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As Dixie State Becomes A Division One School, Athletes Disappointed To Be Missing Fall Season

Photo by Madison Anderson

Dixie State University made the jump from a NCAA Division Two athletic program to Division One this year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the fall sports will have to wait to make their big debut.

In August, the fall sports season at Dixie State was postponed with plans for those sports to continue during the spring.

For athletes who had been excited to start playing as a division one program for the first time, this announcement to postpone fall sports was especially disappointing. 

“I thought about the opportunity, as a team, that we had more time to get better as we go into D1, but I also thought about how my initial plan of how this year was going to go, is not going to go that way,” said senior volleyball player, Sydney Johnson. “So it made me kinda reassess my future post college.” 

Last year, DSU decided to join the Western Athletic Conference and transition to become a division one school, with the football program becoming a FCS independent team.

Not only were student-athletes feeling the blow of the postponement, but the decision has major financial implications. According to athletic director Jason Booth, whether or not fall sports are played, there are still expenses that have to be covered-- but without the typical revenues. 

Incoming freshmen said the season being delayed led them to miss out on a traditional fall semester. 

“I’m more excited to be able to start practice and try to get in with the team that way because so far, I haven’t met most of the team,” said freshman cross country runner, Kali Richardson. 

“It’s a little bit disappointing, but there’s nothing we can do about it. You kinda just have to take what’s given to you and keep pushing forward,” freshman soccer player, Jacob Zimmerman.