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Month: August 2026
OPINION | The Growth of Utah Tech Should Not Come at the Cost of Connection
Squinting in the sunlight, waving hello to familiar faces, chatting with former professors who still remember your name. This is the experience Utah Tech wants to provide for all their students.
A garden full of seeds must be watered for beautiful flowers to bloom. Utah Tech is much like that garden: it is full of potential, but it needs room to grow and the resources to help its students flourish. As the university’s headlines have been growing beyond the borders of our city, they have been catching the attention of students statewide, out of state and internationally. With that growth have come new programs, housing, and opportunities that prepare students for the outside world. I believe this growth is necessary because it opens doors that would not have existed before. It allows for our campus to unleash its full potential, preparing students to succeed.
However, Utah Tech must be careful that growing does not mean losing the smalltown feeling that made this university special in the first place. The challenge is not whether Utah Tech should grow, but how it can grow while still making students feel known, valued, and part of a community.
Growth has created more opportunities for students to find their place and prepare for life after college. As Utah Tech grows, so do the opportunities for students to become involved and challenge themselves. This semester, the university has reached over 100 clubs, giving students more places to find people with similar interests and goals. Programs such as Mock Trial push students to compete, collaborate, and prepare themselves for experiences beyond the classroom. Utah Tech’s Pickleball team has even reached the number one ranking in the nation, showing what can happen when students are given the resources and opportunities to grow. Like a garden, a campus needs more than seeds to flourish; it needs the resources and space to help those seeds grow.
Utah Tech has also seen an increase in students from around the world. This international community allows for the opportunity of learning from individuals with completely different backgrounds and experiences. Furthermore it gives students the ability to have hard conversations, opening our minds to different and similar ways of thinking around the globe. Through my French classes I have met many students from abroad, making connections otherwise I would not have been able to. I also learned things about other countries that I could not have in any textbook.
Through the Mock Trial Club, I have been able to compete against students from across the country. Standing in front of a jury and being challenged by another team is terrifying, but so rewarding. It is more than a competition. It is a challenge to stand with my opinion and defend it. Every competition, I gain more confidence, not just in my abilities, but also in myself as a person. Through this I have met countless incredible individuals who challenge me on perspectives I had never considered before. These people helped me step out of my comfort zone and grow beyond my own limitations, especially when I was so stuck on my perspective of the case. These opportunities become even more meaningful when our faculty helps students find and make the most of them.
One of the biggest parts of what makes Utah Tech feel so personal is the faculty. Professors not only strive to connect with students in class but want us to succeed in the real world and beyond. Advisors can point us towards new classes and opportunities as well as internships.
Professors also go beyond this by taking steps and using their own networks to allow us to explore our interests. A couple of days ago in one of my classes the professor brought in a group of people all involved in legal studies. In a prior class, one of my classmates mentioned wanting to become a court interpreter. My professor then took extra steps to add an interpreter to the panel that would visit our class.
Professors aren’t just teaching information: they’re helping us figure out how to use that knowledge in our futures. They listen to what their students want to pursue and find ways to help us reach those goals. This is what our university is about, it is about being noticed. Being noticed provides our students with experiences and connections that can follow them beyond their time at Utah Tech.
Like any garden our university needs space to grow, and it has used that to provide room for new students to grow. A garden still needs adequate water space and attention to allow all plants within the garden to grow in a healthy manner. The same will need to occur if Utah Tech is going to maintain, so the individual can continue to become and not end up being lost in the statistics of the university.
One of the things that makes Utah Tech special is having a professor who remembers your name, listens when you mention your goals, and uses their connections to help you find greater opportunities. I have been lucky enough to experience how meaningful that can be. But as classes become larger and the student body continues to grow, I have to wonder how easy it will be for professors to maintain those same relationships with every student. A professor can only give so much attention to each individual, and students can only feel noticed if they have the opportunity to be seen.
Growth should not be something Utah Tech fears. Instead, it should be something the university carefully manages and plans for. There has to be a point where the university asks not only how many students it can bring in but how many students it can serve while keeping the same feeling that everyone loves.
As we continue to grow it is crucial that students don’t get forgotten. The university should assist professors by regulating class sizes to allow for a more personal experience. Our students want to feel like they matter, they want to be noticed, and not just be some stranger in a large class.
Additionally, classes such as foreign languages should be advertised more, because they do not only concern themselves with languages, but also learning more about cultures around the world. It opens your horizon to new concepts you would have not learned otherwise.
