• Slug: Sports–Phoenix Rising New Coach, 1,140 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The new coach of Phoenix Rising FC comes from a different league, and the roster he is taxed with improving before the United Soccer League season begins in March is still in a state of flux. But Pa-Modou Kah has a resume as unique as the situation he is inheriting.

Kah has a wealth of experience not only on the field but off it. The Gambia native has experience in both European and North American soccer and speaks seven different languages. Kah is fluent in Wolof, Norwegian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic. Kah’s mastery of diverse languages should help him form genuine connections with his players quicker than most.

Just four days after Phoenix lost a quarterfinal playoff game to New Mexico on Nov. 3, ending Rising’s bid to defend their USL title, the team announced that interim coach Diego Gomez would not return. Gomez stepped in after the firing of first-year coach Danny Stone in June. Continue reading “New coach Pa-Modou Kah brings global expertise to Phoenix Rising FC amid roster uncertainty”

• Slug: Sports–CFP Ranking ASU, 760 words.
• Photo available.

By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Defeat Kansas State? Check.

Land in the College Football Playoff rankings? Check.

The CFP committee placed Arizona State at No. 21 in the third ranking of the year Tuesday, its first appearance since the inaugural year in 2014 as they continue their improbable run at 8-2. Continue reading “Look who’s 21: Arizona State checks into CFP rankings for first time since 2014 as BYU looms”

• Slug: Sports–Fall League Championship, 800 words.
• Photo available.

By Sean Brennan
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – Entering the 2024 Arizona Fall League championship game, Washington Nationals No. 13 prospect Robert Hassell III felt several emotions.

He was excited for a chance at redemption: he reached the semifinals in the two previous seasons with two separate teams but lost each time. He felt a sense of fulfillment for giving himself an opportunity at a championship. But the one emotion he didn’t feel was surprise.

Despite the AFL season being a sprint that begins in early October and wraps up in mid-November, Hassell’s Salt River Rafters have formed a strong connection over the short time. They bonded over many things, but the biggest was undoubtedly the desire to win a championship. Continue reading “Arizona Fall League proves invaluable for MLB prospects in successful 2024 campaign”

• Slug: Sports–ASU Football BYU, 560 words.
• Photo available.

By Dane Palmer
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Arizona State football has finally made its push into the top 25 teams in college football, landing at No. 21 in the nation. One of the most important games of the season now lies ahead of the Sun Devils as they get ready to face off with 14th-ranked BYU at Mountain America Stadium.

Coach Kenny Dillingham’s mantra has been “Activate the Valley” since he arrived at ASU, and it looks as if he’s done just that – Saturday’s matchup will go down in front of a sold-out crowd. Reportedly, student tickets were in high demand with the Ticketmaster queue reaching up to 1,000 people waiting to claim tickets.

Players have felt the buzz all week and are ready for the Sun Devils crowd to create a home-field advantage. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is more pumped for practice knowing he’ll be in front of a packed stadium this weekend. Continue reading “’12th-man experience’: No. 21 ASU set for showdown with No. 14 BYU as sold-out crowd awaits”

• Slug: Sports–Ability 360 Phoenix Summit, 850 words.
• Photo available.

By Keller Brown
Cronkite News

TEMPE – On a slightly overcast Saturday at Papago Park, which is sandwiched between Tempe and Phoenix, a group of three hikers gathered to take on their second hike of the day, with two more trails still to follow.

The three hikers, accompanied by at least one guide per person at all times, were not ordinary hikers, and not just because they were willing to hike four trails in a day.

Two sat in wheelchairs, another recently suffered a partial loss of her vision. Continue reading “Breaking Barriers: Ability360 opens Phoenix Summit Challenge to all abilities”

• Slug: Sports–ASU Football Ascension. 740 words.
• Photo available.

By Tucker L. Sennett
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The last time Arizona State football finished the season undefeated at home came in 2004. Kenny Dillingham, then a 14-year-old freshman in high school, reflected Monday on what he was likely up to 20 years ago.

“I was either watching games or probably playing Halo 2 with people in high school,” Dillingham said.

The Master Chief, the Halo franchise’s iconic main character, is known for making miracles happen on science-fiction battlefields. While the gridiron isn’t the same as a sci-fi war, what the Arizona State head coach has done with the program in his second year is nothing short of a miracle. Continue reading “‘Don’t get lost in the sauce’: No. 21 Arizona State preps for landmark game against No. 14 BYU”

• Slug: Sports–Kenyan Suns Fans. 740 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Anne-Marie Iemmolo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Devoted Phoenix Suns fan Hussein Siro was overcome with emotion when his package – which had traveled over 9,000 miles from Phoenix to Nairobi, Kenya – finally arrived.

Inside the box were a Devin Booker jersey and some Suns graphic tee shirts.

Mike Joseph, a graphic designer from the Valley and creator of the @SunsUniTracker account on X, had connected with Siro earlier in the year and arranged to send the package to Kenya. Continue reading “‘It’s like family’: Phoenix Suns gear and connection bring joy to Kenyan superfan Hussein Siro”

• Slug: Sports–GCU ASU Fued. 1,200 words.
• 2 photos available.

