Jason Batacao

2 weeks ago | sltrib.com | Jason Batacao

The year was 1983, and Dave Checketts was just becoming the president and general manager of the Utah Jazz. The Jazz were millions of dollars in debt, barely staying afloat after moving from New Orleans in 1979. In 1982, Utah sold the rights to its No. 3 draft pick, future NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, for $1 million. Checketts - and the city's now-longtime NBA franchise - needed a lifeline.

3 weeks ago | sltrib.com | Jason Batacao

Keanu Tanuvasa 's phone seemed to ring nonstop after he entered the transfer portal last winter. Some calls were from Utah football coaches, lobbying for him to stay in Salt Lake City. There was BYU with its own offer. Others were from SEC powerhouses Texas and Georgia, throwing their hat, and bags of money, into the ring for the star defensive tackle. And there was a call from former Utah cornerback Cam Calhoun, who had entered the transfer portal earlier that offseason.

3 weeks ago | sltrib.com | Jason Batacao

For yet another season, the Red Rocks fell short of winning their 11th national championship. No. 4 Utah finished in fourth place in the the NCAA championship finals on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, with a 197.2375 score. No. 2 Oklahoma claimed its seventh national championship with a first-place finish, while No. 5 UCLA took second and No. 7 Missouri took third. Utah started off the match in third place following the first rotation, scoring a 49.45 on uneven bars.

3 weeks ago | sltrib.com | Jason Batacao

Hayden Dalebout hasn't missed a Utah football game in five years. The University of Utah sophomore grew up watching the Utes with his family. And, now that he's attending the Salt Lake City campus as a student, his football fandom has gotten even more intense. But he has he paid much attention to the Utes' annual spring game - now called the 22 Forever Game - at Rice-Eccles Stadium. This spring carries a different feeling, however.

3 weeks ago | sltrib.com | Jason Batacao

A fifth straight NCAA finals appearance was on the line. Utah was in third place, trailing UCLA and defending national champion LSU by less than a tenth of a point. With one rotation remaining, the No. 4 Red Rocks needed a strong performance on uneven bars to advance to the final round of the NCAA championships. And they delivered. "I just think it takes a lot to be here and to be a part of this program," Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf said after the meet.