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Utah’s biggest university wanted a bigger platform for its sports.

Utah Valley University officials say the Big West Conference will be just that.

After a decade in the Western Athletic Conference, the Wolverines will join the Big West on July 1, 2026. UVU Athletic Director Jared Sumsion says the move makes sense for the Wolverines, as they look to elevate their brand and level of competition.

“We really feel like the Big West elevates our profile,” Sumsion said. “It elevates who we are. And we feel like we help elevate the profile of the Big West as well.”

Here’s what you need to know about the Wolverines’ move.

How does UVU stack up?

With one season left in the WAC, Sumsion said the Wolverines will use their remaining season to prepare for what is to come with the Big West, both competitively and financially.

“We need to get better, competitively in some sports, and we have a couple facilities that could use some upgrades,” UVU’s AD said.

“It’s a more competitive league, and a lot of our sports are going to have to ramp up. That comes down to fundraising, building our facilities and getting ourselves ready for this opportunity.”

UVU will become the largest university in the conference with more than 46,800 enrolled students.

How does UVU stack up financially?

The Wolverines had $19.49 million in total athletic department expenses in 2024, compared to a total revenue of $18.44 million.

That would put UVU among the smaller budgets in the Big West, according to 2024 data:

Cal Poly — $35.9 million (includes football)

Cal State Bakersfield — $18.6 million

Cal State Fullerton — $26.3 million

Long Beach State — $29.6 million

Cal State Northridge — $22.8 million

UC Irvine — $31 million

UC Riverside — $20.9 million

UC San Diego — $24.6 million

UC Santa Barbara — $24.9 million

UVU’s biggest expenses of the year came from coaching salaries ($4.29 million), game and travel expenses ($3.87 million) and athlete financial aid ($3.79 million).

Are there Big West benefits?

The Wolverines’ basketball program could benefit most from the move. In March, the Big West fell short of being a two-bid league in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament when UC San Diego beat UC Irvine in the conference title game. If the Anteaters had won, both programs likely would have been in the Big Dance.

UVU failed to earn a bid into March Madness last season after it was defeated by Grand Canyon University in the WAC title game. With a win, the Wolverines would have played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Wolverines’ recent success in men’s basketball could eventually help the Big West become a multi-bid league.

But Sumsion said the Wolverines will be better positioned in other sports, too.

“We’ve been interested in joining a league that’s really strong,” he said. “The Big West is one of the premier mid-major leagues in the country.

“It’s a great baseball league and a great soccer league. It has a lot of sports with a lot of history. … We feel like we are going to be able to come in with some sports and immediately be competitive.”

Is more expansion to come?

The Wolverines will join as the only non-California school in their new conference. Big West commissioner Dan Butterly is excited about expanding his league’s regional footprint, citing new opportunities for future expansion.

With the latest addition of UVU, the conference will only have 11 programs by 2026. Butterly hopes to expand to 12 member institutions in the future to ease conference scheduling.

“We’re named the Big West,” Butterly said. “We’re excited about adding the state of Utah back to the footprint in the Big West.

“We still have institutions that we’re speaking with. There are institutions that want to join the Big West as they see the strength of the strategic plan moving ahead.”

The WAC is crumbling

Once the thriving home of the Utes and the Cougars, the Western Athletic Conference is struggling to hold on to members right now.

Seattle University is leaving to join the West Coast Conference next month.

UVU and California Baptist will leave for the Big West next year. Grand Canyon University is set to join the Mountain West then.

That would leave the WAC with just five full-time members, including Utah Tech and Southern Utah, in 2026.

The hard work of Utah’s best high school athletes was on full display Monday night.

Nearly 170 student-athletes were honored at the third annual Deseret News High School Sports Awards presented by The Larry H. Miller Company.

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The event, hosted at the new Ballpark at America First Square, celebrated Utah’s most exceptional high school athletes for their athletic accomplishments over the past school year.

“The talent has gotten better and better in this space,” Deseret News editor Sarah Jane Weaver said.

Deseret News columnist and BYUtv broadcaster Dave McCann served as the event’s master of ceremonies.

The night’s honors included most outstanding athlete awards for each of the 25 sanctioned sports as well as male and female honors for player, coach and humanitarian of the year.

The top overall athletic programs in each of the six classifications were also honored with the All-Sports Awards.

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In addition to their awards, the male and female athletes and coaches of the year each received a $1,000 check from America First Credit Union. Other sponsors of the evening included Minky Couture, SymbolArts and Eye Care4 Kids.

Male Athlete of the Year

Male Athlete of the Year and Mr. Soccer winner Lewis Knecht expressed his gratitude for the Deseret News recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of Utah’s high school athletes.

“They work hard to make sure we feel like we’ve succeeded, because we have,” Knecht said. “It’s not easy doing what we do. Whether you get an award or not, to be here, it’s really important to each of us, and it’s really nice to feel important to the community, so I’m just very grateful for them and all they do.”

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The American Fork High forward was caught off guard when he learned he’d been named male athlete of the year. Knecht was impressed as the winner’s stats and achievements were read off and was surprised when he realized they were his.

The future Utah Valley Wolverine considers the award his proudest accomplishment of his high school athletic career alongside American Fork’s back-to-back state championships.

“It was unheard of for our program and to make a name for our program and to switch the narrative for us, it was really important for me to just build those memories with my teammates,” he said.

“There’s nothing I would trade for those two state championships for my team.”

Female Athlete of the Year

The day after she demolished her own national high school record for the two-mile run, Timpview’s Jane Hedengren was named the Female Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year.

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Hedengren was also honored as Ms. Cross Country for a third straight year and Ms. Track and Field for the second consecutive year.

“It’s awesome to come to this event. It’s been great the past few years, and I’m just really, really glad that they wanted to have me again this year,” she said.

Hedengren finished her high school career with nine national records to her name, and she’s excited to join the BYU Cougars this fall.

“I think that it’s gonna be a great opportunity, and I’m excited to gain some new relationships there and to just give myself grace for the development process and that it might take a few years to adjust and just get back into the rhythm of things, but I’m really hopeful for the future,” she said.

