• Slug: Sports-LPGA Growth, 1,660 words.
• Two photos available

By Max Williams
Cronkite News

GILBERT – With talented golfers reaching new levels of success in the sport, the LPGA’s goal is to grow with every tournament. Slowly but surely, women’s golf has gained worldwide recognition since the LPGA launched 74 years ago, and it hopes to increase its popularity at a time of greater attention to female athletes.

Take Nelly Korda, the world’s top-ranked golfer on both the Rolex and CME leaderboards. The American has won five consecutive tournaments, including an impressive 20-under-par finish at the Ford Championship at Seville Golf and Country Club in Gilbert in late March.  

“When you have star power like that, and (Korda) has been around for a while now, so many more people are taking notice of what she is doing,” LPGA Properties vice president Scott Wood said.  Continue reading “A walk toward growth: Success of Nelly Korda, improved marketing could help increase LPGA audience”

EDS: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect byline. The story below has been corrected to reflect it was written by Brett Lapinski, but clients who used previous versions are asked to run the correction found here.

• Slug: Sports-Catalina Foothills Tennis, 1,260 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Brett Lapinski
Cronkite News

TUCSON – The 2024 AIA Division II Team Championship tennis playoffs begin with first-round matches Tuesday for the girls and Wednesday for the boys.

Sixteen teams are vying for the championship in each bracket, but 15 of the schools in each bracket will be trying to do something no boys team has done since 2013 and no girls team has pulled off since 2018.

That’s taking down the tennis juggernaut that is Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson.  Continue reading “Game of Thrones: Kings, queens of Tucson Catalina Foothills High tennis seek another crown”

• Slug: Sports-Photo Essay: Top Rank Boxing, 450 words.
• 12 photos available.

By Joseph Eigo
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – The pageantry and build-up for a boxing match is unlike anything in sports.

For Top Rank’s latest event in Arizona, the intensity began to build during the Wednesday press conference before the March bout at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix.

In the main event, former two-division world champion Oscar Valdez took on Australia’s Liam Wilson for the WBO interim junior lightweight title. In the co-main event, four belts were on the line in the minimumweight title unification bout between Seniesa Estrada and Yokasta Valle.  Continue reading “Photo essay: Mexican fighters take center stage at Top Rank Boxing in Glendale”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Owner NHL Commissioner Speak, 1,300 words.
• Photo available.

By Zach Mott
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A week of unbearable silence for Coyotes fans ended Friday with a spirited media session featuring two key players involved in the team’s relocation to Salt Lake City.

“I’ve been presented with the most painful decision in my life, in my 40 years of business,” Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo said. “My family and I are devastated.”

Meruelo and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke to the media on the heels of Thursday’s announcement that the Coyotes would become inactive and that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group would purchase team operations for $1.2 billion. Continue reading “‘Most painful decision in my life’: Meruelo, Bettman respond to criticism about Arizona Coyotes departure”

• Slug: Sports-ASU NCAA Infractions, 660 words.
• Photo available.

By Maxwell Williams
Cronkite News

TEMPE – As Arizona State prepares to shift from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big 12, it will do so with significant baggage.

On Friday, the NCAA Infractions Committee announced the athletic department faces four years of probation, scholarship reductions and recruiting restrictions for violations that occurred during Herm Edwards’ tenure as football coach.

The Level I violations also include fines, a 2023 season self-imposed football postseason ban, a vacation of records for contests that ineligible student-athletes competed in and the dissociation with an involved booster for five years. Continue reading “Walk of shame: ASU football slapped with probation, scholarship reductions due to violations during Herm Edwards era”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Youth Movement Sale, 1,000 words.
• Photo available.

By Zach Mott
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The action never seemed to dissipate for the Arizona Coyotes this season.

What turned into a whirlwind of a season – on and off the ice – began with one of the franchise’s best starts in the last decade. The high point came at the end of November and transitioned into early December, when the Coyotes beat each of the last five Stanley Cup winners in a row (Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, St Louis Blues, Washington Capitals). 

Heading into the All-Star break, the Coyotes sat firmly in contention for a postseason spot. But inconsistency followed an incredible stretch, as the Coyotes struggled to find their footing again. The season’s low point? A winless February, including a 14-game losing streak that hammered the team’s postseason hopes.  Continue reading “Arizona Coyotes’ turbulent season, young talent lay groundwork for fresh start in Utah”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Officially Gone, 620 words.
• Photo available.

By Zach Mott
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The Mullett Arena crowd roared as the Arizona Coyotes scored five goals Wednesday in their season finale. The onslaught started just under three minutes into the first period, when forward Liam O’Brien ripped one past Edmonton Oilers netminder Calvin Pickard. The Coyotes would pile on four more goals in securing a 5-2 win.

