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Deer and ducks roam the 312-acre grounds of the Utah State Hospital, resting easily in shade on the beautifully manicured lawn, while neighbors hike, ride bikes and golf on the mental health facility’s property.

It’s a far cry from the state hospital’s isolated beginning in 1885, when it was deliberately located by territorial lawmakers on the swampy land edging the mountain on the east side of Provo, well separated from the heart of the city by a trash dump. Back then, the Utah Territorial Insane Asylum, as it was known, was the only mental health provider in Utah.

This month, as what is now the Utah State Hospital celebrates its 140th anniversary, the hospital is also celebrating how its mission, its place in mental health care and its methodology have all changed drastically.

Deseret News took a tour of the state hospital with its superintendent, Dallas Earnshaw, who started there as a nurse in 1983, and Janina Chilton, now the facility’s historian. For many years, she was the Utah State Hospital spokesperson. When she retired, she stayed on to preserve and share its story.

Wednesday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other officials will help mark the anniversary with the staff, patients and media. It’s a celebration of what’s been learned along the way about providing good care and treatment and the many ways the facility has changed lives for the better.

But alongside successes, there have been missteps, too, Earnshaw and Chilton agree.

Early mental health care in Utah

To say that mental health treatment — and the nation’s understanding of it — has improved is an obvious understatement.

In Utah, the first mental health institution was opened at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in 1869, managed and funded by Salt Lake City. According to Chilton, those deemed violent because of mental illness were put in strong cells there, others housed in very small rooms. That facility would become the Utah Territorial Insane Asylum within a few years when Dr. Seymour Young, Brigham Young’s nephew, leased it. The asylum moved to Provo in 1885.

Perhaps most startling in its history are the reasons people could be committed to the state’s mental health facility, including having epilepsy. The supposed “causes of insanity,” a 67-entry list taken from admission records, is odd by modern standards. It included things like financial embarrassment, disappointment, softening of the brain, death of a child, poverty, jealousy, unreciprocated love, studying prize fighting, ovarian trouble, reading novels, solar heat exposure, overwork, litigation, sedentary life, hypnotism, girl trouble, sheep herder and using cigarettes.

For 85 years, the asylum was the only facility providing mental health treatment in Utah, guided early on by the “Utah State Board of Insanity. ” But in 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Comprehensive Mental Health Center Act creating robust community centers to treat mental illness. In 1969, Weber Mental Health Center became Utah’s first community mental health center; 13 centers now serve clients statewide. Patients are treated within their communities and those who need more care are treated by one of the centers.

While the Utah State Hospital, as it has been known since 1927, serves a very important role in mental health care, it’s no longer doing it alone. The hospital treats those needing inpatient care because of complex mental illness that cannot be adequately served in the community. Under state law, no one can be committed to the state hospital unless that individual represents a harm to themselves or others. The law says someone must be treated first in a less-restrictive environment in the community. Most people who need treatment for mental illness will never need to be hospitalized.

Introduction of medications called phenothiazines changed everything in the 1950s; in many cases the drugs eliminated psychotic thinking. They unlocked doors to new understanding of how the brain works, exposing the impact of such misfires as overactive or underactive neurotransmitters, which contribute to depression, schizophrenia and other conditions.

Money helped, too. About the time new drugs were emerging in the ’50s, the Utah Legislature provided new funding and its “forward-looking superintendent,” Dr. Owen P. Heninger, organized the facility into small units with their own treatment teams, a practice that remains.

Many patients were also released back into the community, nearly halving the census from its peak of 1,500 in 1955 to about 800 by the 1960s. Heninger introduced a patient council, ways for patients to earn privileges, a patient newspaper and a family day.

By the end of the decade, families were part of the care team, and they and patients wanted better treatment, better outcomes and alternatives to large state hospitals. They began talking about mental health and addressing stigma. Advocacy and education groups sprang up, including the Mental Health Association and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, which have endured and push for research, community care options and fair coverage by insurance.

A fully functioning hospital

Over the state hospital’s lifetime, at least five buildings have been demolished and many more have been remodeled or rebuilt on the campus. According to spokesperson Danielle Conlon, the outdoor space has been used for recreation therapy for 75 or more years.

