Beehive Athletes
Staff
Staff byline used for public stories built from official school, athletics, and conference source material.
How Beehive Athletes covers Utah
Official official source record attached.
Energy — Sourced, concise, publication-first
What lands on this byline
- Official athletics bios
- Campus reporting
- Utah athlete discovery
Published stories
Stories carried by Beehive Athletes
Each piece links to the official sources behind the reporting.
Westminster's Ashley Lam Is Utah's New State Amateur Champion
Ashley Lam beat six-time champion Kelsey Chugg 1 up in the 120th Utah Women's State Amateur final, closing with a 104-yard approach to five feet after losing a three-hole lead.
The Coach Who Helped Build Utah Softball
Mary Kay Amicone won more than 800 games across BYU, Salt Lake Community College, and Weber State, started BYU's varsity program, and was the first woman to coach high school baseball in Utah.
Two Weber State Careers the Whole State Should Know
Amber Henry won 11 Big Sky championships. Willie Sojourner still holds the conference's career rebounding record at 14.1 per game. Both entered the Big Sky Hall of Fame in July 2026.
BYU's Steeplechase Pipeline Took Over the U.S. Championships
Lexy Halladay-Lowry defended her U.S. steeplechase title in 9:12.54, James Corrigan made the men's final, and two current Cougars ran their way into BYU's all-time top 10 — all in one weekend in New York.
Snow College's New Football Conference Sends Utah's JUCO Power Into Texas
After seven seasons as an NJCAA independent, Snow College enters the Southwest Junior College Football Conference with seven league games, four Texas road dates, and a clear postseason route.
Utah Bets on Crimson Brand Partners — a Private-Equity-Backed Take on the Business of College Sports
Utah spun its commercial operation into Crimson Brand Partners, a private-equity-backed company built with Otro Capital to run sponsorships, ticketing, and media for all 19 Ute programs. Here's what it actually changes.
The Utah Softball Pipeline: How Lehi and Mapleton Talent Is Reaching Division I
Utah Valley's newest signings — Lehi's Emerson Fuller and Mapleton's Jettlee Ioane — trace a clear path from Utah high schools through junior college and into Division I softball.
From UVU to the Pros: Two Wolverines Got an Inside Look at Utah's New Softball Team
Utah Valley freshmen Megan Sterzer and Ella Miller spent the summer on the Utah Talons' operations crew, learning the routine of professional softball from the inside at Dumke Family Softball Stadium.
BYU Isn't Hiding From Big 12 Title Talk — and LJ Martin Is the Reason Why
At Big 12 Media Days, BYU showed up as a contender, not a newcomer. LJ Martin was named preseason Offensive Player of the Year and the Cougars landed six players on the preseason all-conference team.
The Eric Kjar Era Begins at Weber State — and It Starts on the Road
Weber State handed its football program to Eric Kjar, who went 112-10 with six state titles at Corner Canyon. His first Wildcats schedule opens with three road games, including an early Big Sky trip to Southern Utah.
Homegrown and Home Again: The Espinoza-Owens Twins Bring Their Titles Back to Utah
Marcus and Moses Espinoza-Owens won three state titles apiece at Viewmont, then spent three seasons at South Dakota State. Now the twins are coming home to wrestle for Utah Valley.
Utah State Is Building a Pac-12 War Chest: Inside the Aggies' $2 Million July Match
An anonymous donor will match every dollar Utah State raises in July, up to $2 million, as the Aggies enter the Pac-12. AD Cameron Walker wants to start August with $4 million in new money.
Winning Beyond the Scorecard: Westminster Men's Golf Takes a Fifth Brechler Award
Westminster's men's golf team posted a 3.478 GPA to win its fifth RMAC Brechler Award — the conference's honor for the top team grade point average across all 22 sponsored sports.
AJ Dybantsa Goes No. 1 — and Gives BYU the First Top Pick in Program History
Washington took AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall on June 23, 2026, making the BYU freshman the first Cougar ever drafted first — while the Jazz grabbed Darryn Peterson at No. 2 to put Utah on top of the entire board.
Top Utah High School Football Recruits: 2026 Signees and the 2027 Class to Watch
Utah's signed 2026 in-state football class is led by four-star Salesi Moa, and a loaded 2027 group headlined by Davis High's Bode Sparrow is already drawing national offers.
