University of Arizona Athletics

University of Arizona competes in NCAA Division I, the highest level of college athletics where sports are a major part of campus culture and the school offers millions in athletic scholarships. The Wildcats field 18 varsity sports with 503 total athletes, meaning about 1.2% of the 40,769 students compete at the varsity level. Arizona recently joined the Big 12 Conference after decades in the Pac-12. The school distributes over $16 million in athletic scholarships annually. Basketball dominates the sports scene here, with Arizona being one of the most successful programs in college basketball history, winning the 1997 national championship and regularly making deep NCAA tournament runs. The rivalry with Arizona State runs deep, especially in football and basketball where the annual matchups draw huge crowds and intense student interest.