By Tucker L. Sennett
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The relationship between the Valley’s two Division I basketball powers is an odd one. On Thursday night at Footprint Center, the Grand Canyon and Arizona State men’s basketball teams faced off in the Hall of Fame Series in a battle for community supremacy.

GCU’s rise from athletic afterthought to March Madness darling suggests an ideal crosstown rival for ASU. However, a history of bad blood between the schools at an administrative level prevented the rivalry from ever truly blossoming on the court.

Grand Canyon’s for-profit status was a major point of contention for Arizona State president Michael Crow. The tension boiled over at two inflection points, with the most recent coming in a scathing exchange between Crow and GCU president and CEO Brian Mueller in 2017. Continue reading “Where’s the beef? After administrative feud defined relationship, ASU, GCU finally settling rivalry on court”

• Slug: Sports–Diamondbacks Mental Health. 1,470 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Major League Baseball – with its 162-game season, plus spring training, plus postseason for a lucky few – is a uniquely grueling sport physically.

It is also a uniquely mental game. Much of it is played in solitude. Players can do all the preparation and coaching they want, but when they ultimately step up to the plate or take the mound, they do it alone.

When a sport is as all-encompassing as baseball, how do players stay locked in on the game without losing themselves in it?

Continue reading “Strength coach for the mind: Diamondbacks’ mental performance guru brings ‘whole person’ into baseball”

• Slug: Sports–GCU WBB HOF Series. 741 words.
• Photos available.

By Kendall Flynn
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – It may be early in the season, but GCU women’s basketball has proven that few opponents stand a chance against the Lopes’ 3-pointer specialists.

GCU knows its best shooters, finds them and feeds them from behind the arc. Even when a play breaks down, the Lopes can regroup and get the ball in their hands. In Thursday’s Hall of Fame Series Phoenix showcase against Arizona State, senior guard Alyssa Durazo-Frescas was the top recipient.

After 11 turnovers in the first half of Thursday’s game against ASU (3-1), the Lopes cut it down to four in the second half and used sharp shooting and relentless defense to rally from a halftime deficit for a 70-59 win at Footprint Center.

For the Lopes (2-1), the victory at Footprint Center only gave them a bigger stage to show off what coach Molly Miller calls “GCU basketball.”

Continue reading “Molly Miller’s ‘GCU Basketball’ brand takes center stage in Hall of Fame Series showcase win over ASU”

• Slug: Sports–GCU MBB. 580 words.
• Photo available.

By Kendall Flynn
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The tables have slightly turned for GCU basketball from a season ago, as the men’s team now struggles with early-season injuries and a lack of chemistry in pursuit of a return to the NCAA Tournament.

Lacking connectivity on the court Thursday against Arizona State (3-1) at the Hall of Fame Series Phoenix, the Lopes (2-1) fell short of closing out a series sweep on the doubleheader showcase, losing 87-76. The GCU women’s team beat ASU earlier in the evening, 70-59.

Reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Tyon Grant-Foster, who sat out the regular season’s first two games due to health reasons, debuted at Footprint Center with a team-high 19 points, seven rebounds and four steals but turned the ball over five times in a clear display of rust.

“I thought on defense in the first half, it was definitely a little rust from his end,” GCU coach Bryce Drew said postgame. “And I think that carried out through our team. There’s a little getting used to each other type again feeling.”

Continue reading “‘We’ll be better’: GCU men’s basketball remains optimistic despite Hall of Fame Series loss in Tyon Grant-Foster’s return”

• Slug: Sports-Royal Caglianone Fall League, 1,900 words.
• 2 photos available.

By Tyler Bednar
Cronkite News

PHOENIX — Dennis Braun has been Plant High School’s baseball coach for 20 years, and he runs a tight ship when it comes to uniforms. Every player wears the same thing. For former Plant Panther and current MLB.com’s No. 17 prospect Jac Caglianone, the uniform wouldn’t fit. The team wears Nike baseball cleats, and the company doesn’t make cleats his size.

Located in Tampa, Florida, Plant High School is known for its plethora of players to make their mark at the highest level of baseball. There was a solution to Caglianone’s size.

“The shoe he wore in school was (Aaron) Judge’s,” Braun said. “Mychal Givens, a former big leaguer who played here, talked to Judge, and Judge gave a couple pairs of shoes to Jac every year, and that’s what he wore here.” Continue reading “Kansas City Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone makes waves in Arizona Fall League debut”

• Slug: Sports-Arizona High School Transfers, 1,110 words.
• 2 photos available.

By Sebastian Mondaca Sepulveda
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Some high school athletes are chasing a trophy. Some might want to pad their statistics for college scouts, while others hope a change in scenery could help them land a lucrative NIL deal.

Then there are the athletes who, through no fault of their own, must switch high schools because of family dynamics or hardship.

