• Slug: Sports–Dillingham Whittingham Meeting, 800 words.
• Photo available.

By Tucker Sennett
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Other than their names ending in “ham” and guiding their teams to identical records through the first six weeks of the college football season, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham share few similarities.

On Friday night at Mountain America Stadium, the two coaches will lead their 4-1 teams into battle against one another in a true test of youth against experience.

The 64-year-old Whittingham has been with the Utes since 1994, becoming the head coach in 2004 after the University of Florida took a chance on an exciting new coach named Urban Meyer. Since then, Whittingham has amassed a record of 166-80, quietly becoming one of the nation’s best coaches. Continue reading “Battle of the ‘Hams’: ASU braces for No. 16 Utah under Friday night lights”

• Slug: Sports–DirecTV ESPN Dispute Streaming, 960 words.
• Photo available.

By Daniel Mendenhall
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” “College GameDay,” and the 2024 U.S. Open Tennis Championships are among the most notable television sports programs that DirecTV customers could not view in September as a result of the contract negotiations between cable provider DirecTV and entertainment giant, The Walt Disney Co.

The deal impacted viewers for 13 days, but for diehard sports fans, it felt much longer.

Suzy Emre, a college football and Kansas City Chiefs fan, was one of the many DirecTV customers who vocalized their dissatisfaction with the platform’s failure to secure a deal in time for the football season. Like Emre and other sports fans, their love for the game has a personal connection, and missing the first games of the season left them feeling empty. Continue reading “DirecTV-Disney standoff underscores ongoing media industry shift, future of sports fan viewership”

• Slug: Sports–Arizona Fall League Preview, 1050 words.
• 4 photos available.

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – Baseball in Arizona is truly a year-long love affair. It begins in February, when 15 big league teams make their spring home in the Cactus League.

It continues with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season from March through at least September. And every October, the top prospects in baseball descend upon the Valley to make their mark in the Arizona Fall League, which began play Monday.

The Fall League gives baseball lovers a chance to watch the top prospects from every minor league level in action in a laid-back atmosphere that is reminiscent of spring training in Arizona years ago. Continue reading “‘Nothing but success’: Top MLB prospects converge on Valley for Arizona Fall League”

• Slug: Sports–Coyotes Transition to Utah, 1,600 words.
• Photos available.

By Chase Beardsley
Cronkite News

SALT LAKE CITY – As the NHL drops the puck on the 2024-25 regular season Tuesday, Arizona hockey fans are facing off with the reality that their hockey club is gone.

The Arizona Coyotes are now the Utah Hockey Club, which opens the season against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Delta Center. In April, the NHL’s board of governors approved the sale of the team to tech billionaire Ryan Smith, who owns the NBA Utah Jazz, and signed off on the club’s relocation to Salt Lake City.

It ended years of ownership turmoil, arena haggling and relocation rumors that seemed to go on almost from the time the Winnipeg Jets relocated to Phoenix in 1996 and became the Coyotes. Continue reading “Arizona hockey fans face first season without NHL team since 1996 as Utah Hockey Club makes season debut”

• Slug: Sports–Suns v. Lakers Palm Springs. 872 words.
• Photo available.

By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News

PALM DESERT, Calif. – There would be no history if there wasn’t a first.

It was a night of firsts for the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers during a 118-114 Phoenix preseason victory over at Acrisure Arena Sunday. It was the Suns’ first game under new coach Mike Budenholzer. It was the first time their new point guard, Tyus Jones, took the floor with “SUNS” stitched across his jersey.

And it was the first time in NBA history that a father-son duo graced the floor together in either a preseason or regular-season NBA game.

Continue reading “A game of firsts: Phoenix Suns usher in new era with dash of history vs. Los Angeles Lakers”

• Slug: Sports–Arizona Wildcats Struggles. 800 words.
• Photo available.

By Saleh Awwad
Cronkite News

TUCSON – Just when it appeared Arizona was ready to live up to preseason expectations after they upset top-10 ranked Utah on the road, the Wildcats wasted a strong defensive effort and lost at home to Texas Tech.

The Wildcats dominated in almost every area against the Red Raiders, except the one that counts most – the score.

Arizona beat Tech handily in time of possession, total yards and first downs. However, the Wildcats were unable to finish off drives, settling instead for five Tyler Loop field goals in a 28-22 loss at Arizona Stadium. The offensive woes wasted a solid Wildcats defensive performance against a good Red Raiders offense that came in averaging 41.6 points a game.  Continue reading “Tech fall: Arizona slips to 3-2 with home loss to Red Raiders; road test at BYU next”

• Slug: Sports-BLK Run Club, 575 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Keller Brown
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Even with the scorching heat pummeling down on Arizona residents, hundreds of people still come out every Sunday morning to run on Tempe Town Lake because of the sense of community that BLK Arizona Run Club provides.

Every Sunday starts at 7:30 a.m. with a group stretch, with the runners surrounded by Black-owned business vendors. From fresh lemonade to granola bars, attendees are enticed by healthy options before, during and after running along the lake.

