BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe announced today the addition of upgrades to LaVell Edwards Stadium that will allow BYU Athletics to provide an enhanced gameday experience for its corporate partners.

“Over the years, the ways in which fans enjoy sporting events have changed dramatically,” said Casey Stauffer, BYU associate athletic director for corporate sponsorships. “The game is still the main attraction, but how people experience the game at the stadium has evolved. Demand for club-level hospitality has increased, and that capacity has been very limited at LaVell Edwards Stadium. These types of hospitality areas allow our corporate partners to enjoy the game while also hosting clients, rewarding employees and recruiting talent.

“We don’t want to just deliver a product. We want to offer an experience. Our corporate sponsors invest significant financial resources, and these new areas will allow us to recognize that commitment, deepen our relationships and provide those partners with an enhanced gameday at BYU sporting events.”

Club 22

The sponsor hospitality area formerly known as the Blue Zone, located under the west stands of the stadium, will be remodeled and rebranded as Club 22, recognizing BYU’s first intercollegiate football team that began competition in 1922. Beginning with the 2022 football season, Club 22 will feature dining areas, lounge seating, all-inclusive food and beverage service, access to exclusive BYU Athletics merchandise and more. In 2023, the second phase of amenities will include booth seating, a fireplace and a candy wall.

Champions Terrace

BYU Athletics will debut Champions Terrace, a hospitality area located on the elevated platform linking the north and east stands of the stadium. Champions Terrace will feature lounge seating with a view of the field, canopy coverage and access to amenities available throughout the game. The new area will host upwards of a hundred guests and be accessible to corporate partners in the Champions Club — BYU Athletics’ highest sponsorship level.

Gridiron Grill

Additionally, the Gridiron Grill will also receive an upgrade for the 2022 football season for all corporate partners in an exclusive casual experience. Located in the northwest corner of the concourse, The Gridiron Grill will provide an expanded concessions menu, six 75-inch TVs, courtyard seating and an open access to a fountain drink machine.

Those interested in becoming BYU Athletics corporate sponsors with access to these exclusive hospitality opportunities and many other benefits, can contact the BYU corporate sponsorship team at sponsorship@byu.edu.

UVU men’s basketball adds director of basketball operations

–Utah Valley head coach Mark Madsen has announced the hiring of Stephen Rogers as the director of basketball operations on his men’s basketball staff at Utah Valley. Rogers comes to UVU after working as an assistant coach at Newberry College in South Carolina.

“I am excited to welcome Stephen Rodgers into the Utah Valley community,” said Madsen. “Stephen is a proven leader with deep experience in operations, coaching, and recruiting across both the D1 and D2 levels. Stephen knows the game and he has a deep rolodex of relationships in the basketball world. His work ethic is unique and his passion for the game comes through in everything that he does. I could not be more excited to welcome him to UVU.”

Rogers spent the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach at Newbery College where he helped the Wolves to a 15-13 overall record and a 14-10 mark in the South Atlantic Conference. Newberry ranked 37th nationally in three-point field goal defense (31.4%), 55th in the country in scoring defense (67.9ppg.), and 57th in fewest turnovers per game at 11.4. Rogers worked with the post players where Newberry ranked 48th in the country in offensive rebounds at 11.96 per game. The Wolves reached the semifinals of the SAC Tournament, the best showing at the tournament for the team since the 2015-16 season. Newberry also picked up a top-10 win over No. 9 Queens University during the 2021-22 season, which was just the second top-10 victory in school history.

During the 2020-21 season, Rogers worked as a graduate assistant at Florida State where he played an essential role in helping the Seminoles to a 37.6 percent clip from three-point range, which was the top mark in the ACC. The 37.6 percent mark from long range also ranked 21st in the nation. Rogers worked alongside one of the nation’s top post-player developers in the country, Stan Jones. Defensively, the Seminoles ranked 12th in the nation in both block percentage and opponent 2-point field goal percentage. The team was also 24th in opponent effective field goal percentage and 33rd in defensive efficiency. Florida State finished the 2020-21 season with an 18-7 overall record, which included an appearance in the Sweet 16 and a final ranking of No. 14 in the AP Poll.

Prior to Florida State, Rogers spent one season on the staff at Missouri Baptist University (2019-20) alongside head coach Preston Ingram, helping the team to a 15-14 overall record to clinch an AMC conference tournament berth. During his season with Missouri Baptist, the Spartans ranked 21st nationally in defensive 3-point field goal percentage and 28th in scoring defense.

Rogers spent one season in the high school ranks as an assistant coach at the Hammond School (2018-19) in Columbia, South Carolina. He helped the team to a 3A SCISA State runner-up. He spent three years as the Director of Scouting at Big Shots.

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Rogers played for the legendary coach Tim Whipple at Irmo High School. He is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University with a degree in psychology and a minor in sociology. He graduated with his Master’s in Sports Management from Florida State in 2021.

Wolverine soccer’s Jenna Shepherd  tabbed as preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year

The Utah Valley University women’s soccer team has been selected to finish second in the 2022 Western Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Junior Jenna Shepherd was named the WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while being joined by Sydney Bushman, Julianna Carter, and Heather Stainbrook on the Preseason All-WAC Team.

Utah Valley has won WAC Tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in three out of the last seven seasons (2015, 2017, 2020) and has made an appearance in the WAC Tournament championship match in six of those seven seasons (2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015).

Utah Valley returns 13 players, including eight starters that went 13-7-2 last season and finished second in WAC play with a 6-2-2 mark.

The Wolverines received four of the 12 first place votes and 110 points to earn the second spot in the 12-team poll. Grand Canyon received eight first place votes and 117 points for the top spot. Stephen F. Austin is ranked third (90), followed by California Baptist in fourth (84), New Mexico State fifth (74), and Seattle U sixth (72). Abilene Christian was selected seventh (62), Utah Tech was eighth (46), and Sam Houston ninth (42. UTRGV was picked 10th (39), followed by Southern Utah in 11th (25), and Tarleton 12th (21).

Shepherd earns Preseason WAC Defensive Player of the Year honors for a second straight season. She was the WAC’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. Shepherd earned her second straight First Team All-WAC honor last year and earned Second Team All-Pacific accolades. She played and started 21 matches in 2021 and anchored the Wolverine defense to 11 shutouts, including 10 shutout victories. She also helped offensively as an attacking defender with five points, including one goal and two assists.

Bushman was named to the Preseason All-WAC team after playing all 22 matches with 21 starts last season for UVU. She was part of a backline that picked up 11 shutouts while limiting opponents to a 1.27 goals per game average and a .131 shot percentage. Bushman has received postseason All-WAC honors in each of the past two seasons.

Carter ranked third on the team last season with 15 points. She led the Wolverines with nine assists and was fifth on the team with five goals. She was sixth on the team with 22 shots, including 12 shots on goal. Carter has earned All-WAC honors in each of the last two years.

Stainbrook is a three-time All-WAC honoree and earned First Team All-WAC honors last season after scoring a team-best nine goals. She ranked second on the team with an impressive 22 points, including nine goals and four assists. She also ranked second on the team with 48 shots, including 24 shots on frame. She earned Third Team All-Pacific honors.

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