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Hedengren had many college options, but she chose BYU.

“I think it’s really just going to be a great place and great fit for me, so really looking forward to my time,” she said. “No negative nerves or energy coming in. Just looking forward to that process.

“I’m sure there’s going to be many learning curves but I’m ready for that and I’m excited for that because I think that will only positively affect me as a person and as an athlete, just with building my resilience and just learning to be adaptable within many different positions.”

Female Coach of the Year

The 2025 Female Coach of the Year, McHailee Danner, and her softball team made West Jordan High history by winning the school’s first-ever girls state championship.

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“Honestly, to get the award was kind of a bit of a shock, but I am so deeply honored,” she said. “I mean, my whole life, I’ve chased being a winner. I’ve chased being a champion, and I didn’t quite get it in high school.

“It kind of manifests in a way that I never thought, and it’s just 100% better, so I’m just grateful to be honored in that way, and just to show up for my players.”

This season was Danner’s second as West Jordan’s coach and her second year ever as a head coach. She actually interviewed for the job while on a family trip to Disney World. Now, she’s able to share her “one true love” with the next generation.

Male Coach of the Year

Adam Fager, this year’s Male Coach of the Year, led Layton High’s boy’s wrestling team to its highest national ranking and third straight state title, but the year was also bittersweet for Fager and the team.

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Fager’s father passed away in January, the month before the Lancers claimed their title. His father, a sports psychologist, had volunteered several free hours of his services to the boys on the team “to help them pursue becoming their best selves,” Fager said.

“To see us all be able to finish out that season with a lot of gratitude and persevere when we could have hung our heads and really choked, but we all kind of stepped up and decided to have a lot of gratitude for my dad and the things that he’s done for us and show that gratitude through our effort and our performance, so I mean, that more than anything, that kind of makes it most special,” he said.

While the night was full of special moments, the best moment was actually impromptu.

The event’s keynote speaker Travis Hansen, a former BYU, NBA and Euroleague player, advised the honorees to “give a piece of crust away and get a loaf back.”

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“When you do good, the unimaginable happens,” Hansen said.

Hansen showed the honorees what that looked like. Before his address, Hansen — without disclosing his reason — had asked the event organizers to find an athlete who had experienced a rough year. They chose Ben Hone, who plays volleyball at Orem High.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Hansen invited Hone out onto the field to share his story. Hone said he has Type 1 diabetes and his parents are going through their own health challenges. His father has cancer, and his mother has multiple sclerosis and arthritis.

Sports has served as an outlet for Hone to get away from life’s challenges, he said.

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Hansen then surprised Hone by telling him that he was giving him $5,000 “because you’re a fighter, because you’re disciplined, because your family is dealing with a lot of uncertainty.”

Here is the full list of honorees from this year’s Deseret News High School Sports Awards.

