LOGAN, Utah – The Mountain West announced its all-academic teams Wednesday and Utah State had 74 student-athletes recognized from the fall sports of cross country, football, soccer and volleyball. Overall, 56 of the 74 USU student-athletes recognized by the conference are being honored for at least the second time.
Of its 74 academic all-MW selections, Utah State had 18 student-athletes from football and soccer honored, along with 17 student-athletes from women’s cross country, 11 from men’s cross country and 10 from volleyball. Furthermore, women’s cross country had the second-most honorees in its sport, while men’s cross country tied for the second-most and soccer tied for the fifth-most.
New Mexico led the MW with 95 all-academic honorees, followed by Boise State (91), Wyoming (86), Fresno State (85), UNLV (85), Utah State (74), Colorado State (68), San José State (63), Nevada (61), San Diego State (47) and Air Force (44). Hawai’i, which is a football-only member, had 22 all-academic honorees, while Colorado College, which is a women’s soccer-only member, had 18 all-academic honorees.
Nine of Utah State’s 74 student-athletes from its fall sports to earn academic all-MW honors carried a 4.00 grade point average, including five women’s cross country runners in senior Sammi Lee (psychology), senior Megan Terry (dietetics), junior Taylia Norris (communication disorders/deaf education), sophomore Emma Thornley (kinesiology) and sophomore Aubrey Thueson (registered nurse). Women’s soccer had two student-athletes with a 4.00 GPA in junior Nicole Hadlock (communication studies) and sophomore Alysia Butters (biology). And, men’s cross country and volleyball each had one student-athlete with a 4.00 GPA in junior Ben Berlin (global communication) and sophomore Inka Mehtola (sociology), respectively.
Senior Katie Haviland, who competes in both cross country and track & field, has now earned academic all-conference honors seven times in her career, including four times in cross country. Fellow senior cross country and track & field athlete LeAnn Larkin-Hatch is also earning academic all-conference honors for the seventh time, including the fourth time in cross country. Furthermore, senior cross country and track & field athletes Caleb Garnica, Darren Harman, Mica Rivera and Madison Taylor are all earning all-academic honors for the sixth time overall. For Harman, it is his fourth cross country honor, while Garnica, Rivera and Taylor are earning their third academic all-conference honor in cross country.
Student-athletes that are earning academic all-conference honors for the fifth time include senior cross country and track & field athletes Abby Jensen, Roberto Porras, Megan Terry, and senior soccer player Kami Warner.
Utah State student-athletes that are being honored for academic excellence for the fourth time include seven cross country and track & field athletes in seniors Bridger Altice, Bailey Brinkerhoff, Mark Crandall, Paytin Drollinger, Abigail Gray, Devin Pancake and junior Taylor Smart, three soccer players in seniors Jordan Foraker, Marli Niederhauser and Imelda Williams, and one volleyball player in senior Corinne Larsen.
To be eligible for selection, student-athletes must have completed at least one academic term at the member institution while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and be a starter or significant contributor on their athletic team.
Fall Academic All-Mountain West Honorees
Men’s Cross Country (11)
Bridger Altice, Sr., Electrical Engineering, 3.90
Ben Berlin, Jr., Global Communication, 4.00
Mark Crandall, Sr., Kinesiology, 3.96
Will Dixon, Fr., Mechanical Engineering, 3.90
Caleb Garnica, Sr., Mechanical Engineering, 3.45
Darren Harman, Sr., Marketing, 3.69
Chase Leach, Fr., Undecided, 3.73
Devin Pancake, Sr., Recreation Resource Management, 3.16
Roberto Porras, Sr., Finance, 3.25
Connor Weaver, Gr., Business Administration, 3.92
Garrett Woodhouse, Fr., Computer Science, 3.55
Women’s Cross Country (17)
Bailey Brinkerhoff, Sr., Psychology, 3.89
Karlee Christensen, Fr., Undecided, 3.76
Paytin Drollinger, Sr., Dietetics, 3.98
Morgan French, So., Health Education and Promotion, 3.57
Abigail Gray, Sr., Dietetics, 3.89
Katie Haviland, Sr., Residential Landscape Design & Construction, 3.91
Abby Jensen, Sr., Data Analytics, 3.96
LeAnn Larkin-Hatch, Sr., Kinesiology, 3.53
Sammi Lee, Sr., Psychology, 4.00
Taylia Norris, Jr., Communication Disorders & Deaf Education, 4.00
Mica Rivera, Sr., Marketing, 3.14
Taylor Smart, Jr., Outdoor Product Design & Development, 3.98
Madison Strasner, Fr., Kinesiology, 3.47
Madison Taylor, Sr., Journalism, 3.81
Megan Terry, Sr., Dietetics, 4.00
Emma Thornley, So., Kinesiology, 4.00
Aubrey Thueson, So., Registered Nurse, 4.00
Football (18)
Calvin Tyler Jr., Gr., Sports Management, 3.00
Kyle Van Leeuwen, Jr., Management, 3.81
AJ Vongphachanh, Jr., International Business, 3.25
Jamie Nance, Jr., Sociology, 3.75
Andre Grayson, Gr., Sports Management, 3.66
Michael Anyanwu, Sr., Kinesiology, 3.11
Nick Heninger, Gr., Aviation Management, 3.42
Jacob Garcia, So., Communication Studies, 3.06
Kina Maile, Jr., Psychology, 3.03
Connor Coles, Gr., Business Administration, 3.59
Wyatt Bowles, Sr., Social Work, 3.02
Stephen Kotsanlee, So., Kinesiology, 3.20
Alfred Edwards, Sr., Kinesiology, 3.03
Chandler Dolphin, Sr., Marketing, 3.54
Calvin Knapp, Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies, 3.27
Jacob South, Sr., Journalism, 3.11
Wade Meacham, Sr., Psychology, 3.06
Josh Sterzer, So., International Business, 3.07
Women’s Soccer (18)
Alysia Butters, So., Biology, 4.00
Addi Coon, Fr., Nursing, 3.59
Jordan Foraker, Sr., Civil Engineering, 3.86
Nicole Hadlock, Jr., Communication Studies, 4.00
Tenzi Knowles, Fr., Undeclared, 3.83
HalleKate Munson, So., Kinesiology, 3.87
Marli Niederhauser, Sr., Social Work, 3.92
Kylie Olson, So., Finance, 3.63
Karstyn Peterson, Sr., Human Development & Family Studies, 3.02
Bizzy Arevalo, Fr., Early Childhood Education, 3.66
Kelsey Salvesen, So., Kinesiology, 3.51
Heidi Smith, So., Communication Studies, 3.31
Kelsey Steed-Kafusi, So., Human Development & Family Studies, 3.45
Addy Symonds, So., Nursing, 3.67
Sara Taylor, Sr., Accounting, 3.98
Diera Walton, Jr., Psychology, 3.04
Kami Warner, Sr., Marketing, 3.35
Imelda Williams, Sr., Global Communication, 3.30
Women’s Volleyball (10)
Hailey Cuff, So., Psychology, 3.90
Beatriz Rodrigues, So., Integrated Studies, 3.60
Grace DuBay, Jr., Kinesiology, 3.93
Kristy Frank, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies, 3.51
Katie Langford, Fr., Undecided, 3.82
Corinne Larsen, Sr., Global Communication, 3.87
Inka Mehtola, So., Sociology, 4.00
Abbey Peterson, So., Marketing, 3.57
Tatum Stall, So., Marketing, 3.28
Kylee Stokes, Jr., Kinesiology 3.91