Utah Valley Joins the Big West: What Changes for UVU Athletes in 2026-27
Utah Valley leaves the WAC for the Big West on July 1, 2026, competing in 13 league-sponsored sports while wrestling stays affiliated with the Big 12.
All Three Utah FCS Programs Will Share the Big Sky in 2026
Southern Utah and Utah Tech join the Big Sky on July 1, 2026, putting Weber State, SUU, and Utah Tech in the same conference for the first time.
Utah State Joins the Rebuilt Pac-12 for 2026
Utah State leaves the Mountain West on June 30, 2026 and joins a rebuilt eight-team Pac-12 the next day — the biggest change to the Aggies' national footprint in a generation.
Utah Women's College Athletes to Watch in 2026
Six Utah women's college athletes — across volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse — whose 2025-26 seasons are already on the record, from UVU's All-WAC outside hitter to a Westminster home-opener hero.
The Small-Town Utah Athlete Map
Utah's college talent doesn't only come from Salt Lake and Provo. From Milford to Benson to Spanish Fork, here's a homegrown map of small-town athletes already on the record.
How Utah High School Athletes Can Build Visibility Before College Recruiting
A practical, honest guide for Utah high school athletes and families: highlight film, camps, ranking services, social media, NIL under UHSAA rules, and a realistic recruiting timeline.
What the NCAA's Mental Health Data Means for Utah's College Athletes
NCAA well-being research shows where college-athlete stress actually comes from — and why recovery, not just more training, is part of the performance picture for Utah athletes.
Inside Westminster's 17-Sport Division II Program in Salt Lake City
Westminster University fields 17 NCAA Division II varsity teams in the RMAC, from soccer and lacrosse to a nationally distinctive alpine ski program — a full athletic department inside Salt Lake City.
SLCC Basketball's 2026-27 Roster Blends Utah Locals and International Length
Salt Lake Community College's published 2026-27 men's basketball roster again pairs Wasatch Front guards with international frontcourt size under head coach Dave Rice.
Dani Jensen and Raven Rodriguez Make USU Eastern Volleyball Easier to Find
The Eagles' 2025-26 roster has both a Price hometown anchor and a Herriman setter path, giving USU Eastern volleyball a stronger local frame.
Seth Rigtrup and Tayson Reid Show Why Snow's Pipeline Starts In-State
Snow College's football pipeline is national, but the 2025 roster still carries clear Utah routes through Springville running back Seth Rigtrup and Spanish Fork linebacker Tayson Reid.
Josh Harding and Jordan Kohler Give SLCC's Pipeline a Local Face
SLCC's 2025-26 roster includes local paths from West Valley City and Lehi, giving the Bruins' JUCO-to-Division I story a stronger Utah entry point.
Jace Sweeten Keeps Utah Tech's Big Sky Move Rooted in St. George
Utah Tech's conference move needs local anchors too. Jace Sweeten gives the Trailblazers a Crimson Cliffs linebacker profile inside the spring roster.
Bronson Barron Makes SUU Football Feel Connected to the State
The American Fork quarterback gives Southern Utah a veteran passing story with Weber State history, Western Kentucky experience, and an efficient 2025 season in Cedar City.
Brayden Wilson Built a Weber State Defensive Résumé, Then Took It to Wyoming
The Kaysville defensive end led the Big Sky in tackles for loss and left Weber State a two-time All-Big Sky pick — 138 tackles, 30 TFL, 12.5 sacks — before transferring up to Wyoming for 2025.
AJ Dybantsa Enters the NBA Draft With BYU Still Attached to the No. 1 Pick Conversation
AJ Dybantsa's 2026 NBA Draft case is now measured and mocked: a BYU freshman scoring season, NBA Combine measurements, a -450 favorite tag at No. 1 to Washington, and the Jazz waiting at No. 2.
Zavier Gozo's Breakout RSL Season Reached the USMNT World Cup Bubble — Not the Final 26
Zavier Gozo's Utah homegrown path led to a 2026 RSL breakout and a spot in the USMNT's provisional World Cup squad — but Mauricio Pochettino left the 19-year-old off the final 26-man roster.
Utah College Athletes and NIL in 2026: Who's Earning, How Much, and How the Market Works
AJ Dybantsa's $4.2 million On3 NIL valuation now anchors Utah college sports. This is the statewide picture of Utah NIL in 2026 — the collectives, the state law, the top valuations, and what brands need to know before they cut a check.
