After being the runner-up in the West Coast Regional Conference duel last year, Dixie State University’s wrestling team will host the same tournament this year.
Dixie earned the right to host the tournament by its strong finish as a runner-up in the conference tournament last year. This will be the first time since 1999 that this conference tournament has been held outside of California and the first time it has ever been held in Utah.
Head coach Brian Pace said the men have been working hard by going to practice on their own time throughout the year, and they expect to see the same results this season.
“The guys at practice have been a lot more serious in training, and I think that the team as a whole will be a lot more aggressive this season,” said Aaron Camis, a senior business major from Big Piney, Wyo. “With that, there is a reason regions are being held here.”
Camis said the men need to be present and show up with their best effort each day in order to accomplish what they did last year.
Dixie has been making its presence felt by competing with Division I, II and III teams at open tournaments and walking away with medals the previous two years. DSU wrestling has been featured in WIN Magazine as a club competing with the big boys.
DSU began the 2011 season as the new team in the West Coast Conference and the National Collegiate Wrestling Association. Dixie State placed sixth in the West Coast Conference and the National Collegiate Wrestling Association its first season at San Jose State University. Dixie came out of the duel with six All-Americans and four champions.
“When you have dedicated, hardworking, responsible, voluntary student athletes who love to compete and have a passion for the sport, it sets the foundation for the success,” Pace said. “We have a good group of solid guys.”
The Dixie State wrestling team invites all students to come and be part, watch or support the team during its 2013-2014 campaign.
You can follow its schedule at Redstormwrestling.org and NCWA.net.