The Dixie State women’s basketball team had a rough start to the Division I era. After just three games, the Trailblazers ended the season due to health concerns. It’s not really surprising considering that Covid created a lot of chaos in 2020-21. So, there are a lot of relatively unknowns tied to this program.
Head Coach:
JD Gustin (6th Season)
At Dixie State: 51-61 Overall
Overall: 197-144
Last Year: 1-2 Overall, 0-0 WAC (Cancelled season on Jan 5th due to COVID-19 concerns)
Postseason: N/A
Departures:
Ashley Greenwood, 5-7, RS JR, G (Westminster>>D2)
MaKayla Johnson, 6-3, GR, C
Breana Moea’i, 5-10, SR, F
Anabella Muscorelli, 6-3, FR, C
Newcomers:
Macie Warren, 5-10, FR, G
Maddie Warren, 5-10, FR, G
Averi Papa, 6-3, FR, F
Predicted WAC Finish
12th
Breakdown
Dixie State played three games a season ago with two of those contests against NCAA Division I competition before cancelling the season in early January, just before the first weekend of WAC play. As a result not much is known about their ability to compete at this level.
What is known, however, is that Gustin has steadily built Dixie State into a solid program going from five wins in his first year to 18 by their final year in Division 2. There’s no reason to believe that the same thing won’t occur for Trailblazer women’s basketball in Division I.
Dixie State guard Breaunna Gillen and the Trailblazers are hoping to play a full season in 2021-22. Courtesy Dixie State Athletics.
London Pavlica was the team’s leading scorer in those three games at 11.7 PPG, recording 24 points in a December win over NAIA Park University.
Gustin hit the portal and added Talia Sireni from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada who had previously played at San Diego State. In two seasons, she entered 23 games and recorded 100 minutes played while shooting 35 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range.
He also added a Big East transfer in Taylia Stimpson who made three starts at Georgetown. While at the College of Southern Idaho, she was the team’s second leading scorer at 11 points per game.
Giuliana Marinozzi, a 1,000 point scorer at the high school level in Ohio, also signed with the Trailblazers. Adding JUCO transfers and Division I transfers is crucial for a team making the transition to Division I. Gustin needed to change the way he recruited and it seems as though he has done so. It’s not hard when your school is located in a beautiful area and has high-quality facilities like the Burns Arena. It is tough to tell how competitive the Dixie State women will be in 2021-22. But, JD Gustin is a winner and knows how to get the most out of his players.
If the May draft is correct, Dixie State will make its debut in WAC competition on the road at Tarleton State just before the New Year.
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