Personally I believe Utah Tech should continue focusing on opportunities that will prepare students for the real world, especially more research, internships, and clubs that allow students to compete outside of Utah. They allow for us to apply our knowledge outside of the classroom, and become more well-rounded individuals.
Have you ever been to New York City? It is beautiful, and there is something exciting about being somewhere where nobody knows you. But there are also moments where you can feel like you do not matter. You feel as if you are one person among millions, not one person in a million.
Utah Tech needs growth to reach its full potential. A more diverse student body as well as better resources allow for bright ideas to form and spread. A campus that allows for students to have difficult discussions, is a campus that flourishes.
The goal should be to grow without losing what made students want to come here in the first place. Once the university becomes too focused on numbers to know its students, it may become just another university. And the reason many of us chose to come was because you were never supposed to feel like your presence was of no importance. You were supposed to feel like one in a million.
What You Should Know, But No One Tells You About College
Starting college means more than learning where your classes are or figuring out a new schedule. For many students, it also means getting used to a new home, meeting new people and figuring out how to make a place feel familiar.
Suddenly, students are expected to know where to go, who to ask for help and how to balance school with everything else happening around them. Orientation can explain where to find a classroom, but it cannot tell you which seat will somehow become “your seat,” where you will end up studying between classes or how early you really need to arrive to find parking.
Some of those lessons only come with time.
For Mallory Brown, a freshman surgical technology major from Elko, Nevada, college has already come with a few surprises. One of the first has been learning how to use the time between her classes.
Brown said she has not spent much time in the library yet. Instead, when she has an hour between classes, she finds a building where she can sit down and work.
“If you have, like, an hour, just go to a building, and then just sit there and do your work,” Brown said.
Brown has also learned that some of the most useful college advice can be surprisingly simple.
Before coming to Utah Tech University, Brown knew St. George would be hot, but experiencing the heat has been an adjustment. She also learned that having a sun visor for her car is useful.
“I knew it was gonna be hot, but it’s, like, I’m not even gonna get used to the heat,” Brown said.
While Brown is still figuring out what works for her, returning students have had a few semesters to settle in.
Alyviah Militoni, a sophomore population health major with a focus in pre-nursing, has had another year to find her own routines.
Militoni has found a place she recommends for students who need somewhere to study.
“The second-floor mezzanine in the library, the glass study rooms are the place to go study,” Militoni said.
For students in healthcare-related majors, Militoni said a whiteboard can also make studying easier.
“For my healthcare people, getting a whiteboard for your house, dorm or apartment is a game changer,” Militoni said.
Militoni said students should also remember that professors are a resource even if approaching them can feel intimidating.
“Your professors are not as scary as you might think. Just go talk to them. Most of them really want to help,” Militoni said.
As students spend more time on campus, they can also learn which people and resources are available when they need help.
Trey Whitney, a junior psychology major from St. George, said one of the biggest things he wishes he had known was that students have access to people who can help them.
“You have access to anyone,” Whitney said. “It could be your classmates, teachers, counselors. And don’t be afraid to ask for or to look for it.”
Whitney said students should not be afraid to ask for help when they need it. He has also found places on campus that he enjoys, including the SET building, where he likes the glass rooms.
Whitney said Matt Blanker, who taught anatomy in the SET building, was one of his favorite professors.
For Samantha Phelan, a senior finance major from Las Vegas, some of the lessons she has learned have come after spending several years in college.
One of those lessons is parking. Phelan said students should arrive on time because parking spots in certain lots can fill up.
“Definitely be here on time to get a parking spot. Definitely in certain parking lots,” Phelan said.
Phelan has also learned that waiting until the last minute to study or read a textbook can make schoolwork pile up.
“Don’t wait till the last minute to do all your studying or read a textbook,” Phelan said.
Another lesson Phelan wishes she had known earlier involved the technology required for her major.
“I wish I knew how many of the, like, ISA stuff you can’t do on Mac, ’cause I maybe would have gotten another computer going into college,” Phelan said.
Phelan’s experience with ISA is another example of the small things students may not think about before starting college, such as whether the technology they already have will work for the software required in their major.
For new students, those details can take some time to figure out. Sometimes the most useful advice comes from classmates, professors or other students who have already learned what works for them.
Utah Tech University’s Encampment Mall Ties Community to History
Every year the Encampment Mall hosts numerous events ranging from “Live and Local” to “Dew Pong.” With the Heritage Cove monument in the back to long grassy fields in the front, and the clock tower in the middle Encampment Mall is a place everyone can come and enjoy. Although Encampment Mall actually has a much deeper history then what you might know.
