Arizona and Northern Arizona have entered a scheduling partnership that will go for 10 years and include most of the programs on campus. The partnership will include home-and-home matchups when possible. On the basketball side all the games will take place in Tucson at McKale Center, but the plan is to have the two programs open every season "to create an exciting annual tip-off event for fans."
For the football program there are five matchups against NAU on the schedule already through the 2027 season. Because of some other scheduling obligations the partnership will pick up in the 2030 season and feature more games between the in-state schools through 2036.
“Continuing our scheduling efforts with Northern Arizona for the next decade is an exciting initiative for our athletics department, university and state,” Dave Heeke said. “Ensuring our sport programs compete within our great state enhances the student-athlete experience, generates excitement for our fans, eases non-conference scheduling challenges and creates a stronger economic impact within our state’s footprint. I look forward to watching student-athletes compete in our state while representing these outstanding Arizona universities.”
Here is a list of the teams that will be involved in the partnership with NAU.
- Men’s and Women’s Basketball
- Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
- Football
- Women’s Golf
- Women’s Soccer
- Women’s Swimming & Diving
- Men’s and Women’s Tennis
- Men’s and Women’s Track & Field
- Women’s Volleyball
For the football program there are five matchups against NAU on the schedule already through the 2027 season. Because of some other scheduling obligations the partnership will pick up in the 2030 season and feature more games between the in-state schools through 2036.
“Continuing our scheduling efforts with Northern Arizona for the next decade is an exciting initiative for our athletics department, university and state,” Dave Heeke said. “Ensuring our sport programs compete within our great state enhances the student-athlete experience, generates excitement for our fans, eases non-conference scheduling challenges and creates a stronger economic impact within our state’s footprint. I look forward to watching student-athletes compete in our state while representing these outstanding Arizona universities.”
Here is a list of the teams that will be involved in the partnership with NAU.
- Men’s and Women’s Basketball
- Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
- Football
- Women’s Golf
- Women’s Soccer
- Women’s Swimming & Diving
- Men’s and Women’s Tennis
- Men’s and Women’s Track & Field
- Women’s Volleyball
