Latest news with #Wildcats
Chicago Tribune
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
‘There's really no stopping' Creighton commit Ava Drehs, the 2025 Naperville Sun Softball Player of the Year
Ava Drehs had recently moved from Aurora to Naperville when she and her father, Wayne, started exploring their new environs. She was about to begin first grade when she first saw Neuqua Valley. 'I had just started softball, so I wanted to see the schools,' Drehs said. 'Me and my dad drove past the Neuqua fields, and it was like, 'Oh, look at the awesome softball field.' 'I thought, 'Wow, if I could play softball for Neuqua, that would be amazing. It would be so cool if I could even make the varsity team one day.'' Drehs not only made the varsity team. She made history. 'She's amazing,' Neuqua Valley coach Danielle Asquini said. 'She's just gotten better every school year, and you can see that in her stats and the success that she's had. 'It's been amazing to watch her, and we're definitely going to miss it.' Drehs, the 2025 Naperville Sun Softball Player of the Year, was better than ever this season. The senior pitcher went 16-6 with a 1.54 earned-run average and a 0.87 WHIP for the DuPage Valley Conference champion Wildcats (17-15, 12-3). In 154 1/3 innings, Drehs struck out 278 and walked just 27. The Creighton recruit broke her single-season program record for strikeouts and also set the career strikeout mark with 670. Those records had been held by Hannah Meeks, who was the player of the year in 2021 and 2022 and pitches at Illinois State. 'She was super talented, and when she was a senior, I was a freshman, so I always looked up to her,' Drehs said. 'So to be able to know that I competed with the records that she held means a lot.' Drehs, the DuPage Valley Conference pitcher of the year and an all-state second-team pick, competed hard every time she played, never easing up. 'Ava is always ready to go and up for a challenge,' Asquini said. 'Even in relief, she's warmed up and ready. We can exchange a glance and know that her time might be coming. 'She is so excited, so hyped up every single time she's stepping in the circle.' Drehs didn't only overpower hitters. She also outsmarted them. 'Something that's really special about Ava is that she's constantly adjusting,' Neuqua Valley senior catcher Krista Waldusky said. 'So if she sees they're gonna chase that outside pitch, then she's like, 'I'm gonna push them further and further and further off the plate. I'm not gonna give them a good pitch to swing at because I know that they're gonna chase it.' 'If the first rise ball doesn't really break as much as she'd like it to, the next one will. She is constantly making those adjustments to make herself the hardest pitcher to hit.' Drehs did it with pinpoint control. She never walked more than two batters in any outing, so if she got ahead in the count, hitters always seemed to chase. Drehs is always chasing greatness by thinking ahead. 'This year, one big example of that is in our regional semifinal game against Oswego East,' she said. 'We won, but I wasn't really proud of the way I pitched. I feel like they were making a lot of contact, and I wasn't too happy about it 'So before our next game, I talked to coach, and we figured out some adjustments. When I brought that to Krista, I said, 'Look, I think we should try this.'' Drehs broke out a two-seam fastball and pitched a six-hitter with no earned runs in the Wildcats' 6-0 loss to Oswego, which won the state title on June 14. 'I had seven strikeouts, and five of them were on that new pitch,' Drehs said. 'So we're constantly adjusting what we're doing. It's never the same.' Indeed, Drehs is never standing still. She knows she will have to improve at Creighton, and Asquini doesn't doubt she will. 'As she gets older, I think she's going to get stronger,' Asquini said. 'That's what she wants, and when someone is as motivated as she is, there's really no stopping her at that point.' Drehs will major in elementary education and wants to return to Naperville as a first grade teacher. It would be a full-circle moment for someone who may already have inspired someone who could try to break her records. Drehs' sister Zoe, who will begin sixth grade in the fall, plays softball and soccer. 'I'm so excited,' Drehs said. 'I've always wanted to be a teacher. I have a little sister who is seven years younger than me, and I used to prop her up on chairs and teach her like we were in school.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arizona Football: 2025 Wildcats Season Preview and Prediction
Arizona Football: 2025 Wildcats Season Preview and Prediction originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The good news for Arizona? The Wildcats' in-state rival, Arizona State, was voted last in the Big 12 poll last season and then won the conference championship en route to the College Football Playoff. Arizona has several questions that need answers, but the Wildcats have five home games in the first half of the schedule. That could give them a boost to bowl eligibility in coach Brent Brennan's second season. Advertisement [Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 College Football Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.] More Big 12 team previews: Arizona State | Baylor | BYU | Cincinnati | Colorado Houston | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Oklahoma State TCU | Texas Tech | UCF | Utah | West Virginia Arizona 2025 Season Preview and Prediction Previewing Arizona's Offense for 2025 