History of University of Arizona in Timeline

The University of Arizona, established in 1885 in Tucson, is a public land-grant research university and the first university in the Arizona Territory. Governed by the Arizona Board of Regents, it encompasses 22 colleges/schools, including Eller College of Management, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, and Colleges of Medicine in Phoenix and Tucson. The James E. Rogers College of Law is also included. The university had an enrollment of 54,384 students as of fall 2025.

1904: First baseball season

In 1904, the baseball team had its first season.

1914: Wildcats nickname originates

In 1914, the Arizona athletic teams became known as the Wildcats, derived from a football game against Occidental College where the L.A. Times described the team as showing "the fight of wildcats."

1914: Football team deemed Wildcats

In the 1914 season, the football team was deemed the "Wildcats".

1915: Introduction of Rufus Arizona

In 1915, Arizona's first mascot was a real desert bobcat named "Rufus Arizona".

1919: Conception of Campus Master Plan

In 1919, John Lyman, architectural partner of Roy Place, conceived the campus master plan modeled after the University of Virginia.

1919: Berger Memorial Fountain Date

The Berger Memorial Fountain at the west entrance of Old Main honors the UA students who died in World War I, and dates back to 1919.

1924: Recognition by the Association of American Universities

In 1924, during Cloyd Marvin's presidency, the University of Arizona was recognized by the Association of American Universities.

1927: Construction of the Main Library

In 1927, the main library was constructed. Roy Place, a prominent Tucson architect, designed the Arizona State Museum buildings, including the 1927 main library, and Centennial Hall.

December 7, 1941: Sinking of the USS Arizona

December 7, 1941, symbolizes the battleship USS Arizona's sinking. The USS Arizona bell is rung seven times monthly at 12:07 pm, the time of the Pearl Harbor attack.

1945: Arizona Quarterly publication begins

Since 1945, the university has published Arizona Quarterly, an academic literary journal.

July 1946: Arrival of USS Arizona Bell on Campus

In July 1946, a bell housed on the USS Arizona arrived on the University of Arizona campus.

1951: Original Student Union Memorial Center Opened

In 1951, the original 270,000-square-foot structure of the Student Union Memorial Center opened.

1952: Creation of "Bear Down, Arizona!"

In 1952, Jack K. Lee was inspired to create the music and lyrics for a fight song by that name, now "Bear Down, Arizona!" became accepted as the unofficial fight song.

1956: Baseball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1956, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1959: Baseball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1959, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1962: Start of the Honors College

In 1962, the Honors College started with an acceptance of seventy-five students, at the University of Arizona.

1963: Robert M. Tanita NCAA finals tournament as WAC champion

In 1963, Robert M. Tanita was a nationally ranked collegiate wrestler who reached the NCAA finals tournament as WAC champion.

1963: Baseball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1963, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

1975: North Carolina begins NCAA Tournament streak

North Carolina begins NCAA Tournament appearances from 1975-2001.

1976: Main Library opens

In 1976, the Main Library opened, serving as the library system's reference, periodical, and administrative center. Most of the main collections are housed here.

1976: Baseball team wins national championship

In 1976, the baseball team captured a national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1976: Construction of the Main Library

In 1976, the main library was built. The optical and space sciences buildings are clustered on the east side of campus near the sports stadiums and the 1976 main library.

1979: Icecats inception

In 1979, the school's club hockey team, formerly known as the Icecats, had its inception.

1980: Baseball team wins national championship

In 1980, the baseball team captured another national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1980: Synchronized swimming wins national championship

In 1980, the synchronized swimming team won a national championship.

1981: Doug Towne wins NCAA Championship

In 1981, Doug Towne won the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA championships, becoming Arizona's first NCAA Individual Champion in Men's Swimming.

1981: Synchronized swimming wins national championship

In 1981, the synchronized swimming team won a national championship.

1982: UCLA's win

Arizona men became the first team to claim a first-time title since UCLA's win in 1982.

1982: Vance Johnson wins NCAA long jump

In 1982, Vance Johnson won the NCAA long jump.

1983: Lute Olson hired as head coach

In 1983, Lute Olson was hired as head coach of the men's basketball team, marking the beginning of a highly successful era for the program.