2024-25 Deseret News High School Sports Awards Honorees

Athlete of the Year

• Male: Lewis Knecht, American Fork, soccer

• Female: Jane Hedengren, Timpview, track and field/cross country

Coach of the Year

• Male: Adam Fager, Layton, wrestling

• Female: McHailee Danner, West Jordan, softball

Boys cross-country

• Mr. Cross-Country: Kaden Evans, American Fork

Most outstanding athletes

• Kaden Evans, American Fork

• Hayden Hooper, Bountiful

• Kyle Steadman, Mountain View

• Jackson Spencer, Herriman

Girls cross-country

• Ms. Cross-Country: Jane Hedengren, Timpview

Most outstanding athletes

• Jane Hedengren, Timpview

• Lily Alder, Timpview

• Skye Jensen, American Fork

• Jaylie Rae Jenkins, Union

Football

• Mr. Football: Robert Young, Roy

Most outstanding athletes

• Top QB: Emerson Geilman, Bountiful

• Top RB: Kaden Vest, Spanish Fork

• Top WR: Jaron Pula, Timpview

• Top WR: Graham Livingston, Ridgeline

• Top OL: Zion Finau, Corner Canyon

• Top OL: Aaron Michael Dunn, Spanish Fork

• Top DL : De’Shawn Ioka Nofoa Toilolo, Skyridge

• Top DL: Viliami Moala, Bingham

• Top LB: McKay Wright, Crimson Cliffs

• Top LB: Nusi Taumoepeau, Westlake

• Top DB: Cyrus Polu, Desert Hills

• Top DB: Robert Young, Roy

Boys volleyball

• Mr. Volleyball: Trey Thornton, Maple Mountain

The Ultimate 6

• Trey Thornton, Maple Mountain

• Kilika Tafa, Westlake

• Corbin Batista, Alta

• Nesta James Vaitai, Mountain Ridge

• Ben Hone, Orem

• Ashton Shewell, Lehi

Girls Volleyball

• Ms. Volleyball: Taylor Harvey, Bountiful

The Ultimate 6

• Taylor Harvey, Bountiful

• Grace Fredrick, Skyline

• Ava Burgess, Lone Peak

• Halle Bills, Corner Canyon

• Kylie Buttars, Skyridge

• Sadie White, Mountain Ridge

Boys Basketball

• Mr. Basketball: Gavin Lowe, Olympus

Dream 5 starters

• Coleman Atwater, Davis

• Cale Barclay, Herriman

• Dean Rueckert, Timpview

• Gavin Lowe, Olympus

• Jude Haigh, Green Canyon

Girls Basketball

Ms. Basketball: Emilee Skinner, Ridgeline

Dream 5 starters

• Emilee Skinner, Ridgeline

• Taylor Harvey, Bountiful

• Skylie Barker, Copper Hills

• Olivia Hamlin, Snow Canyon

• La’u Pele Kylee Falatea, West

Drill team

• Ms. Drill: Caymbree Hodges, Bingham

Most outstanding athletes

• Caymbree Hodges, Bingham

• Harlee Ruoti, Copper Hills

• Taylor Crum, Duchesne

• Ellison Parkinson, Davis

• Reagan Tracy, Farmington

Competitive cheers

• Ms. Cheer: Avery Iorg, Bingham

Most outstanding athletes

• Avery Iorg, Bingham

• Ellie Baugh, Farmington

• Anistyn Barber, Timpview

• Preston Abilla, Bingham

• Ava Johnson, Corner Canyon

Boys golf

Mr. Golf: Kihei Akina, Lone Peak

Most outstanding athletes

• Kihei Akina, Lone Peak

• Bowen Mauss, Corner Canyon

• Jackson Shelley, Skyline

• Rawson Hardy, Park City

Girls golf

• Ms. Golf: Saydie Wagner, Lone Peak

Most outstanding athletes

• Kaylee Westfall, Orem

• Aadyn Long, Lone Peak

• Saydie Wagner, Lone Peak

• Whitni Johnson, Bonneville

Boys tennis

• Mr. Tennis: Braeden Johnson, American Fork

Most outstanding athletes

• Braeden Michael Johnson, American Fork

• Oliver Mesicek, Highland

• Calvin Armstrong, Skyridge

• Adam Miner, Crimson Cliffs

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Girls tennis

• Ms. Tennis: Bella Lewis, Skyridge

Most outstanding athletes

• Bella Lewis, Skyridge

• Fabiana Gonzalez, Hillcrest

• Emmy Richards, Woods Cross

• Bailey Huebner, Green Canyon

Boys soccer

• Mr. Soccer: Lewis Knecht, American Fork

Best 11

• F: Lewis Knecht, American Fork

• F: Jorge Beltran, East

• F: Jayden Cosper, Wasatch

• MF: Luis Velasco, Ogden

• MF: Demitri James Wallace Larsen, American Fork

• MF: Taylor Daniel Kogan, Dixie

• MF: Cole Simpson, Wasatch

• D: Elijah Robert Jaggi, Lone Peak

• D: Ben Hess, American Fork

• D: Ty Dutcher, Alta

• GK: Chase Radford, Alta

Girls soccer

• Ms. soccer: Hope Munson, Olympus

Best 11

• F: Hadli Barrera, Mountain Crest

• F: Kyleigh Hastings, Green Canyon

• F: Bella Devey, Lone Peak

• MF: Hope Munson, Olympus

• MF: Kate Denney, Lone Peak

• MF: Kate Fuller, Lone Peak

• MF: Brooklyn Phongsavath, Davis

• D: Ruby Lee, Lone Peak

• D: Cadence Packer, Davis

• D: Summer Cay Sofonia, Mountain Crest

• GK: Eliza Collings, Lone Peak

Boys wrestling

• Mr. Wrestling: Geronimo Rivera Jr., Layton

Most outstanding athletes

• Geronimo Rivera Jr., Layton

• Tucker Roybal, Union

• Austin Paris, Grand

• Jason Worthley, West Field

• Noah Bull, Layton

• Brad Farrer, Pleasant Grove

Girls wrestling

• Ms. Wrestling: Kristina Kent, Davis

Most outstanding athletes

• Keilikki Nau Rarick, Westlake

• Kristina Lynn Kent, Davis

• Aleena Navarrete, West Field

• Tevia Nau Rarick, Westlake

• Tilisa Matakaiongo, Canyon View

• Nia Hagler, Snow Canyon

Boys lacrosse

• Mr. Lacross: Austin Taylor, Brighton

Best 11

• Attack: Rome Swanwick, Judge Memorial

• Attack: Austin Taylor, Brighton

• Attack: Gabe Carrera, Brighton

• Middie: Braxton Horoba, Alta

• Middie: JT Rigby, Mountain Ridge

• Middie: Ashton Wood, Davis

• SSDM: Reece Jerrad Smith, Park City

• Defender: Mason Brady, Corner Canyon

• Defender: Carter Sant, Davis

• Middie: Kaydin Berry, Fremont

• Goalie: Rhett King, Corner Canyon

Girls lacrosse

• Ms. Lacrosse: Sarah Anné, Olympus

Best 12

• Attack: Catherine “Cat” Elsa Faucette, Corner Canyon

• Attack: Taya Chalk, Mountain Ridge

• Attack: Alexandra MacAulay, Farmington

• Middie: Sarah Anné, Olympus

• Middie: Lizzie Anné, Olympus

• Middie: Coco Crawford, Park City

• Middie: Cecelia Walton, Viewmont

• Middie: Hailey Larsen, Farmington

• Defender: Lily Yatkeman, Park City

• Defender: Brielle Fabert, Mountain Ridge

• Defender: Megan Magee, Park City

• Goalie: Elle Erickson, Farmington

Boys swimming

• Mr. Swimming: Abe Astle, Olympus

Most outstanding athletes

• Abe Astle, Olympus

• Luan Barnard, Brighton

• Kurt Morgan, Canyon View

• Sebastian Wrona, Olympus

• Gabriel Thomas Jones, St. Joseph

• Nash Stanford Hale, Skyline

Girls swimming

• Ms. Swimming: Roni Black, Highland

Most outstanding athletes

• Roni Black, Highland

• Jade Garstang, Skyline

• Taylor Bennett, Lone Peak

• Avery Bulkley, Payson

• Rainie Moran, Olympus

• Ana Diedrichs, Wasatch

Baseball

Mr. Baseball: CJ Mascaro, American Fork

Elite starting 9

• Cy Chrisman, Maple Mountain

• Mays Madsen, Lehi

• CJ Mascaro, American Fork

• Kameron Beck, Bingham

• Chase Johnston, Maple Mountain

• Andrew Wilson, Desert Hills

• Drew Smith, Pleasant Grove

• Easton Fry, Brighton

• Cache Poulson, American Fork

Softball

• Ms. Softball: Anne Wallace, Ridgeline

Elite starting 9

• Anne Wallace, Ridgeline

• Lulu West, Desert Hills

• Maile Larsen, Pleasant Grove

• Bella Douglas, Bear River

• Rita Leialoha Tavita, West Jordan

• Brecka Larson, Bingham

• Peyton Holly Sanchez, Riverton

• Maggie Amelia Hamblin, Riverton

