When Phoenix made a bid to host the Women's Final Four, Christina Wombacher understood the importance of the moment.
As the senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator for Arizona State and a Phoenix native, Wombacher has seen the city host Super Bowls, Men's Final Fours and three NBA All-Star Games.
"The Women's Final Four was the main event we were missing," she said. "It was really important for us to get it out here."
After Phoenix won the bid, Wombacher dove headfirst into her role on the leadership team for the Local Organizing Committee. She has helped set up ancillary events, including finding panelists, inviting youth organizations and setting up the Read to the Final Four competition.
The former college basketball athlete loves playing a part in the growth of the game.
"I'm just excited for women's basketball and its growth and trajectory. I'm thankful for ESPN, the TV partners and social media because the viewership has been record-breaking for women's basketball over the past few years," she said. "Women's basketball has always been good. We've always had it, we just haven't had the awareness or the ability to tell the story. Now we're catching up. We have a long way to go, but it's really fun to see."
To Wombacher, the 2026 Women's Final Four is the chance to bring the sport that changed her life to her hometown.
Basketball roots
Wombacher and her three sisters all played multiple sports, and their competition with one another drove their passion to become great athletes. She was the kid running lines with the boys team after practice and working out late at night.
"I think my dad wanted four boys to all be in sports, but we filled that role with our competitiveness and drive," Wombacher said. "I mean, we fought over the front seat, we fought over dinner, we fought over the shower. It was insane in a good way."
Out of high school, she committed to Yavapai College, a junior college in Prescott, Arizona. She became the program's all-time leading scorer, later earning a spot in the school's Athletics Hall of Fame. After the 1997-98 season, she transferred to Boise State.
Some of Wombacher's fondest memories of basketball were made in the summer between junior college and Boise State. She completed every single workout in a packet they sent her, waking up at 5 a.m. to run.
Once at Boise State, though, her basketball career didn't go as anticipated. Everyone was a junior college All-American. Everyone had scoring records. At one point, Wombacher didn't travel with the team.
It was a wakeup call, and she talked to her coach. Yes, she had the work ethic, but she needed to focus harder on the details.
Wombacher listened. She began to take the charges, dive on the ground for every loose ball, get the steals, and make the plays that didn't show up on the stat sheet in a big way but made a huge difference. Eventually, she became a starter.
"You can work really hard, but then there's still certain things you need to do to get playing time," she said. "It was that 'aha moment.'"
Arizona State
After graduation, Wombacher became an administrative assistant and eventually a director of operations for the Arizona State women's basketball team.
Her role with the team touched everything besides coaching. She covered travel planning, fundraising, donor relations, marketing and community service. The role showed her the power of opportunity.
"I learned career development comes from owning the role you're in," she said. "Build those relationships, and then doors will open for you."
After 14 years on the women's basketball staff, Wombacher assumed a broader role in the school's athletics department, eventually earning the role of senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator in 2021.
"We have 650 athletes, and a very small percentage of them are going pro," she said. "We focus on maximizing their resources while they're here and planning their futures not just in sport."
Wombacher helps student-athletes in their development and leadership. Their athletics department motto is if there's a problem, they can find a solution.
At Arizona State, an emphasis is placed on the human student-athlete.
"We talk about their well-being, mental health, academics. … We put the student before the athlete, but now I feel like it's about putting the human before the student," she said. "Everything they do now is going to translate into their career."
Her intentionality has led to lifelong relationships. Student-athletes often call her after they graduate, telling her they couldn't have done it without her. She will travel with teams, sitting with them at meals or in the academics center. Student-athletes who want to work in sports come to her office and ask her about her journey.
Small moments like passing her student-athletes in the halls and congratulating them on their wins make a difference.
"It's just good to see them light up when they feel supported," she said.
For Wombacher, the journey from player to administrator has been a lifelong path that ended with discovering a true vocation.
"It's hard work when you're running the stadiums, but now I look at the stadiums, and I want to run them again. You miss it. It's important to stay connected and pause because it goes by so fast," she said.
"I don't know what I would do without basketball. There's just a lot more opportunity than I knew going into this career. And really, I don't think I could work anywhere else."