During the 1850s when pioneers first settled in the St. George area their two main priorities were finding a water source and setting up schools for the children even before building their own homes. In an Article from 1999 Richard Whitehead who was the executive director of institutional advancement at the time said “(The) pioneers valued education so much that they built schools before they built homes. Dixie College exists today because of their vision and commitment to education.” It was the pioneers who laid the foundation for St. George and Utah Tech. Without them the city and college that we all know and love would look very different than it does, or maybe it wouldn’t exist at all.
Despite the pioneers having settled in St. George for over a century, Encampment Mall did not exist. The college was here, but their was nothing reminding us about the history of the pioneers. Sherry Ruesch, the assistant vice president of facilities management, said when she graduated in 1985 “there was no Encampment Mall I mean (it) wasn’t called that. We used to park on the other side of Jennings.”
Now nearly three decades later Heritage Cove is still here. Students and faculty pass by every day, unaware of just how much history they are walking by unaware of what Encampment Mall really is, and what it stands for. The name “Encampment” comes from when the pioneers first settled and they camped at a location not too far from where the Encampment Mall fountain is. They would “put their wagons in a circle” and from there they would lay out the town.
Encampment Mall (ranging from the end of heritage cove down to the parking lot) and Heritage Cove (just the memorial) finally got the attention it deserved nearly a decade later in 1998 when Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, came and dedicated the monument in front of thousands. Finally the pioneers that worked so hard to build this town up from nothing could have the recognition they deserved. This meant so much to the community that “donors around town actually came up with the funding to build the monument … they bought sculptures and created the landscaping.” -Sherry Ruesch
Despite starting from just a few wagons St. George grew into a city. Now the Encampment Mall stands proudly for the community to come see. A monument for the trials and hardships that the community faced. Running from Heritage Cove all the way down to the parking lot the Encampment Mall is over four times the sizes of a football field. This would be big enough to put in multiple new buildings, back to back. Despite the potential value of this “Encampment Mall is protected ground” -Sherry Ruesch. This means that unless someone decides differently there will not be anything built on the Encampment Mall. If there would ever be something built on it for whatever reason then Heritage Cove, and Encampment Mall would have the support of not just Utah Tech students, but the community as well.
America First Performing Arts Center Begins New Chapter After Renovation
New Beginnings for the Arts
Many of you might remember the M.K. Cox Performing Arts Center with that dingy and old feel to it. But that feeling is now gone thanks to the old building being newly renovated into this jaw dropping venue that sparkles into the night now known as America First Performing Arts Center. This new performing arts center is located here on our beautiful campus and it is a meaning and representation of what can happen when our school and community come together as one.
The entire reason that the building was needing some renovation was because it has been around for 40 years. It took about two years from start to finish to get all the renovations completed and the staff trained that will be running it from day to day. This has all lead up to the ribbon cutting and grand opening that happed on Saturday. Even though its projected opening was supposed to be three months ago.
“You really couldn’t hear what was going on in other places on the stage…sound varied about every 10 or 15 feet depending on where you sat,” said Dean Jeff Jarvis, dean of the College of Arts.
Now since the renovation the sound can be heard from any seat in the house, and makes you feel like you are at a full blown concert.
“[Performing] makes me feel amazing, especially when playing,” said Tammy Tremea, a member of the Southwest Symphony Board and plays in the orchestra. “I feel like our symphony is already good but playing here just elevated it. I want to perform here.”
In addition to the sound improvements that happened to the entire theater. The venue was also modernized with very extensive digital upgrades.
“Bulk of the programming in the building is not digital”, said Jarvis. “With the programming being digital now it gives the opportunity to our school and the community to have things such as a road show come perform here and just overall improve the center.”
Other big changes visitors will immediately notice is the new lobby. A lobby is such a vital part of any performing arts center because audiences like to congregate and discuss after any performance, but the old building lacked a lobby, leaving no room for those post show conversations. In the lobby you will notice on both sides that there are couches and just seating all around the edges for you to talk comfortably. Other big eye-catchers are the Hall of Fame wall, concession stands, and tables all over for whatever needs one may have.
