Tag: Featured Sports

After a 9-20 season, Adam Wardenburg was announced as the next Utah Tech University women’s basketball head coach April 20.

Wardenburg is the sixth women’s basketball coach since joining the NCAA in 2020. This follows the departure of former head coach JD Gustin. On April 2, the university announced he would not return to coach the team.

A press conference was held April 21 at the Clyde Lounge on the fourth floor of Greater Zion Stadium. Wardenburg, athletic director Ken Beazer, and associate athletic director Steve Johnson were on the stand to answer questions. In attendance were Wardenburg’s family, Utah Tech athletic staff and members of the public.

Beazer explained in the press conference that the hiring process moved “quickly, and very precise[ly], and a lot of things had to happen.”

He said the athletic department was getting tips from all over the country for potential head coaches. When Beazer had his first phone call with Wardenburg, he knew it wouldn’t be the last conversation with him. Beazer joked that Wardenburg having a son named Brooks was “meant to be.”

Qualities that stood out to Beazer about Wardenburg was his work ethic, integrity and light he brings to the program.

Wardenburg moved to St. George at a young age and enjoyed attending games at the then Dixie Junior College. He said his love for basketball came from watching basketball games at the Burns Arena.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled in this full circle moment to be the next head coach here,” Wardenburg said.

The NCAA athletic transfer portal closed April 21, giving him a day to reach out to athletes in the portal. Wardenburg is moving quickly with his coaching and roster decisions. He said he has one assistant coach on the way, and he has visits set for the upcoming week. Wardenburg said it’s about finding the right athletes who are a good fit for St. George.

“I’m so excited to build this program in the way I know it’s supposed to be,” Wardenburg said. “I’m going to assemble a roster who’s going to work hard, just like everybody in this community has.”

Wardenburg’s main pitch to recruits is the opportunity to help build a championship-level program at Utah Tech from the ground up.

Using his experience from the United States Air Force Academy and Utah Valley University athletic teams, he will implement a culture of hard work, dedication and the ability to handle high stake situations in real time.

Thirteen of the 16 Utah Tech athletic teams will be joining the Big Sky Conference, starting July 1. With this change, Wardenburg says he will start the athletes in the weight room.

Wardenburg admitted he doesn’t expect the team to win the Big Sky Conference every year, but he does expect his team to form a bond with each other.

“Our kids are going to play together, our staff is going to be together, and we need the community support that shows that and is representative of that,” Wardenburg said.

The women’s basketball team has a history of season-ending injuries. Wardenburg said he will work on consistency with strength coaches and trainers to help the athletes prevent injuries.

“Here we are with a chance to reset the identity of that league, and make a difference from the beginning,” Wardenburg said.

At the end of the press conference, Wardenburg brought his wife and four kids to the stand to introduce them to the community. He thanked his wife and kids for allowing him to accept this job.

Hosting the University of Nevada, Las Vegas April 14, the Utah Tech University baseball team dropped an 8–6 decision as a late push fell short of a comeback.

UNLV set the tone in the third inning, taking advantage of free bases and timely hitting to score the game’s first runs. The Rebels continued to apply pressure in the fourth, capitalizing on additional opportunities to extend their lead to 6–0. Utah Tech struggled to contain the inning, as a combination of walks, hits and defensive lapses allowed UNLV to build separation early.

Utah Tech responded in the bottom of the fourth, getting on the board with a run to cut into the deficit. While the Trailblazers began to show more discipline at the plate, the turning point came two innings later.

In the sixth, Utah Tech put together its most productive offensive frame of the night. The inning began with consecutive baserunners and quickly developed into a sustained rally. Multiple hits led to four runs, trimming the UNLV lead to 6–5. The inning marked a clear shift in momentum, as Utah Tech’s offense found rhythm and forced the Rebels to adjust on the mound.

Following the sixth, both teams settled into a quieter stretch. Utah Tech’s bullpen stabilized the game and kept the deficit within one, while the offense looked for an opportunity to complete the comeback.

