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Taking stock 2025: How Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball is looking under Becky Burke

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5 months ago

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The offseason is here, with all of Arizona’s sports done for 2024-25 season and the 2025-26 campaigns still a little ways away.

Which makes this a great time to step back and see how all of the Wildcats’ programs are doing and how they’ve handled the move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

Over the next few weeks we’ll take a look at each of the UA’s men’s and women’s athletic programs to see what shape they’re in and what prospects they have for the near future. We’ll break down each team and evaluate how it is performing under its current coaching staff, looking at the state of the program before he/she arrived and comparing it to now while also evaluating how that program fits into its new conference.

Next up: Becky Burke’s women’s basketball team

How it looked before

Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois hired former University at Buffalo head coach Becky Burke after a tumultuous parting with former Wildcat great Adia Barnes.

Barnes was hired by former AD Greg Byrne as the lowest-paid coach in the Pac-12. She took a moribund program that no one outside Tucson—and only a few within Tucson—cared about to the Final Four in five years. The community support exploded with Arizona regularly leading the Pac-12 in attendance and selling out the 2019 WNIT championship game.

The Wildcats made the postseason every year it was held from 2018-19 through 2024-25, after which Barnes left for SMU. The Wildcats were also headed for a high seed and hosting rights in 2019-20 before the pandemic caused the postseason to be canceled.

Three of the five postseason appearances were in the NCAA Tournament, giving Arizona its first appearances in the Big Dance since 2005. The other two postseason runs were in the secondary tournament. Those included marching to the WNIT title in 2019 before that tournament was demoted to tertiary status by the WBIT.

The program had double-digit wins in all but one of Barnes’ seasons and won at least 18 games in each of her final seven years at Arizona. They won at least 20 five times in her nine years at the helm.

On the downside, Barnes had bled a lot of transfers out of the program since the WNIT run and had conflicts with some of her players and their parents in recent years. She had also become increasingly unhappy with what she considered inadequate support for women’s basketball since the change in leadership both within the department and at the university.

Where things stand now

It’s difficult to say where the team stands now because almost everyone is new on both the coaching staff and the roster. The only returning player is Montaya Dew. Others either transferred out before Barnes left or followed her to SMU.

Burke put together a roster fairly quickly, but almost all of it is unproven at this level. The roster consists primarily of players who transferred from mid-major programs or were committed to Buffalo before the coaching change.

The staff will also be learning the ropes at this level. Only associate head coach Ashley Odom has coached or recruited at the power conference level. The team also has ties to the WNBA with former Wildcat and long-time Phoenix Mercury assistant Julie Hairgrove. Director of basketball operations Lauren Flaum and two creatives were retained from the previous staff, but the rest of the coaching and support staff come from mid-major programs, are Burke’s former players and staff members, and/or have not been in college or professional basketball in recent years.

Big 12 vs. Pac-12

When it comes to women’s sports, it would probably be easiest just to copy and paste, “The Big 12 isn’t the Pac-12.”

That’s true when discussing softball, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, beach volleyball, swimming and diving, and just about every other sport known to womankind. Women’s basketball is no different if you look at history, but it wasn’t the case last year. The Big 12 didn’t have the star power of the old league, but it had more depth in 2024-25.

The old Pac-12 put a higher percentage of teams into the 2025 NCAA Tournament with 58 percent of former members of the Conference of Champions advancing to the Big Dance compared to 44 percent of the Big 12. In both cases, that came down to seven teams, but finishing in the top half of the Big 12 didn’t mean a berth like it did in the Pac-12. The Big 12 had more teams advance beyond the round of 64 (4 vs 3) and more end up ranked at the end of the season (5 vs 2), but the old Pac-12 had teams advance further.

The Big 12 started the season with five ranked teams, including Iowa State in the AP top 10. That number would drop over the course of the season and ISU did not live up to the hype, but when all was said and done, five Big 12 teams were in the AP Top 25.

