Building upon a long tradition of mutual support, the University of Arizona Arthritis Center once again teamed up with the UArizona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics to present the 2022 University of Arizona Arthritis Center ‘Bear Down Celebration’ - a benefit for the UArizona Arthritis Center.
This meaningful collaboration began upon the arrival of Hall-of-Fame basketball coach Lute Olson at the UArizona in 1983 and has now raised more than $2 million over nearly four decades for arthritis research, outreach and education at UArizona.
The title sponsor for this unique event was Desert Diamond Casinos. Gold sponsors were Dr. and Mrs. Robert G. Volz, and Silver sponsors were the Friends of the University of Arizona Arthritis Center.
Celebrating a new era in University of Arizona football, former Wildcat legend and College Football Hall of Fame member Ricky Hunley was a featured speaker along with UArizona Vice President for Athletics Dave Heeke. The University of Arizona's first consensus All-American, Ricky was selected in the first round of the 1984 National Football League draft and went on to play for seven seasons in the NFL. Returning to his alma mater, Ricky now serves as the defensive line and defensive tackle coach at UArizona. With much news on the local, regional and national level in college athletics, Vice President Heeke updated guests on the current and future state of college athletics. Coach Hunley shared an overview of UArizona football, offering insights on this season and beyond. He also took participants on a short walk down memory lane with a bit of Wildcat football history as one of UArizona’s most celebrated former student-athletes.
The 2022 UArizona Arthritis Center Bear Down Celebration was featured by Sports Director Paul Cicala of KVOA-TV, Channel 4, on Friday, Oct. 7. To view the KVOA-TV story in its entirety, please click on the link below:
2022 Bear Down Celebration - KVOA TV, Channel 4