SALT LAKE CITY – Dixie State Athletics began to update the Trailblazers’ social media accounts with a new logo for the upcoming Utah Tech University rebrand.

On Sunday, May 15, the school unveiled new logos for its 2022 rebrand.

Dixie State will officially become Utah Tech on July 1. Utah Tech will retain the Trailblazers nickname.

As part of the rebrand, the Trailblazers started to update the names and logos on the social media accounts for each of the Trailblazers’ sports teams.

AND HERE…WE…GO!!! https://t.co/qlty3YrhCE

— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) May 15, 2022

Trailblazers head football coach Paul Peterson posted on Twitter to share his excitement for the rebrand.

“Here we go… Fun to be a part of this rebrand @utahtechu,” Peterson tweeted. “Big things continue to happen!”

💥Here we go… Fun to be a part of this rebrand @utahtechu 🦬 Big things continue to happen! 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/6MS5IVVQlM

— Coach Peterson (@CoachPPeterson) May 16, 2022

The Trailblazers will continue to compete in Dixie State uniforms until the rebrand and name change becomes official in July.

Dixie State unveils logos for Utah Tech rebrand

With Dixie State University preparing to take on its new name as Utah Tech this summer, the school unveiled its official logos for the rebranded school.

A news release said the renamed school’s logos first appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of DSU Magazine.

Utah Tech will continue with its Trailblazer nickname and bison mascot. Both are integrated into the new logos.

The name change becomes official on July 1.

“We are proud to be transitioning to the Utah Tech University name that highlights the impactful active learning experiences and career preparation each and every student gets in all of our 200-plus academic programs,” DSU President Richard B. Williams said. “The Utah Tech brand builds upon the legacy this institution has established over the last 111 years and will serve our students and university well for generations to come.”

The new logo incorporates the shape of the state of Utah in ‘U’ the Utah Tech design.

The colors pay homage to the warm climate, red rocks, and blue skies of southern Utah and the cool temperatures of northern Utah.

New name, new design for Dixie State Universityhttps://t.co/22vl5fFeO4

— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) May 15, 2022

Why was the name changed?

The University decided to review the name in 2019 as demonstrations against racial injustice flared across the country in the wake of the death of Floyd George at the hands of the Minneapolis, MN police department.

That included a focus on Confederate symbols and monuments.

The change was motivated in part by students and graduates of the university who said in the wider job market, it was troublesome to explain the name and connotations of Dixie. Some lawmakers spoke out against the change and there was a paid media campaign to keep it.

Name Change Process

The name change was a complicated process that took two years to complete. It included studies, public meetings, approval from the legislature, and eventually a signature from Gov. Spencer Cox.

“This process was one of the most visible, notable, and comprehensive rebrands the state has ever experienced,” said Julie Beck, chair of the Name Recommendation Committee. “It included three major studies, tens of thousands of completed surveys, approximately 1,000 focus group participants, and nearly two years of data collection and preparation.”

The release said the new logo and design was the result of looking at hundreds of factors including trademarks, name acronym, and the availability of a domain name.

“This new brand is a culmination of more than 100 years of relentless trailblazing from thousands of innovators who have come before us,” Dr. Jordon Sharp, DSU’s vice president of marketing & communication, said. “This is yet another example of our community’s willingness to sacrifice, pivot, and forge a new and stronger path when necessary.”

The University made the new logos, screensavers, and mobile backgrounds available for download here. utahtech.edu/brand