Game Notes: UTAH TECH - PDF | OMAHA
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TRAILBLAZERS AT A GLANCE
Utah Tech returns to action on Wednesday night as the Trailblazers play host to Omaha in an early season non-conference match-up.
 
Utah Tech is 6-0 lifetime against teams from the state of Nebraska, though Wednesday night's game will be the Blazers' first game vs. a Nebraska school during their brief Division I tenure. 
 
Those previous six wins came during the program's D-II era -- 3-0 vs. Saint Mary's (2007-10); 1-0 vs. Nebraska-Kearney (2011); and 2-0 vs. Chadron State (2019-20). 
 
Utah Tech improved to 12-8 all-time in season openers during its NCAA era after its 78-73 come-from-behind home victory over Northern Arizona this past Saturday afternoon in the Burns Arena.
 
Utah Tech also moved to 7-3 all-time in season openers under Head Coach JD Gustin. In addition, the Trailblazers are now 15-5 all-time in home openers in their four-year era, and have won eight-straight home debuts overall. 

OPENING TIP: Utah Tech (1-0/0-0 WAC) returns to action this Wednesday night when the Trailblazers welcome Omaha (1-1) to the Burns Arena. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. (MT).
      Wednesday night's game will be streamed live on ESPN+, and broadcast live on the radio on Utah Tech's campus radio station KUTU 91.3 FM.
For live streaming and live scoring information, visit UtahTechTrailblazers.com.
 
WAC FOR ONE MORE SEASON: The 2025-26 campaign will mark an end of an (brief) era as Utah Tech will compete as a member of the Western Athletic Conference for the sixth, and final, season. The Trailblazers joined the WAC in 2020-21 during the first year of the program's NCAA Division I transition. 
 
GOING "BIG" IN 2026: This past June 25, Utah Tech announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the Big Sky Conference beginning on July 1, 2026. 
Starting in the 2026-27 season, 13 of the Trailblazers' 17 sports, including women's basketball.
 
UTAH TECH VS. OMAHA: Wednesday night's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the Trailblazers and the Mavericks on the basketball court.
 
HEAD COACH JD GUSTIN: JD Gustin is in his 10th season as Utah Tech head women's basketball coach. 
      In 2023-24, Coach Gustin guided the Trailblazers to an 18-14 overall record, including a 12-8 mark in Western Athletic Conference play, which was good for fourth place in the conference standings and a first round bye into the 2024 WAC Tournament.
      Along with the 18 wins last season, his 2023-24 Trailblazers broke school records in made 3-pointers (327; #1 WAC/#6 NCAA), points (2,343), single game points (116), field goals made/attempted (853/1942), 3-pointers attempted (945), free throw percentage (.736) and fewest turnovers (420).
      Gustin has seen marked improvements in each season on the Trailblazer sideline, culminating with an 19-12 overall record in 2022-23, a nine-win turnaround from the previous season. The 2022-23 campaign also featured a 10-8 mark and a fifth-place finish in Western Athletic Conference play. 
      Utah Tech's 19 wins that season were the most in the program's newly minted NCAA Division-I era, and is the highest win total during Coach Gustin's tenure on the Trailblazer bench.
 
HOME SWEET HOME: Since joining the NCAA ranks in 2006-07, Utah Tech has played to a 147-86 (.631) overall record in 233 games inside the Burns Arena.
      Under Coach Gustin, the Trailblazers are 67-53 (.558) on their home floor and have won eight or more home games in six of their last eight seasons overall. In fact, Utah Tech's 11 home wins in 2023-24 tied for the most during Gustin's tenure (11-4 in 2018-19) on the Trailblazer bench.
 
AWAY FROM THE BURNS: Utah Tech owns a 90-140 (.391) record in 230 road games since the 2006-07 season. Under Coach Gustin, the Blazers are 33-71 (.317) away from home, which included a 1-13 mark this year, and a 7-8 road record last season. In addition, Utah Tech is 22-20 (.524) all-time on neutral courts, 5-7 under Coach Gustin.  
 
TRAILBLAZERS PICKED SEVENTH THE WAC: Utah Tech was picked to finish sixth in the 2025-26 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball preseason coaches poll, which was released on October 29.
      Abilene Christian received two of a possible seven first place votes and 32 total points to be tabbed as the WAC preseason favorite, while California Baptist collected four first place nods to finish second in the poll with 31 points.
      UT Arlington (1 FPV/25 pts) was picked to finish third, followed by Utah Valley (23 pts) in fourth, Tarleton State (18 pts) in fifth, Utah Tech (12 pts) in sixth, and Southern Utah (6 pts) was picked to finish seventh. 
 