Utah was the only one of the former Pac-12 teams to make the NCAA Tournament out of the Big 12, although both Arizona and Colorado went to the WBIT. The end of the Pac-12 and the retirement of Tara VanDerveer saw Stanford take a step back.

USC and UCLA made huge additions in the transfer portal and were two of the best teams in the country. Both got No. 1 seeds in the tournament. The Bruins made it to the Final Four. USC fell short after an injury to star JuJu Watkins in the Sweet 16 but still advanced to the Elite 8.

Oregon State took the WCC Tournament crown to advance to March Madness. Oregon, California, and Washington all made it back to the tourney after missing in recent years. When Utah was included, that was almost 60 percent of the old Pac-12 making the Big Dance, even with Stanford’s NCAA streak ending.

The Big 12’s best seed was TCU, which got a No. 2 seed. They ended the season as the No. 6 team in the AP poll after being the second team on the “others receiving votes” list to start the year. Joining them were Baylor, Kansas State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Utah, and Iowa State. Arizona and Colorado were in a battle for an eighth berth, but both ended up on the wrong side of the bubble and played in the WBIT.

When all was said and done, the Big 12 put five teams in the final AP poll: TCU (6), Kansas State (13), Baylor (18), West Virginia (21), and Oklahoma State (24). Only two former Pac-12 teams ended with a ranking: UCLA (3) and USC (5).

One big question

How will Burke and her players handle their first year of Power 4 competition?

Burke’s pre-Arizona experience came in NAIA, Division II, and mid-major Division I leagues. Buffalo played in the MAC, which was the 16th-ranked league last season based on NET. The Bulls faced one Power 4 team all season. They beat Rutgers in the WNIT. The Scarlet Knights went into the tournament at 11-19 and finished 13-20. They were 3-15 in the Big Ten.

Burke has been extremely successful at every stop she has made. Whether that transfers to Power 4 basketball is the question.

As for her players, only returning Dew has played extensive minutes in a major conference, and she is coming off her second knee injury in as many years. While Arizona got transfers from Texas Tech, Kansas, and Virginia, only one of them played last season. She saw just 34 minutes on the court.

There are some very promising newcomers on the team. Kamryn Kitchen was a top 100 recruit before enrolling early at Virginia and redshirting last year. Ogheneruona (Miracle) Akpotayobo was an Auburn commit that several Power 4 teams recruited when she decommitted from the Tigers. Mickayla Perdue was the Horizon League Player of the Year last season. All of them have the potential to be great, but they will be getting used to a different level of play.

How the team does the first year could have an impact on future recruiting, so getting off to a good start could be key to Burke’s tenure at Arizona.

Lead photo by Ryan Kelapire



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How to watch Nebraska volleyball’s Sweet 16 match vs. Kansas

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December 8, 2025

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NCAA Volleyball Regional Schedule Set

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December 8, 2025

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The fourth-seeded Indiana volleyball team (25-7, 14-6 B1G) will play in the Sweet 16 for just the second time in program history. The NCAA announced start times and dates for next week’s regional semifinals on Sunday (Dec. 7) afternoon. The Hoosiers will play top-seeded Texas at Gregory Gymnasium on Friday (Dec. 12) afternoon at Noon ET on ESPN.

 

Following the greatest regular season in program history, IU was awarded a top-16 national seed and the chance to host the opening two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers made quick work of their first two matchups, sweeping Toledo and fifth-seeded Colorado in Bloomington to advance to the Sweet 16.

 

IU is one of five Big Ten programs remaining in the NCAA Tournament. Of the 16 schools left in the big dance, IU is one of two teams (Cal Poly) that didn’t make the big dance last year. The Hoosiers have already set a single-season program record for wins (25) and will attempt to advance to the regional final for the first time in program history.

 

The other matchup in the Austin Regional will pit second-seeded Stanford and third-seeded Wisconsin against each other. Their match will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of IU’s. The winners of both regional semifinals will meet on Sunday (Dec. 14) afternoon for a spot in the national semifinals in Kansas City.