Making your way through the lobby you will also notice the two double staircases right in front of you on both sides that will lead you to the upper sections. But, once you step into the actual theater you will immediately notice the brand new seating, the newly added balcony, the orchestra level, and additional seating on top of that. Other items you might observe as well are the brand new lights that have been put in. These lights are bright enough to help you find your seat whenever and even brighter to light up any performance that may happen in here.
Some behind-the-scenes improvements that you might not know about are the brand new dressing rooms, which there are ones specifically for students and then others for celebrities. Other improvements include extra storage space on both sides of the stage and underneath, two loading docks for trailers, and a brand new bonus room upstairs for banquets and other events.
A lot went into this renovation and a huge part of that are the donors. And this renovation project cost about $34.3 million. There were a lot of helping hands involved as this center is for the school, community, and city.
Some of those helping hands include names such as “American First Credit Union, Utah Tech University, City of St. George, and Washington County,” said Sherry J Ruesch, Utah Tech University Assistant Vice President of Facilities Management.
Some might still be wondering why the name was changed, well for starters it is pretty simple. It all has to do with money.
“[The name] changed because America First Credit Union came forward with a large donation to go towards the remodel and construction,” said Ruesch.
The new beginning that has happened here for the America First Performing Arts Center that started immediately after that ribbon was cut is a chapter people are really excited about more than nervous. This was shown through the enormous amount of chatter happening between others and just the pure joy and happiness that was being shown on people’s faces. You could truly feel the energy inside that theater especially when there was not a single empty seat or phone in sight when that curtain raised and the first performer hit the stage.
Now with the building entering its new chapter there are many new and exciting opportunities to be looking forward to. Such as the possibility of travel broadway shows and the return of the Utah Symphony. The next show one can catch here though is Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. when the music department will be having there showcase concert.
OPINION | AI Has No Place in the Arts
The lights shut off, and the crowd finds their seats as they prepare to watch what they assume is just a whimsical kids production at their small local theater. As the show begins, the music creeps in, and the kids come out singing in front of an artificial-looking backdrop that appears to have never been touched by human hands. I can’t believe my eyes.
For months, I saw a theater advertising a kids production using lines like, “come be part of the world they’re creating.” I couldn’t help but notice the irony in that statement when they chose to forgo creativity and rely on lazy alternatives, like a sloppy backdrop “created” by artificial intelligence.
At intermission, the theater displayed art examples drawn by the kids for the backdrops. I was confused by the decision to drop the kids’ hand-drawn art for something they didn’t create.
The kids did a fantastic job combatting the poor creative decisions made by the production organizers. The production itself was adorable, and that couldn’t be taken away by anybody.
AI has waged war on more than just small theaters. AI has continued to develop and become a hot topic in national politics; hard questions regarding its place in our society remain unanswered. Arguments for AI usage in other fields are understandable to me, but the debate over whether it has a place in art or not is ridiculous.
AI generates art through collecting millions of examples throughout the internet and using aspects from everything it gathers to create an image. In other words, AI is incapable of creating original content.
In 2024, cartoonist Sarah Andersen and a handful of other visual artists filed a class-action lawsuit against Stability AI after they unlawfully stole billions of copyrighted images off of the internet to train their AI art generator.
The lawsuit has yet to reach a conclusion, and evidence is still being gathered for the case. Artists are now fighting for a place in their own field, with AI quickly invading their domain.
This isn’t the first time Stability AI has seen lawsuits.
In 2023, Getty Images took Stability AI to the High Court of England and Wales, accusing Stability of taking millions of watermarked and copyrighted images without permission to train the Stable Diffusion AI model. In 2025 the English High Court ruled in favor of Stability AI.
Amidst the lawsuits and usage of AI in local theaters, some artists are still considering AI a viable creative option.
In a press release written by American artist, Craig Boehman in December 2024, he stated: “It’s not only about convenience. For me, at the heart of it, it’s about expression and intention.” AI was never supposed to be convenient, and expression and intention are not generated, they are created.
Boehman continues to express little concern with the changes that could be made to the job market, mentioning that he is aware that AI may take jobs. He argues, “Unfortunately and fortunately, time moves on. We’re all subject to these forces of change.”
Artists face a lot of challenges when competing with AI, but what scares me the most is there seems to be no sense of urgency from those around me.
The lack of concern from the attendees at the small local kids production, as well as Boehman’s response to AI’s potentially taking of jobs, raises questions over how normalized generative AI has become.
I rebuke the AI invasion over the arts, and I urge everybody to reconsider it’s role in our society. Artificial intelligence never has and never will have a place in art.