UNLV, however, added critical insurance runs in the ninth inning. With runners on base, the Rebels executed with a key RBI single and a hit-by-pitch that brought in another run, extending the lead to 8–5.

Utah Tech mounted one final rally in the bottom of the ninth. After reaching base and putting pressure on UNLV’s pitching staff, the Trailblazers scored once to cut the deficit to two, and brought the tying run into play. Despite the late opportunity, UNLV was able to record the final outs and secure the win.

While it took a while for UT’s offense to get going in the game, right fielder Hudson Manwaring would put together a solid effort at the plate, recording two hits and an RBI.

After some early season struggles offensively, the junior finance major from Salt Lake City has upped his batting average to .267 while providing outstanding defense in the outfield.

“I definitely have had some ups and downs,” Manwaring said postgame. “There’s been some frustration, but it’s been good. I feel like I’m working my way back and getting back to how I was playing last season.”

Aside from the offensive inconsistency, Utah Tech was forced to use eight pitchers in the loss, with Ethan Gardner’s two-inning relief experience being the highlight.

Gardner, a senior management major from Meridian, Idaho, tossed a pair of scoreless frames while allowing two hits and striking out four.

“It felt good, I just trusted my stuff and knew that I was better and that they really couldn’t hit it,” Gardner said.

Despite the defeat, UT faces a quick turnaround chance for a win, as they host Washington State University April 15.

“It’s exciting to get to turn around and play,” head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said after the game. “That’s the last thing we said in our meeting was, ‘Hey, in 20 hours we’re back at it, so we’ve got to flush this and get ready to rock and roll.'”

On championship March 29, at Black Desert Resort, music echoed across the courts, fans packed the grandstands and pickleball’s biggest stars battled under the southern Utah sun.

What unfolded over the weekend was more than another stop on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour. It was a declaration that St. George has firmly established itself as one of the premier pickleball destinations in the country.

The Greater Zion Cup marked the first professional pickleball tournament ever held at Black Desert’s brand-new pickleball complex — a venue completed just in time for its national debut.

According to Black Desert Resort managing partner Patrick Manning, the courts had not seen a single match before the PPA arrived.

“The very first pickleball that hit those courts was during this tournament,” Manning said. “There was no soft opening. The team pulled off something that felt almost impossible.”

That last-minute push mirrored the rapid rise of pickleball itself, a sport that has exploded in popularity nationwide and found an ideal home in southern Utah’s climate, scenery and active community.

Once play began, the Greater Zion Cup delivered elite competition across every division. In mixed doubles, Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns claimed gold over Anna Bright and Hayden Patriquin. Waters continued a dominant weekend by sweeping women’s doubles alongside Bright against Parris Todd and Kate Fahey, then added a women’s singles title by defeating Fahey in the finals.

Johns earned another championship in men’s doubles with partner Gabriel Tardio after a five-game battle against Patriquin and Christian Alshon, while Christopher Haworth capped the weekend by winning the men’s singles final over Federico Staksrud.

While the high-level play was expected, the atmosphere surrounding the matches stood out just as much. Manning believes pickleball offers something different from traditional sporting events.

“The vibe was electric,” he said. “It was loud, it was energetic and it felt different from traditional golf events that we host here. Pickleball brings music, emotion and fans who are really engaged. It creates a completely different experience.”

That energy resonated with players and spectators alike, but the Greater Zion Cup was not an overnight success story. Pickleball has been deeply rooted in St. George for years, with public courts across the city consistently busy and players ranging from retirees to college students sharing the same space.

Matt Liggett, co-host of the “Poachers Pickleball Podcast,” attended the event in person and said the tournament reflected what locals have long known about the area.

“I thought the atmosphere was fantastic,” Liggett said. “Saturday and Sunday especially, being there all day, it felt like a real event — energetic, packed, and fun to be a part of.”

Liggett pointed to Black Desert’s purpose-built design as a major strength, particularly the championship court.

