Yanni Cayias, a Westminster junior and aviation major, wears his University of Utah gear in front of Bamberger Hall. Cayias said he has been attending Utah football games since he was an infant and they remain a big part of his life. Photo by Taeler Gannuscia.
Tis’ the season—football season, that is, and Westminster College students aren’t missing out on the fun. Sure, Westminster doesn’t have a football team, but there are always a handful of students representing the University of Utah on game day.
It seems funny that students who are avid University of Utah football supporters not only attend a school 10 minutes south of the U of U but also don’t regularly attend sporting events at Westminster. Some of those Westminster students said they chose Westminster for academics but prefer the social scene at the University of Utah.
One such student is Hunter Stutz, a junior business management major and student athlete.
“I play soccer at Westminster so I do attend our sporting events, but there is much more student involvement at the U, so I like going to theirs also,” Stutz said.
Dakota McNicol, a Westminster junior and nursing major, said going to Utah football games has always been something she does with her family.
“I felt like I was going to be more successful in academics at Westminster rather than the U,” McNicol said. “But my family has had season passes to the Utah games since I was little, and it has always been a big part of my life.”
McNicol said she feels like most of her social life is made up of attending events at the University of Utah. Westminster is the place she said she comes to focus on her education—not cheer from the stands.
“I’ve been going to Utah football games since I was 8 months old,” said Yanni Cayias, a Westminster junior aviation major. “My favorite thing about the games is the people I meet and the connections I have created with others.”
Cayias said he loves the game day atmosphere and the fun he has with his friends and family.
“My main reasons for coming to Westminster were academics and soccer, but I have been going to the Utah football games for the last few years,” Stutz said.
Stutz said his favorite part of game day happens before kickoff—tailgating. Tailgating has become a weekly routine for many and often begins many hours before the game begins.
“One of my friends’ family that I have gone with goes every game day in the morning,” Stutz said. “They have breakfast up there and everything and stay until the game starts. It’s insane.”
Westminster students not only only show their support for the University of Utah in the stands but also sport their attire on campus.
For the most part, Westminster faculty and students are used to seeing other college football programs supported, Cayias said.
“I have worn Utah attire plenty of times and have never been approached about it,” Cayias said.
However, some students said their Griffin pride has been questioned.
“When I have worn my Utah attire on game day in the past, I have had professors ask, ‘Why didn’t you just go to the U?’” McNicol said.
