would change anything about it.”

The No. 20-ranked Wildcats (31-13, 11-5 Big 12) host Houston (20-28, 3-18) for a three-game series starting Friday to close out the regular-season home schedule.

UA head coach Caitlin Lowe praised the seniors, calling the class phenomenal.

“I can't say enough, starting with their character and the humans that they are," Lowe said. "They left their impact way, way further than just the softball field. Really just in everybody in this program, in the Tucson community, Tayler won an award (Monday) night for her giving back to Tucson.

“So I'm just really proud of the people that they've become and that they've passed on to the younger generation of Arizona.”

Zepeda came from Pima College, Stewart from Washington, Jenkins from Connecticut, Adams from Iowa and Escobar from Oregon State.

“Every time I talk to the transfers, it's like it was meant to be, they were meant to be here,” Lowe said. “They share the same competitive makeup, but also just, like, have bought so much into being a great team in and what the ‘A’ represents and so it doesn't feel like they're transfers ... they're part of the Arizona family forever; just truly blessed to have them as a part, but also the families they brought with them, as well.”

Zepeda, who went to Tucson High, transferred to UA after being an NJCAA All-American at Pima. She has played 10 games this season, scoring five runs and did go to UA games as a kid.

“I did growing up, I came a lot and it was just, like, for me, just like crazy that like now I'm the one with the uniform and like, the full circle moment that now, like little girls would watch us play,” Zepeda said. “Yeah it's such a cool experience being here and being with the other girls.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Stewart is first in the Big 12 in RBIs (65), slugging (.972) and OPS (1.528), second in on-base percentage (.556), third in walks (34), sixth in home runs (16) and ninth in batting (.415).

She hit seven home runs at Washington and has hit 35 so far for Arizona.

“Playing here when I was at my previous school, it was the craziest experience ever, just the atmosphere at Rita and then just the community at Tucson and the fans,” Stewart said. “It was unlike anything I've ever experienced before, but the transition, I feel like the people made it super easy, the coaches made it super easy Tay (Biehl) welcomed me with open arms, everyone did, so yeah, it was it was seamless.”

Adams said her teammates help her make that transition. Adams (16-6) is second in the Big 12 in wins and third in innings pitched (124⅔).

“I think it was definitely not an easy decision and I love my my teammates back in Iowa and I miss them, but I also think that I just wanted to take a step forward and really put myself out there and kind of just see how I did with the best of the best,” Adams said. "I'm just really proud of how close the team's been able to get and how much fun I've been able to have this year.”

Jenkins also made the move to Tucson for her last season, after winning Big East Player of the Year in 2025.

“I think it's obviously nerve-wracking, entering the portal knowing that you only have one year left but I think I made the best decision and even in the fall every single day there was just like another reason why I made the right decision to come here,” Jenkins said. “Like with Jalen, too, we're both senior transfers, so to be able to like go through that together was good, but at the same time, it's been so much fun here and it like sucks that I only got one year here, but at the same time, like, that's why it's so special.”

Extra bases

– The softball team had a solid night at the UA’s annual student athlete awards, the Catsys.

The squad won three awards, the most for any women’s program. Sophomore infielder Sereniti Trice won women’s Newcomer of the Year, Stewart won the Ruby Award (Outstanding Women's Athlete) and Biehl won the Individual Community Service Award.

– The Wildcats dropped from No. 16 to No. 20 in the USA Softball rankings and fell to No. 19, three spots, in the other three polls: NFCA coaches, Softball America and D1 Softball rankings.

Arizona is No. 17 in the RPI as of Wednesday afternoon, dropping two spots from this time last week. Houston is No. 80.

– Friday’s game is APIDA Heritage Night, and the UA is giving away “Bear Down Bats.”

Saturday is “Hometown Heroes Day” and the last game of the series is a “Sunday Funday” with a senior poster giveaway.