Montana State Shut Out Utah Tech 54-0 in Big Sky Debut
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Utah Tech’s debut in the Big Sky Conference ended in a 54-0 shutout Saturday night as Montana State stunned the Trailblazers at Greater Zion Stadium.
The Bobcats controlled the game from the opening quarter, scoring 10 points in the first quarter before adding 16 in the second to take a 26-0 lead going into halftime. Montana State continued to pull away from the Trailblazers after the break. The Bobcats scored 14 points in the third and fourth quarters.
Quarterback Justin Lamson led the Bobcats’ offense, completing 22 of 30 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown pass while also using his feet to rush in for a score. Backup quarterback Patrick Duchien added a touchdown pass, while running back Adam Jones scored on the ground.
Montana State’s defense was just as dominant as their offense. The Bobcats limited Utah Tech’s offense to a total of 227 yards with just 12 first downs while forcing three turnovers. Utah Tech quarterback Bronson Barben threw for two interceptions, including one that Montana State defensive back Brendan Ross returned 28 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Utah Tech struggled to find rhythm offensively. An early interception seemed to slow down the Trailblazers early momentum. Utah Tech only managed to rush for 58 yards on 26 carries and converted only four of 13 third-down opportunities.
Montana State continued to look like title contenders after ending last season on a 14-game win streak. This game ended in a statement victory from the Bobcats. It was their first official game back after winning in overtime against Illinois State in the Football Championship Subdivision title game. Montana State will look to continue this form when they host Butler on Saturday, Sept. 5.
For Utah Tech, this game was a difficult introduction entering the Big Sky Conference. The Trailblazers ended the 2025 season with a record of 2-10 and entered the 2026 season looking to establish themselves in a new conference. Utah Tech’s next outing will see them travel to No. 14 BYU on Saturday, Sept.5.
Utah Tech University Combats Water Usage Amidst Drought
Landscape changes and irrigation technology at Utah Tech University help to conserve water during Utah’s historic drought and low reservoir levels.
Historic Low Water Levels in Reservoirs
In Utah, total reservoir capacity is currently at 30%, while snowpack levels this year peaked three weeks early on March 9. The snowmelt helps resupply groundwater and reservoir levels, unlike heavy rains which cause flooding, such as the flooding Southern Utah experienced in July.
“Think about if you had a cup full of overnight oats,” said Christina Pondell, assistant professor of environmental science. “And you just let your milk sit on top and wait for it to get all the way down. It takes a long time. That’s kind of what’s happening with the groundwater.”
Water Use on Campus
Reclaimed water is used for irrigation on Utah Tech’s campus, which comes from skyline pond and travels down a pipe under University Avenue. Water used for irrigation is closely monitored.
“We have meters on all of our resources, whether it’s gas, water, electric,” said Nate Eaton, director of facility operations and energy at Utah Tech. “So we can see how many gallons of water are being filtered through campus at any given time, at any given time of the day.”
Sprinkler heads on campus have sensors, but do not work as well with the dry climate of St. George. Even small amounts of water can shut the sprinklers off. Instead, irrigation on campus is radio controlled, and the water can be turned on and off from a laptop.
Another way that water usage is reduced is through landscaping. Replacing grass with artificial turf in areas such as the encampment mall was an option, but not done because of the heat in St. George.
“If we turfed that and just had to look green and I think the students wouldn’t go watch live and local because…you’d just be cooking out there, and it’s really hot here.” said Sherry Ruesch, assistant vice president for facilities management at Utah Tech.
Instead of grass, which takes up more water, desertscape landscaping is used. Desertscape uses desert plants native to our area that can survive for long periods of time without water.
“Water is expensive,” Ruesch said. “It’s hard to come by and we have to be smart about it.”
Landscaping at New Buildings
The landscaping needed at the new America First Performing Arts Center came with challenges. When it came to deciding on plants to go outside the America First Performing Arts Center, landscape architects from outside of Southern Utah did not understand the need to use plants that could survive the heat.
“I told them I’ve never heard of that plant before,” Ruesch said. “It’s obviously not on the approved list. You put them in and none of them survived our heat. They died and it was very sad.”
The plants that died were replaced with desertscape plants, which include plants like yuccas, oleanders and bird of paradise.
“There’s a balance between having the campus look beautiful and inviting to the students and their families and being water wise,” Ruesch said.
State Mandates on Outdoor Water Usage
From 2020 to 2022, Utah Tech reduced water usage by 24%. This was done by removing 243,696 square feet of turf grass and improved maintenance of irrigation systems.