• Katelyn Wilson, Bear River

Boys track

• Mr. Track: Davis DeGroot, Bonneville

Most outstanding athletes

• Ty Warnick, Riverton

• Davis DeGroot, Bonneville

• Matthew Christopher Bryant, Lone Peak

• David Konan, Corner Canyon

• Tayshaun Ogomo, Herriman

• Eli Connelly, Crimson Cliffs

• Josh Hamblin, Weber

Girls track

• Ms. Track: Jane Hedengren, Timpview

Most outstanding athletes

• Amelia Nadauld, Snow Canyon

• Jane Hedengren, Timpview

• Tia Brown, Snow Canyon

• Kinzlee J Riddle, Mountain Ridge

• Burklie Burton, Layton

• Lily Alder, Timpview

• Cadee Alder, Manti

Humanitarian of the Year

• Male: Sawyer Orgain, Rowland Hall

• Female: Lydia Wall, Salem Hills

All-sports winners

• 1A: Clint Barney, Panguitch

• 2A: Amy Robinson, South Sevier

• 3A: Kade Morrell, Morgan

• 4A: Mike Hansen, Ridgeline

• 5A: Wendy Anae, Timpview

• 6A: Nancy Warner, Lone Peak

The inaugural NBA Draft Lottery dates back to 1985, and since then, the Jazz have made 13 selections through it. From longtime contributors to rising stars, each pick reflects a different chapter in the franchise’s journey. Let’s take a look back from the most recent lottery pick to one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

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Cody Williams – 2024 (10th Overall)

The younger brother of OKC’s Jalen Williams, Cody appeared in 50 games as a rookie in 2024-25 and averaged 4.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.2 mpg. Williams’ debut season was plagued a bit by injuries, but he’s still just 20 years old and will have the time to develop in Utah with their young core.

Taylor Hendricks – 2023 (9th Overall)

A versatile forward out of Central Florida, Hendricks is another Jazz youngster who’s missed significant time in the early stages of his career. After playing in 43 contests as a rookie in 2023-24, a fractured right fibula and dislocated right ankle cost him all but three games in 2024-25. The 21-year-old has compiled career averages of 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on 43.4 / 36.8 / 78.8 splits in 46 games.

Taurean Prince -2016 (12th Overall)

Utah traded the draft rights of Taurean Waller-Prince (full name) to the Hawks in 2016, and the Baylor product played his first three professional campaigns in Atlanta. From there, Prince spent time with Brooklyn, Cleveland, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers and, most recently, Milwaukee, appearing in a combined 608 regular and postseason games throughout his nine-year career.

Trey Lyles – 2015 (12th Overall)

Lyles has enjoyed a solid 10-year career in the NBA. The Kentucky product playing 151 games en route to tallying 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. Over the next five seasons, Lyles spent time with the Nuggets, Spurs and Pistons before joining his current team, the Sacramento Kings, midway through the 2021-22 season.

Dante Exum – 2014 (5th Overall)

Injuries have been a consistent hurdle for Exum ever since the Jazz took him fifth overall back in 2014. The Australian combo guard has played 66 or more games just twice in nine years in the NBA, doing so with the franchise that drafted him each time. He missed all of 2015-16 because of injury, then appeared in 133 games combined over the next three and a half years with Utah until the Cavaliers acquired him in 2019-20. Exum made 30 appearances for Cleveland but decided to spend his next two pro seasons in Europe while reviving his game and health. That hard work resulted in the Aussie’s NBA comeback with Dallas, where he’s suited up in 75 total outings over the past two seasons.

Shabazz Muhammad – 2013 (14th Overall)

Muhammad ended up being one of three draft picks to be traded away by Utah in the 2013 draft. The UCLA product played five seasons in the NBA with Minnesota and Milwaukee, averaging 9.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 278 career outings before retiring in 2018.

Enes Freedom – 2011 (3rd Overall)

Freedom, who is formerly known as Enes Kanter, was the first of two lottery selections by the Jazz in 2013. He played 265 games in almost four years in Utah, with his breakout campaign coming in 2013-14 when he averaged 12.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg and finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year Voting. Enes started the following season and put up 13.8 points and 7.8 boards, prompting Oklahoma City to trade for him. He went on to play for the Thunder, Knicks, Trail Blazers and Celtics to wrap up an 11-year career, retiring in 2022 at age 29.

Alec Burks – 2011 (12th Overall)

Burks played his first eight campaigns with the Jazz, recording averages of 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 382 games. The guard-forward out of Colorado has bounced around a bit since his time in Utah, suiting up for the Cavs, Kings, Warriors, Sixers, Knicks, Pistons and Heat to round out a solid 14-year career in the NBA.

Gordon Hayward – 2010 (9th Overall)

Hayward put together a great seven-year stretch that was capped by his only career All-Star appearance in 2016-17. After posting a career-high 21.9 ppg that season, Hayward decided to leave Utah in favor of Boston the following year, but a devastating leg injury cost him all but five minutes of his debut. The Butler alum played for the Celtics, Hornets and Thunder over the final seven seasons of his 14-year career, retiring in 2024.

Ronnie Brewer – 2006 (14th Overall)

Brewer’s most productive seasons came in a Jazz uniform, where he tallied 10.5 points and 1.5 steals across 266 career games. He averaged a career-best 13.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 1.7 spg in 2008-09, his last full season in Utah. Brewer was a member of the Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks, Thunder and Rockets to finish out his eight-year tenure in the NBA.

Deron Williams – 2005 (3rd Overall)

Much like the previous entry on this list, Williams played perhaps the best basketball of his 12-year career in Utah. He finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2005-06, made two of his three All-Star appearances with the Jazz, and finished top-12 in MVP voting while being named to the All-NBA Second Teams in 2007-08 and 2009-10. In 439 contests as a member of the Jazz, Williams averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 assists and 1.1 steals. He spent the rest of his time in the league with Brooklyn/New Jersey, Dallas and Cleveland before retiring in 2017.

Kris Humphries – 2004 (14th Overall)

Humphries played two seasons with the Jazz and posted averages of 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 129 games. Throughout the next 11 years, the Minnesota product played for Toronto, Dallas, Brooklyn/New Jersey, Boston, Washington, Phoenix and Atlanta before retiring in 2017 as a Hawk.