1984: Synchronized swimming wins national championship

In 1984, the synchronized swimming team won a national championship.

1985: Ice Cats Defeated Penn State

In 1985, the Ice Cats defeated Penn State for the National Collegiate Club Hockey National Championship.

1985: Men's basketball team begins NCAA Tournament streak

Starting in 1985, the Arizona men's basketball team began a streak of 25 consecutive years reaching the NCAA Tournament, which lasted until 2009.

1986: Aaron Ramirez wins national title

In 1986, Aaron Ramirez won an individual national title in men's cross country.

1986: Chip Hale on College World Series championship team

In 1986, Chip Hale played for the Wildcats under Jerry Kindall and was on the College World Series championship team.

1986: Wilbur married Wilma

In 1986, Wilbur married his longtime wildcat girlfriend, Wilma.

1986: Baseball team wins national championship

In 1986, the baseball team captured another national championship title, coached by Jerry Kindall.

1987: Partnership with CERN program begins

Since 1987, Arizona has been involved in theoretical and experimental research in particle and nuclear physics within the CERN program. This collaboration was initiated by Peter A. Carruthers and Johann Rafelski.

1988: Men's basketball team reaches Final Four

In 1988, the Arizona men's basketball team reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

1988: Kenny Lofton on the 1988 Final Four team

Kenny Lofton, now best known as a former Major League Baseball star, was a four-year letter winner as a Wildcat basketball player and was on the 1988 Final Four team.

1989: Mariusz Podkoscielny wins NCAA National Championship

In 1989, Mariusz Podkoscielny won the 1650-yard (mile) at the NCAA National Championships.

1990: Kansas begins NCAA Tournament streak

Kansas begins NCAA Tournament appearances from 1990-present.

1991: Annika Sörenstam wins in golf

In 1991, Annika Sörenstam won in golf.

1991: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1991, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1991: First closed system experiment at Biosphere 2

In 1991, the first closed system experiment commenced at Biosphere 2, which was constructed by private developers.

1992: Softball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1992, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

1992: Men's golf team wins national championship

In 1992, the men's golf team won a national championship.

1993: Alix Creek and Michelle Oldham win NCAA Women's Doubles Tennis title

In 1993, Alix Creek and Michelle Oldham won the NCAA Women's Doubles Tennis title, defeating Texas in the Final.

1993: First 10-win season and Fiesta Bowl victory

In 1993, the Arizona football team had its first 10-win season and beat the University of Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl by a score of 29-0.

1993: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1993, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1994: Arizona joins CERN-LHC ATLAS Collaboration

In 1994, Arizona officially joined the CERN-LHC ATLAS Collaboration, furthering its involvement in particle and nuclear physics research.

1994: Martin Keino wins national title

In 1994, Martin Keino won an individual national title in men's cross country.

1994: Tanya Hughes wins NCAA Woman of the Year Award

In 1994, UA track and field athlete Tanya Hughes won the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

1994: Men's basketball team reaches Final Four

In 1994, the Arizona men's basketball team reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

1994: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1994, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1995: Softball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1995, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

1996: Amy Skieresz wins national title

In 1996, Amy Skieresz won an individual national title in women's cross country.

1996: Arizona Health Sciences Library built

In 1996, the Arizona Health Sciences Library was built on the Health Sciences Center and Phoenix Biomedical Campus. The library serves the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and Veterinary Medicine, the University of Arizona Health Network, and acts as a resource for health professionals and citizens across the state.

1996: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1996, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1996: Women's golf team wins national championship

In 1996, the women's golf team won a national championship.

1997: Eugene Edgerson on the 1997 Final Four squads

Eugene Edgerson played on the 1997 and 2001 Final Four squads.

1997: Arizona wins NCAA National Championship

In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky to win the NCAA National Championship (NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship) by a score of 84-79 in overtime. This was Arizona's first national championship victory.

1997: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 1997, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

1998: Texas and Auburn's winning streak

Also, the Arizona men ended Texas and Auburn's winning streak since 1998.

1998: Carl Runk retires from Towson University

In 1998, Carl Runk, former Arizona graduate and football player, retired after twenty-eight years at Towson University in Maryland.

