Collegiate Consulting Assist Dixie State with Move to Division I & the Western Athletic Conference

SAINT GEORGE, Utah (January 13, 2019) – Dixie State University, with an assist from Collegiate Consulting, took a major step forward with the announcement of a move to the Western Athletic Conference, making the Trailblazers a NCAA Division I school.

Current Dixie State athletes, dozens of media members, fans of the school and more gathered in the DSU Activities Center to hear the announcement at a special presentation.

University president Richard B. Williams outlined how the move came to be and talked about the Collegiate Counseling feasibility study that allowed Dixie State to accept the invitation.

“We spoke at many town hall meetings, we had many conversations with our leadership team, with our community members, with our students and also many meetings with our board of trustees as part of the comprehensive study conducted by Collegiate Consulting,” Dixie State University president Richard B. Williams said. “We discovered through that process what the right thing to do was for our university, for our students and for our community. So at this time I’m pleased to publically announce that Dixie State University will officially accept the invitation from the Western Athletic Conference to start the application process to re-classify intercollegiate athletics at Dixie State University from Division II to Division I.”

Dixie State will be a NCAA Division I program beginning in July 2020, a move that will bring more than just notoriety to the Trailblazer name.

Schools that move to Division I routinely see increases in scholarships, enrollment and degree completion percentage in their first few years with the distinction.

The Trailblazers will also get access to NCAA and WAC revenues as well as increased booster support through the university.

Though the WAC does not have football, Dixie State will be competing in Division I football as an FBS Independent school,

 Here, the Trailblazers will have the opportunity to play other area universities such as Southern Utah University, Weber State University, Northern Arizona University and more.

With their inclusion into the WAC, Dixie State is the fifth Utah University to be added to the conference in its 57-year history.

“I can honestly say that one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is the opportunity to come to a new community, to a new campus and to be part of an activity to bring that university in as a full member of the WAC,” WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd said. “There’s nothing I can think of that is more satisfying than that.”

On top of the official announcement of a move to Division I, Dixie State Athletics received a $1 million donation from Denis and Diane Lyman to renovate the campus softball facility. The Lymans have been big fans of the Trailblazer athletics program for years and decided to give back to a group of girls they care about.

“We are absolutely thrilled by the Dixie State announcement,” stated Collegiate Consulting managing director Russell Wright, “as we noted in the Feasibility Study, DSU is ready to make this transition and will make a seamless transition to Division I and the WAC.”

In addition to Dixie State’s Division I Feasibility Study, Collegiate Consulting, has conducted the Division I Studies for Merrimack College, University of North Alabama, California Baptist University, University of Massachusetts – Lowell, Northern Kentucky University and Grand Canyon University, who have all successfully transitioned to Division I.