Men's Golf | 2/21/2025 1:03:00 PM

The Utah Tech men's and women's golf programs will be rolling up to their respective 2025 spring events in style.
 
Thanks to the combined efforts of several generous donors and university administration, both Trailblazer programs received a major travel upgrade with addition of a Utah Tech-branded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. 

With the addition of the new team travel vehicle, coupled with the unveiling of Utah Tech's golf practice facility at Black Desert Resort last fall, both Trailblazer programs are on the way to being major players at the NCAA Division I level. 
 
"Over the last couple of year, it is clear that our men's and women's golf programs have been on an incredible trajectory," said Ken Beazer, Utah Tech Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "Including the recent addition of our golf practice facility at Black Desert Resort, we've been celebrating the achievements of our remarkable student-athletes at various events, and it's evident that this momentum is building."
 
Beazer paid tribute many of the donors who were in attendance inside the Burns Arena for the vehicle's unveiling this past Feb. 13. 
 
Most notably Kirk and Colleen Kvetko, who recognized the great need for enhanced transportation for both programs, and who were very instrumental in seeing the project through from start to finish. Beazer also acknowledged Don and Peggy Watkins, who help oversee the department's student-athlete mentors program.
 
"It was an honor to this, we've been blessed in our life to put a foundation together to support this kind of effort and to help these kids out," Mr. Kvetko said. "When they walk into a D-I invitational golf tournament, on both sides of the fence, I think other teams are going to take notice in saying 'Utah Tech has arrived!'"
 
For Utah Tech head men's golf coach Brad Sutterfield, the addition of a state-of-the-art travel vehicle is a true game changer and will go a long way to elevate the stature of both Trailblazer programs.
 
"This is a massive game changer for the program," Sutterfield said. "It's going to change our travel and change the way we show up at tournaments. We're going to show up more refreshed and ready to go. This puts us up there with some of the elite teams in the country with travel, and this serves as the next step in getting us to where we need to be as a program."
 
Head women's golf coach Lindsey Orth echoed that same sentiments and noted that the new vehicle will not only make traveling to tournaments easier, but will also serve as a catalyst in building a strong bond and culture within her program. 
 
"We are super grateful for everyone who contributed to make this happen," said Orth. "This is more than a vehicle for us. Some of our very best memories have been made going to and from the golf course, where we talk about life, boys, and all the other things. 
 
"We're just so grateful that we can have this vehicle and to show up to tournaments looking like winners," Stucki added. "We can't wait to break it in."
 
Utah Tech's new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, which was designed and crafted by Van America, was outfitted with several amenities for the student-athletes, which will not only make traveling to-and-from events more comfortable, but will also enhance their ability to keep up on their studies while on the road.
 
The 10-person capacity van features fully upholstered Vario swivel seats, certified smart floor with 2Tec2 floor covering, Utah Tech-branded embroidered head rests, backlit upper cabinets for personalized storage for each student-athlete, directional reading light for all passenger seating, fold-away side tables and AOG cupholders, and Adventure Overland AOG TV entertainment system, among other amenities.
 
The van also provides custom golf bag storage, heavy-duty drawer slide compartments for golf shoe storage, luggage storage, and Onboard Air for cleaning of golf clubs and shoes. 
 
Utah Tech Athletics wishes to thank all the donors and supporters, who all came together to make this travel upgrade possible for the Trailblazer men's and women's golf programs. Those supporters include:
Kirk and Colleen Kvetko
Don and Peggy Watkins
Kent Ahleen and Zach Ahleen from Van America
Stephen Wade and Stephen Wade Auto
Caddy Group LLC
Straight Stripe Painting – Ryan Cheever
Ellette and Johan Nyman
Dane and Patty Van Pelt
Grass Creek Construction – Spence Richins and KC Peisley
Jeffrey and Lydia Kluge
Shakespeare Development Group – Benjamin Shakespeare and David Gertsch
Brad and Jan Last
John and Kathleen Haddow
Daniel and Mary Curran
Phil and Michelle Vehorn
Mike and Donalda Day
Mike and Suzanne Jones 
Wilkinson's House of Lighting
Christopher Attebery and Vida Molinaro
Glen and Yvette Palmer
Jerry and Barbara Youngblood
Christy and Paul Klein
Hope and Larry Grabarnick