Karl Malone – 1985 (13th Overall)

Malone is one of the greatest players in not only Jazz history, but in NBA history as well. A member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, ‘The Mailman’ finished third in ROY voting in 1986 and was a 14-time All-Star, a 14-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-Defensive Team selection and a two-time MVP in his 19-year career. He led the league in free-throws made and attempted for five straight seasons (1988-89 to 1992-93), then again in free-throws made from 1996-1999, earning Malone the all-time record for makes (9,787) and attempts (13,188). In 1,434 regular season appearances for Utah, ‘King Karl’ averaged 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks throughout 18 years with the franchise. He joined the Lakers for his final campaign in 2003-04 to end his Hall-of-Fame career.

The legendary Yo-Yo Ma will perform at least twice in Utah next year — at two universities.

Yo-Yo Ma will perform at BYU and UVU

Utah Valley University recently announced The Noorda’s Center for the Performing Arts 2025–26 season, and the lineup includes a performance from renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Feb. 25.

That performance comes the day after the 19-time Grammy winner is scheduled to perform at Brigham Young University — an appearance that celebrates both the university’s 150th anniversary and the centennial of the school’s College of Fine Arts and Communication, as the Deseret News previously reported.

Ma’s pair of solo performances in Utah is significant, coming a little over a year after he performed with the Utah Symphony in an appearance that was billed as his first performance in Salt Lake City since the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics, per Deseret News.

The Noorda’s upcoming season also features another classical music superstar: violinist Joshua Bell.

The violin virtuoso previously performed at UVU in 2021 and Brigham Young University in 2017.

Another big draw for the season is Broadway and Disney star Lea Salonga, the powerful voice behind Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan who was the guest artist for the Tabernacle Choir’s 2022 Christmas concert.

Below is the full 2025–26 season lineup, per The Noorda website:

• Sept. 12 — The Wailin’ Jennys
• Sept. 26 — Henry Yeff aka Reeps100
• Oct. 13 — 123 Andres
• Nov. 5 — Lea Salonga
• Dec. 12 — La Nueva Generacion, “A Mariachi Christmas”
• Dec. 16 — Utah Symphony, “Here Comes Santa Claus”
• Feb. 6, 2026 — Tango After Dark
• Feb. 25, 2026 — Yo-Yo Ma
• April 3, 2026 — Brush Theatre presents: Doodle Pop
• April 21, 2026 — Joshua Bell

Tickets are available on The Noorda’s website. Ma’s performance is only available through season ticket packages until July 1.

Utah ranks No. 4 in the nation for child well-being, with gains in reducing poverty and youth engagement. But there are persistent challenges in housing and access to early education, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual evaluation, which is now in its 36th year.

The “2025 Kids Count Data Book” ranks the states from 1 to 50 on 16 indicators of child well-being. The report considers four factors in each of four categories: Economic well-being, education, health and family and community.

Utah came in behind New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. New Mexico was the state with the lowest ranking.

It notes that a quarter of Utah children in 2023 (the last year for full data) lived in households that spent more than the recommended 30% of household income on housing and reports an increase in the share who have challenges finding affordable housing in the Beehive State.

Additionally, 9% of children live in poverty, which is down from 10% five years ago. But while 3,000 children who lived in poverty in 2019 no longer do, that means 88,000 still lived in poverty in 2023.

Other bad news, despite Utah’s high ranking:

• More Utah fourth-graders are not proficient at reading, at 64% compared to 60% in 2019.
• The share of eighth-graders not on grade level in math is 65%. That’s a sad number that’s still better than the nation’s 73% who are not proficient.
• The number of Utah teens ages 16-19 not in school or working has risen to 7% — that’s 16,000 teens.

On the plus side:

• The poverty rate dropped from 10% to 9% for children.
• The share of children in households where no parent has full-time year round employment fell to 18%.

Paying attention to how children fare is vital in Utah, said Martín C. Muñoz, Kids Count director at Voices for Utah Children, because a third of the state’s residents are younger than 18. “When we strengthen families and communities, we’re securing our future, for our state and for our country.

Mixed findings in Utah

On the education front, 57% of children ages 3 and 4 are not in school, which is the same as during the last ranking. But Utahns are faring slightly better in terms of high school students who are not graduating on time, at 12%, which is down from 13% last time and which is slightly better than the national average, which is also 13%.

The health category is a very mixed bag for Utah, where the state ranks 13th overall. The Beehive State is slightly better than the national share of 8.6% for low-birthweight babies, at 7.4%. That’s been pretty consistent since 2019. But that still means 3,308 babies were born with low birthweight in Utah. And many low-birthweight babies face long-term complications in their development.

Utah continues to have 26 teen and child deaths per 100,000 each year, compared to the national average of 29 per 100,000.

The state’s gotten worse, though, in terms of the number of children ages 10 to 17 who are overweight or obese. That used to be 1 in 5, but has risen to 1 in 4 in the last few years. Nationally, the overweight/obesity rate is slightly more than 3 in 10.

Fewer Utah children, however, lack health insurance, at 7%, compared to 8% in 2023. Still, that’s worse than the national average of 5% of children without insurance.

Utah’s No. 2 overall in the family and community category, with a stable share of children in single parent homes (19%), just 6 % in families where the household head lacks a high school diploma, and a mere 1% of children living in high-poverty areas, though nationwide 8% do. Utah teen birth numbers are also better than national numbers, at 9% compared to 13% nationally.

How children fare nationally

The report also looked at trends since 2019, noting seven of the indicators nationally have improved, six have gotten worse and three have been unchanged.

Since 2019, the nation has seen less poverty among children, fewer teen births, more children covered by health insurance and a rise in on-time school graduation.

The report also notes increases in parental education and the share of parents with secure employment.

“Some of these trends reflect years of progress,” the report says. “Others highlight the resilience of children and families after the COVID-19 pandemic and the success of strong policies that provided support during that time.”

Nationally, the area with the worst news was in education, where three out of four indicators show decline since 2019. Those include preschool participation that hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, a decline in reading and math scores and the note that chronic absenteeism has become a “major challenge.”

