– Arizona All-American point guard (2021) Aari McDonald was able to play three games for the WNBA-leading Minnesota Lynx last week, averaging 15.3 minutes and 7.3 points (although shooting 26% from the field) to prepare for the WNBA playoffs that begin Monday. McDonald, who missed five months with a lower leg injury, is the backup to star point guard Olivia Miles.
Minnesota Lynx guard Aari McDonald (4) shoots the ball while Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sept. 22, 2026.
– Jacob Manu made 116 tackles for Arizona in 2023, leading the Pac-12 as he became an all-conference linebacker. He then transferred to Washington with Jedd Fisch. Last week, the fifth-year senior was named a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, which goes to the top scholar-athlete in college football. Manu has a 3.7 GPA at Washington. He also leads the Huskies through three games with 22 tackles.
– Arizona's 1990s All-American golfer Rory Sabbatini finished second in last week's PGA Tour Champions event at Pebble Beach. In his rookie year on the senior tour, Sabbatini has clinched a spot in the Schwab Cup playoffs that begin Oct. 23-25, a three-week competition that begins with the top 72 money winners and is eventually narrowed to 36 players for the championship Nov. 12-15 in the Schwab Cup in Phoenix. Sabbatini has won $816,209 in his first year on the Champions Tour, which currently ranks 19th.
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– Former Arizona shooting guard Dwayne Aristode, who transferred to Oregon after his freshman season last spring, finds himself in some chaos with the Ducks. Coach Dana Altman, 68, is coming off a career-worst 12-20 season when the Ducks only averaged 6,033 fans at home games. In an attempt to rebuild, Altman has brought in transfers from USC, Kentucky, Duke, Boston College, Alabama, Boise State and San Diego State, as well as Aristode, who averaged 3.8 points as an Arizona freshman. Sounds like a mess.
– Johnny Nansen, Arizona's defensive coordinator from 2022-24 before bolting to Texas to become the Longhorns' co-defensive coordinator, was suspended from last week's Texas-UTSA game after being arrested for DWI at the scene of a three-car collision. Nansen was reinstated by Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian for this weekend's game against Tennessee. Sarkisian said Nansen's status will be reviewed as the investigation into his arrest continues.
– This is probably the most important weekend of Cienega High School grad Nick Gonzales’ major league career. He was hitting .301 through Thursday, one of just six MLB players hitting .300 or more. No Pirate has hit .300 since ex-Arizona Wildcat shortstop Kevin Newman hit .308 in 2019. Gonzales, a third baseman, is in the last year of his Pirates contract, paying him $801,600 this season. He is eligible for salary arbitration this winter. It's conceivable Gonzales could sign a multi-year contract for more than $25 million, especially if he finishes the season hitting .300.
– Empire High School's football team has been outscored 162-2 in four games this season and has twice forfeited games due to a lack of available personnel. As a new school 20 years ago, Empire quickly found success, going to the playoffs five straight times from 2008-12. But declining enrollment has troubled Empire recently, the same way Santa Rita, Rincon/University and Catalina have struggled to field competitive football rosters. My guess is that in the next decade, three or four Tucson area high schools will drop football altogether.
Pima’s winning ways put cross country teams atop NJCAA rankings | Greg Hansen