2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW: Utah Tech returns four starters, along with six total letter winners and three redshirts from last year's squad, which concluded its fifth season of NCAA Division I play with a 6-25 overall record. 
      Senior point guard Chardonnay Hartley highlights the Blazers' returning class. Hartley started in all 31 games last season and established herself as one of the top passers in the NCAA D-I ranks after she led the WAC and finished sixth-nationally in assists per game (6.4 apg).
      The senior guard closed the year t-ninth nationally in total assists with 198, which were two dimes shy of tying Utah Tech's single season record. She also scored in double figures in 15 of her 31 starts and averaged 10.7 ppg. 
      Fellow senior guard Brie Crittendon also started in all 31 games a season ago and averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per start. Meanwhile sophomore forward Paige Cofer got the starting nod in all 16 WAC games and both conference tourney games and averaged 8.3 points on 41.5 percent shooting and 4.9 rebounds in her first collegiate season. 
      Sophomore guard Ellie Taylor, who was named to the 2024-25 all-WAC freshman team after she averaged 10.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 30 games (25 starts), is also back, but will miss the upcoming season due to injury.
      Utah Tech also welcomed back junior reserve guard Calyn Dallas and junior reserve post player Lauren Crocker. Dallas averaged 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in 29 games off the bench a season ago, while Crocker appeared in 24 games and averaged 1.2 points 1.5 rebounds per outing. 
      In addition, redshirt senior guards Macie Warren and Maddie Warren both return, as does redshirt freshman guard Andjela Colic. Maddie Warren was a 2023-24 second team all-WAC selection after she finished the season as the conference's fourth-leading scorer (16.2 ppg) and ranked second in the WAC in made 3-pointers (76). 
      Meanwhile Macie Warren finished the 2023-24 campaign eighth in the conference in scoring (14.3 ppg), second in field goal percentage (.492) and sixth in 3-pointers (47) despite missing the final nine games of that season due to injury.
      The Trailblazers also brought in four newcomers to their program ahead of the 2025-26 season, including one senior and three true freshmen. Utah Tech brought in redshirt senior Nevada transfer Kaylee Borden, along with Utah prep all-state picks in Merceius Mili (Skyridge HS) and Annalyse Shimada (Cedar HS). The Blazers also went the international route by landing a freshman post standout in Rose Boisnel from France. 
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE 2025-26 SCHEDULE: Utah Tech's 2025-26 slate features an NCAA-era program record 17 home games, while 22 of the Trailblazers' 28 contests this upcoming season overall will be played in "The Beehive State."
      The Blazers will play 11 of their first 14 games inside the Burns Arena, including last Saturday's win vs. NAU and Wednesday's match-up vs. Omaha.
      Utah Tech will don its road jerseys for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 15, when the team makes the trip north on Interstate 15 to Ogden to square off against in-state rival and future Big Sky foe Weber State.
      The Trailblazers return to the Burns Arena play host to another future Big Sky opponent in Portland State (11/22), before crossing state lines for the first time for their first-ever match-up against Big 12 member Arizona State (11/25).
      Following its trip to Tempe, Utah Tech will close out its non-conference schedule with five-straight home games, starting with a date against former RMAC rival Westminster University(11/29) over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
      Utah Tech will also play host to McNeese State (12/2), former WAC opponent New Mexico State (12/6), and UC Santa Barbara (12/13), before wrapping up the non-conference portion of the schedule against Chicago State (12/17).
      The Trailblazers kick off their sixth, and final, WAC season with the first of two league games played at in-state rival Southern Utah (12/29 and 1/24). 
      Utah Tech will ring in 2026 with a New Year's Day home WAC tilt against WAC favorite Abilene Christian, which will be followed by the first of two home games vs. California Baptist (1/8 and 1/22), and an in-state "Old Hammer Rivalry" home showdown vs. Utah Valley (1/10).
      The Blazers will make the first of three trips to Texas one week later, where they will play the first of two road games at UT Arlington (1/15 and 2/5), followed by a date at Tarleton State (1/17). 
      Utah Tech returns to its home state for four games to close out January, starting with its second games against CBU and at SUU, before again hosting ACU (1/29) and Tarleton (1/31). 
      The Trailblazers embarks on their longest road swing of the year one week later, which starts with their second game at UT Arlington, followed one week later with the first of two games played at Utah Valley (2/12 and 3/7), and a trip to SoCal to face CBU (2/14).
      Utah Tech will play three of its final five regular season games at home, starting with a weekend set against both UTA (2/19) and Tarleton. Then after their final trip to "The Lone Star State" to play at ACU (2/16), the Blazers host SUU for Senior Day on Feb. 28, and will close out the regular season at UVU. 
      The 2026 WAC Women's Basketball Tournament will be held once again at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 11-14. 
 
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN....BANG: Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 294-straight games, including 10 perimeter jumpers (10-of-28) in last Saturday's victory over Northern Arizona. 
      The Trailblazers have reached double figures in made 3-pointers 30 times in their last 64 games dating back to the 2023-24 campaign. That number includes 11 instances in 31 games last season, highlighted by a season-high 17 perimeter jumpers (17-of-47) in last year's season-opening victory vs. Northern New Mexico (11/4/24).
      In addition, Utah Tech has knocked down at least 10 treys in 115 games during its NCAA era overall. 
      In 2023-24, Utah Tech led the WAC and finished the year ranked sixth-nationally with a school record 327 made 3-pointers, and broke a school records in both 3-point field goal attempts (945) and 3FG percentage (.346). 
      In the 2021-22 season, the Trailblazers nailed a school-record 22 3-pointers in its 107-57 blowout win over LIFE Pacific (11/9/21). That record was one of two 3FG school records to fall that night as the Blazers also broke a team record for 3FG attempted (51). 
      In all, Utah Tech has hit at least one 3-pointer in 502 of its 505 games during its NCAA era, which began in the 2006-07 season.
      Two of the three instances when the Blazers did not hit a 3-pointer happened during the 2013-14 season (vs. Hawai'i-Hilo, 2/13/14; at California Baptist, 1/18/14), and the other came in the program's first NCAA season in 2006-07 (vs. UHH, 1/7/07). 
      Meanwhile, Utah Tech has surrendered at least one made opponent 3-pointer in 504 of 505 games during its NCAA era.

