Jay Corella
University of Arizona tennis players celebrate a 4-0 win against University of Southern California on Jan. 25 at Robson Tennis Center. The team survived the first day of the tournament and advanced to the second stage on Jan. 26.
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 and 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 University of 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 University.
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 2 from 2023 against Georgetown University.
Netz’s week was far from over as she tossed a complete game shutout versus the University of 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.
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