1998: School-record season and Holiday Bowl victory

In 1998, the Arizona football team posted a school-record 12-1 season and made the Holiday Bowl in which it defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The team ended the season ranked 4th nationally.

1998: Softball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 1998, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

2000: Bob Stoops wins BCS National Championship

In 2000, Bob Stoops, brother of Mike Stoops, the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma, won the BCS national championship

2000: Reconstruction of the Student Union Memorial Center Began

In 2000, the reconstruction of the Student Union Memorial Center began, replacing the original 270,000-square-foot structure that opened in 1951.

2000: Women's golf team wins national championship

In 2000, the women's golf team won a national championship.

2001: Eugene Edgerson on the 2001 Final Four squads

Eugene Edgerson played on the 1997 and 2001 Final Four squads.

2001: Tara Chaplin wins national title

In 2001, Tara Chaplin won an individual national title in women's cross country.

2001: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2001, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

2001: End of North Carolina's NCAA Tournament streak

In 2001, the North Carolina's NCAA Tournament streak ended.

2002: Softball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 2002, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

2002: Integrated Learning Center completed

In 2002, the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) was completed. This $20 million computer facility is used by incoming students and features classrooms, auditoriums, a courtyard with vending machines, and an expanded computer lab with workstations and 3D printing.

2002: Murder of Three Professors

In 2002, three professors were murdered at the University of Arizona by a former student who had failed out. The student also shot himself and had mailed a letter to the Arizona Daily Star prior to the event.

November 2003: Mike Stoops becomes Head Coach

From November 2003 until October 2011, the program was led by Mike Stoops, brother of Bob Stoops, the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma (the 2000 BCS national champions)

2003: ZonaZoo Officially Implemented

In 2003, ZonaZoo, the official student section and student ticketing program for the University of Arizona Athletics, was officially implemented.

2003: Opening of the Stevie Eller Dance Theater

In 2003, the Stevie Eller Dance Theater opened as a dedicated performance venue for the UA's dance program. The building was designed by Gould Evans.

2003: Reconstruction of the Student Union Memorial Center Completed

The Student Union Memorial Center reconstruction was completed in 2003. It replaced the original 270,000-square-foot structure.

2004: Candrea and Finch lead U.S. Olympic softball team to gold

In 2004, Coach Candrea, along with former Arizona pitcher Jennie Finch, led the U.S. Olympic softball team to a gold medal in Athens, Greece.

2004: Baseball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 2004, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

2005: Peter Likins Vacated his post

At the end of the 2005 academic year, Peter Likins vacated his post as president of University of Arizona

2005: NBA draft picks produced

Since 2005, Arizona has produced 17 NBA draft picks.

March 2006: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reaches Mars

In March 2006, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, containing the HiRISE camera designed at UA, reached Mars. This NASA mission captures the highest-resolution images of the planet ever seen.

2006: Robert N. Shelton Began Tenure

In 2006, Robert N. Shelton began his tenure as president of the University of Arizona.

2006: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2006, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

August 2007: UA leads Phoenix Mars Mission

In August 2007, the UA, under the charge of Peter Smith, led the Phoenix Mars Mission, which was the first mission completely controlled by a university.

2007: Softball team wins NCAA Women's College World Series title

In 2007, the Arizona softball team won the NCAA Women's College World Series title under head coach Mike Candrea.

2007: UA to lead NASA's mission to Mars

In 2007, the UA was awarded over $325 million for its Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) to lead NASA's mission to Mars to explore the Martian Arctic.

2007: University becomes management partner of Biosphere 2

In 2007, the University of Arizona became the official management partner of the Biosphere 2 facility for research purposes.

2007: Wildcats win first NCAA Championship in swimming and diving

In 2007, the Wildcats won their first NCAA Championship in men and women's swimming and diving for the seasons of 2007–2008.

May 2008: Phoenix Mars Mission reaches the surface

In May 2008, the Phoenix Mars Mission reached the planet's surface with the purpose of improving knowledge of the Martian Arctic.