Arizona head coach Brent Brennan managed to keep quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan for his 2024 desert debut season, but the offense — and ultimately the team — failed to meet expectations. The Wildcats had the second-worst scoring offense in the Big 12 on their way to a disappointing 4-8 finish. Even with a first-round NFL Draft pick at receiver in McMillan, Arizona's offense sputtered, as the Wildcats had the second-worst rushing offense in the Big 12 and deployed seven different starting lineups along the offensive line. Advertisement Arizona hit the reset button in the offseason with new offensive coordinator Seth Doege, a Mike Leach disciple, and speedy additions at wide receiver and running back in the transfer portal. Additionally, Arizona's offensive linemen have to be conditioned to execute Doege's up-tempo offense, and the Wildcats have numbers on their side, signing 11 scholarship offensive linemen for 2025. If Arizona can protect Fifita and allow the UA quarterback to orchestrate the offense, the Wildcats should improve despite McMillan's departure. Related: Ranking the Big 12 Coaches for 2025 Wildcats Quarterback Noah Fifita | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Previewing Arizona's Defense for 2025 Arizona accrued a plethora of injuries on this side of the ball in 2024, losing three defensive captains to knee injuries: linebacker Jacob Manu, defensive back Treydan Stukes and safety Gunner Maldonado. Arizona used a dime defense instead of its base 4-2-5 alignment in the second half of the season as a result. The Wildcats finished with the 14th-ranked rushing defense in the Big 12, allowing 174 yards per game. Advertisement Fortunately for Arizona, a majority of its secondary is returning, including Stukes and free safety Genesis Smith. With new defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales at the helm and a dozen new scholarship defensive linemen, the Wildcats have a stop-the-run focus. Gonzales, the former New Mexico head coach, is a Rocky Long disciple who had brief but successful coordinator stints at San Diego State and Arizona State. Arizona Wildcats Head Coach Brent Brennan | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Previewing Arizona's Specialists for 2025 With placekicker Tyler Loop, a major weapon the past two seasons, now gone, the Wildcats have a competition between Michael Salgado-Medina, who started at punter last season, and Illinois State transfer Ian Wagner. Salgado-Medina could become the first full-time starting kicker-slash-punter at Arizona since Nick Folk in 2006. National Ranking: 72 More Big 12 team previews: Arizona State | Baylor | BYU | Cincinnati | Colorado Houston | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Oklahoma State TCU | Texas Tech | UCF | Utah | West Virginia Advertisement Related: Big 12 Coaches Talk Anonymously About Conference Foes for 2025 Related: College Football Rankings: Projecting the Top 25 Teams for 2025 Related: Athlon Sports 2025 College Football Preview Magazine Available Now This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key has high praise for Dylan Raiola
Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key has high praise for Dylan Raiola Nebraska football wide receiver Dane Key is excited to work with quarterback Dylan Raiola. Not only that, he has confidence in the second-year quarterback, as the Huskers look to take a leap in 2025. Key transferred over to the Huskers from the Kentucky Wildcats in December. He is coming off a season that saw him record 47 catches for 715 yards and two touchdowns. He had two games of over 100 receiving yards, as he became one of the most explosive offensive weapons for the Wildcats last season. Now, he has high hopes for Raiola, as the latter enters his second season. He spoke with NebOn3's Pete Nakos about this upcoming season and why he likes the quarterback. 'He's just the total quarterback,' Key said. 'He's a leader. Everybody respects him around the building, not only because he's the quarterback. The kid's got a great work ethic. He doesn't stop working. That's what you want out of your quarterback.' Key is certainly a solid addition to a young wide receiver room. He has the chance to be one of the best receivers in the Big Ten this upcoming season, and he undoubtedly has confidence in his quarterback. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins' Jonah Savaiinaea Reportedly Most Impressive Rookie Early in Offseason
Dolphins' Jonah Savaiinaea Reportedly Most Impressive Rookie Early in Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Miami Dolphins drafted offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster their trenches headed into this season. Advertisement Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has dealt with too many injuries, and protecting the Dolphins' franchise quarterback is the No. 1 priority. Savaiinaea brings versatility to Miami's offensive line as he started 36 games across three years at the University of Arizona at three different positions along the offensive line. The Wildcat played 16 games at right tackle, 15 games at right guard, and five games at left tackle. Savaiinaea earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors in 2022 and 2023, and All-Big 12 Honors in 2024 when Arizona made the conference move. In 2024, Savaiinaea led Arizona with an offensive grade of 75.9 per PFF, and in his 738 snaps played, he allowed just four sacks, two quarterback hits, and 10 hurries. Advertisement The Wildcats' offensive lineman