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Fan Spotlight: Arizona Wildcats Super Fans Dave and Eva

By Shereen Rayan

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It’s been awhile since we found some huge Arizona Wildcats fans to showcase in our fan spotlight; we bring you, Dave and Eva.

We sat down with this awesome Arizona Wildcats couple Dave and Eva to find out more about them and their contagious Wildcats fandom.

Their first date was going to see the movie “Remember the Titans” at Arizona Stadium in April 2014. A perfect start to a great relationship.

Dave Wietecha grew up in Los Angeles, his favorite hobby is watching sports. He may look familiar to Arizona students since he has worked at the University of Arizona for the past 13 ½ years. For the past 9 ½ years, he has worked for the Eller College of Management where he’s in charge of undergraduate recruitment and serves as an academic advisor.

His favorite place to go out to at night is McKale Center.

Eva considers herself an educator and was formerly employed at Arizona for 15 years. She now works at Pima Community College in student development. They share their passion for helping college students.

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Eva Batista is originally from Tucson, and her main hobby is watching sports, both college and professional. Her favorite team are the Arizona Wildcats Men’s basketball team. She is a football season ticket holder and has attended Arizona football and basketball games in person since the early 90’s.

This unique couple enjoys walking, hiking, sightseeing, and spending time with family and friends. Their three doggies are “our hearts.” This couple’s favorite restaurant in Tucson is Sullivan’s Steakhouse.

If you have ever met, or you will ever meet these two you will see right away that they are a very special couple, they love their cats (Wildcats) and their dogs, and they seem to be a match made in heaven.

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: Are you an Arizona Alumni?

DAVE: I did not attend UA, but consider myself a Wildcat for Life.

EVA: UA Alum class of 1999 BA-Humanities.

ZZ: How long have you been a fan of the Arizona Wildcats? 

DAVE: For 13 ½ years.

EVA: Probably since I was born!

ZZ: What was it about the University of Arizona Athletics program that makes you proud? 

DAVE: The culture that exists within UA Athletics, which is a direct reflection of the best AD in the country [Greg Byrne], our tremendous coaches and student-athletes.  I am especially proud of how Athletics responded to the sudden and unexpected death of Lezo Urreiztieta on December 20, 2013.  The support that Greg Byrne, Head Track Coach, Fred Harvey and the rest of the program has continued to support Lezo’s family in the past two years has been inspiring.

Tragedy doesn’t build character; it reveals character.

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: What are some of your favorite things about the Arizona Wildcats teams? Which team do you follow the most?  Specific players?

DAVE: Not only have our teams been very successful, but most of our teams play in fast-paced, exciting styles. I follow Men’s Basketball the most, including reports on potential recruits and often will spot them by name and face at games.  The current and former players I follow the closest are Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York, Stanley Johnson and T.J. McConnell.

I have been lucky enough to speak to all of them on numerous occasions, and they are very nice.  They are also hilarious!  The other sports I follow seriously are Football, Sand Volleyball, Track/Cross Country and Softball.

EVA: Favorite things about the teams- the athletes are all so nice, and they love their fans.

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: Do you attend any Arizona games in person? Do you ever travel to see the Wildcats Play?  

DAVE: I have attended Men’s Basketball, Football, Sand Volleyball, Track/Cross Country, Baseball, Ice Cats Hockey and Softball. (Note from ZZ: we need to hire Dave to write for ZonaZealots)

EVA: All football and men’s basketball games. We have traveled to that school up north for men’s basketball, we attended the Fiesta Bowl last year, and the just recently the DirecTV Wooden Classic Tournament. Other UA games we’ve attended in person include Sand Volleyball, and I’ve also gone to cheer on our women’s basketball team.

ZZ: Who do you watch games with mostly? Are your parents Wildcats fans?

DAVE: Eva. Yes, mom is a UA fan also. We bring her along with us whenever possible.

EVA: Dave

ZZ: What is your favorite song, saying or cheer when it comes to the Arizona Wildcats?

DAVE: Song – Bring ‘em Out, saying – This is Arizona (they both frequently play in my head throughout the day, especially Game Day)

EVA: BearDown Arizona!