2008: Frank Busch Named NCAA Swimming Coach of the Year

In 2008, Frank Busch, the men and women's head coach, was named NCAA Swimming Coach of the Year.

2008: National Science Foundation funds the iPlant Collaborative

In 2008, the National Science Foundation funded the iPlant Collaborative with a $50 million grant.

2008: NBA draft picks produced

Since 2005, Arizona has produced 17 NBA draft picks.

2009: Whitney Myers wins NCAA Woman of the Year Award

In 2009, UA swimmer Lacey Nymeyer won the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

2009: End of NCAA Tournament streak

The Arizona men's basketball team's streak of 25 consecutive years reaching the NCAA Tournament ended in 2009.

2010: Justine Schluntz wins NCAA Woman of the Year Award

In 2010, UA swimmer Justine Schluntz won the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

2010: Softball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 2010, the Arizona softball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship.

June 2011: University assumes full ownership of Biosphere 2

In June 2011, the university announced it would assume full ownership of the Biosphere 2 scientific research facility in Oracle, Arizona.

October 10, 2011: Mike Stoops fired as head coach

On October 10, 2011, Mike Stoops was fired as the head coach of the football program.

November 21, 2011: Rich Rodriguez hired as head coach

On November 21, 2011, Rich Rodriguez was hired as the new head coach of the Wildcats football team.

2011: Icecats known as Arizona Wildcats

As of 2011, the club hockey team are part of ACHA Division I, and are known formally as the Arizona Wildcats hockey team.

2011: Discovery of liquid water on Mars

In 2011, UA alumnus Lujendra Ojha and his team discovered proof of liquid water on the surface of Mars using the HiRISE camera.

2011: Sustainability Report Card Grade of "B"

In 2011, the Sustainable Endowments Institute gave the University of Arizona a College Sustainability Report Card grade of "B."

2011: Robert N. Shelton Resigned

In the summer of 2011, Robert N. Shelton resigned from his position as president of University of Arizona.

2012: UA library system contains over six million print volumes

As of 2012, the UA's library system contains over six million print volumes, 1.1 million electronic books, and 74,000 electronic journals.

2012: Ann Weaver Hart Became President

In 2012, Ann Weaver Hart became the first female president of the University of Arizona.

2012: Wildcats defeat the University of Nevada Wolf Pack

In 2012, Rodriguez took the Wildcats to the New Mexico Bowl, where they defeated the University of Nevada Wolf Pack.

2012: Baseball team wins national championship

In 2012, the baseball team won a national championship title, coached by Andy Lopez.

2013: Brigetta Barrett wins women's high jump

In 2013, Brigetta Barrett won the women's high jump.

2013: iPlant Collaborative receives renewal grant

In 2013, the iPlant Collaborative received a $50 million renewal grant from the National Science Foundation.

2014: National Merit Scholars Enrollment

During the 2014–2015 academic year, 68 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.

2014: ESPN ranked ZonaZoo as the top student cheering section

In 2014, ESPN ranked ZonaZoo as the top student cheering section in the PAC 12 conference.

2014: Wildcats win the Pac-12 South

In 2014, the Wildcats won the Pac-12 South and played in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl.

2014: Tuition Guarantee Program Enrollment

In 2014, undergraduate students enrolled in the University of Arizona's optional tuition guarantee program remained at $11,591 for residents and $30,745 for non-residents.

2014: The Pride's Daft Punk show

The Pride of Arizona's 2014 Daft Punk show was chosen by the CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) as one of ten in the nation to be presented at their National Conference in March 2015.

March 2015: Pride of Arizona show presented at CBDNA National Conference

In March 2015, The Pride of Arizona's 2014 Daft Punk show was chosen by the CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) as one of ten in the nation to be presented at their National Conference.

2015: UA libraries ranked 37th in North America for university investment

According to the 2015-2016 Association of Research Libraries' "Spending by University Research Libraries" report, UA libraries are ranked as the 37th overall university library in North America (out of 114) for university investment.

2015: National Merit Scholars Enrollment

During the 2014–2015 academic year, 68 freshman students were National Merit Scholars.

2015: Chip Hale as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2015, Chip Hale served as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2015: Design Intelligence Rankings

In 2015, Design Intelligence ranked the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture's (CAPLA) undergraduate program in architecture 10th in the nation.

