Dixie State University’s female students have worked hard to outplay the past athletes on campus.
There are many records the women have broken over the past few years that may not have been as recognizable as others.
Cross-Country
The women’s cross-country team has one athlete who broke through and became nationally known. Rachel Young, who graduated in 2012, won the Pacific West Conference meet in 2011.
“(Young) was the only one that we took to the postseason meet,” said Ross Decker, an associate professor of math and assistant cross-country coach. “After conference comes the national qualifier, (the NCAA) calls it the regional meet, and then (there is) nationals. (Young) came two seconds from qualifying for nationals.”
Decker said Young was heart-broken because nationals was her main goal. He said Young came back with a vengeance her senior year and became the first ever Division II Dixie State athlete to become an All-American in any sport.
“(Young’s) No. 1 goal was to go to nationals,” Decker said. “Nationals were in Joplin, Mo. Everything went right as planned. She moved up from 60th after one mile to 30th after two miles.”
Young finished No. 28 in the national race and became an All-American. The top 40 runners become All-Americans.
Softball
Another female athlete with records is two-sport athlete Johnna Brown, a DSU graduate. Brown not only owns many basketball records, including the scoring, field goals made, rebounds and steals among others, but she also owns softball single-season records for batting average, slugging percentage and on base percentage.
The softball team is the most successful team in Dixie State history since becoming a Division II program. The softball team has won 71 percent of its games since the 2006-2007 season, including a 40-14 season in 2012-2013.
Volleyball
The volleyball team had its best season in 2013 since it went 18-7 in 2009. The team ended the season with a 17-10 record. It was the first time the volleyball team made the postseason tournament in DSU D-II history.
Basketball
Dixie State athletics hit its 1,000th victory in its 7 1/2 years as a Division II program. The win fell upon the women’s basketball team in a game against the University of Hawaii at Hilo Jan. 2.
“I had no idea we were even close to that, but it was a good announcement after the game,” said Kaylah Miller, a junior communication major from San Diego. “We played that game together as a team, and it was really good as a team to get that win.”
Miller then went on to break the record for most 3-pointers made in a single game. After not making a single 3-pointer out of 12 shots against California Baptist University, Miller kept her head up and made eight for 16 3-point shots against Azusa Pacific University.
“Coach Turner told me to keep shooting,” Miller said. “The positivity she brings for me as a player and (for) the team has helped a lot. I had a different mindset in the game against Cal. Baptist than I did against Azusa Pacific.”
Senior guard Haley Holmstead has a chance to set a record on scoring average in a single season and in a career. Holmstead is averaging 21.6 points this season. If she stays at that pace, Holmstead will beat Johnna Brown’s single season record of 17.0 and Tiara Bowman’s career record of 16.8 points per game.
Tennis
Tennis players also joined the record books at Dixie State.
Sophomore Joy Naigeon leads all tennis players with the most singles wins in a season with nine wins and a career with 12. Junior Sierra Smith holds the record for most doubles wins in a career with 10.
For more information and a full list of stats, visit dixieathletics.com. To find the stats, click on the individual sport and then click “career stats” or “stats.”