QUITE THE DEBUT: Borden had quite the debut in her first game as a Trailblazer in last Saturday's win over NAU. Borden, who transferred to Utah Tech from Nevada, got the start and responded with a collegiate career-high 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. 
      Borden scored 10 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter, with seven of those points coming in the final 4:41 to help the Blazers erase an eight-point deficit en route to the five-point home win.
      Borden became just the seventh different Trailblazer to score 20 or more points in a season opener in the program's four-year era. In fact, last Saturday's game marked the fourth-straight opener that a Trailblazer had tallied at least 20 points.
      Hartley also poured in 21 points in last year's opener vs. Northern New Mexico (11/4/24), while former Blazer guard and current assistant coach Breaunna Gillen hit for 21 points in consecutive season openers in 2023 vs. La Verne (11/6/23), and in 2022 on the road at Washington (11/7/22). 
 
PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF IN 2024-25: Speaking of Hartley, the senior point guard wasted little time returning to form as she filled the stat sheet with 19 points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals in the NAU victory.
      Hartley, who also collected her third-career blocked shot in the win, knocked down seven of her 13 shots with a pair of 3-pointers. Meanwhile, her five steals were two off of her career high of seven set last season at Abilene Christian (2/6/25). In fact, Hartley has 56 total steals in just 32 career games as a Trailblazer.
      In addition, with her four dimes last Saturday, Hartley became the sixth Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to reach the 200-assist plateau, and she moved into fifth place (202) overall on Utah Tech's career assists list. 
 
WELCOME BACK: Redshirt senior guard Maddie Warren got the starting nod in her first game back from injury in last Saturday's opener vs. NAU, against which she tallied 11 points, five rebounds and two steals in 17-plus minutes. Warren, who missed the entire 2024-25 campaign after suffering a season-ending injury late in the 2023-24 year, knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and went 5-of-6 at the foul line.
      Warren also made a little history as she became the eighth player in program history with 100 career 3-pointers when she knocked down a perimeter jumper to open the second half scoring in Saturday's win. 
 
TRAILBLAZER PLAYER NOTES
* - Hartley has now scored in double figures in 16 of her 32 career starts at Utah Tech with three 20-plus point outings, highlighted by a collegiate career high of 28 points along with 12 assists last season in a home win over Weber State (11/16/24).
* - Cofer just missed scoring in double figures in her first non-conference start as a Trailblazer, finishing with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting along with one board, two assists and one steal vs. NAU.  
* - Cofer scored in double figures in six games in her debut season in 2024-25, highlighted by a career-high 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting with four 3-pointers and a career-high 11 rebounds at California Baptist (3/1/25).
* - Crittendon made her 32nd start as a Trailblazer in Saturday's opener vs. NAU and hit for seven points on 2-of-3 shooting with a 3-pointer ... the senior also had six rebounds and dished out two assists in nearly 30 minutes of action. 
* - Dallas accounted for seven of Utah Tech's 11 bench points on 2-of-4 from the perimeter in the NAU win ... she also managed to pull down a game-high eight rebounds and tied a career high with two blocks in 30 minutes off the bench. 
* - Mili played 12 minutes in her collegiate debut game and scored four points on 2-of-4 shooting with three rebounds, one assist and one steal vs. NAU. 
* - Crocker logged 11 reserve minutes and while she did not find the scoring column, she did grab four rebounds and tied a career high with blocked two shots in the NAU win. 
 
ABOUT THE OMAHA "MAVERICKS": Omaha makes its first-ever trip to St. George on Wednesday coming off a split of its first two games of the 2025-26 campaign.        The Mavericks opened the year with a lopsided 100-35 road loss at Big 12 member Kansas State (11/3), but did rebound with an 88-47 home victory over Saint Mary's (Neb.) last Thursday night. 
      Wednesday night's game is the first of a three-game Utah road swing for Omaha, which includes a quick turnaround on Thursday night in Provo to play at BYU, followed by a Saturday afternoon tilt in Logan against Utah State. 
      Junior forward Cora Olsen (5-9) is the Mavericks' top scorer in the early going, averaging 16.0 points on 46.2 percent shooting, while graduate guard Sarai Estupinan (5-5) is scoring at a 12.0 ppg clip and has dished out a team-high seven assists through two starts.  
 
NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech will don the road jerseys for the first time this Saturday afternoon when the Trailblazers make the short trip up to Ogden to face in-state rival Weber State. Tip-off inside the Dee Events Center is set for 2 p.m. (MT).