The University of Arizona boasts the largest and most successful adaptive sports program nationwide and one of only five with women’s wheelchair basketball.
For the past 50 years, the university has supported adaptive athletes in basketball, golf, hand cycling, para swimming, rugby, tennis and track, and has sent 51 athletes to compete in the Paralympics.
“It’s so cool, honestly. I get so excited when anyone recognizes that,” said Josie Aslakson, head coach of UA women’s adaptive basketball. “It’s a good reminder to me of being a part of something bigger.”
On Monday, Sept. 30, four athletes from the UA women’s adaptive basketball team–Alma Velasquez, Sam Fraser, Ella Rae Rodriguez and Alyssa Freeman–left for the team’s first international event, a competition with the Peruvian national team.
“They’ll go to competitions at night and they will go to hospitals and schools to spread disability awareness and advocacy during the day,” said Peter Hughes, director of adaptive athletics and former coach of the women’s team. “It’s quite the exciting adventure for them.”
Joining them in Peru will be para athletes from the women’s basketball programs at City University of New York, University of Alabama, University of Illinois, University of Texas and University of Wisconsin. Despite being rivals on the court, this trip presents an opportunity for the players to connect.
“We’re always competing, we’re always against each other–it’s a completely different dynamic to leave the country with them,” said Velasquez, who will be traveling outside the United States for the first time.
Paralympic Games
Wheelchair basketball has been a staple at the Paralympic Games since its introduction in 1960. As the sport grows, so does its visibility. NBCUniversal reports that the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games averaged 1.2 million viewers–up 31% from Tokyo’s 888,000.
“It’s cool to see that we’re moving in the right direction,” Aslakson said. “Hopefully the paralympic movement trickles down into affecting the college teams having better opportunities and more visibility.”
Both Aslakson and assistant coach Courtney Ryan have represented Team USA at the last two Paralympic Games as athletes, earning bronze medals in Tokyo and silver medals in Paris.
“It’s so fun to get that chemistry on the court and then translate it to the sideline,” Aslakson said.
Hughes and her fellow UA teammates watched their coaches go for the gold in Paris; UA adaptive athletics hosted a live broadcast watch party on NBC.
“Of course I watched (the gold medal game). We watched it as a team,” Hughes said. “We got up at 3 in the morning, I brought donuts and we got everything set up to watch the game.”
“We did a bunch of chants and cheers,” Hughes said. “It was quite fun.”
With Aslakson and Ryan back in Tucson, they’ve shifted their focus to the upcoming collegiate season. The Wildcats finished fourth last season, but Aslakson is aiming for a top-three spot this year.
“I love having them back. They bring such a great energy to the gym,” said Velasquez, a third-year student athlete on the team.
While the four athletes are in Peru, the rest of the team heads to a preseason tournament in Michigan from Oct. 4-6.
“The girls that may not be starters or get as much playing time get the chance to get that extra work early in the season, so I’m excited for that,” Hughes said.
The Wildcats will begin regular season play Oct. 25-26 at the University of Texas Arlington. Arizona will host one tournament this season at the South REC, at 1400 E, Sixth St., on Jan. 24-26, 2025.
In March 2026, the Wildcats are expected to host the Collegiate Wheelchair Basketball National Championship for both men and women. It would be the largest tournament hosted in program history.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.