Wildcat Wrap: Men’s golf wins Arizona NIT championship

Editor’s note: With several sports going on, Wildcat Wrap serves as a recap that focuses on the Arizona programs that we do not have the time to cover on a regular basis but are certainly worthy of recognition.

UA men’s golf won the Arizona NIT over the weekend, its first win of the event in 20 years.

The No. 18 Wildcats won the three-round tournament in dramatic fashion, needing a three-foot putt on the final hole by freshman Zach Pollo to defeat No. 9 Pepperdine by one stroke.

Arizona finished 24-under par at the Arizona NIT, played at Tucson’s OMNI Tucson National. Pepperdine, ASU, Illinois and Oklahoma State rounded out the top five.

Pollo, a native of Rocklin, Calif., shot 13-under to finish in a tie for first in the individual competition.

Arizona also received a top-10 performance from sophomore Tiger Christensen, who finished 6-under.

The UA returns to action April 10 when it competes in the Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Women’s swimming and diving

Arizona’s Delaney Schnell won the national championship in the platform at the NCAA Women’s National Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. A full recap of Schnell’s championship can be found here.

Schnell earned All-American honors in the 1-meter, 3-meter and platform, making her a 12-time All-American. Schnell was also named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team.

Schnell leaves Arizona as the most decorated women’s diver in school history.

Men’s tennis

The No. 15 Wildcats split a pair of road matches against Stanford and Cal over the weekend.

Arizona fell to the No. 24 Cardinal 4-3, earning points on doubles and two singles courts.

The UA rebounded against the No. 33 Golden Bears, winning on doubles and taking three singles points. Arizona’s Nick Lagaev, ranked No. 115 nationally, clinched the match with a 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) win on the fifth court.

Arizona returns home this Saturday to host New Mexico State in a double-header.

Women’s tennis

The women also split a conference road trip, topping Washington State before falling Washington.

The No. 58 Wildcats took down the Cougars 5-2, getting points on doubles and four singles courts. Reece Carter set the pace for Arizona in singles play, winning on court No. 2 by a score of 6-1, 6-2.

In a 4-3 loss to No. 21 Washington, Arizona fell just short. The Wildcats won the doubles point, then took a pair of singles points, highlighted by Carter’s 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 win over Washington’s Sarah-Maude Fortin, ranked No. 105 nationally.

Arizona now travels to the Bay Area where it will take on Stanford and Cal next weekend.

Beach volleyball

The Wildcats went 3-1 over the weekend at the Arizona Invitational, earning wins over Southern Mississippi, Arizona Christian and Cal Poly while dropping a match to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Alex Parkhurst and Sarah Blacker led Arizona on court No. 1, picking up victories in each of Arizona’s three wins.

The Wildcats return to the sand this weekend for the SFA Invitational in Nacogdoches, Texas, where they’ll face Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin.

Track and field

Arizona sent athletes to the Island Relays in Freeport, Bahamas last week, where the men finished second and women finished third.

Reinaldo Rodrigues won the men’s long jump, while Alexa Porpaczy and Talie Bonds tied for first in the women’s high jump.

Arizona continues the outdoor season on March 24-25 when it hosts the Willie Williams Classic.

Adaptive Athletics

The University of Arizona Adaptive Athletics men’s wheelchair basketball team placed runner-up in the NIWBT National Championship.

Arizona fell to Alabama 73-68 in the title match.

Arizona was led this season by Justyn Newman, the national Player of the Year and First Team All-American.

Here are the final moments of the Wildcats’ semifinal victory over Auburn.