It was a season-ending victory that would normally excite fans as a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. But most everyone in attendance at the 5,000-seat arena – along with legions of fans who had followed the Coyotes in the desert for 28 years – viewed the game as an afterthought.

They were waiting on a definitive answer from the NHL about the team’s future. Continue reading “It’s official: NHL approves Arizona Coyotes’ $1.2B Sale, relocation to Utah”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Last Hurrah, 600 words.
• 2 photos available.
• 1 video available

By Zach Mott
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – While so many questions remain unanswered, fans will say goodbye Wednesday in what is likely the final game for the Coyotes in Arizona.

As the day started, it was certain to be unlike any other for Coyotes players. At 10:30 a.m., the optional morning skate at the Ice Den in Scottsdale was already under way. The team had practiced Tuesday, so several veterans were granted the opportunity for the morning off.

Following the morning skate, Josh Doan remained on the ice, long after everyone else had departed. Why? To pick up pucks, of course. Continue reading “Farewell to the desert? Coyotes’ potential finale in Arizona draws emotions and memories”

• Slug: Sports-Mercury Chaisma Osborne, 850 words.
• Photo available.

By Justin de Haas
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Charisma Osborne has achieved success at every level. She won California Ms. Basketball in her junior year of high school and also scored the second-most points in UCLA women’s basketball history. Now she can add WNBA draft pick to that impressive resume as she was selected in the third round by the Phoenix Mercury in Monday’s draft.

Osborne is a Moreno Valley native, which is in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, but she traveled 80 miles west to attend Windward School in Los Angeles. Windward is considered one of the better basketball schools in the state and Osborne upheld that legacy by winning back-to-back Southern Section Open Division girls’ championships — with former Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard leading the charge — in her sophomore and junior seasons.

With this success as well as a McDonald’s All-America selection in 2019, Osborne was a highly-touted five-star recruit entering UCLA. The former Windward Wildcats payer made an immediate impact, starting 29 games and averaging 12.2 points in her freshman season for the Bruins. Continue reading “UCLA’s Charisma Osborne embraces underdog role after dropping to Mercury in third round of 2024 WNBA Draft”

• Slug: Sports-Coyotes Chaos, 930 words.
• 2 photos available.

By Josh Jones
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – The Ice Den is a familiar place for the Arizona Coyotes, who have spent countless hours perfecting their craft there. Since opening in 1998, the venue has provided consistency and comfort as the Coyotes practice facility.

Tuesday was different.

The Coyotes took the ice for what is widely expected to be their final practice of the season and, likely, in Arizona. Reports flooded in Friday that the team will soon announce new ownership and relocation to Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 NHL season. Continue reading “Arizona Coyotes, Valley fans brace for potential finale before rumored Salt Lake City move”

• Slug: Sports-Cactus League Attendance, 900 words.
• Photo available.

By Sammy Nute
Cronkite News

PEORIA – To trace the success of this spring’s Cactus League, look no further back than the 2023 World Series, when the Texas Rangers blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-0, in Game 5 at Chase Field to win the championship.

Fast forwarding from the Fall Classic, the residual effects produced one of the best fan turnouts at spring training since 2019, with hordes of people flocking to Arizona to get the first look at the reigning World Series champions, the runner-up and, of course, Shohei Ohtani, Major League Baseball’s biggest star.

Cactus League executive director Bridget Binsbacher announced that 1,630,436 attendees across the league’s 216 games marked the most since before the pandemic, an increase of over 65,000 fans from last year. For the 11th straight season, the Chicago Cubs topped attendance as Sloan Park’s 10th season saw a total of 241,215 baseball fans walk through the turnstiles throughout the spring.  Continue reading “Cactus League announces highest attendance total since pre-pandemic”

• Slug: Sports-Rhys Hoskins MDA, 1,900 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In 2017, Rhys Hoskins made his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies, and over the next six seasons, he became a fixture as the team’s first baseman. He served as the organization’s bridge from an 11-year postseason drought to achieving long-awaited playoff success in 2022. Just three months ago, he signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, leaving Philly fans who had grown attached to his dedication and personality distraught.

Before all that, however, he was just a student at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California who had to earn 50 community service hours to graduate. He signed up to be a camp counselor at a nearby summer camp run by the Muscular Dystrophy Association to meet the requirement, but what began as an obligation in the eyes of a teenager became so much more.

“I was assigned a camper that I was there to help with (his) care, but also to show him what summer camp is like,” Hoskins said. “And I just fell in love with the community that was there to bring some sort of normalcy to these kids’ lives, but also give a chance for caregivers and parents to have a break. It’s a full-time job, with these kids that are living with these neuromuscular diseases, full-time job for caregivers.” Continue reading “From Phillies hero to championing muscular dystrophy awareness, Rhys Hoskins’ journey is one of heart, home runs”

• Slug: Sports-Suns Superfan Mr ORNG Arrested. 680 words.
• Photo available.