“The center court is built specifically for pickleball, and you’re so much closer to the action than at other venues,” he said. “For a championship court, it’s the best setup I’ve been to.”

Even with portions of the resort still under construction and challenges like limited shade during a hot weekend, Liggett said the tournament succeeded where it mattered most.

“It wasn’t finished yet, but overall the setup was really good,” he said. “You could tell it’s only going to get better moving forward.”

That same momentum is evident at the collegiate level, where the Utah Tech Pickleball Club team has emerged as a national powerhouse. The program recently captured a world championship, a remarkable achievement for a club sport.

Brinley Horton, president of the Utah Tech Pickleball Club, said the team’s rise reflects the broader growth of the sport.

“What used to be a social club has turned into a competitive pathway,” Horton, a sophomore recreation and sport management major from Sandy, said. “College pickleball has become a ladder toward professional play, and being in St. George gives us a huge advantage.”

Horton explained that the team now competes at elite tournaments across the country, sending four-player squads to national events. Increased exposure, sponsorships and success have followed.

“We’ve gone from winning regional events to national titles, and now a world championship,” Horton said. “That doesn’t happen without access to great courts, strong competition and a community that supports the sport.”

For Utah Tech players, having the PPA Tour come to their backyard carried extra significance.

“Seeing the pros compete here shows that St. George belongs on the pickleball map,” Horton said. “It motivates our players and shows what’s possible.”

For Black Desert Resort, hosting professional pickleball is only the beginning. Manning sees the sport as a key piece of the resort’s long-term vision.

“We’re building something that’s vibrant,” Manning said. “Pickleball adds energy and leisure to the resort in a way that complements golf and other events.”

He believes pickleball’s accessibility and fast-paced nature make it ideal for both fans and participants — and a powerful driver of tourism.

“We’re already getting interest from people who saw the broadcast and want to come play here,” Manning said. “That kind of exposure puts St. George on a national and international stage.”

As the PPA Tour moves on and the courts at Black Desert remain, one thing is clear: pickleball in southern Utah is no longer emerging — it has arrived.

And if the Greater Zion Cup was any indication, St. George is just getting started.

As the NCAA men’s basketball tournament heads toward its conclusion, the University of Michigan, the University of Arizona, the University of Illinois and the University of Connecticut all punched their tickets to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

As we approach the Final Four matchups between Arizona and Michigan, along with UConn and Illinois, let’s take a look at how each team won in the Elite Eight.

In the Elite Eight, Michigan was able to take down the Tennessee Volunteers, Arizona took down Purdue, Illinois came out on top over Iowa and UConn took down Duke thanks to some late-game heroics.

Michigan vs. Tennessee

The Wolverines showcased their offensive firepower in a 95-62 win over the Volunteers. Forward
Yaxel Lendeborg led the way for Michigan with 27 points on 10-19 shooting.

“When this group got together… we all wanted to make it to the national championship and win,” Lendeborg said in an interview with ESPN. “We worked tirelessly on making sure that our mental is right, not just physical, and we all trust each other. We all play hard for each other.”

Head coach Dusty May now leads Michigan to the Final Four in only his second season at the helm for the Wolverines. In the win over Tennessee, Michigan also extended its single-season record wins total with 35.

“We have a sign in our locker that [reads] ‘April Habits,’ and from Day 1, we challenged these guys to develop championship-level habits that would allow us to win a Big Ten championship, and would also allow us to turn the calendar from March until April,” May said. “Now we’ve put ourselves in position to do that.”

Michigan now will face fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the semifinals April 4.

Purdue vs. Arizona

Arizona prevailed 79-64 over Purdue after making a second-half comeback. After trailing 38-31 at the end of the first half, the Wildcats outscored the Boilermakers 48-26 in the second half.

“I said, ‘Guys, the coaching staff and I are going to leave right now,'” head coach Tommy Lloyd said in an interview with ESPN. “‘You guys got a few minutes to talk amongst yourselves and kind of figure this deal out, and let’s go kick their ass in the second half.'”

