Casper joins Lopez’s staff
Former Arizona player Jeff Casper was hired as an assistant coach for the baseball program where he will work with the outfielders and hitters and help with recruiting and the Andy Lopez Baseball Academy.
Casper played catcher and infield at Arizona from 1998 to 2001 before serving as the Wildcats’ volunteer assistant coach during head coach Lopez’s first three years (2002-2004).
“”This is a great move for both Jeff and Arizona baseball,”” Lopez said. “”He has a true passion for the game, and anyone that has been around him understands that his work ethic, hustle and joy for coaching are off the charts.
“”Having already worked with us, Jeff knows the program from the inside, what we expect on the field and what our goals are for both the players and staff. I’m really pleased that he’s chosen to come back to Arizona.””
Casper spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Yavapai (Prescott) College, last year leading them to a 58-12 record and second-place finish in the junior college’s Division I World Series.
With Casper on board, Lopez will double as the pitching coach, a role he has held for his four previous College World Series teams, most recently with the Wildcats in 2004.
Arenas makes national team
Although he wasn’t even the most heralded guard in his own recruiting class at Arizona, the former Wildcat and Washington Wizard made the cut of 15 finalists for the FIBA World Championships Aug. 19-Sept. 3 in Japan.
After Suns center Amare Stoudemire left the squad to rehab his injured knee to pare the roster down to 14, Arenas has a good chance of making the final cut of 12 players who will compete in the event.
In a 114-69 United States victory over Puerto Rico on Thursday in Las Vegas, Arenas scored nine points and five rebounds in 18 minutes of play.
“”It was great,”” Arenas said in a press release after the game. “”You dream about it as a kid … you know the practice jersey is alright, but wearing that USA across your chest in the first game, well it was great.””
Team USA plays exhibition games tonight and tomorrow night in China and next week in Korea in preparation for the championships.
Dosty part of junior national gold medal team
Before starting her first season as an Arizona volleyball player, freshman outside hitter Whitney Dosty helped the U.S. Junior National Team win the gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Women’s Junior Championships last week in Monterrey, Mexico.
The top eight teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean participated, with the Americans qualifying for the 2007 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship (U-20) with their performance.
Dosty, the No. 4 recruit in the nation according to PrepVolleyball.com, did not play in the final three matches but contributed eight points in a win over Costa Rica Tuesday.
Arizona head coach Dave Rubio has compared Dosty physically to departed senior Kim Glass.
Fox helps USA win Friendship Cup
Arizona sophomore golfer Ben Fox contributed to the United States’ win July 29 at the inaugural USA China Friendship Cup in Beaumont, Calif.
Fox went 3-0-1 in the four-round event, helping the Americans to a 25.5-10.5 victory.
Fox was one of five members of Team USA to end the event without a loss for a squad comprising only players who had just completed their freshmen years.
The second Friendship Cup will take place in two years in Beijing.
