Swim and dive

The goal from the beginning of the season for the swim and dive team was to win a national championship. While the teams fell just short, both the men’s and women’s teams had strong seasons. The women were a top-5 program all season and fell just 23 points shy of winning the national championship. Meanwhile the men’s team went undefeated during the dual meet season and even reached the No. 1 spot in the rankings. It took the norovirus to take them down and they still battled through that to finish third at the NCAAs.

— Derek Lawrence

Football

Don’t let the 33-0 drubbing at the hands of Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl spoil what was an incredible season for Arizona football. 

For the first time in recent memory, Arizona was a relevant national team, constantly taking part in some of the most interesting games in all of college football and becoming a fixture in the national top-25, finishing second in the nation’s best conference. 

The Wildcats even had the chance to control their own destiny toward conference title in the last three games of the season. In addition to that — and perhaps most importantly — Arizona football was the sport on campus.

— Tim Kosch

Softball

Although it made its 21st consecutive appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 2009, the Arizona softball team made a quick exit from Oklahoma City, Okla., after dropping the first two games to Florida and Alabama.

But the 2010 Wildcats have sustained a top-5 national ranking throughout the entire season. With the addition of freshman ace Kenzie Fowler to the Wildcats’ already seasoned batting order, Arizona passed the 40-win mark with two weekends left in Pacific 10 Conference play. The Wildcats currently sit comfortably in the second-place position in the conference.  

— Nicole Dimtsios

Baseball

With 23 newcomers and 17 freshmen, the No. 22 Arizona baseball team came into the season with a bright future.

The future came quicker than expected though when the Wildcats rattled off a 15-game winning streak early in the year and were propelled into the national spotlight.

Led by freshman ace Kurt Heyer on the mound and sophomores Steve Selsky and Jett Bandy at the plate, Arizona looks bound for postseason play after enduring what head coach Andy Lopez called a “”nightmare”” 2009 season.

With wins this year over top programs like California State University, Fullerton and rival ASU, the Wildcats will be a dangerous playoff team.

— Michael Fitzsimmons

Women’s golf 

Six top-five finishes, two victories and a Pacific 10 Conference Championship, along with a No. 3 national ranking according to the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. All that’s missing from the Arizona women’s golf resume this season is a national championship. Here’s the best news for Wildcat fans: The top-five leaders in rounds played include a freshman, three sophomores and only one junior. Arizona women’s golf could find itself at the top of this list in the coming years. 

— Alex Williams