2015: Jay Johnson succeeds Andy Lopez

In 2015, Jay Johnson, previously head coach of the University of Nevada baseball program, succeeded Andy Lopez who retired.

2015: NASA confirms liquid water on Mars discovery

In 2015, NASA confirmed the discovery of liquid water on the surface of Mars, which was originally found by UA alumnus Lujendra Ojha and his team in 2011.

2015: ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award

In 2015, ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award from the National Collegiate Student Section Association.

2015: Opening of ENR2

In 2015, the University of Arizona opened the ENR2, housing the University of Arizona School of Geography, Development and Environment, featuring a cutting edge air conditioning system and a 55,000-gallon water-harvesting tank.

2015: Wildcats played in their fourth consecutive bowl game

In 2015, the Wildcats played in their fourth consecutive bowl game, defeating the University of New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl.

2015: iPlant Collaborative rebranded as CyVerse

In late 2015, the iPlant Collaborative was rebranded as CyVerse, becoming a cloud-based data management platform that provides cloud-computing access across all scientific disciplines.

March 2016: LPL involved in ten spacecraft missions

As of March 2016, the UA's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory is actively involved in ten spacecraft missions: Cassini VIMS; Grail; the HiRISE camera orbiting Mars; the Juno mission orbiting Jupiter; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO); Maven; Solar Probe Plus; Rosetta's VIRTIS; WISE; and OSIRIS-REx.

September 8, 2016: Launch of OSIRIS-REx mission

On September 8, 2016, the OSIRIS-REx, the first U.S. sample-return mission to a near-Earth asteroid, was launched.

2016: UA libraries ranked 37th in North America for university investment

2016: Figueredo attends London Conference on Intelligence

In 2016, Aurelio Jose Figueredo, who directs the graduate program on human behavior and evolutionary psychology, used funds from the grant to attend the London Conference on Intelligence, where presentations on eugenics are given.

2016: Chip Hale as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks

In 2016, Chip Hale served as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2016: Baseball team appears in NCAA National Championship

In 2016, the Arizona baseball team appeared in the NCAA National Championship title series.

2016: Honors College Enrollment

The Honors college enrollment reached 5,508 in the academic year 2016-2017.

February 2017: Dave Heeke named Director of Athletics

In February 2017, Dave Heeke was named Arizona's 13th Director of Athletics.

April 1, 2017: Dave Heeke officially starts as Director of Athletics

On April 1, 2017, Dave Heeke officially started his role as Arizona's 13th Director of Athletics.

August 2017: Arizona partnership with Universidad de Sonora renewed

In August 2017, the partnership between the University of Arizona and Universidad de Sonora was renewed, with a focus on geology and physics.

2017: Ann Weaver Hart's Presidency Ended

In 2017, Ann Weaver Hart's presidency at the University of Arizona came to an end.

2017: Center for World University Rankings 2017

In 2017, The Center for World University Rankings ranked Arizona No. 52 in the world and 34 in the U.S.

2017: Women's soccer team finishes season in NCAA Tournament

In 2017, the University of Arizona women's soccer team concluded their season on Nov. 17 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, finishing with an 11–5–4 record.

2017: Wildcats lost to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Foster Farms Bowl

In 2017, they lost to the Purdue Boilermakers in the Foster Farms Bowl, the Wildcats 21st bowl game.

2017: Renaming of the Honors College

The Honors College was renamed the W.A. Franke Honors College in 2017 in recognition of a $25 million gift commitment made by William A. "Bill" Franke.

January 2, 2018: Rodriguez relieved of duties

On January 2, 2018, Rodriguez was relieved of his duties as head football coach following an internal university investigation into sexual harassment claims.

January 14, 2018: Kevin Sumlin hired as new head football coach

On January 14, 2018, Kevin Sumlin was hired as the new head football coach for the Wildcats, following a search and media speculation. Sumlin was previously the head coach at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston.

2018: Student involvement in Greek life

As of 2018, over 16% of students are part of UA's 52-chapter Greek life program, which recognizes 51 fraternity and sorority chapters.