No matter the reason, transfers between Arizona high school sports teams have become more of a trend throughout the years. And with athletes looking for better opportunities, these transfers continue to reshape and redefine the culture of the sport. Continue reading “Chasing opportunity: For Arizona high school athletes, transfers offer new paths and new challenges”

• Slug: Sports-Tucson Roadrunners , 1,545 words.
• Photo available.

By Chase Beardsley
Cronkite News

TUCSON – The smell of doughnuts, the “meep meep” sound effect from the Looney Tunes’ Road Runner and mascot Dusty the Roadrunner hyping up fans – all are staples of the American Hockey League’s Tucson Roadrunners game day experience.

However, while this season’s home opener brought all of the hoopla, it still felt different. Last season ended in heartbreak as the Calgary Wranglers swept the Roadrunners in the opening round of the AHL playoffs. The Roadrunners were on the path to success though, as their regular season record was getting better season after season.

However, the future of the team in Tucson is uncertain and the reminders of its perilous status rang throughout the arena with a faint “let’s go Utah” chant. Continue reading “Tucson Roadrunners battle uncertainty, changes to keep professional hockey alive in Arizona”

• Slug: Sports-ASU Football, 870 words.
• Photo available.

By Patrick Holleron and Doyal D’angelo
Cronkite News

TEMPE – ASU football has opened a path to the College Football Playoff after last weekend’s 35-31 win over UCF. The Sun Devils enter the final stretch of the season against three Big 12 squads in No. 20 Kansas State, No. 7 BYU, and in-state rival Arizona.

All the optimism surrounding a potential playoff run wouldn’t have been possible based on ASU’s play in most of the first half of the UCF game, but the Sun Devils got timely team contributions that propelled them.

One of the key turning points came at the end of the first half when defensive back Laterrance Welch recorded a pick 6 to give the Sun Devils the lead for the first time. The Devils also got contributions from unsung heroes such as Montana Warren, who returned a blocked punt for a 46-yard touchdown in the first quarter, which was the first since 2017 against UCLA. Continue reading “So there’s a chance? Inside Arizona State’s unexpected road to a College Football Playoff berth”

• Slug: Sports-CFP Big 12 ASU, 880 words.
• Photo available.

By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A team that’s not even in the Top 25 with three weeks remaining in the regular season could play a significant role in how the College Football Playoff 12-team field shakes out. 

Enter Arizona State.

The Sun Devils, 7-2 after beating UCF without running back Cam Skattebo, will be one of the most consequential teams in deciding who secures the Big 12 automatic conference bid to the playoff. With two of their remaining three games against top-20 opponents – a road game against No. 16 Kansas State (7-2) Saturday and a home meeting versus No. 6 BYU (9-0) Nov. 23 – everything is on the table for ASU, including a bid to the CFP itself via a Big 12 championship. The Suns Devils close the regular season against Arizona Nov. 30 in Tucson. Continue reading “How ASU could shape complexion of College Football Playoff in final weeks”

• Slug: Sports-ASU Hines Ward, 680 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

TEMPE – When Former Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward was formally announced as Arizona State’s new receivers coach in April, many wondered why he chose to come to the Valley. After all, he was fresh off an inaugural season coaching the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas that was less than ideal, compiling a 3-7 record and missing the playoffs.

Following the conclusion of the season, the XFL agreed to a league merger with the UFL. The newly formed league requested Ward to take a pay cut if he wished to remain the Brahmas coach. He ultimately declined and resigned from his position on Dec. 28, 2023.

“I did one year at the XFL,” Ward said. “After leaving I didn’t have any inspiration on getting back into coaching.” Continue reading “Answering the call: Hines Ward picks up new inspiration on sidelines of ASU Football”

• Slug: Sports-Suns Nurkic 3-Pointers, 600 words.
• Photo available.

By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – When Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić was asked in his postgame press conference if he had a certain swagger heading into a recent win over the Miami Heat, his response was a beautiful twist.

“No, probably the opposite,” Nurkić said. “I was sore, but I feel like the coaches did a great job of putting me in position to have good looks. It’s on me how many I will take. I think they want me to take even more threes and more shots.”

In his 10th NBA season (second with the Suns), Nurkić has undergone an offensive evolution, shooting more 3-pointers than ever before with coach Mike Budenholzer at the helm. Continue reading “In-N-Out: Jusuf Nurkić’s 3-point evolution paying off for Phoenix Suns”

• Slug: Sports-Charles Schwab Cup, 600 words.
• Photo available.

By Keller Brown
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Before the final golf pairing teed off on the 18th hole Sunday, a three-way tie for first place set the tone for the final day of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Bernhard Langer, Richard Green and Steven Alker were all vying for the victory at the Phoenix Country Club – but only one walked away as the champion

Langer, recovering from an Achilles injury at 67 years old, rolled in a dramatic 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over Green and Alker to close out the PGA Tour Champions season.

Although Langer won the day, Alker came away with the season-long Charles Schwab Cup points race, firing a 5-under-par 66 to pass Ernie Els and win his second Cup win in three years. He missed a 10-foot putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff with Langer for the tournament title. Continue reading “Drama on 18: Bernhard Langer’s clutch putt wins Schwab Cup Championship; Steven Alker secures season points title”