The Utah State Hospital today has 154 forensic, 152 adult and 72 pediatric beds. Many patients are there for months, while very complex patients may stay a long time.

Forensic patients are committed by criminal courts because they require secure inpatient care. They are people accused of crimes who also have mental health or substance use issues. One of the state hospital’s tasks is restoring competency, which means providing treatment to court-ordered adults who need it in order to stand trial.

The campus includes medical clinics, the K-12 Oak Spring School with teachers from Provo School District, adult education, a clothing donation center, library and hair salon, ceramics shop, greenhouse and massive kitchen.

In addition to a large staff, the hospital benefits from more than 800 volunteers who organize activities and fundraisers. The Forgotten Patient Holiday Project is a volunteer-run effort to provide gifts for hospital patients who would otherwise not receive any.

Reading novels and financial worries can no longer send someone to treatment there. Patients have serious mental health challenges. Schizophrenia is common, per Earnshaw. So is bipolar disorder. Patients may have severe depression with complicating factors or borderline personality disorder. “It’s often trauma-based,” Earnshaw said, so great effort is taken not to retraumatize. Physical restraints aren’t used unless absolutely needed. The straight jacket employed through much of the facility’s history has been permanently moved from the supply closet to the museum.

The state hospital is proud to have maintained accreditation from the Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that evaluates health care entities, since 1986. Other facilities within the country often consult Utah State Hospital experts.

Each unit has 40 to 50 employees. Treatment specialty areas include psychiatry, psychology, clinical therapy, music therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, recreation therapy, patient job training and substance use treatment.

The hospital trains hundreds of students, providing internships, student rotations, residencies and postgraduate training in tracks including nursing, psychiatry, psychology, social work, recreation therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, chaplaincy and hospital administration.

The geriatric unit is designed a bit like a nursing home, centered around a staff-managed station. How units are constructed makes a difference to care and how well patients do. If the height of the ceilings is too tall, geriatric patients get confused, Earnshaw said. In designing new spaces, the hospital brought in sound experts because patients may have headaches or tinnitus.

With each new building, he said, the staff learned about the mistakes they made in the building before.

If the hospital expands again, it will need a new kitchen; it’s at capacity. They must think about laundry and parking, too. Can it handle more? Administrators have been working on a master plan for the next 15 years.

Halls are bright, but not too bright. They’re clean and have colorful art, but not too much. In one area, there’s a huge painting of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” One of the hallways features art with words like “Joy” and “Hope.” During the tour, Earnshaw pointed out one of the facility’s weirdest challenges: deposits left on big windows by water. It is, he said, very expensive to clean.

Although it’s an open campus, patients move around on it with staff or a system of check-ins so at any time, every patient’s whereabouts is known.

Points of pain and pride

The history of the state hospital includes many successes. In 1942, it pioneered a change of heart in how to best treat those with complex mental illness, adopting smaller patient units, individual treatment plans and a humane approach. It’s a philosophy now embraced nationwide.

Earnshaw said the Utah hospital was one of the first to study the positive impact of group therapy on those with schizophrenia. It’s the only state hospital to have developed its own electronic medical records specific to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. And not a single patient died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But its history has low points, even in modern times — and forensics was one reason.

The state hospital was under a settlement agreement from 2017-2022. The Disability Law Center sued over “unconstitutional detainment of prisoners who were sitting in jail cells too long before receiving treatment prior to being proven innocent or guilty,” as Deseret News reported at the time. Patients ordered to the hospital for competency restoration were at the mercy of very long waits, creating the opposite of a speedy trial. Some waited so long they had to be released back into the community, even if it wasn’t a safe option at that time. Under the agreement, the hospital had 14 days to admit such a patient.

It also does a lot of jail-based competency restoration. If competency can’t be restored, a patient may be subject to civil commitment.

Design choices have sometimes led to regret, Earnshaw said. For instance, you have to drive all the way through the campus to find the administration building, which is not helpful for those trying to check in or find their way around.

He added that as the patient population has grown and the illness level has risen, “We wish we could have built units with fewer patients and single rooms.” It’s hard to get lawmakers to fund smaller units, he said.

Another lament? The hospital sold the farm it bought when it needed more land in the 1980s. “We are learning this could have been a more therapeutic opportunity for patients to learn and grow in a natural environment,” Earnshaw said.

