These Arizona Wildcats athletes are poised for a big 2025

The flipping of the calendar to a new year brings plenty of anticipation for college sports fans, as winter and spring programs inch closer to returning.

Arizona is expected to be competitive in several sports in 2025 as the school transitions to the Big 12 Conference. One reason why is a collection of standout athletes from across Athletics.

These Arizona athletes are positioned to have a breakout 2025.

Brendan Summerhill, Baseball

Summerhill is the top returning player from an Arizona team that won the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament championships last season. Summerhill broke out as a sophomore, batting .324 with eight home runs and 59 RBI in 58 starts. Summerhill raised his profile some more with a strong summer at the Cape Cod League, earning All-Star honors. Summerhill, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed, will want to deliver more pop at the plate this year while showing off his above-average speed and throwing. Summerhill’s contributions should lift Arizona into consideration as one of the Big 12’s top teams heading into the season. The Wildcats open Feb. 14-16 with the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas where they’ll face Ole Miss, Clemson and Louisville.

Charlotte Back, Women’s Golf

Back is in the midst of a tremendous sophomore season. The Heidelberg, Germany native posted top seven finishes in three events in the fall including a second place finish at the St. Andrews Link Collegiate in October. Back’s 72.11 scoring average is more than a one stroke improvement from a season ago. Back is following up one of the best freshman seasons in program history. She posted an 8-under round on the second day of the Pac-12 Championships, tied for the lowest round in program and conference championship history.

Back and teammate Carolina Melgrati are both ranked in the top 100 of the World Amateur Women’s Golf Rankings. They lead a nationally ranked Arizona team that opens the spring season Feb. 2-4 at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Alysen Fears, Gymnastics

Fears is Arizona’s top all-around returning gymnast with 40 meets of experience. Fears, a senior, has excelled on all four events throughout her time as a Wildcat, posting a career-high of 9.950 on the bars and 9.900 on vault, high beam and floor. Fears was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention in 2024 and is on the preseason All-Big-12 team in the all-arounder, on vault, and on bars. Arizona opens season at the Pacific Coast Challenge in Oceanside, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 4.

Dakota Kennedy, Softball

Kennedy is one of five starters to return from last season’s Super Regional squad. Kennedy’s durability – she’s started 105 of 109 career games – makes her presence felt on offense and defense. Kennedy emerged as one of Arizona’s top bats last season, posting a .400 AVG/.521 OBP/.688 SLG/1.209 OPS line with 13 homers and 34 RBI. She held a 27-game streak of reaching base. Kennedy was a force in left field, earning NFCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

The junior from Sacramento will be depended upon to lead Arizona’s transition to the Big 12 Conference, and everything she’s done so far in her career suggests she’s up for the task. Arizona begins the year Feb. 6-9 when it hosts the Mike Candrea Classic featuring Michigan State, Washington, Western Michigan and Alabama.

Jay Friend, Men’s Tennis

Friend, a junior, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Tournament in November, setting the tone for what should be a standout season. Friend finished 2024 as the nation’s No. 6 singles player in the ITA rankings, one spot below teammate Colton Smith. Friend and Smith were the 2024 Pac-12 Doubles Team of the Year, while Friend also earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors and was named the ITA Southwest Region Most Improved Player.

Friend, a native Tokyo, has a 50-21 singles record and 49-27 doubles record through his first two years in Tucson. Friend is on track to have an All-American spring season and is a big reason why Arizona should once again be one of the top teams in the country. The Wildcats return to action Jan. 14 when they host NMSU in a double-header.

Taylen Wise, Women’s Track and Field

Wise is one of Arizona track and field’s top all-around returning athletes with experience in the long jump, triple jump, hurdles, relays, 60m, 100m and 200m. Wise, who enters her junior season, finished sixth in the long jump and eighth in the triple jump at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships. She holds the school’s third best all-time leap in the triple jump (12.81m) and ninth all-time mark in the long jump (20-1.75). Track and field begins the spring season Jan. 10 at the Friday Night Axe ‘Em Open in Flagstaff.

Gage DuBois, Men’s Swimming and Diving

DuBois has picked up where he left off as a freshman, winning two Big 12 Diver of the Week awards already. In November, the Phoenix native earned a podium finish in the 1-meter dive at the packed Texas Invitational. He followed up that performance by sweeping BYU in the 1-meter and platform dives in December.

Last year DuBois was the Pac-12 Men’s Freshman Diver of the Year and garnered First-Team All-America honors for reaching the finals of the NCAA 1-meter dive, where he finished sixth overall. DuBois also qualified 3m and platform dives. DuBois is well on his way to returning to the NCAAs. Men’s swimming and diving returns to the pool Jan. 10 when they host Harvard.

Brooke Earley, Women’s Swimming and Diving

Earley, a senior, is proving herself to be one of the top female collegiate divers in the country. Earley competed last month at the USA Diving Winter Nationals, placing 13th in the women’s 3-meter event out of 37 divers. Earley also finished 17th in the women’s 1-meter.

In November Earley swept the diving competition against No. 9 USC and No. 22 UCLA, taking first place in both the 1-meter and 3-meter. She won Big 12 Diver of the Week honors for her performance. Earley, whose mother, father, aunt and grandfather were all collegiate divers, is continuing the family legacy. The women’s swimming and diving team faces NAU this Friday in Tucson.