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Show a SPORTS .1 C4 , 141 I k 10 i , 1Dh14-107,..N- t MONIQUE CHAVEZ e tt 111,' annualalumni game baseball DSU BY 141A I ; ,11:1tIMMINc f 1 i MoniqueDSN 4e1 This event was part of the 2019 Dugout Club Spring Kickoff Weekend that was held on Jan. 25 through Jan. 26. The weekend began with a golf tournament at Coral Canyon Gold Course on Friday morning and the base- seventh-annu- al ball banquet followed at 6 p.m. in the Gardner Center Ballroom. The 2004 National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship team was recognized and inducted into the DSU Athletic Hall of Fame on Jan. 26. Chase Leavitt, a 2004 championship team member from St. George, said he came back this year for his 15 year reunion. "My favorite part of the game is just getting out there with the guys, joking around, catching up with them a little bit and putting the cleats on, being able to hit, play defense and compete," Leavitt said. This was Leavitt's second alumni game, and his first was in 2014. He said the atmosphere, people and coaches are what brought him back to DSU. Leavitt said DSU going -b- -, f c' - . As z , 2 lo, u, 0- - , . Burns Arena ' , r- ' "' - : . - - - Baseball 21 Away , . A.. 5 p.m. San Bernardino, California , , . : Dixie State Baseball Alumni hit the ball to take over first base during the annual alumni game at the Bruce Hurst Field. This year the teams were split by age and classes, younger versus older. Saint Martin's Women's Basketball Division I is a big step in the right direction, and he would like to see the baseball program continue to rise in the years to come. Head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said he plans this event to bring the guys back and so the current players get to see the guys that came before them and blazed the trail for their program. Pfatenhauer said: "This year we split them by older and younger. All the guys that graduated from 2014 and older were one team and all the other guys were on the other team. Today we had 36 . alumni here... some of them haven't seen each other since they graduated, so just the camaraderie and getting to see each other in the dugout is my favorite part ." Following the alumni game, the 2019 DSU baseball team held its scrimmage. Austin Christiansen, 2012-201- 3 alumnus, said it was fun to come back to the field and relive the glory days for a day. "Hanging out with the friends that we played with, seeing the coach and the new players, and playing on this beautiful field is the best part," Chris tiansen said. Kody Christoffersen, 2012-201- 4 alumnus, said the biggest change he has noticed at DSU since he was a student is the baseball clubhouse. "The clubhouse upgrade is the big one, the field is still just as nice as it ever was," Christoffersen said. As for the future of the DSU baseball program, alumni expect it to be bright. Christiansen said: "They're going D1 so it's going to get better. They'll probably get a lot more money, more facilities, better equipment for the players, it's going to I r1 i (- -, i 17?44,--- : be good." 22 Home 5:30 Christoffersen also has positive expectations for the future of the program. "I think when they go D 1 they're going to sky rocket," Christoffersen said. "I can't imagine anybody who wouldn't want to play on this field." DSU baseball begins their first season in the Rocky Mountain Athletic e Conference with a road trip to San Bernardino, California. The team will play their first of three games against Saint Martin's University on Feb. 1 at 5 p.m., and Cal State San Bernardino once on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. Burns Arena ici i ) , I LIAAYR ,0110 1r Men's Basketball 22 Home 7:30 1 1 1 '1 1:;z4(iii Lil I, I A i - Adam's State Women's Basketball defeated Western Colorado University on Jan. 26, 57-50. Men's Basketball defeated Western Colorado on Jan. 26, 96-9- 1. 1 i:-- 1"1 - , , I , , . p.m. Burns Arena , , 0 r OtAi zf 1014 ,-;- , Adam's State four-gam- I ti p.m. - , . Fort Lewis . - -- 47 , Men's Basketball 21 Home 7:30 p.m. I . makes leaps, bounds te.e.lot Burns Arena Fort Lewis , DSU Blaze Dance Team NKr Women's Basketball 21 Home 5:30 p.m. : ft' - - ,,.. ,,, , '4' 1,),tIo9-1..4g:.1.1:i1Itio- 1 - - 4 ; 4, , ft 4 4, T. Jeremy - um oti'4(1 Runnells1 1, O..' Ff, 1" 3 5 , - Dixie State University Blaze Dance Team practices their new routine at the Burns Arena. The Trailblazers begin learning choreography and preparing for a year of performances in August and perform at the home basketball and football games throughout the year. BY ISSAC GARCIA Issacgarcial 6 so much fun and not something that I would ever give up." First year dancer, Matalyn Wikstrom, a freshman major from Layton, said dancing in college is so different compared to dancing in high school. "In high school you were focused on competitions and the strict rules made by the coaches," Wikstrom said. "College dance is more of focusing on school. I personally love college dance because of how involved I get with the school from performing at football games to helping with a fundraiser." Head coach Kori Esplin said in order to be on the DSU Blaze Dance team, you need to have high standards and cy The Dixie State Univer- sity Blaze Dance Team puts in hours of work and preparation to perform for the university. The Trailblazers begin learning choregraphy and preparing for a year of performances in August and perform at the home basketball and football games throughout the year. All of the prepeartion leads up to the annual showcase set to take place on March 2 at 7 p.m in the M. Anthony Bums Arena. The DSU Blaze Dance team practices between six and eight hours each week. When including football and basketball games, the time that the DSU Blaze Dance team puts in ranges from 10 to 20 hours a week. Captain Brooke Marchetti, a senior dance and chemistry major from Moreno Valley, California, said it takes a lot of hard work and time management to be a dancer for DSU. "It takes a lot of dedication and it can be really hard sometimes," Marchetti said. "But it's great grades. "Most of the performers have danced for their entire lives to prepare to dance at a university," Esplin said. "They are all absolutely gifted." Wikstrom said dancing is a way to help herself escape from reality. "When I step on the gym floor for practice, my brain becomes clear of all my worries," she said. " Im so grateful to be on this team with a wonderful coach and teammates." Marchetti said the members of the team love to show what an amazing school DSU is and how much they love it. "It really is an amazing school and an amazing opportunity to be a part of a collegiate dance team," she said. "It's a showcase of your knowledge and strength and just what it means to be a Trailblazer." Despite the amount of time the Trailblazers put into practice, the DSU Blaze Dance team makes time to bond outside of practice. Marchetti said The Trailblazers participate in community service and are planning to volunteer at various elementary schools these upcoming months. Wikstorrn said as a group, DSU Blaze Dance team does many things together. "We have Sunday night dinners where we all gather together to just eat and have a great time," she said. "We are always trying to plan activities outside of practice just so we can spend more time together." The annual showcase for the DSU Blaze Dance team is set to take place on March 2. It will begin at 7 pm in the M. Anthony Bums Arena. c 4 I itLA"cat" ,r7 4 cl r L V.-71t 1 1 1 .. 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