Emanuel Jones, a fitness trainer who founded the club in the beginning of June, created it to give opportunities for connections and community, and potentially even more. That includes possible romantic connections. Continue reading “BLK Arizona Run Club builds community in the Valley, one step at a time”

• Slug: Sports-Jack Gohlke Journey, 1,575 words.
• Photos available.

By Dylan Ackermann
Cronkite News

TACOMA – Jack Gohlke’s journey since he drilled 10 3-point shots to lead 14th seeded Oakland University to a Cinderella upset of third-seeded Kentucky in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament began as a nationwide tour.

And now it has taken an international turn.

Gohlke’s first stop took place during Final Four festivities in the 3-Point Contest at GCU’s Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix April 4, then he was off to State Farm Stadium in nearby Glendale for the Reese’s NABC All-Star Game the following day. Continue reading “March Madness sensation Jack Gohlke competes at Isaiah Thomas tournament, takes hoop dreams overseas”

• Slug: Sports-ASU Men’s Basketball, 675 words.
• Photo available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Shawn Philips and Adam Miller are just entering their 20s, but in the Arizona State locker room, they are now considered the old heads. Philips and Miller are two of only four players remaining from last year’s ASU men’s basketball team who will embark on another campaign in the desert.

Despite massive roster upheaval – for a second consecutive offseason – coach Bobby Hurley is optimistic as the new-look Sun Devils head into their first season in the Big 12 Conference in 2024-25.

“I think we have a good mixture of experienced and skilled guys,” Hurley said. “Our shooting should be vastly improved compared to last year or just our overall ability to put the ball in the basket.” Continue reading “Optimism surrounds Arizona State men’s basketball team as new season approaches”

• Slug: Sports-Diamondbacks Playoff Push, 760 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Sean Brennan
Cronkite News

PHOENIX — During his playing career, which included seven seasons in the Major Leagues, Torey Lovullo saw the worst of a manager following a tough loss. Sometimes, Lovullo would take the frustrations to heart. There were also instances where there was no true message being sent, and he paid no mind.

Above all, those experiences have provided the eighth-year Arizona Diamondbacks manager with the knowledge of the right moment and circumstance to try and send a message to his group. There is a time and place, but if done right, a common sense of urgency is felt. And after suffering an 11-0 blowout to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday amid a tight wild-card race, he didn’t rip into his team, but tough conversations needed to be had.

“I did say some things to the team last night,” Lovullo said before Wednesday’s contest. “Everybody was engaged, everybody was listening to me and everybody was locked into what I was saying … I care about you guys, but we’ve got to figure some s— out.” Continue reading “Diamondbacks embrace pressure as MLB postseason push intensifies entering final regular-season series”

• Slug: Sports-Liberty Hayden Fletcher, 500 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Ethan Desjardine
Cronkite News

PEORIA – For the first time since 2021, after years of stellar play by two-time Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year Navi Bruzon, the Liberty Lions are looking to a new signal caller, senior quarterback Hayden Fletcher, to lead their offense.

Bruzon set the standard for quarterback play at Liberty, leading his team to a state championship in 2023, and finishing as the most decorated player in school history, passing for more than 7,500 yards and accounting for 112 touchdowns. Bruzon is now a freshman quarterback for Arizona State.

Those would be tough shoes for most players, but Fletcher is looking forward to the opportunity. Continue reading “Liberty’s new leader: Hayden Fletcher forges own path as QB for Arizona’s top-ranked team”

• Slug: Sports-Mercury WNBA Discrimination, 828 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Connor Moreno
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The rapid growth of the WNBA should be an opportunity for players to celebrate. But due to an unfortunate turn of events, players including Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner are taking a greater stance against the same social injustices she has fought against during her entire career.

Racism and sexism are all-too-familiar problems for Griner and they are starting to become a serious threat to the players in one of the fastest-growing leagues in the world.

After Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington shared a vulgar email that included a racial slur and explicit threats of sexual assault, Griner and Mercury guard Kahleah Copper felt compelled to speak out against foul behavior directed at WNBA players during Phoenix’s exit interviews Thursday. Continue reading “Phoenix Mercury stars Brittney Griner, Kahleah Copper speak out on WNBA’s handling of discrimination”

• Slug: Sports-Arizona Wildcats Triathlon, 730 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Thomas Forbes
Cronkite News

TUCSON – Five athletes ran across the finish line under the Arizona Wildcats arch by the McKale Center chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” while freshman Mia Wentzy waved an American flag over her head. It was a picture-perfect finish for Team USA competing against Team International in a friendly intrasquad competition at the University of Arizona’s campus on a recent cool Saturday morning.

The Wildcats triathlon team continues to train hard and foster camaraderie in the program’s second year of existence. The athletes hope the chants of “U-S-A” at home in Tucson turn into even louder cheers of celebration at the USA Triathlon National Championship in November.

In the meantime, the Red-Blue intrasquad was held on Sept. 14, in preparation for the team’s trip to Fort Worth, Texas, to compete Sunday with six other schools at the Battle in the Fort race hosted by TCU at Marine Creek Reservoir. The race consists of a 750 meter swim, 12.4 mile bike and a 3.1 mile run. Continue reading “University of Arizona’s triathlon team determined to build success after squad’s rookie season”