Tanner Signed with Dixie State

Tanner and Emilie went to St. George and did an official visit with Dixie State (which will soon be Utah Tech).  They really liked the school, the coaches, the team, and the location and the coaches really liked them.  They offered Tanner a scholarship to come and play basketball there, and Tanner verbally committed.  He signed an NIL a few days later.  We are so excited for them.  We wish it was closer, but otherwise think that it is totally awesome!  Go Trailblazers!  Looks like we are all going to need to get new swag!

From the Spectrum a local St. George Paper:

Dixie State recruiting tracker: Trailblazers add Idaho transfer Tanner Christensen

Dixie State University announced this week the signing of Idaho transfer Tanner Christensen.

Christensen adds to a recruiting class that features Snow College transfer and Payson native Hagen Wright.

The 6-foot-10 Christensen will help fill the void left by Hunter Schofield, who averaged 15 points per game 6.3 rebounds per game and was First Team All-WAC in ’21-’22.

“Tanner has played a lot of minutes at the Division-I level and we feel that will be a big advantage for him and us here at Dixie State,” Judkins noted. “Tanner plays with a high motor and rebounds very well at his position. Besides being a great player and excellent student, he is an even better person, and we are grateful to have Tanner and his wife Emilie join our program.”

A Spokane, Washington native, Christensen started 27 of 28 games for Idaho, averaging 8.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

“He is a tough and skilled competitor that fits our culture here,” Judkins said. “Tanner is a big that can run the floor and has great post moves. His ability to play in big games is a must for us.”

Christensen scored in double figures in 11 games, with a career-high 18 coming against Eastern Washington.

From Dixiestateathletics.com:

MBB - Trailblazers Add Idaho Transfer Tanner Christensen to 2022-23 Roster

Dixie State head men's basketball coach Jon Judkins announced on Wednesday the signing of Idaho transfer Tanner Christensen to a financial aid agreement ahead of the upcoming 2022-23 season. Christensen played two seasons with the Vandal program and has three years of eligibility remaining.  
 
"We are very excited to welcome Tanner to our Trailblazer family," Coach Judkins said. "He is a tough and skilled competitor that fits our culture here. Tanner is a big that can run the floor and has great post moves. His ability to play in big games is a must for us."
 
The 6-10 power forward started in 27 of 28 games played at Idaho this past season and averaged 8.5 points on 57.3 percent shooting, along with 6.4 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures in 11 of those outings, highlighted by a career-high 18 points in a home win over Eastern Washington (83-80; 2/19/22).
 
Christensen pulled down 10 or more rebounds five times last season, including a career-best 12 boards vs. Sacramento State (1/22/22), and he posted his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds vs. Northern Colorado (1/20/22). Christensen also played in 22 games with three starts as a true freshman in the 2020-21 campaign and averaged 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

"Tanner has played a lot of minutes at the Division-I level and we feel that will be a big advantage for him and us here at Dixie State," Judkins noted. "Tanner plays with a high motor and rebounds very well at his position. Besides being a great player and excellent student, he is an even better person and we are grateful to have Tanner and his wife Emilie join our program."
 
Christensen prepped at University High School in Spokane Valley, Wash., where he earned first team all-Greater Spokane League honors after averaging 16.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks as a senior in 2017-18. He served as team captain during both his junior and senior seasons, and averaged nearly a double-double throughout his high school career.
 
Christensen joins Snow College transfer Hagen Wright as members of the Trailblazers' 2022 signing class.
 
Dixie State wrapped up its second season of NCAA Division I play with a 13-18 overall record, five wins more than the Blazers' posted in their D-I debut campaign last year. DSU finished with a 10-6 record inside the Burns Arena, and wound up 6-12 in WAC play, which was good for 10^th place in the conference standings.
 
Why Tanner Christensen chose Dixie State - "I chose Dixie State because I felt like I developed a great relationship with the coaching staff and they made me feel at home. I think it's a program trending in the right direction and that we can win a lot of games. Dixie State seems like a great place to go to school and play basketball."