He also wishes it had kept better track of reports to show how far it has come in providing care. “We are doing well now but we don’t have data from the past to compare to,” he said, such as length of stay, turnover rates and injury rates.

Chilton regrets the lack of engagement the early hospital had with the community, as well as a dearth of funding early on that led to unsafe, crowded conditions. And some early practices created stigma around those with mental illness.

Museum: A painful look back

The history of the state hospital is written boldly on the walls and in the displays at the museum, a building built by the WPA in 1934 that’s on the National Register of Historic Place. The museum doesn’t sugarcoat mistakes but points with pride to its successes.

For its first seven decades, the institution provided mostly custodial care — a place to be, often far away from family. “Therapeutic care was almost unknown in those early years,” per Chilton.

The intake form from a 100 or so years ago now seems somewhat comical, but was written without humor. It asked if a prospective patient had a “homicidal, suicidal or incendiary disposition?” “Is there a disposition to filthy habits, destruction of clothing, furniture, etc?”

Some of the museum’s items are primitive, even nasty by today’s standards. There’s the Utica crib, a long narrow box with heavy wood slats and a locking lid. People having seizures were sometimes placed in it, as were those needing restraint. The Oregon boot prevented someone from moving fast or escaping. Created for Oregon prison warden J.C. Gardner, the device was what Oregon’s historical website calls a heavy steel split cylinder joined about an inmate’s ankle and supported by a stirrup under the instep in very painful fashion. The thing weighed up to 25 pounds and soon became popular not just in prisons, but in facilities for those with mental illness. There were other devices that now would be considered punishment, not treatment.

Feet went through holes in the bottom of the tranquilizer chair and a patient’s head went into a boxlike structure with latticework. With a patient’s feet in hot water, hospital staff would pour cold water onto the top of the head. The box was also used to limit movement, Chilton said, noting the designer believed if someone was agitated the blood would flow from the brain to extremities. He thought if you could limit movement the blood would flow normally back to the brain.

“It was, of course, total nonsense but he was at least thinking about a cause,” Chilton said.

Until 1919, some patients were placed in a cage.

There were also early treatments that later improved. In 1934, the state hospital started using convulsive therapy prompted by a drug. In 1947, a safer form, electronic convulsive therapy, was used. When medications were developed in the 1950s, the hospital stopped convulsive therapy.

In the 1950s, the word insanity was removed from that governing board, the Utah State Board of Insanity. “A lot of what we hate about our history was from them,” Chilton said.

To the future

Chilton notes that an “arbitrary distinction between physical illnesses and mental illnesses is becoming unnecessary. The positive aspect of this is it allows us to apply the same advanced technology toward solving the mysteries of mental illness that we would to any other form of illness.”

As people within its care have moved back into connection with others, so has the hospital. As Chilton wrote in the history, “That garbage dump is now a park, the swamp has been filled and homes and a water park now surround the campus.”

Hope remains for a cure for mental illness. Research suggests that’s a real future possibility.

The post Utah Jazz’s perfect move in 2025 NBA offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After ending the 2024–25 season with a franchise-worst 17–65 record and allowing 121.2 points per game, the Utah Jazz needed more than just another draft pick or quiet roster tweak. They needed a foundational adjustment. Instead of chasing flashy names or overcommitting their future, they made one move that was clean, effective, and deeply strategic.

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Trading for veteran big man Jusuf Nurkic may not have stolen headlines, but it perfectly addressed the team’s needs on and off the court.

Veteran Exodus Paves Way for New Core

This offseason, the Jazz leaned fully into their rebuild, parting ways with key veterans who had once formed the locker room backbone. Jordan Clarkson, a fan favorite and Sixth Man of the Year in 2021, was bought out. In five seasons with Utah, he delivered clutch performances and high‑energy scoring, but at age 32, he no longer fit the franchise’s timeline.

The Jazz also traded Collin Sexton to Charlotte, moving on from another former cornerstone guard. More recently, veteran John Collins was sent to the Clippers as part of a three‑team trade. Last season, he averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in just 40 outings, even while dealing with injury . Losing Clarkson, Sexton, and Collins cleared valuable roster spots and signaled Utah’s commitment to change.