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Louisville volleyball NCAA Tournament bracket, Texas A&M vs UofL game

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December 8, 2025

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Dec. 6, 2025Updated Dec. 7, 2025, 6:08 a.m. ET

After defeating Marquette 3-2 in the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament on Saturday night, No. 2 Louisville will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, and take on No. 3 Texas A&M in the Sweet 16 at 7 p.m. Friday.

This will be the Cardinals’ seventh consecutive regional appearance but first with Dan Meske as head coach.

Here’s everything you need to know to keep up with the match from home:

No. 2 seed Louisville versus No. 3 seed Texas A&M will be broadcast live on ESPN or ESPN2.

Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN2 via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.

Those without cable can access ESPN2 via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.

Buy Louisville volleyball tickets here

After defeating Marquette, UofL will play Texas A&M in the Lincoln, Nebraska, Regional Friday at 7 pm. Here’s a look at the tournament schedule:

  • First and second rounds: Dec. 4-6
  • Regionals: Dec. 11-14
  • Semifinals: Dec. 18 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Championship: Dec. 21 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri



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The Omaha World-Herald’s Nebraska All-Class volleyball teams

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December 8, 2025

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Men’s T&F Opens Season at Diplomat Open

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6 hours ago

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December 7, 2025

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Lancaster, PA (December 6, 2025) – The DeSales University men’s track & field team opened the 2025-26 indoor T&F season competing at the Diplomat Open at Franklin & Marshall College on Friday.

The Bulldogs posted 10 MAC qualfying times/marks in the meet.

Among the qualifying times were junior Bryce Guthier taking second in the 400-meters with a time of 52.08. It is the fifth fastest time in indoor history.  Senior Davis Trump also qualified in the 5K with a time of 16:20.32.

In the field events, DSU posted eight qualfying marks. Junior Weston Simak qualified for the MAC Championships in both the long jump (6.52m) and triple jump (13.72m). His triple jump mark was the second best in team history.  First-year Luke Heimann also qualfied in the triple jump (11.86m).

Junior Jonathan Castronovo took home first place in the long jump with a mark of 6.58m, the second best long jump in team history.

First-year John Amoretti qualified in the shot put (12.33m), seniors Jonathan Eudja and Giovanni Wellington qualified in the weight throw with marks of 14.85m and 14.23m. First-year Ryan Rodriguez also quallified in the weight throw (11.89m).

The Bulldogs won’t return to action till the New Year at the Blue and Grey Invitational on Jan. 17th.

 



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Women’s Track & Field Turns in Multiple High Marks to Begin Season at Cornell

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December 7, 2025

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RESULTS

ITHACA, N.Y. –

The Ithaca College women’s track & field team opened its 2025-26 season over the weekend as the Bombers made the short trip across town to compete in the Greg Page Relays hosted by Cornell University on December 5-6.

Lola Gitlin posted a time of 10:25.57 in the 3000-meter run to finish third overall.

Rachel Larson was a fourth place finisher with a time of 8.58 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. That time is currently No. 1 in Division III after the opening weekend of the season.

Aynisha McQuillar took fifth in the 200-meter dash in a time of 26.61 seconds. McQuillar also ran in the 60-meter dash and posted the 11th fastest time in DIII during the prelim with a performance of 7.78 seconds.

Lyla Powers was fifth in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:21.75.

Lily Seyfert claimed fifth in the shot put with a heave of 12.78 meters, which is currently ninth in the nation.

Bree Boyle and Erin Eastwood each cleared 3.54 meters in the pole vault, which is tied for 11th on the Division III performance list.

Alexis Brown turned in a leap of 11.02 meters in the triple jump for the 17th best mark in the country.

Ithaca is off for the remainder of 2025 and will return to Cornell on January 10 for the Southern Tier Invitational.

 



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