In 2022, the Utah State legislature passed H.B. 121, which set targets for outdoor water use for state agencies, including public institutions of higher education. This law requires outdoor water usage to be reduced by at least 25% by the end of 2026.
At Utah Tech, the shift from grass to desertscape has helped to reduce water usage. Reducing water usage and providing a welcoming environment for students and staff are both considered.
“We’re all trying to do our best and be the best stewards of what is a really high commodity at this point,” Ruesch said.
Countywide power outage
Washington County residents are resuming their normal lives after a countywide power outage left households, businesses and traffic lights off for hours Thursday night.
The outage has reportedly been due to a Pacificorp regional transformer issue. For hours restoration efforts were taking place as Dixie Power enacted rolling blackouts to get busy infrastructure back on. As of Friday morning all power has been restored in the county.
In the city of St. George’s newest update, they state, “To get the lights back on safely without overloading the grid, the St. George Energy Services team routed a smaller backup feed and restored power in careful, gradual steps.”
During the hours of no power, residents had to treat intersections as four-way stops, creating slowed traffic across the county. More than 10 car crashes happened when the traffic lights were unable to aid drivers.
Despite the power being out the night became alive as residents left their houses for entertainment. With the lack of screens, the county became alive as many flocked to meet up with friends at gas stations, parks and other public places.
After the outage, the city of St. George is asking residents to conserve power.
- Turning off unnecessary lights.
- Avoiding using large appliances.
- Turning off pool pumps.
- Avoiding charging vehicles.
This an ongoing story. Sun News Daily will update when more information is available.
Last updated: Aug. 28, 12:15 p.m.
Utah Tech Women’s Soccer Eyes Big Sky Title in New Era
A new season brings new expectations for Utah Tech women’s soccer as the Trailblazers head into their first season in the Big Sky Conference.
After six seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, Utah Tech is entering a new chapter in the Big Sky Conference. While preseason games have produced mixed results for the Trailblazers, the team is using its non-conference schedule to prepare for conference play beginning in October.
“We’ve created this very tough non-conference for these players to really make sure that we see every scenario that we need to before we step into conference play,” head coach Lexi Brown said.
Utah Tech will continue its non-conference schedule on August 31 with a home game against Utah. Following their contest with the Utes, the Trailblazers face a tough stretch in their schedule, including Utah State, Colorado State and CSUN. The non-conference is where Utah Tech can prepare the team for the ultimate goal.
“Our goal is to win the Big Sky and advance to the NCAA tournament,” Brown said. “We feel like with this year’s team and with the conference we are in a great position to do so.”
Those expectations have followed Utah Tech into a new season. Despite being one of the newcomers in the conference, the Trailblazers were ranked third in the Big Sky Soccer Coaches Poll.
“We know that preseason polls really mean nothing,” Brown said. “We hoped and kind of expected to be placed high based on what we return, but it does place some pressure on us.”
Living up to the expectations of the preseason polls will come with a lot of tough battles for the Trailblazers.
“We’re going to get everyone’s best game and we’re going to have a little bit of a target on our back,” Brown said.
The Trailblazers have had a difficult preseason start with a 1-2-1 record, but redshirt junior Lataya Brost sees the preseason games as important opportunities to prepare for any situation during the season.
“I think continuing to remember that preseason is to prepare us for the season, and really our main goal is to do well in the Big Sky,” Brost said. “We know that championship teams do the dirty work. They do the work that’s ugly. That’s not fun. So we know that winning is going to be ugly sometimes.”
Despite the difficult start, the Trailblazers believe their chemistry and trust in one another will allow them to achieve the goals they set for this season. For Brost, that trust starts with the more experienced players and extends to the fresh faces.
“Just the underclassmen being able to trust us that we’re not going to lead them astray and we have their back,” Brost said. “Also, we’re going to celebrate each other’s wins 100% of the time. At the end of the day, even though we are competing, we are a team and we’re just always going to be there for each other.”
That confidence and trust has helped create belief within the team that they can achieve big things in their first year in the new conference. Senior forward Ella Rusick said the team does not look at themselves as the underdog entering the Big Sky.
“This is our first year in the Big Sky, and so usually people think, ‘Oh, we’re the underdogs, so we have nothing to lose. But we believe every single one of us on our team believes that we can win the Big Sky,” Rusick said. “ I think that’s the key: trusting each other and trusting that we can win.”