On the plus side, high school graduation rates have been going up.

The report notes that “serious challenges remain, as 16% of U.S. children still live in poverty and nearly 1 in 3 children live in households struggling with high housing cost.” And the foundation adds that where a child lives “continues to matter deeply, with stark geographic disparities shaped by local and state policies, economic conditions, community investment and infrastructure.”

The report says that’s clear in the most challenged areas, which are largely in the South and Southwest: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia.

It adds that many Northeast and Midwest states rank well: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota and Vermont.

Shout out for Utah

Utah gets a special call-out, the only one in the West, as the report says that “Utah also stands out as a strong performer.”

Muñoz said that besides showing state policymakers and parents where more could be done to improve, it also highlights areas that can be emulated because of their high ranking. Policies and programs that are working can be built upon, he said.

“Utah is doing well,” he said. “We are a success story but there are little pockets in our state that need some attention.”

What helps families, he added, is true “trickle-down economics. When we help families, it trickles down to help the kids.”

In an order issued June 6, the Utah Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Kouri Richins, who wanted a Salt Lake County jury to hear her case.

Her defense team had appealed 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik’s decision to hold the trial in Summit County with Summit County jurors.

They worry that the local community has been so saturated with information about the case that an impartial jury couldn’t be found. And if Salt Lake County jurors weren’t allowed to serve in Summit County, they indicated they’d like to move the trial down to the valley.

Richins is the former real estate agent accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins in 2022. She would go on to write a children’s book about grieving him and was arrested in 2023 in connection with his death.

She’s charged with nine felonies, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and financial crimes. Richins pleaded not guilty to each count and maintains her innocence. She’s been held at the Summit County Jail since her 2023 arrest. District court has twice denied requests for bail.

Read the full story at kpcw.org.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.

On Sunday, the last day of this year’s Utah Pride Festival, homegrown favorit David Archuleta took to stage for his first ever performance at the festival.

Archuleta told The Salt Lake Tribune that a decade prior, he never would have “fathomed” that all his friends and family would be attending a performance of his at Utah Pride.

Archuleta was a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But after coming out in 2022, he’s embraced a new side of himself — and it shows in his music. Though this is his first time performing at Utah Pride, he’s previously performed at several iterations of the LoveLoud Festival.

With the 2025 NBA draft quickly approaching let’s jump back and take a look at the last 10 years of Utah Jazz drafting.

Everything included:

Who Utah picked, Who was traded on draft night, college stats, Jazz stats, notable players drafted after them, Overall draft letter grade, where are they now.

2015

Players Selected:

Trey Lyles 12 overall- Lyles spent 2 seasons with Utah, averaged 16.8 minutes, 6 pts, 3 Reb. He participated in the Rising Stars Challenge in 2016. However, the thing that Jazz fans will remember him most is being in the trade with Denver that got us Donovan Mitchell.

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College Stats- Played at Kentucky, averaged 23 minutes, averaged 8.7 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 1.1 Ast.

Olivier Hanlan 42 overall (Played summer league, however, did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 3 seasons at Boston College, and in his Junior season he played 32 games, averaged 19.4 Pts, 4.2 Ast, and 4.2 Reb.

Daniel Diez 54th overall (traded draft rights to Portland)

College Stats- NA

Notable Players drafted after- Devin Booker 13th overall, Terry Rozier 16th overall, Bobby Portis 22nd overall, Pat Connaughton 41st overall, Norman Powell 46th overall

Overall draft letter Grade C+: Trey Lyles was not a bad pick, it just so happens that the player drafted right after him became an NBA star. He was consistent and was important when Rudy went down in the 2016 season.

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Where are they now– Trey Lyles is currently playing for the Kings and is averaging 6.5 pts, 4.6 Reb, 1.2 assists- Has stayed very consistent. Oliver Hanlan is currently playing for Türk Telekom of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.

2016

Players Selected:

Taurean Prince 12 overall (immediately traded to Atlanta for George Hill)

Prince played in 3 seasons for Atlanta and averaged 11 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast.

In the trade with Atlanta, we got back George Hill, who was the starting PG and an important piece in Hayward’s last year with Utah.

College Stats- Played at Baylor, played all 4 years, his senior year he averaged 32 min, 16 Pts, 6 Reb, 2.2 Ast.

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Isaiah Whitehead 42 overall (traded draft rights to Brooklyn)

College Stats- Played 2 seasons at Seton Hall. In his sophomore season, he played 34 games, averaged 18.2 Pts, 5.1 Ast, and 3.6 Reb.

Joel Bolomboy 52 overall– The only player Utah drafted in 2016 that actually suited up for the team. Bolomboy, a Weber State standout, played 1 season with the Jazz. He played a total of 12 games and made an appearance in 2 playoff games as well. He then got sent to the SLC Stars, played 26 games, averaged 16.5 pts, and then moved to Milwaukee the next season.

College Stats- Won Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, in his senior year, he averaged 17.9 pts, 12.8 Reb.

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Marcus Paige 55 overall (did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at UNC, and in his senior season he averaged 12.6 pts, 3.8 Ast, and 2.1 Reb.

Tyrone Wallace 60 overall (did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at California Berkeley, and in his senior season he averaged 15.3 pts, 3.4 Ast, 5.2 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Pascal Siakam 27th overall, Dejounte Murray 29th overall, Ivica Zubac 32 overall, Malcolm Brogdon 36th overall

Overall draft letter Grade– D: We only kept 1 of the 5 people we drafted.

Where are they now– Bolomboy is currently playing in the Euro League for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS. In my opinion, Bolomboy was unlucky to come to a team already with loads of big men. Utah already had Rudy, Favors, Udoh, and Tony Bradley the next season.

2017

Players Selected:

Donovan Mitchell 13 overall (acquired via trade from Denver)- Utah’s franchise player for years, made an instant impact when he came in for the injured Rodney Hood. He played 5 years in Utah, averaged 24pts, 4 Reb, 4.7 Ast. Led the Jazz to playoff run after playoff run but could never get past that second round.

