The University of Arizona triathlon team stunned its opponents at the USA Triathlon National Championship on Saturday, Nov. 9 securing the program’s first national title in its second season. The team scored 942 points, led by key players and having four athletes finish in the top 10.
The Arizona men’s basketball team had a tremendous outing against Old Dominion University, securing a 102-44 victory. The Wildcats were led by Tobe Awaka who set and then broke his career records in scoring and rebounding in his performance against the Monarchs.
Team: Triathlon
After a rough outing to begin their 2024 campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Southern Hills Collegiate Cup, the Wildcats have had three consecutive first-place finishes in their last three meets. During the 2023 season, the Wildcats hadn’t placed first in a single event. This year, they’ve improved to do it in three out of their four meets. The Wildcats bring home the first team national title for the university since women’s golf in 2018, adding to the university’s now 23 total national championships.
Led by Kelly Wetteland, who finished second behind ASU’s Naomi Ruff with a time of 59:20, Wetteland has finished every event this season on the podium for the Wildcats. Wetteland won the first event at the Southern Hills Collegiate Cup and placed second in the remaining three outings.
Arizona had four total players place within the top 10 including Wetteland (second), Margareta Vrablova (third) timing 59:24, Molly Lakustiak (sixth) timing 59:50 and Dana Prikrylová (ninth) timing 1:00:09. This was Vrablova’s first podium finish of the season.
Arizona beat out in-state rival ASU by 22 points, 942 compared to the Sun Devils’ 920. This is the Wildcats second victory of the season over ASU as the first came during the Battle of the Fort. Arizona had also tied with ASU during the NCAA West National Qualifiers with a total of 614.
The Wildcats wrap up their 2024 campaign after an impressive season as they will prepare to defend their national title.
Player: Tobe Awaka – Men’s basketball
After spending two years at the University of Tennessee, Awaka transferred to the University of Arizona, entering a new conference in the Big 12 and a new-look Arizona team. Awaka made a significant impact in his short time as a Wildcat, after a career night against the Old Dominion Monarchs.
Awaka became the centerpiece of a dominant Arizona performance as the Wildcats won 102-44 over the Monarchs. Awaka finished the night collecting 18 points on an 8-for-10 shooting night. Despite struggling from the free-throw line shooting 2-for-6, Awaka only gained one foul throughout the game. Awaka’s 18-point night marked his highest scoring game since the University of Missouri on Feb. 20 in which the Volunteers won 72-67.
Awaka’s 18 points wouldn’t be his only staggering stat line of the night. Awaka ended the game with 15 rebounds, breaking his previous career record of 12 rebounds set against North Carolina State University on Dec. 16, 2023, when the Volunteers won 79-70.
Awaka aims to maintain his momentum as Arizona prepares to face the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Friday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m.
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