Arizona’s top freshmen, Brayden Burries, Ivan Kharchenkov and Koa Peat combined for 52 points in the biggest moment of their young careers.

The Wildcats now head back to the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and extended their single-season record wins total to 36.

Illinois vs. Iowa

Illinois also got back to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years after beating Iowa 71-59.

“It’s better than I dreamt it would ever be,” head coach Brad Underwood said. “Thirty-nine years in the business, and that’s all I’m going to say about my side of this. This is about these guys.”

Freshman guard Keaton Wagler had 25 points in the win. Illinois also controlled the paint as they outscored Iowa 40-12 in the paint and out-rebounded them 38-21.

Duke vs. UConn

UConn pulled off a last-second 73-72 win over Duke to complete a comeback. After trailing 44-29 at halftime, the Huskies began to claw back into the game in the second half.

Even after the comeback, it looked like it was going to come up short as Duke led 72-70 with five seconds left in the game. However, Braylon Mullins deflected a pass that the Huskies were able to recover. Mullins ended up back with the ball and nailed a three from 35 feet away to give UConn the win.

“It just felt like the window where you’ve just got to let March Madness take over,” head coach Dan Hurley said. “March magic.”

UConn will now face Illinois April 4 in the Final Four.

Trailblazer baseball finished its tour across the Golden State and returned to St. George for its first home series of the 2026 season. 

Utah Tech University went 8-1 in games against the University of California, Riverside, California State University, Bakersfield and the University of the Pacific. They scored more than twice as many runs as their opponents during this stretch, sitting at 63 to 31. 

Shortstop Petey Soto Jr. attributed the team’s strong start to motivation from last season’s unfinished business.

“I feel like losing in the WAC tournament [last year] made us hungrier to go back,” the junior recreation and sport management major from St. George said. “We just competed really early. We were prepared. I feel like when you have a close time like us… We’re just way stronger. We had way higher standards.”

Junior third baseman and pitcher Ryan Kroepel agreed, saying head coach Chris Pfatenhauer emphasized discipline among the team on and off the field.

“We’re really united this year, and I think that shows on the field when we play,” said second baseman Kyle McDaniel, a junior management major from Pahrump, Nevada. 

Going into the weekend’s four-game series, McDaniel also said the team entered with the mindset to win every single game, no matter who their opponent is.

The team returned to Bruce Hurst Field Feb. 27, ready to take on the University of Northern Colorado. The Bears came into the weekend 0-8 and were on the hunt for their first win of the year.

“Last year, we split the series with [them]… and went two and two,” Kroepel, a junior finance major from Poway, California, said before the game. “If we could sweep [the series], that’d be awesome.”

Game 1

The Trailblazers opened the weekend with an 11-8 victory. The team went down 0-3 early, but a two-run home run by catcher Ty Johnsen in the third put UT right back in the game. He’d end the game as one of four Trailblazers with 2 RBIs, going two for four at the plate. Soto also contributed heavily, adding two hits, 2 RBIs and a stolen base. 

UT ended the fifth inning with a five-run lead, but the Bears jumped right back in to make it 8-7 in the top of the sixth. The Trailblazers responded with three more runs in the final innings and held Northern Colorado to just one, sealing the win.

Games 2 and 3

Games 2 and 3 Feb. 27, saw two more Trailblazer wins. In the first game, pitcher Dakoda West snagged his second win of the season and recorded five strikeouts. 

At the plate, first baseman Miller Durham opened up scoring for UT in the first inning with a single that brought in two runs, and another single from Johnsen put the Trailblazers up 3-0. They scored three more runs in the third and maintained their lead, staving off a three-run fifth inning by Northern Colorado. The Bears eked out one more run in the seventh before the short game ended with a 6-5 score. 