By David Bernauer
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – A Peoria High School boys basketball coach and popular Phoenix Suns superfan was arrested by Peoria police Tuesday night on charges related to child sex crimes.

Police charged Patrick Battillo, a state title-winning coach also known as Mr. ORNG, with several crimes, including luring a minor for sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking. Peoria High School teacher Holly Holgate, 46, was also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution and failing to report child abuse or neglect.

Peoria police were tipped off to the crimes around 10 a.m. Tuesday when Peoria High School administrators alerted the school’s resource officer that Battillo, 37, had received images and videos of students via Snapchat in “various sex acts and in various states of nudity,” according to police. Continue reading “Phoenix Suns superfan Mr. ORNG arrested on child sex crime charges”

• Slug: Sports-Mercury New Headquarters Court. 740 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Tia Reid
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Mat Ishbia continues to show his commitment to women’s basketball and the Valley’s WNBA team.

On Thursday, Player 15 Group owned by Ishbia,  who also owns the Phoenix Mercury and Suns, unveiled the new team headquarters in downtown Phoenix, just a few blocks from Footprint Center in the Warehouse District. The offices serve as the first phase in a $100 million-plus project that also includes a new state-of-the-art practice facility for the Mercury.

“This feels like a building that delivers championships,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said. “We feel like Phoenix is (a) basketball city, and this is a building to befit that high standard. This is incredible. … We are so excited to have the Suns and Mercury growing in the city of Phoenix. You’ve chosen a very special area. The Warehouse District was really the economic backbone of the city when we were an agricultural city, and now it is the future of our city as well.” Continue reading “Phoenix Mercury unveils new headquarters, practice facility renderings”

• Slug: Sports-Final Four Slam Wrap-up, 1,000 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Sammy Nute
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – As confetti fell Monday from the State Farm Stadium rafters, bringing three weeks of hectic college basketball to a close, the UConn Huskies were crowned back-to-back NCAA Tournament champions.

However, the Huskies weren’t the only team celebrating at the end of the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

JoAn Scott, the NCAA vice-president of men’s basketball, and Jay Parry, CEO of the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee, also had reason to pop a cork. Continue reading “Phoenix shines as host city for 2024 Men’s Final Four, passes torch to San Antonio”

• Slug: Sports-Purdue Championship Game, 980 words.
• 2 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Lucas Gordon
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Indiana is known for its vast farmland and its reputation as a basketball haven. Hoosiers, as residents call themselves, eat, sleep and breathe basketball.

The sentiment toward basketball is the same all across the state, especially in the college towns. Travel 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis and you’ll find the one town that has been into basketball more than the rest in Indiana recently. West Lafayette.

Home of the Purdue Boilermakers, the usually quiet town was preparing for a riot Monday night as the school’s men’s team made its first national championship appearance in 55 years. Continue reading “Purdue’s season a success despite men’s national title loss to UConn”

• Slug: Sports-UConn Championship Game, 900 words.
• 3 photos available (thumbnails, captions below).

By Addison Kalmbach
Cronkite News

GLENDALE – Everything.

That was the motto for this year’s UConn men’s basketball team and it accomplished just that.

“We’ve worn the everything shirt the whole year,” coach Dan Hurley said. “Everyone in this organization gave everything so that we could win everything this year. We wanted to give everything so we could win absolutely everything,” Continue reading “The Hurley Risers: UConn coach lifts men’s program to new heights after back-to-back titles”

• Slug: Sports-NCAA Legends Event,900 words.
• Photo available (thumbnail, caption below).

By Grace Del Pizzo
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Ahead of the Final Four this weekend, the NCAA held an awards reception Tuesday evening at the Heard Museum to honor this year’s recipients of the annual NCAA Legends and Legacy Community Award. 

The award “acknowledges and celebrates the determination of living legends who are making a difference in and around their city. The award recognizes local community builders who commit their time, resources and influence to improve and invest in their local communities; the Final Four host cities for Men and Women’s Basketball,” according to the NCAA.

Tuesday’s reception honored five Valley locals for their contributions to the greater Phoenix community: Diana “Dede” Yazzie Devine, CEO of Native American Connections; Reyna Montoya, founder and CEO of Aliento; Jacob Moore, vice president and special advisor to the president on American Indian affairs at Arizona State University; David Solano, elementary teacher, youth basketball coach and president of Solano’s No Limit Hoops; and Christina Spicer, co-CEO of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Continue reading “Phoenix’s finest: Ahead of Final Four, NCAA honors Valley community leaders with Legends and Legacy Community Award”