Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Women's Basketball 1/17/2019 4:00:00 PM By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Trailblazers head back to Colorado to take on CCU and Regis

Dixie State Women's Basketball at Colorado Christian / Regis
Date/Time	Friday, Jan. 18 - at CCU - 5 p.m. - Lakewood, Colo. Saturday, Jan. 19 - at Regis - 3 p.m. - Denver, Colo.
Game Notes	Dixie State (PDF) , Colorado Christian , Regis
Live Video	Colorado Christian , Regis
Live Stats	Colorado Christian , Regis
DSU Social Media	@DixieAthletics (Twitter score updates) Facebook \| Instagram
Hashtags	#DixieBlazers #RMACwbb

The Dixie State women's basketball team heads back to the Denver area this weekend for Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contests at Colorado Christian on Friday and at Regis on Saturday.

Friday's game at CCU is set for a 5 p.m. tipoff, while Saturday's game at Regis will start at 3 p.m. Live video and live stats will be provided by the CCU and Regis sports information staffs. Links for both can be found at DixieStateAthletics.com.

ALL-TIME VS. COLORADO CHRISTIAN: Friday's contest marks the first meeting between Dixie State and Colorado Christian.

ALL-TIME VS. REGIS: Saturday's contest marks the first meeting between Dixie State and Regis.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Colorado Christian enters the weekend with a 7-8 overall record and a 5-4 mark in RMAC play. The Cougars have won two out of their last three games, including a road win over No. 22 Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D. Three CCU players average double-figure scoring, led by senior forward Jordan Baer, who ranks second in the RMAC with 20.1 points per game to go with 7.1 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Sarah McGinley averages 13.5 points per game, while sophomore guard Olivia Christy adds 10.5 points per game.

Regis enters the weekend with a 9-5 overall record and a 5-4 mark in RMAC play. The Rangers have won three out of their last four games, including a road sweep over South Dakota Mines (62-49) and Black Hills State (74-59). Regis leads the RMAC with 121 3-point field goals made. Senior guard Majestie Robinson leads the Rangers with 12.7 points per game, while junior forward Jaz'Myne Snipes (9.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and freshman guard Elly Walters (9.3 ppg) both sit on the double-figures bubble.

RMAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ali Franks was named RMAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for her efforts in the Trailblazers' weekend sweep over MSU Denver and Chadron State. Franks averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games, and shot 50 percent (10-of-20) from the field and 40 percent (4-of-10) from 3-point range. Additionally, Franks recorded five steals, five assists, and three blocks.

MAKING HISTORY: The Trailblazers set a program record for single-game free throw percentage in a 74-60 win over Antelope Valley on December 29, converting 30-of-31 (96.8 percent) attempts to best the mark (22-23, 95.7 percent) set against Academy of Art in 2011.

NEW SEASON, NEW CONFERENCE: After 11 seasons as a member of the Pacific West Conference, the Trailblazers officially opened their RMAC membership on December 1. Dixie State logged a 112-86 record as a member of the PacWest and finished in second place three times (2010-12). DSU was picked to finish in 10th place in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll.

ON THE ROAD: Since joining the NCAA Division II ranks in 2006-07, Dixie State has recorded a 62-89 (.410) record in true-road games and has logged a winning record on the road three times (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13). Additionally, the Trailblazers have posted a 48-51 (.484) conference road record and a 19-16 (.543) record in neutral-site games.

PERFECT PRESEASON: Dixie State recorded the best start since the 2010-11 season, posting a 3-0 mark with wins over Northern New Mexico (93-52), Western Oregon (59-40), and Saint Martin's (107-103 – 3 OT).

DOUBLE-DIGIT FRENZY: For the second time this season, five Trailblazers finished in double figures as DSU defeated Saint Martin's, 107-103, in triple overtime on November 17. Rashel Blazzard led the way with 24 points, while Lisa VanCampen and Ali Franks each set a new career high with 23 points. Mariah Martin added 14 points, while London Pavlica chipped in 13 points.

2018-19 TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State looks to build on a 12-15 overall record and an 8-12 mark in PacWest play during the 2017-18 season. The Trailblazers enter their first year as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in the 2018-19 campaign.