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College Stats- 2 seasons at Louisville, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 32 min, 15.6 pts, 5.1 reb, 2 Ast

Tyler Lydon 24 overall (traded draft rights to Denver)- Played 26 games in 2 years in Denver, never made an impact.

College Stats- 2 seasons at Syracuse, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 36 minutes, 13.2 pts, 8.6 Reb.

Tony Bradley (via trade from LA for Josh Hart who Utah selected at 30)- Spent 3 years in Utah but never really cracked the rotation until year 3 where he played 58 games. He averaged 4.4 pts, 4 Reb in his stint with the Jazz.

College Stats- 1 season at North Carolina 14.6 Min, 7.1 Pts, 5.1 Reb.

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Nigel William-Goss 55th overall– Spent only one year with Utah and played 10 total games.

College Stats- 2 seasons at the University of Washington, 1 season at Gonzaga. In his Junior year, he averaged 16.8 pts, 4.7 Ast, 6 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Kyle Kuzma 27th overall, Derrick White 29th overall, JOSH HART 30th overall (man could Utah have used Josh Hart during those playoff runs), Dillon Brooks 45th overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– A: Donovan became the face of the league and carried this team for years. Doesn’t matter what else happened on draft night Utah got a star.

Where are they now– Donovan Mitchell is currently in his 3rd season playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 26 points and 5 assists. The Cavaliers were the 1st seed in the East and won 64 games. Tony Bradley currently plays for the Indiana Pacers and is averaging 4.4 pts, and 3 reb. Nigel William-Goss currently plays for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the Euro League.

2018

Players Selected:

Grayson Allen 21 overall– Allen only spent one season with the Jazz and played a total of 38 games and averaged 11 min, 5.6 pts, 1 Ast. He was then traded to Memphis in the Mike Conley deal that made some noise in Milwaukee and is now a very important bench piece for the Phoenix Suns.

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College Stats- 4 seasons at Duke. In his Senior year, he averaged 15.5 pts, 3.3 Reb, 4.6 Ast.

Vincent Edwards 52 overall (never played and quickly traded to Houston)

College Stats- 4 seasons at Purdue. In his senior year, he averaged 14.6 pts, 7.4 Reb, 2.9 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Moritz Wagner 25th overall, Robert Williams 27th overall, Jalen Brunson 33, Mitchell Robinson 36th overall, Gary Trent Jr 37th overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– C: It’s average Quin never really gave Grayson Allen the chance to play so we don’t really know but I loved watching him.

Where are they now– Grayson Allen is on the Phoenix Suns where he has become a very important rotation piece. He’s now averaging 12.2 pts, and 2.6 Ast. He’s started a total of 81 games in his 2 seasons so far in Phoenix. Vincent Edwards is currently not on a team, but last played for Seoul Samsung Thunders of the Korean Basketball League.

2019

Players Selected:

Darius Bazley 23 overall (Traded to OKC)

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College Stats- NA

Jarrell Brantley 50th overall (acquired via trade from Indiana)- Brantley spent a total of 3 seasons with the Jazz and played a total of 41 games in that time. He averaged 6.1 minutes, 2.7 pts, and 1.3 Reb, but could just never crack the rotation. He spent a lot of time with the SLC Stars and got to the G-League First Team and All-Rookie Team. He averaged 18.8 pts, 7.6 Reb, 3.7 Ast.

College Stats- 4 seasons at Charleston and in his senior year he averaged 19.4 pts, 8.4 Reb, 2.4 Ast.

Justin Wright-Foreman 53 overall- He only spent one season with Utah and only appeared in 4 games for the first team. He spent a lot of time with the SLC Stars and averaged 17.3 pts, 3.1 Reb, 2.6 Ast per game.

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College Stats- 4 years at Hofstra University. In his senior year he averaged 27.1 pts, 3.5 Reb, and 1.5 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Ty Jerome 24th overall, Jordan Poole 28th overall, Keldon Johnson 29th overall, Jalen McDaniels 52 overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– F: none of these players made an impact.

Where are they now– Darius Bazley currently plays for Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. However, he recently came back to the Jazz to play in the Summer League. Brantley currently plays for Nagasaki Velca of the B.League. Wright-Foreman currently plays for l-Rayyan of the Qatari Basketball League.

2020

Players Selected:

Udoka Azubuike 27th overall– Azubuike spent 3 seasons with the Jazz, with his 3rd season as his best, appearing in 36 games. He averaged 3.3 pts and 3 Reb per game with the Jazz. Never could crack the rotation and never made a real impact. He then signed a two-way contract with the Suns.

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College Stats- Spent 4 years at Kansas, and his senior year he played 32 games, averaged 13.7 pts, and 10.5 Reb.

Elijah Hughes 39th overall (acquired in trade from Pelicans)- Spent 2 seasons with the Jazz but never was able to really crack into the rotation. He averaged 2.3 pts in his time with Utah. He was traded to Portland and played 22 games there.

College Stats- Spent 3 seasons at Syracuse, played 32 games, averaged 36.7 minutes, 19 pts, 4.9 Reb, 3.4 Ast.

Saben Lee (traded to Detroit)

College Stats- 3 seasons at Vanderbilt. Played 3 seasons, and in his junior year, he played 32 games, 18.6 pts, and 4.2 Ast.

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Notable Players drafted after– Jaden McDaniels 28th overall, Desmond Bane 30th overall, Nick Richards 42 overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– D: None of them ever cracked the rotation and didn’t last long on the team. And Desmond Bane was right there!!!

Where are they now– Azubuike currently plays for Budućnost of the Prva A Liga and the ABA League. And Hughes plays for CB Breogán of the Liga ACB.

2021

Players Selected:

Santi Aldama 30th overall (traded rights to Memphis)- The Jazz would love Santi Aldama at the moment.

College Stats- Played 2 seasons at Maryland, and in his Sophomore year he averaged 35 min, 21.2 pts, 10.1 reb, 2.3 Ast.

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Jared Butler 40th overall (acquired via trade withthe Pelicans)- Butler only spent one season with the Jazz and played a total of 42 games. He averaged 3.8 pts, and 1 Reb. Had some good showings but was just never able to be a staple. However, he then signed with Washington and played 72 games for the Wizards.