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In return for Sexton, the Jazz acquired a tough, experienced center in Nurkic. Meanwhile, the deal involving Collins brought in veterans Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson, reinforcing veteran presence without blocking younger players. Love provides shooting and championship experience, while Anderson contributes versatile wing skills and high basketball IQ. Together, these additions add structure to a roster now filled with first‑ and second‑year players looking for direction.

Reinforcing the Frontcourt with Grit

Utah’s frontcourt features two promising talents in Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen. Kessler has proven to be one of the league’s best young rim protectors, while Markkanen continues to be a reliable scorer and rebounder. What the team lacked was an enforcer. Someone who could box out heavy bigs, battle in the post, and take pressure off the younger players.

Nurkic brings that edge. A 7-foot, 290-pound presence in the paint, he does the dirty work that does not always show up in the box score. His physicality allows Kessler to roam more freely as a help defender and gives Markkanen more space to operate offensively. The trio now gives Utah a balanced mix of shot-blocking, floor spacing, and interior strength.

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During the 2024–25 season split between Phoenix and Charlotte, Nurkic averaged 8.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in just 20.8 minutes per game and shot 47.7 percent from the field. His rebound rate and passing ability stand out, especially the 2.3 assists per contest, which is well above average for a traditional big.

When he was with the Suns, he logged 9.2 rebounds and 8.6 points over 23.7 minutes, showcasing his physical play and ability to contribute across the board. This level of production in limited minutes highlights why Utah sees him as a key stabilizer. He can anchor a full 20–25 minute stint, boosting both the box score and the locker room when sharing the court with their rising young core.

A Mentor for the Next Generation

The Jazz drafted highly athletic forward Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick and added shooting guard Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18. They also retained young guards Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier. These players are rich in talent but raw in NBA experience.

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Nurkic can serve as the mentor this team needs. He has spent a decade in the league, played in high-stakes playoff environments, and developed a reputation for being a reliable communicator on the court. His passing ability from the high post can open up off-ball actions for the guards and wings. His understanding of defensive positioning can help young players learn proper rotation and timing.

He is not a star, and he does not need to be. His value lies in providing stability. For a team building from the ground up, stability is gold.

A Rebuild With Clear Purpose

The Jazz could have opted to keep all their veterans and hope to sneak into the play-in tournament. Instead, they fully embraced a development-first approach. But unlike other teams that strip everything to the studs, Utah kept smart pieces in place and added a player who enhances the team’s structure.

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They preserved future cap flexibility while opening up more minutes for their draftees. They did not trade away any of their core youth, nor did they mortgage future picks. Nurkic’s contract runs through 2026 with a team option, giving the Jazz financial control.

Just as importantly, the team sent a message that they want their young players to learn how to compete, not just play. This is not a tank job; this is a foundation being built one smart brick at a time.

Why This Move Stands Above the Rest

Of all the offseason moves the Jazz have made so far, bringing in Nurkic was the most balanced. It addressed a real weakness in their frontcourt and has brought in a player who will not demand touches or attention but will lead by example, and has made room for young players to grow while surrounding them with real NBA guidance.

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It also helped set the tone. This is not a team drifting in uncertainty, but a team with a vision. Add in the steady hand of coach Will Hardy and the flexibility to make more moves next season, and the Nurkic trade becomes even more meaningful.

The Jazz may not win 50 games next season, but they are no longer flailing. They are building, and trading for Jusuf Nurkic was the perfect step forward.

Related: Utah Jazz 2025 NBA free agency grades for every signing

Related: Warriors’ Draymond Green voices support for Kevin Love’s veiled callout

More than 50 years ago, a handful of states were competing to host research and launch facilities for what would become the U.S. Space Shuttle program, and Utah was very much in the mix.

For a moment, at least.

In 1971, Utah lawmakers passed a proposal to create a “Space Port Committee.” The group of business leaders, politicians, scientists and engineers was to make the state’s best argument for becoming the new home for what was then the world’s first reusable spacecraft that launched on a rocket but landed back on Earth like an airplane.

Utah would lose out to Cape Canaveral, Florida, and all 135 Space Shuttle flights would later lift off from the coastal city’s Kennedy Space Center.

