March 29, 2025, will be remembered as the day the Arizona Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team captured their first national title, defeating the University of Texas–Arlington 75–65 in the championship game in Champaign, Ill.
After coming up just short in the 2023 and 2024 championship games, the Wildcats overcame tough losses earlier in the season that pushed them to work harder and ultimately win it all.
“The road to the championship has been three years in the making, and obviously losing two national titles was definitely our lowest moment as a team,” said senior Blaise Mutware, who played in all three championship games. “Going into this year though just felt a little different than the last two years.”
Mutware said losing in the finals the last two years was humbling, and the team needed that.
“I think we were battle tested. We were super close as a group because of those losses in the previous two national titles,” said head coach Mike Beardsley. “I’m proud of how they handled all the adversity.”
Beardsley, who studied at U of A, was a student worker. He worked in the DRC, and that’s what got him to fall in love with wheelchair basketball. Beardsley never planned to coach wheelchair basketball.
Losing two games in Alabama earlier this season, “was a big turning point for us to really come together and change a couple of things we were doing scheme wise,” he said.
The team was led this season by four seniors and a grad student, who set the tone for the rest of the team, Beardsley added.
Justyn Newman, a senior, has loved basketball his entire life. He lost his love for the game after a serious injury, but found it again in wheelchair basketball.
“I played sports growing up my whole life. When I did get injured, I didn’t know anything about wheelchair basketball and when I heard about it, I didn’t want to play at all. I just wanted to be normal,” he said. “When I did try it, it brought back my love for everything that I lost when I got hurt.”
Beardsley, Newman and Mutware stressed how close this team is compared to groups they have played with in the past.
“Off the court, I met lifelong friends,” Newman said. “Blaise is going to be my brother for life. I made multiple connections all around the world so this is something that will help in every aspect of life.”
Their victory not only brings pride to the UA but also demonstrates the power of resilience and determination.
In 2026, the UA will host the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball tournament at the McKale Memorial Center. The Wildcats will look to defend their title in 2026 on their homecourt.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