College Stats- Played 3 seasons at Baylor, and in his Junior Year he averaged 16.7 pts, 5 Ast, 2.3 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Herbert Jones 35th overall, Luka Garza 52 overall

Overall draft letter Grade– D: Never really made an impact, but if the Jazz kept Santi Aldama, it could be a different story.

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Where are they now– Jared Butler currently plays for the 76ers, where he is a rotation guard. He’s averaging 9 pts, 1.8 Reb, and 3.7 Ast.

2022

Players Selected:

Utah did not make any selections in 2022, however, ended up with 2 players from the draft from the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades.

Ochai Agbaji 14th overall (acquired via trade from Cleveland)- OH MY Ochai, Utah didn’t draft in 2022 but acquired Ochai, who was 14th overall in the Donovan Mitchell trade. He spent 2 seasons with the Jazz and averaged 6.7 pts, 2 reb, 1 Ast.

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at Kansas and in his Senior year he averaged 19.7 pts, 5.2 reb and won Final Four most outstanding player.

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Walker Kessler 22 overall (acquired via trade) drafted by Memphis, traded to Minnesota, traded again to Utah for Rudy Gobert, and thank goodness. Walker Kessler Ranger has been amazing for the Jazz and will be looking at a bigger contract soon. In his 3 seasons so far, he is averaging 9.4 pts, 8 reb, 2.4 BLK.

College Stats- Played at both North Carolina and Auburn and in his Sophomore year he averaged 11.4 pts, 8.1 Reb, and 4.6 BLK per game.

Notable Players drafted after– Honestly, not much

Overall draft letter Grade– NA

Where are they now- Walker is the Jazz’s starting center and, at times, the team’s best player. A high prospect that multiple other teams have asked Utah about. Ochai is currently playing for the Toronto Raptors and is averaging 10.4 pts, 3.8 Reb, and 1.5 Ast.

2023

Players Selected:

Taylor Hendricks 9th overall- Didn’t crack the rotation until late his rookie year, but showed great improvement towards the end of the season. He won the starting job the following year but then broke his leg three games in. He is ready to come back this next season and pick up where he left off. In his rookie season, he averaged 7.3 pts, 5 Reb, 0.8 BLK.

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College Stats- In his one season at UCF, he averaged 34.7 min, 15.1 pts, and 7.0 Reb.

Keyonte George 16th overall– In his 2 seasons so far, Keyonte has been an on-again, off-again point guard. From being the starting point guard to becoming an off-the-bench guard. He has averaged 14.8 pts, 5 Ast, and 3 Reb in those 2 seasons. But still hasn’t shown enough to be the guy. However, he still shows promise and is definitely not a miss of a pick.

College Stats- In his one season at Baylor he averaged 28.7 minutes, 15.3 pts, 4.2 Reb, 2.8 Ast.

Brice Sensabaugh 28th overall- In his 2 seasons with the Jazz, he has played a total of 103 games. A player who has been very promising and has shown significant growth between his two seasons. However, he has had trouble at times cracking Will Hardy’s rotation, sometimes going multiple games without minutes this past season. He has averaged 9.8 pts, 3 Reb, and 1.6 STL a game.

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College Stats- Only played one season at Ohio State. He averaged 24.5 minutes, 16.3 pts, 5.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast a game.

Notable Players drafted after– Dereck Lively 12 overall, Jamie Jaquez 18th overall

Overall draft letter Grade- B+: Great draft from Utah. Really, all three of those picks are showing promise or can be looked at as parts of the future.

Where are they now? All are still with the team and are all part of the rebuilding process.

2024

Players Selected:

Cody Williams 10 overall- A high prospect that just didn’t turn out how Utah wanted. He only played 50 games this season and averaged 4.6 pts 2 Reb, and 1.2 Ast. However, you can’t judge everything in one season, but you definitely should expect more from your top 10 pick. There were times in the season when he was just unplayable. But his defense is good, his shot is improving, I will be excited to see what he does this season because there is nowhere else but UP! Prove us wrong, Cody.

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College Stats- In his one season at Colorado, he averaged 28.4 min, 11.9 pts, 3.0 Reb, 1.6 Ast.

Isaiah Collier 29 overall- One of the better picks Utah has made in the past 10 years. This man is able to do it all. A player who was at one point top 5 projected but fell down the boards due to injuries. Luckily, Utah did not listen because this man is the PG of the future. He beat out Keyonte for the starting spot, and I am extremely excited to see what he does this upcoming season. Last year he played 71 games, averaging 8.7 pts, 6.3 Ast, and 3.5 Reb.

College Stats- In his one season with USC he averaged 29.8 min, 16.3 pts, 4.3 Ast, 2.9 Reb.

Kyle Filipowski 32 overall- Another absolute job. Flip showed amazing development throughout his rookie season. For a second-round pick all you want to see is his potential, and man, Flip showed that. Someone I believe could be a strong bench piece for Utah on a championship run, all I see is the future. In his rookie season, he played 72 games, averaged 9.6 pts, 6.2 reb, 2 Ast a game.

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College Stats- Spent 2 seasons at Duke and in his Sophomore season he averaged 31.4 min, 16.4 Pts, 8.3 Reb, 2.8 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Matas Buzelis 11th overall, Jared McCain 16th overall, Dalton Knecht 17th overall, Bronny James (JK)

Overall draft letter Grade- B-: This draft would absolutely be an A if we selected better at 10. Our later picks are amazing, A+ magnificent, but that 10th overall really hurts.

Where are they now? All are still with the team and are all part of the rebuilding process.

2025 ?

And that leads us to now, let’s see what Utah does on draft day 2025!

The NBA draft is always about luck, from where you’re seated in the draft to who the team selects, you never know how that player will end up. No matter how much scouting, reporting, or how much you think you know the player, it’s always a gamble. But that’s why, for fans, it’s a chance to change the team’s future. So get excited, Jazz fans, because the time is near!

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Let me know who Utah should select in this loaded 2025 NBA draft.

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