has continued that success through the beginning of his first offseason in the NFL, reportedly impressing media and his offensive line coach in Miami. "You see he's a big-body guy that's really explosive, that can run - heavy handed - can anchor the pocket, but explosive in the run game," Butch Barry said. University of Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (OL36) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Musselman-Imagn Images Savaiinaea's rare combination of size and athleticism has been most impressive early on. The offensive lineman excels as a run blocker with his wide frame and sound footwork, and his pass protection is better on the inside as a guard. The Arizona product could be the Dolphins' potential starter in 2025 at one of the guard positions if he continues his impressive offseason performance. Advertisement The Miami Herald's Omar Kelly noted that although Savaiinaea has impressed so far, it's hard to learn too much from the players in the trenches until they reach training camp and practice with pads. However, Kelly named Savaiinaea as his most impressive rookie so far. Fellow Dolphins' offensive lineman James Daniels has also been impressed with Savaiinaea's eagerness to learn. "He's always texting me, he's always texting other players asking for advice," Daniels said. "He's always working after practice. Pretty excited to see his development." The Dolphins will learn more about their second-round pick when training camp gets underway in July, but early reports on Savaiinaea are a welcoming sign in Miami. Advertisement Related: Colts Make Jim Irsay Announcement for Week 1 Against Dolphins This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Hanover Central's Rebecca Ferguson shines in the spotlight in the 3A state final: ‘She knew she could do it'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana — In the moment Saturday night, Hanover Central's Rebecca Ferguson knew she wasn't alone. The junior second baseman stepped to the plate with two outs and two teammates in scoring position in the seventh inning of the Class 3A state championship game. Top-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral had a three-run lead. 'There was a lot of pressure,' Ferguson said. 'But I had my teammates and my family, and everyone who came out was there to support me.' Ferguson came through, hitting a two-run single to give the Wildcats hope, but Cathedral pulled out a 5-4 win at Purdue's Bittinger Stadium. 'Everyone fought to the end and gave it everything they had,' Ferguson said. 'I don't think one person wasn't ready every second.' Ferguson, who entered the game hitting .324 with 15 RBIs, certainly seemed ready when it mattered most. 'Big hit,' Hanover Central coach Sam Antkiewicz said. 'Everyone on our team has had key hits throughout the year. She was right there battling, and she was able to get a barrel on it and put that ball over the second baseman's head. 'That's just a testament to her, knowing what to do, the softball IQ, and looking for a pitch she could handle and put the ball in play. She put the ball in play, and good things happen.' In the seventh, Hanover Central junior center fielder Adeline McMahon and junior designated player Kaden Poppe walked with one out and advanced on a wild pitch before Ferguson's hit. 'That was great,' Hanover Central junior catcher Sienna Stilley said. 'You could tell by the way she was just looking to attack, and that's exactly what she did. She had so much confidence in herself, and she knew she could do it. 'She got so much energy from the dugout because we were telling her, 'You got it,' and she did. I'm very, very happy for her.' Stilley crushed a two-run homer to left-center to give the Wildcats (18-3) the lead in the third inning against Cathedral (29-2), which was ranked No. 1 in the final state coaches poll and won its first championship. 'It was electric,' Stilley said. 'That's the only word for it. You look up from running the bases and you see your entire fan base standing there and cheering you on. That's one of the best feelings I've ever had in my entire life. 'We worked really, really hard. It just goes to show that no matter what your record looks like, you can't count us out. It just goes to show how much we care and how much we love it. We stuck together.' Cathedral scored four runs in the fourth against freshman pitcher Jillian DeYoung, who continued to excel in the circle and also had one of the Wildcats' four hits, and added a run in the fifth. Sophomore left fielder Nora Edgerton also had a hit for Hanover Central. 'You can't ask for anything more,' Antkiewicz said. 'Obviously, we'd like to be in the opposite position where we're up a couple of runs going into that last inning. But we're down, and credit to our girls, they didn't give up, they kept chipping away, kept getting girls on base. 'Then the next thing you know, we have the tying run up to the plate, and that's what I told them all along — just hang in there, just hang in there. When you're within three runs, you're within striking distance.' Antkiewicz came away impressed. 'I can't be prouder of this group,' he said. 'I'm so proud of the way they fought back and the way they handled themselves and the way they showed they deserve to be here.' Indeed, the Wildcats weren't the most likely of state finalists, but they proved worthy. 'We were really the underdogs,' Ferguson said. 'It was amazing we came through and beat everyone who we weren't expected to beat, even though we got here and couldn't do it.'
