The ZonaZoo, the Arizona Wildcats’ student section, issued an apology to BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the offensive chant following Saturday’s basketball game.
After BYU’s 96-95 victory over Arizona at the McKale Center in Tucson, members of the ZonaZoo chanted, “(Expletive) the Mormons!”
Arizona’s athletic director, Desiree Reed-Francois, expressed regret for the “unacceptable chant” that occurred.
The ZonaZoo’s apology provided further details and mentioned that they had taken steps internally to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“The actions of students after the Arizona vs. BYU game were unacceptable and do not represent the 14,000 ZonaZoo members or our crew. We have implemented measures on our end to address the situation and ensure that nothing like this happens again.
“We apologize to BYU men’s basketball, members of the LDS faith, @BYURoc, and all fans for the words and actions following the game. As a student section, our goal is to make McKale a tough place to play, but our mission is also to Bear Down with pride and offer a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.
“As a university organization, we are dedicated to the university’s core values, including integrity, compassion, inclusion, and adaptation. We recognize that some members of our Wildcat family, including our student-athletes, belong to the LDS faith. Promoting a positive environment where all students feel accepted is a primary objective for both the university and ZonaZo leadership.
“In the future, we urge all students to consider the intent and impact of their words and actions and to Bear Down with pride.”
Arizona’s next home game after the offensive chant will be Wednesday evening against the Utah Utes at McKale Center.
BYU will play Arizona State in Tempe on Wednesday.
