The University of Arizona men’s tennis team continued their stellar start to the season with a 3-0 week. The team had many standout performances to help them capture their first-ranked win of the season.
Pitcher/Infielder Devyn Netz and the University of Arizona softball team had a great first week of the season, with a 5-1 record including a win over No. 11 Alabama. Netz delivered great performances in multiple games during the opening week to help lead the Wildcats.
Team: Men’s Tennis
The Arizona men’s tennis team built on their 5-1 start to the season, with a 3-0 week to improve to 8-1. With two 7-0 wins over Utah State University and Loyola Marymount University and a 4-0 win over No. 25 Pepperdine University, the team faces a crucial match against No. 9 University of San Diego on Feb. 21.
Senior Colton Smith set the program record for most single wins in Arizona history with 97 and counting. Smith and Jay Friend, a junior, are both still undefeated in singles play this season, as both have a record of 7-0.
Friend was named the Big 12 men’s player of the week for his performance, as he went 4-0 in dual play over the week. Friend went up to No. 5 in the ITA National Singles rankings after his stellar week. He has also not gone to a third set in singles this season yet, with all seven of his wins finishing in two sets.
Friend’s doubles partner, Eric Padgham, also had a great week, going undefeated in doubles matches. Padgham and Friend are now 6-0 in doubles play as a duo.
Player: Devyn Netz, Softball
In the softball team’s first game of the season, Netz, a senior, delivered a three-home run game, leading the Wildcats to a 15-0 win over Michigan State.
After not playing in 2024 due to injury, Netz started her first game in two years and hit her career high for home runs in a game, surpassing her previous mark of two from 2023 against Georgetown University.
Netz’s week was far from over as she tossed a complete game shutout vs Washington just three days later to lead the Wildcats to a 4-0 win.
Overall through the first week of the season, Netz is batting .381 with 10 RBI while also going 2-1 on the mound with 17 strikeouts in just 12 innings.