The countdown starts

But now, the Beehive State is ready to take another run at hosting its own space launch facility and this time the effort is entirely homegrown. And it lifts off amid a local aerospace and defense sector that has evolved dramatically over the past five decades and now accounts for a fifth of the state’s overall GDP.

Earlier this year, a bill, SB62, to create the Spaceport Exploration Committee drew overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers and set the table for a year-long effort to assess the feasibility of a Utah-based space vehicle launch facility.

The 13-member committee, co-chaired by Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, and Utah Department of Transportation executive director Carlos Braceras, is tasked with establishing “key objectives that the state should pursue in establishing a spaceport” and includes conducting a feasibility study, spaceport site assessment and evaluating Utah’s relative advantages and disadvantages.

“I’ve been engaged in meeting the needs of our growing aerospace and defense industry for many many years in different roles,” Millner said. “This is a next step in that process. Utah has competed before. And, as we looked at and had conversations with companies out there, the message is clear that space is part of our future and industry will be driving our space launches and be used for many more needs than in the past.”

In a Deseret News op-ed, Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, who sponsored the legislation, noted the aerospace and defense industry accounts for 20% of the state’s economy and employs nearly 300,000 people. He made the case for Utah’s readiness to join the 10 other states that host facilities designated as “spaceports” by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Why Utah? The answer is simple: Utah’s aerospace ecosystem is already soaring, and we’re about to take it to a whole new altitude,” Stevenson wrote. “Our existing aerospace infrastructure provides a solid foundation, while our geographic advantages — clear airspace, favorable weather and excellent transportation networks — make us an ideal candidate.”

Launching into ‘newspace’

Aaron Starks, spaceport committee member and president and CEO of Utah aerospace and defense advocacy group 47G, told the Deseret News that fast-rising demand is creating exciting new opportunities in space-related operations.

“We know that the U.S. Defense Department and commercial enterprises are experiencing bottleneck conditions when it comes to launch services,” Starks said. “There’s not enough launch facilities or capacity in the United States and we think Utah is positioned really well to release some of that bottleneck and provide new, enhanced ways to develop test technology.”

While once the exclusive domain of government entities, the global space economy is now mostly driven by commercial enterprises and is a sector, sometimes referred to as “newspace” that’s been expanding at a breakneck rate, topping $630 billion in 2023. A 2024 report from McKinsey & Company projects the space economy will outstrip world GDP growth by 200% in the coming years and is on pace to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

The McKinsey report suggests that while many observers may still perceive space operations as driven by moon landing efforts or preparations for interplanetary travel, the newspace economy is one made up of more mundane and broad-based commercial activities.

“While mega rocket launches and record spaceflights are the headlines that capture the public’s imagination, routine rocket launches and satellite data services are, in fact, the product of decades of behind-the-scenes innovation,” wrote McKinsey senior partner Ryan Brukardt and Jeremy Jurgens, managing director of World Economic Forum.

“And they are delivering greater benefits to a more diverse set of stakeholders than ever before — including in industries as varied as food and beverage; retail, consumer goods and lifestyle; supply chain and transportation; and even climate disaster mitigation.”

Rock solid space credentials

Some of the biggest names in the aerospace industry have a Utah presence including Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and others, and the state’s connections to the business of space tracks back to the industry’s advent.

Highlights of Utah’s long history of space bona fides includes upper atmospheric research work Utah State University did 1950s, the early seeds of what would become the institution’s massive Space Dynamics Lab; the state’s previous competition with Florida’s Kennedy Space Center to host the Space Shuttle program; and the increasing use of the Defense Department’s Dugway Proving Ground in the west desert as a preferred destination for both private and public space flight operations.

Utah is rife with aerospace heavy hitters but Starks notes companies with names you’ve probably never heard of are powering the engine of new space, in much the same way the state’s 300,000-plus small businesses drive Utah’s booming economy.

“In the state of Utah, we lead the nation in (Small Business Administration) lending per capita,” Starks said. “Why is that important? Because this industry, unlike others, is being dominated by small- and mid-market companies doing innovative things that are all looking to build their headquarters and establish a presence in states that share that same thesis for growth.”

Science fiction becomes science fact

OxEon Energy can count itself among those smaller companies finding success in Utah and its groundbreaking innovations are turning processes once reserved for the world of science fiction into science fact.

