Utah Valley University is the largest school in Utah by enrollment, with over 40,000 students. It shares Division 1 athletic status with six other Utah schools: Utah State, Weber State, University of Utah, Brigham Young, Southern Utah and Dixie State. Yet all those other schools have something Utah Valley doesn’t: a football team. Whether it is Utah State, Utah and BYU at the highest level of Division 1 in the bowl game subdivision (FBS), or Weber State, Dixie State and SUU at the smaller championship football level (FCS), all six schools are able to pull off a football program that excites and unites their students and alumni every fall. It’s time for Utah Valley to do the same.
With the resources the school has as it develops its 20 to 40 year master plan for modernization and development, the school can afford to sponsor a team. Notice the plan even calls for new athletic facilities and a sports stadium. The benefits of a program surely outweigh the financial investment.
Having a program would give the Wolverine spirit new blood, and a Vineyard stadium is close enough to the main Orem campus that students, alumni and the community could go enjoy games. With more student housing options becoming available, UVU is slowly shifting from a commuter school to a school with a campus to envy.
Being relatively recent to university status, obtaining it in 2009, UVU is at the perfect time to capitalize on its budding school spirit. Who knows, maybe a Wolverine Squad could develop a cross-valley rivalry with the school in Provo. Or compete at the FCS level in a renewed WAC or Big Sky conference. The potential is limitless. As a proud Wolverine student, I for one, am all in.
Joseph Chowen, Orem