TUCSON, Arizona — Arizona adaptive athletics wheelchair basketball player Justin Newman had national championship aspirations in 2023 and 2024.
“We’d been the number one seed the first two years and we couldn’t get over the hump,” said Newman.
After losing the title game for two straight seasons, head coach Mike Beardsley’s Wildcats were determined to break through.
“We have guys on the team that are very passionate,” said Beardsley. “It took me some time to learn how to calm them down, and meet at an even keel point to just play great basketball.”
The Wildcats would go on to defeat UT-Arlington, in Illinois, to win the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Championship.
Newman, who has a hip injury known as legg calve perthis, was named the tournament MVP.
“He has the best shot in the game,” said Beardsley. “His leadership really shined this year.’
It’s the first national championship for an Arizona Adaptive Athletics team made up entirely of student-athletes. It’s also a championship they’l get to defend in Tucson, as next year’s post-season tournament will be held at McKale Center.