OxEon sprang to life in 2017 but its founders have been engaged for the last 30 years in researching and developing solid oxide fuel cells, with the last 15 years focused on the development and improvement of solid oxide electrolyzers. Their systems can extract critical components from the atmosphere or liquids that can be converted into fuels. OxEon’s systems are being designed for a wide variety of earth-bound and even extraterrestrial deployments, as the company proved out as part of NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover mission.

OxEon’s technology powered the MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment) which traveled to the Red Planet aboard Perseverance and was able to extract and capture oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, a critical element for both life support and rocket fuel which typically combines oxygen with methane or hydrogen to power space travel.

For fans of science fiction author Andy Weir’s “The Martian”, which follows the trials of an astronaut stranded on Mars, MOXIE may sound a lot like the “oxygenator” device from the book. Weir’s oxygenator, like OxEon’s technology, uses an electrolysis process to produce oxygen from Martian carbon dioxide and helps keep the protagonist Mark Watney alive.

In a 2023 press release, NASA celebrated MOXIE’s success, describing the experiment as one that exceeded expectations and proved out critical new technology that would be required to maintain life and create fuel in the Martian environment.

“MOXIE’s impressive performance shows that it is feasible to extract oxygen from Mars’ atmosphere — oxygen that could help supply breathable air or rocket propellant to future astronauts,” said NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy. “Developing technologies that let us use resources on the moon and Mars is critical to build a long-term lunar presence, create a robust lunar economy, and allow us to support an initial human exploration campaign to Mars.”

During a Deseret News tour of OxEon’s research and manufacturing facilities in North Salt Lake, the company’s co-founders shared a peek at their cutting-edge technology which includes systems that can convert sea water into jet fuel and another process that makes fuel out of food waste.

OxEon co-founder and chief operating officer Jessica Elwell said in-situ, or on-site, fuel production capabilities will be absolutely essential for extending space travel into the deeper regions of our solar system, and beyond.

“It’s really important to be able to produce fuel or electricity on site, because the cost of bringing the materials you need with you is prohibitive,” Elwell said. “Also, the volume alone is staggering. What they would need in terms of fuel for a return mission from Mars, the volume is about the same size as a space shuttle, so it’s a considerable cost savings.

“The logistics themselves just get much simpler and the materials are available there. So we’ve been working on developing these technologies where we can use what’s there and produce what’s needed for fuel and life support.”

A future of possibilities

Millner, former president of Weber State University and a Utah legislator for the past decade, has been a champion of Utah-based technological developments like those coming out of OxEon throughout her career. She said exploring the feasibility of a Utah-based spaceport reflects the responsibility to nurture a fast-growing part of the state’s economy.

She also underscored the state’s readiness to find the best pathways to up the ante on its space-related commitments.

“I think we have a really solid foundation in terms of both preparation and workforce in the aerospace and defense industry along with the research work we’ve done,” Millner said. “The alignment of a project like this will only accelerate those possibilities in the future.”

Millner said she’s excited to begin the work of the Spaceport Exploration Committee, which is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting July 28. She said she’s looking forward to a robust process that will examine the economic realities of a spaceport project and prioritize public input on the path to a possible recommendation due by September, 2026.

“Utah is home to a growing and thriving economy that’s earned number one rankings in many areas,” Millner said. “There’s no reason we can’t lead in the space industry as well.

“I love working on big picture issues that will make a difference over the coming decades and am excited to roll my sleeves up and work with this committee to create a plan that is in the best interest of the state of Utah.”

MIDWAY — It is somehow fitting that the 36-hole championship match of the 119th Utah State Women’s Amateur will be played on Pioneer Day this coming week.

That’s because defending champion Kelsey Chugg, the six-time winner of this combination stroke-play, match-play event, could be chasing a rare feat if she makes it to the final day.

Only one other woman — eight-time champion Bev Nelson — has won the championship more than seven times.

Chugg, 34, can move past fellow six-time winners Mary Lou Baker, Florence Halloran, Helen Hofmann Bertagnole and Marcia Thayne with another trophy-winning performance at Wasatch Mountain State Park’s Lake Course.

