Football hires new assistant director of operations

Former Arizona football player Bill Baker will join the UA staff as the assistant director of operations, head coach Mike Stoops announced Monday.

Baker takes over for Andrew Weidinger, who left the program Friday to accept a scouting job with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Weidinger had been promoted to the position in January after Dan Berezowitz left for Minnesota.

A three-year letterman as an Arizona linebacker in the mid-1970s, Baker has scouted for the NFL and the United States Football League. He began his collegiate coaching career in 1978 as the running backs coach, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator (1979-82).

Most recently, he fulfilled teacher, coach and administrator roles at Sahuarita (Ariz.) and Tucson Magnet high schools, and served as a scout with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.

Arnold earns rare decathlon honor at Championships

Senior Jake Arnold won his second consecutive decathlon title Thursday at the NCAA Championships, making him only the second athlete in NCAA history to win back-to-back decathlon titles.

“”To win two titles is amazing. I can’t even explain how I feel right now,”” Arnold said in a press release Thursday. “”To do it so close to home (he’s from Santa Rosa, Calif.) makes it even more special for me.

His score of 8,215 is a school record, and the total ranks No. 2 all-time in the Pacific 10 Conference and No. 5 in NCAA Championship history.

His time in the 110m hurdles (14.20 seconds) also set a school record. The score is the best in the NCAA in 2007, and ranks No. 2 in the U.S. this year.

The Wildcats had 10 athletes earn All-America status during the four-day meet.

Two of the 10 competed on day four in the men’s shot put. Adam Kuehl finished ninth in the competition with a throw of 18.37 meters, while Jarred Sola placed 10th, throwing 18.17m.

The men’s team placed 11th overall with 18 points, while the women’s team finished the meet without scoring.

Three former Wildcats qualify for U.S. Open

The Arizona men’s golf program will see three of its former athletes participate in the 2007 PGA U.S. Open Championship.

Ricky Barnes, Jim Furyk and Rory Sabbatini will all compete in the 107th Open tomorrow through Sunday at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.

Barnes earned his spot in the field with a third-place finish at the sectional qualifier at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y. The 2002 U.S. Amateur champion was a four-time All-American at Arizona and 2003 co-national player of the year. This will be his fourth-career U.S. Open appearance.

Furyk earned an exemption into the field as a former champion, winning the tournament in 2003.

He currently ranks eighth on the PGA Tour with a 69.90 scoring average and second in driving accuracy percentage (75.28 percent).

He was a member of Arizona’s 1992 national championship team and a three-time All-American.

Sabbatini earned an exemption into the field by ranking in the top 30 on the 2006 PGA Tour money list.

Sabbatini has won four PGA Tour events, including the 2007 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in May. Currently, he ranks 10th on the PGA Tour in scoring average (70.00) and fifth on the money list.

He garnered All-America accolades for the Wildcats from 1996-1998.

Whitney Myers named Pac-10 Woman of the Year

The Pacific 10 Conference named Arizona swimmer Whitney Myers its 2006-2007 Woman of the Year yesterday.

The Woman of the Year award honors senior student-athletes for their cumulative collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.

The Wildcat senior is a 14-time record-holder at Arizona, earning her the 2006 Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year award. She was the 2007 NCAA Champion in the 200 individual medley (1:54.89), and tallied a total of six first team All-American honors at the championships.

Myers has been a first-team Academic All-American for four straight years. She was also named an Arizona Academic Champion in 2006 and 2007.