How Utah's Junior Colleges Feed Division I Football and Basketball Rosters
Snow College, SLCC, and USU Eastern move Utah players into Division I football, basketball, and volleyball rosters every cycle. This is the on-the-record map of how that JUCO-to-D-I pipeline actually works in 2026.
USU Eastern Volleyball Keeps the Price Pipeline on the Utah Coverage Map
USU Eastern's NJCAA volleyball program in Price has moved players into Division I rosters for years, and the 2025 Eagles roster keeps that pipeline visible statewide.
Mason Falslev Gave Utah State a Mountain West Player of the Year and an NCAA Tournament Win
A Cache Valley guard ran a 29-7 Aggies team to both Mountain West crowns and an NCAA Tournament win over Villanova, and Utah State's own releases documented him as the league's Player of the Year and a CSC Academic All-American.
Snow College Football Remains Utah's Shortest Path From JUCO to Division I
Snow College has spent generations moving junior-college football players into FBS and FCS programs, and the 2025 Badgers roster is the next cohort of that pipeline on the record.
SLCC Men's Basketball Sits at the Center of Utah's JUCO-to-D1 Pipeline
Salt Lake Community College has spent decades as an NJCAA Region 18 program with a steady record of moving players to Division I, and the 2025-26 Bruins roster is the next page in that pipeline.
Jackson Gilkey Became Weber State's Quarterback Story During a Coaching Change
A UTSA transfer won the Week 1 job, delivered a 42-41 road win at McNeese, and lost the rest of 2025 to a fractured fibula before the program parted ways with its head coach in November.
Utah Tech Football Has a Big Sky Preview Built Around Deacon Hill
Utah Tech's 2025 season-opener release put a fifth-year quarterback with Iowa starts at the top of the depth chart, giving the Trailblazers a real profile heading into their Big Sky transition.
SUU's Big Sky Move Starts With a Quarterback Room That Includes Will Burns
Southern Utah heads into a Big Sky Conference transition with a quarterback room that Thunderbirds coaches called one of their biggest 2025 strengths, and transfer Will Burns gives the Thunderbirds a dual-threat arrival story.
Why UVU Volleyball Entered 2025 as the WAC Favorite
The Wolverines opened the season on top of the preseason poll, and the resumes of Sami Blackett and Alyvia Jaffa explain why Utah Valley carried real conference weight.
Alyvia Jaffa's Navy Match Showed UVU's Front-Row Depth
A career-high performance against Navy gave Utah Valley a specific front-row story to carry into the rest of a season that began with WAC-title expectations.
Bryson Barnes Walked on at Utah and Became Utah State's Most Important Football Story
A Milford walk-on turned Utah State graduate quarterback built the Aggies' 2025 season around a Davey O'Brien QB Class selection, a Burlsworth semifinal nod, and a school record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
Chase Roberts Took BYU Football From Utah County to the Las Vegas Raiders
The American Fork and Highland High product closed a captain's BYU career with 54 catches for 802 yards, went undrafted in 2026, and signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent.
AJ Dybantsa Gives BYU Basketball a National Star to Build Around
BYU's freshman forward turned March 2026 into a run of national honors, giving the Cougars a player the country already follows and a reason to matter well beyond Provo.
Grace Szwedko Delivered the Late Goal Westminster Needed Against UCCS
The Highland High product scored late in Westminster's March 13, 2026 home opener, giving the Griffins a one-play summary of why local athlete stories matter.
Parker Stebbing Brings a Salt Lake Backbone to Westminster Soccer
The Olympus High alum returned to Salt Lake after City College of San Francisco, giving Westminster a defender whose biography says as much about the program as the roster spot itself.
Alyssa Blanck Gives Utah Women's Basketball a Salt Lake Storyline
A 6-foot-2 Salt Lake City senior and former Olympus High walk-on, Blanck transferred from BYU to Utah and gives the Utes a hometown frontcourt story that crosses the rivalry line.
Logan Fano Took Utah's Fano Story From the Rivalry to the Cleveland Browns
Spanish Fork roots, a BYU-to-Utah transfer, an All-Big 12 edge season, and an undrafted move to the Cleveland Browns: Logan Fano closed his Utah career as the homegrown half of the Fano family's NFL leap.