2018: UA receives funding from Pioneer Fund

In 2018, UA received funding from the Pioneer Fund, a non-profit institute which promotes scientific racism and eugenics. The funds were applied for by Aurelio Jose Figueredo.

2018: ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award

In 2018, ZonaZoo received the Best Student Section of the Year award from the National Collegiate Student Section Association.

2018: Women's golf team wins national championship

In 2018, the women's golf team won a national championship.

2018: Tuition Guarantee Program End

The tuition guarantee program for undergraduate students who enrolled in the UA's optional tuition guarantee program in 2014 will remain at $11,591 for residents and $30,745 for non-residents through the 2018–19 academic year.

2019: Garimella Became President of University of Vermont

In 2019, Suresh Garimella became the president of the University of Vermont, a role he held until being named president of the University of Arizona.

April 17, 2020: Temporary Pay Cuts and Furloughs Announced

On April 17, 2020, the University of Arizona announced temporary pay cuts and furloughs for its 15,000 employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Tucson campus shutdown.

December 2020: Jedd Fisch chosen as Wildcats' head football coach

In December 2020, Jedd Fisch, formerly the QB coach for the New England Patriots, was chosen as the Wildcats' 32nd head football coach.

December 2020: Cessation of Ringing the USS Arizona Bell

In December 2020, the U.S. Navy requested that the bell from the USS Arizona no longer be rung, for preservation reasons.

2020: Purchase of Ashford University

In 2020, the University of Arizona announced its purchase of Ashford University from Zovio, renaming it The University of Arizona Global Campus. This purchase was met with heavy criticism, especially from faculty members.

June 2021: Jay Johnson Resigns

In June 2021, Jay Johnson resigned from the Wildcat program to accept the head coaching job at LSU, after leading the Wildcats to a Pac-12 conference championship and the 18th College World Series appearance.

July 2021: Chip Hale Named Head Coach

In July 2021, Chip Hale was named the new head coach of Arizona baseball.

October 2022: Murder of a University Professor

In October 2022, a university professor was murdered on campus by a former student. Subsequently, investigations of campus safety were performed, and the faculty senate voted "no confidence" in the president and other university leaders.

2023: Center for World University Rankings

In 2023, the Center for World University Rankings ranked University of Arizona No. 95 in the world and 48 in the U.S.

2023: Financial Crisis at the University

In 2023, the University of Arizona faced a financial crisis due to accounting errors and flawed financial projections, allegedly "losing track of more than $240 million."

April 2, 2024: Robbins Announced Plans to Step Down

On April 2, 2024, Robert C. Robbins announced his plans to step down as president, either at the end of his contract or sooner if a successor was identified.

April 2024: Student Protests Against War in Gaza

In April 2024, the UA chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine joined protests against the war in Gaza, resulting in police intervention involving rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper balls.

August 2, 2024: University Joins Big 12 Conference

On August 2, 2024, the University of Arizona's intercollegiate athletic teams, known as the Arizona Wildcats, officially joined the Big 12 Conference.

August 9, 2024: Suresh Garimella Named 23rd President

On August 9, 2024, Suresh Garimella was named the 23rd president of the University of Arizona.

2024: Arizona closes micro-campuses in China

Following a 2024 report by the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and the United States House Committee on Education and Workforce, Arizona closed its four micro-campuses in China.

2024: The Pride of Arizona became the 34th recipient of the Sudler Trophy

In 2024, the Pride of Arizona became the 34th recipient of the Sudler Trophy.

2024: UA admitted into the Big 12 Conference

In 2024, the University of Arizona participates in the NCAA's Division I-A in the Big 12 Conference, which it was admitted in 2024.

2025: Enrollment of 54,384 Students

In the fall of 2025, the University of Arizona enrolled 54,384 students across 22 colleges and schools, including the Eller College of Management and the Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

2025: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025

The 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings rated University of Arizona No. 136 in the world and No. 45 in the U.S.

2025: U.S. News & World Report Best College Rankings

U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best College Rankings ranked the University of Arizona in Tucson No. 52 in U.S. top public universities in a tie with University of Oregon and Brigham Young University.