UT saw more success at the plate in Saturday’s second game, notching runs in all but two innings for an 11-5 victory. Outfielder Finnegan Stewart went four for five at bat to go with 4 RBIs. Kroepel also tacked on a hit, a run scored and an RBI. McDaniel filled the stat sheet with a run, a hit, an RBI and a walk.

The Trailblazers snuffed out the UNC offense and only allowed them to score in two total innings. Pitcher Aaron Morris was able to earn his first win of the season.

Game 4

The final game March 1 began with adversity for the Trailblazers, as through the first seven innings, Northern Colorado outhit them 8-3 and had eight more at-bats. Entering the bottom of the ninth, UT was down 2-4, and third baseman Gavin Glasgow stole the win from the Bears with a walk-off grand slam, completing the weekend sweep and bringing UT to 11-1 overall. Glasgow had 5 RBIs, a career high for the senior.

The Trailblazers look ahead to a four-game series against Austin Peay State University beginning March 5. The rest of their schedule can be found here.

Led by a career-high 29 points from Kaylee Borden, the Utah Tech University women’s basketball team snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 60-58 win over the University of Texas at Arlington Feb. 18.

A win did not appear to be in the cards to start the game, as the Mavericks started the game on a 14-0 run after six minutes of play.

UT finally got on the scoreboard with six straight points, but UT Arlington answered with an 8-0 run to end the first quarter ahead 22-6.

The Mavericks continued to keep their distance in the opening minutes of the second period, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Borden and Paige Cofer cut the deficit to eight, 26-18, with 6:34 left in the half.

Those buckets became the catalyst for a 14-4 run to end the half for the Trailblazers, as they cut the lead down to four at the halftime break, 30-26.

Utah Tech’s late first-half momentum carried over to the third quarter, as consecutive Borden triples and a Calyn Dallas layup put UT in front for the first time, 36-35, just over three minutes in.

The Trailblazers would close out the third quarter on the backs of Borden and Dallas to take a 46-42 lead to the final period.

Both teams went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter, and the score was deadlocked at 58 with 32.4 seconds to play.

After a steal on a UT inbound pass, the Mavericks looked to win the game late in the final seconds.

UT Arlington guard Kali Haizlip would get a good look at a corner three, but the ball shot over the rim and into the arms of Utah Tech’s Brie Crittendon with 1.5 seconds on the clock.

After the Trailblazers called their final timeout, Borden was fouled on the inbound play, sending the fifth-year guard to the line for the potential winning free throws in the midst of a career night.

Borden stepped up and knocked down both shots from the stripe, putting Utah Tech ahead 60-58.

A final heave from UT Arlington was off the mark, sealing the win for UT and putting an end to a losing streak that began Jan. 15.

After a slew of close losses, the skid was over, and the Traiblazers could lift a weight off their shoulders.

“We needed this one, and we squeezed everything out of it,” Trailblazers assistant coach Emily Chamberlain said postgame. “If you look at a lot of our games so far, we keep losing close games. Finally, we were able to finish it at the end. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going.”

Borden, a redshirt senior from Anadarko, Oklahoma, led the way for UT, dropping a career-high 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting, adding four rebounds and two steals.

“I just focused on our keys: pushing the ball, pace and sharing once I get into the paint, and just shooting it with confidence,” Borden said after her eighth 20-plus point game of the season.

Dallas, a senior recreation and sport management major from Lubbock, Texas, added eight points off the bench and was a key part of the third-quarter run that put UT in front.

“It’s awesome. We’ve been wanting [a win] for a long time, especially against this team,” she said.

With just four regular-season games remaining, the Trailblazers are looking to build on the win heading into the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas next month.

“We’re just building momentum, and it doesn’t matter when we get to Vegas what the records are. So, we’re hoping to surprise some people,” Dallas added.

With the win, the Trailblazers improve to 7-17 overall and 2-12 in Western Athletic Conference play.

Utah Tech is in action again Feb. 21, hosting Tarleton State University. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. inside Burns Arena.