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: Do you have any game day rituals or game day look? Does everyone you work with know you are an Arizona Wildcats fan?

DAVE: I wear one of my four basketball jerseys to Men’s Basketball (five if you count my Pistons’ Stanley Johnson jersey I wore to the Red and Blue Game and to see him play the Suns), football jersey to Football games, baseball jersey to Baseball games, hockey jersey to Ice Cats games, and shirts virtually Sand Volleyball or Track and Field to those events.

If I have a recruiting event on game day, I will throw on a jersey over my shirt and tie.  During the tournament last year I wore a Nick Johnson jersey to an event in the ASU Student Union and then wore it to Mill Avenue where I did the Rondae shimmy during the game.  Yes, everyone knows how big a fan I am.

EVA: Everyone I work with knows! My office displays a lot of UA fan stuff (posters, banners, etc.). We have gotten glitter tattoos on game days. I have worn nail art, stickers, etc., but it’s not necessarily a ritual. We’re definitely always in UA gear at the games. If there are away games we are watching from home, my Precious doggie wears her UA gear (see pic).

ZZ: Do you have a favorite Arizona Wildcat Athletics moment?

DAVE: I’m going to need more than one here.  Jared Tevis intercepting a pass on the first drive of the Independence Bowl a few days after Lezo died (they were close friends for many years), getting a big hug from Jared after he limped out of the locker room after beating ASU in his last game at Arizona Stadium, trying to help Miles Simon cheat at Forrest Gump trivia at Bubba Gump in Maui, Kaleb Tarczewski being super excited to see my mom after the Wooden Legacy Tournament and Stanley Johnson being impressed and then signing my Nike Elite Jersey two days before the team themselves wore them in a game.

Picture by Dave Wietecha

I’m pretty sure I was the first person to wear one to a game.  I also enjoyed helping Allonzo Trier get back into McKale when he was locked out before the season started and a lot of people knew him.

ZZ: Tell us about the pride you feel when you wear the school colors. If you see another Arizona Wildcat wearing the school gear, do you shout out to them? ASU Fans?

DAVE: Always!  We went to Disneyland this past summer, and I said Beardown and Go Cats to several groups of people wearing the colors.  The guy who took our photo in front of the castle went to junior high with Stanley.  I generally don’t refer to that school by name.  I do have the highest respect for the ultimate sacrifice made by Pat Tillman.

EVA: Yes! Beautiful colors- always proud wearing red, white, and blue.

ZZ: Does winning or losing a game affect your mood? In which ways?

DAVE (hilarious answer): Big time! I didn’t eat cheese for a week after we lost to Wisconsin in March.  I feel sorry for anyone who has to spend time with me after we’ve lost.  It’s not pretty.

EVA: It’s sad when the team loses, but it doesn’t affect my being a fan. Of course, it’s always great when the team wins, especially like the Hill Mary against Cal.

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: Who is your favorite Arizona Wildcat player and what sport do they or did they play? Favorite Coach? And why? 

DAVE: Player – Jared Tevis, followed by all of the players I mentioned above, Madison/McKenna Witt of Sand Volleyball (who I met on their recruiting trip), and Jennie Finch, because (you know).

Favorite Head Coach – Fred Harvey, followed by Sean Miller and Steve Walker (Sand Volleyball).  Favorite Assistant Coach – Francesca Green (Track) and Joe Pasternak.

EVA: Past: Sean Elliot, Steve Kerr, Chuck Cecil, Tedy Bruschi, Rob Gronkowski, Nick Foles, Kadeem Carey, Chris Mills, Jared Bayless, Miles Simon, Solomon Hill. More recently (from last year), Jared Tevis, T.J. McConnell, and Nick Johnson.

Present: the entire UA men’s basketball team, notably Gabe York and Ryan Anderson.

Next: Arizona Wildcats: Top 30 athletes in school history

Picture by Dave Wietecha

ZZ: If you could say one thing to them, what would it be? 

DAVE: I am grateful that I have had the chance to tell them in person. 

EVA: Beardown!

Thank you for sharing Dave and Eva! Beardown and we’ll see you at the game!

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