The Utah Tech Trailblazers are the athletic teams of Utah Tech University in St. George, Utah. The university, formerly known as Dixie State University, adopted the Trailblazers nickname and Brooks the Bison mascot in 2016, and the athletic visual identity was updated again in 2022 when the institution changed its name to Utah Tech University. The university’s official athletic colors are red, navy blue and white.[1]
Design and History
Dixie State University announced its new Trailblazers identity on April 11, 2016, replacing the Red Storm nickname and Big “D” the Bull mascot that had been in place since 2009.[2] The university worked in partnership with Love Communications, a Salt Lake City-based advertising and communications agency, to create the Trailblazer brand.[3] The athletic logos featuring Brooks the Bison were first introduced to the community on that date.[4]
In May 2022, Dixie State revealed new logos ahead of its July 1 name change to Utah Tech University. While the Trailblazer nickname and bison mascot remained, the athletic visual identity was updated to be cohesive with the new institutional brand.[5] The Trailblazers retained their nickname, bison mascot and blue and red color scheme through the transition.[6]
The university’s athletic brand tagline is “Blaze Forward.”[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Trailblazer identity was chosen because it embodies the university’s pioneer heritage of hard work, perseverance, sacrifice and commitment to the community. The nickname is paired with the bison because these animals were America’s original trailblazers, as they stampeded the trails throughout North America that were later adopted by pioneers migrating west.[7] The mascot, Brooks the Bison, is named after Samuel Brooks, the first student at the institution, who spent the night on the steps of St. George Stake Academy in 1911 to be the first to pay tuition.[2]
The 2022 Utah Tech logo features a two-tone design with blue on top and red on the bottom, separated by a “horizon” line. The colors pay homage to the red rocks and blue skies of Southern Utah while also representing the cooler weather of Northern Utah and the warmer climate down south.[5][6] The logo also features both the shape and the acronym of the state of Utah, and its modern design captures the institution’s future-focused mission.[5]
Typography and Design
The 2022 Utah Tech primary athletic logo features the Brooks bison head above a stacked “Utah Tech Trailblazers” wordmark in blue, red and gray.[8] The state of Utah is outlined in the negative space of the “U” in the institutional logo, and the notch on the left side of the “U” forms a “1,” signifying the school’s move to Division I.[9]
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