Community-wide Kick-off to Usher in Big Sky Alliance

Published: June 27, 2012 | Author: Jennifer Burt | Read Time: 2 minutes

Southern Utah University will officially join the BIg Sky Athletic Conference this July, and the Thunderbirds invite you to help celebrate. The University will host a Big Sky Kickoff Party on Monday, July 2, at noon in the Sharwan Smith Student Center Rotunda.

Beyond campus, Cedar City has officially designated July 2 as Big Sky Day throughout the community.

Conference, University and community officials will all be on hand to help celebrate the occasion—a partnership more than 20 years in the making. BSC Commissioner Doug Fullerton, SUU President Michael T. Benson and SUU Athletic Director Ken Beazer will all address reception-goers, as will community leaders. Refreshments will also be provided.

The Big Sky affiliation marks an exciting new era Thunderbird Athletics and SUU fans everywhere, and according to Athletic Director Ken Beazer, "There will be much more to see now that we'll be playing in the West."

Formerly, SUU Athletics was aligned with the Summit League, taking Thunderbird teams to the Midwest for a majority of their in season competition. This was detrimental, in some ways, to SUU fans, as there were few opportunities for the geographic rivalries and away game travel that so define the college athletics fan experience.

Speaking of the geographic rivalries that have already begun to form and the longstanding tradition of fanatical support for the whole of the Big Sky's member institutions, Beazer adds, "It's going to be unlike anything our fans have ever seen."

According to Beazer, SUU's coaches and athletes are "excited and very well prepared" to now joining the Big Sky, looking forward to the 2012-13 season with great anticipation.

"The Big Sky and SUU announced in October of 2010 that we would be joining the conference on July 1, 2012, and that long-anticipated day finally arrives Sunday," SUU Director of Athletics Ken Beazer said. "Monday, on the first business day following the first, the athletic department and the University will hold a reception to celebrate the moment as well as to say 'thank you' to everyone who had a hand in the process."

T-Bird fans young and old are encouraged to come out to help celebrate this exciting moment in SUU history.

---

Contact Information:

435-586-5400
Contact the Office of Marketing Communication