Utah Tech Trailblazers

Last updated
Utah Tech Trailblazers
Utah Tech Trailblazers logo 2022.svg
University Utah Tech University
Conference Western Athletic Conference
United Athletic Conference (football)
NCAA Division I
Athletic directorKen Beazer
Location St. George, Utah
Varsity teams15 (6 men's and 9 women's)
Football stadium Greater Zion Stadium
Basketball arena Burns Arena
Baseball stadium Bruce Hurst Field
MascotBrooks the Bison
(formerly Rodney the Rebel)
NicknameTrailblazers
(formerly Red Storm (2009-2016), Rebels (1952-2009)
ColorsRed, navy blue, and white [1]
     
Website utahtechtrailblazers.com
Utah Tech Trailblazers athletic wordmark 2022.svg

The Utah Tech Trailblazers, formerly known as the Dixie State Trailblazers, the Dixie State Red Storm and the Dixie State Rebels, are the 15 varsity athletic teams that represent Utah Tech University (formerly Dixie State University and similar names), located in St. George, Utah, in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports. The Trailblazers compete as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC); in football, the school competes in the second level of D-I football, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), in the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The UAC was formed after the 2022 football season as a merger of the football leagues of the WAC and the ASUN Conference. [2]

Contents

Utah Tech began competing in NCAA Division II in the 2006–07 academic year (as Dixie State) [3] after being a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association. From 1952 to 2009, as part of a general theme of Confederacy symbolism for the university, the school's nickname was the "Rebels", which was changed to the "Red Storm" in 2009. In 2016, the nickname was changed again to "Trailblazers". [4]

On January 11, 2019, the university announced that it would move its sports program up to NCAA Division I by joining the WAC for all sports except football, which played as an FCS independent for one year before joining DSU's other sports in the WAC after it reinstated football for the 2021 season. The transition to D-I, which began upon the school's arrival in the WAC on July 1, 2020, will take four years; during this time, the Trailblazers will be ineligible for NCAA-sanctioned postseason play in any of their current sports. [5]

On November 10, 2021, the Utah legislature approved the rebranding of the school from Dixie State University to Utah Tech University. The publicly presented name change occurred in May 2022, with the change planned to take legal effect on July 1, 2022. [6] [7]

Sports sponsored

Men's sportsWomen's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross CountryGolf
Football Soccer
GolfSoftball
SoccerSwimming and diving
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball

Club sports

Club pickleball

Utah Tech hosts a club pickleball team which has found success and finished as runner ups in the 2022 DUPR Pickleball Collegiate National Championship, losing to North Carolina. [8]

Related Research Articles

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Utah Tech University (UT), formerly known as Dixie State University (DSU) and similar names, is a public university in St. George, Utah. The university offers master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and associate degrees. As of fall 2022, there are 12,556 students enrolled at UT.

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The Utah Tech Trailblazers football team, formerly known as the Dixie State Trailblazers, represent Utah Tech University in the sport of American football. The Trailblazers compete as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Originally a junior college program, the school joined the NCAA at the Division II level in 2006 and played in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference from 2008 through 2016 and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. In July 2020, they began the transition to NCAA Division I status by moving to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in all sports except football.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Dixie State Trailblazers football team</span> American college football season

The 2021 Dixie State Trailblazers football team represented Dixie State University—now known as Utah Tech University—as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Paul Peterson and played their home games at Greater Zion Stadium in St. George, Utah. Due to the NCAA's transition rules, they were not eligible for the 2021 FCS Playoffs. Dixie State did not play a full WAC schedule in 2021 due to previous non-conference contracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–22 Dixie State Trailblazers men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2021–22 Dixie State Trailblazers men's basketball team represented Dixie State University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Trailblazers, led by 17th-year head coach Jon Judkins, played their home games at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season</span> American college football season

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The 2022–23 Utah Tech Trailblazers men's basketball team represented Utah Tech University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Trailblazers, led by 18th-year head coach Jon Judkins, played home games at Burns Arena in St. George, Utah as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

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References

  1. "Utah Tech University Branding Guide" . Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  2. "ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands as the United Athletic Conference" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  3. "Dixie State Athletics - DSU Men's Basketball Almanac (Division II Era)". Dixieathletics.com. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
  4. Knox, Annie (April 12, 2016). "Dixie State students will now be Trailblazers, represented by a bison". sltrib.com. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  5. Judd, Brandon (January 11, 2019). "Dixie State to move up to Division I, join Western Athletic Conference in 2020-21". deseretnews.com. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  6. "Utah Legislature passes Dixie State name change" . Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  7. "Move over 'Dixie State', Utah Tech University has arrived". St. George News. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  8. UNC Club Pickleball wins national championship