The aforementioned were all considered pioneers of Utah women’s golf in their day and age, and the same could be said of Chugg, who has managed to hold off younger, longer-hitting college golfers more often than not in becoming one of the legends of the game in the Beehive State.

“I am trying not to think about it too much, but it is definitely something I would like to achieve,” Chugg said last week at the media day gathering at the scenic par-72 course above Midway.

“I don’t know if or when it will happen, but it is a pretty cool thing to have dangling there to chase.”

As of last Monday, 71 hopefuls had signed up to play in the most prestigious tournament for amateur women in the state, an unusually high number and the most since a few more than that played in the 117th iteration at Jeremy Ranch.

The only other former champion in the field is former Arizona State golfer Grace Summerhays, who spent her early childhood in Farmington and won the title in 2020 at the other state-owned facility in Wasatch County — Soldier Hollow.

How does Chugg keep churning out championships?

“I don’t know,” she said, humbly. “I just love the game so much. It is a huge part of my life, and what brings me the most joy in my life, usually.

“That’s what keeps me going. It’s just a passion for the game, more than winning. It’s just the love of this silly game.”

Standing in the way of Chugg’s seventh title is Summerhays, who recently graduated from ASU with her brother, Preston, and mother, Barbara Jean, who earned a master’s degree in May.

Other top players in the field include St. George’s Kate Walker, BYU golfers Berlin Long, Aadyn Long and Whitney Banz, Nebraska golfer Arden Louchheim of Park City, Utah Tech golfers Jenna Anderson and Jane Olson, Southern Virginia golfer Sydney Richards and teenager Faith Vui, from Samoa.

“I think Grace Summerhays is one of the big favorites, along with Kelsey,” said Richards, 20, who played high school golf for Farmington. “I am a big fan of hers, obviously.”

Last year, Summerhays lost to teenager Ali Mulhall — who has since turned pro — in 19 holes in one of the semifinals at TalonsCove in Saratoga Springs, while Chugg beat Vui 4 and 3 in the other semifinal.

Chugg then edged Mulhall in the championship match, 1 up.

“There are tons of good players who could win it,” Chugg said. “Faith (Vui) is a great player. She was tough (to beat) in the semis last year. Jane Olson is a good player. There is a deep level of talent now, in this field.”

Olson, 21, made the semifinals two years ago at Jeremy Ranch before losing 4 and 2 to Summerhays in that round, and is heading into her senior year at Utah Tech.

She likes her chances because she believes Wasatch will be “more difficult for the big hitters,” a group of which she does not consider herself a member.

“The course is in great shape, and I think it is a great setup for my game, personally,” she said. “I think it will be great for match play. … I play a little more precise off the tee and rely a lot on my wedges, which I think will be super helpful.”

The tournament begins Monday with 18 holes of stroke-play qualifying for match play. The match play Round of 32 will be held Tuesday morning and the Round of 16 will be played Tuesday afternoon. The quarterfinals and semifinals are Wednesday.

For the first time, the championship match — which will be held Thursday, Pioneer Day, will be 36 holes, just like the men. For the second time, the champion of the Utah Women’s Amateur will receive an exemption into the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

This year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur is August 4-10 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon.

Chugg, whose day job is the associate director of golf for Salt Lake City, said she is a bit rusty, having only played in a couple of tournaments the past six months. She predicts the cut for match play (low 32 golfers) will come around 78 or 79, while Olson and Richards guessed around 82, maybe a tad higher if the wind is blowing.

“I think if you break 80, you got a good shot of moving on,” Olson said.

“Based on the past few years, something like 10 or 12 over should do it,” Richards said.

Last year, Mulhall and Jenna Anderson shot 7-under 65s at TalonsCove to tie for medalist honors. The cut came at 9-over 81, with Whitni Johnson, Annette Gaiotti, Steph Belnap, Susan Tiffner and Amanda Henneman surviving a playoff; Libby Ward and Reimi Bieyl did not survive the playoff.

Richards won two matches and then lost 3 and 2 to Vui in the quarterfinals; Olson won a first round match and then lost 4 and 3 to Mulhall in the Round of 16.

“I would just love to make match play. I love match play. This is one of the few events where match play is part of it. I think it would be really fun to be a part of that again,” Richards said.

“Then if I make match play, I would love to improve upon my quarterfinal finish from last year.”