Dixie State returns two starters from the 2017-18 squad, including sophomore guard Mariah Martin (10.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) and senior forward Maile Richardson (7.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Three DSU reserves return for the new season, including junior guard Ali Franks (8.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), sophomore guard Keslee Stevenson (6.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg), and sophomore guard Morgan Myers (2.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg). Redshirt senior forward Lisa VanCampen (7.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg) also returns after redshirting during the 2017-18 season.

The Trailblazers added three transfer players for the 2018-19 season, including junior guards Rashel Blazzard, Madi Loftus, and Deshka Olson.

Blazzard averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game at USU-Eastern during the 2017-18 campaign. Blazzard played her freshman season at Westminster College, averaging 7.8 points and 1.0 rebound per game.

Loftus played two seasons at USU-Eastern, where she averaged a team-high 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game last season as a sophomore and earned first team All-SWAC honors.

Olson Appeared in 24 games and made one start at Loyola Marymount during the 2014-15 season. She averaged 8.8 minutes and 2.2 points per game and connected on 11 3-pointers.

Junior guard Amy Green also joins the Trailblazers this season for her first year of collegiate basketball. Green averaged 17.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 steals, and 4.3 assists per game as a senior at Snow Canyon High School, leading the Warriors to the 2012 3A State Championship. She earned Adidas All-American honors and was a McDonalds All-American nominee.

Five new freshman join the ranks this year in guards Kelsea Barker, London Pavlica, and Jaimee Stahlee, along with center Cameron Mooney and forward Lana Olevao.

Barker averaged 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game as a senior at Dixie High School. Pavlica averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game as a senior at Liberty High School. Stahlee averaged 16.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game as a junior at Bountiful High School. Mooney averaged 11.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game as a senior at Skyline High School. Olevao averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a senior at Highland High School.

COACHING STAFF: Head Coach JD Gustin begins his third season at Dixie State in the 2018-19 campaign. Prior to Dixie State, Gustin served as an assistant coach at Weber State, where he helped lead the Wildcats to a 23-12 record and a runner-up finish in the 2016 Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament.

Prior to Weber State, Gustin spent four years at the University of Utah, serving as director of women's basketball operations from 2011-13 and women's basketball assistant coach from 2013-15. He helped guide the Utes to a runner-up finish in the 2013 Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT).

Before his time at Utah, he served as head women's basketball coach at Westminster College for seven seasons from 2004-11, where he compiled a 146-83 record and led the Griffins to five consecutive NAIA National Championship tournament appearances. He led Westminster to its first-ever NAIA tournament berth in 2006-07, and guided the Griffins to the quarterfinals of the NAIA championships for the first time in school history with a school-record 28 wins in 2010-11. Gustin won three Frontier Conference championships, including a perfect 14-0 conference mark in 2008-09.

Gustin is joined by third-year assistant Nicole Yazzie (Westminster, 2013), while Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation inductee Deb Bennett (BYU, 1977) returns for her second year on the staff as an assistant coach. Jonathan Long joins the staff as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season after serving last year as a student assistant, while Connor Frith remains as student assistant.

UP NEXT: Dixie State wraps up a four-game road trip next week with a Friday matchup at Colorado Mesa, followed by a Saturday evening tilt at Western Colorado.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Maile Richardson: Forward; 6' 1"; Senior

#5 Lisa VanCampen: Forward; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

#23 Ali Franks: Guard; 5' 10"; Junior

#22 Deshka Olson: Guard; 5' 8"; Junior

#4 Rashel Blazzard: Guard; 5' 6"; Junior

#12 Madi Loftus: Guard; 5' 9"; Junior

#3 Mariah Martin: Guard; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#11 Keslee Stevenson: Guard; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#21 Morgan Myers: Guard; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#1 London Pavlica: Guard; 5' 7"; Freshman

#32 Cameron Mooney: Center; 6' 2"; Freshman

#33 Lana Olevao: Forward; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#15 Maile Richardson
: 6' 1"; Senior
: Forward

#5 Lisa VanCampen
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: Forward

#23 Ali Franks
: 5' 10"; Junior
: Guard

#22 Deshka Olson
: 5' 8"; Junior
: Guard

#4 Rashel Blazzard
: 5' 6"; Junior
: Guard

#12 Madi Loftus
: 5' 9"; Junior
: Guard

#3 Mariah Martin
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: Guard

#11 Keslee Stevenson
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: Guard

#21 Morgan Myers
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: Guard

#1 London Pavlica
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: Guard

#32 Cameron Mooney
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: Center

#33 Lana Olevao
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: Forward