The Cache Valley Media Group’s Top 25 Aggies of 2024 rolls on with the number 14 player of the upcoming football season – defensive tackle Gabriel Iniguez. Iniguez is a transfer from New Mexico State as he followed his defensive coordinator, now USU interim head coach Nate Dreiling, from one Aggies squad to another. In one year at NMSU (with two years spent at City College of San Francisco prior to that), Iniguez recorded 24 tackles, 5.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks, earning All-CUSA honors at season’s end. According to Dreiling, Iniguez was in integral part of the NMSU defense and should end up playing a key role with Utah State this upcoming season. The Top 25 Aggies is based on a vote from members of Utah State media including Jason Walker, Eric Frandsen, Craig Hislop and Ajay Salvesen. A public fan poll was also used with its results being used as a fifth ballot. The full list of 25 players will be revealed one at a time each weekday on the Full Court Press (106.9 FM, 1390 AM) at 4:25 p.m. from July 22 until August 26. Previously revealed players on the Top 25 Aggies of 2024 25. Elliott Nimrod 24. Andre Seldon 23. Bo

LOGAN, Utah – A dream is coming true for track & field star Chari Hawkins. The former Aggie takes the world stage on Aug. 8 and 9 as she competes in the women’s heptathlon at the Paris Olympic Games in her first Olympic appearance. The opportunity to compete is the fulfillment of a life-long dream she had almost given up on three years ago. Amid scorching heat at the pandemic-postponed U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Tokyo 2020 in Eugene, Oregon, Hawkins finished sixth with 6,236 points, three spots out of the top three that would go on to represent the U.S. in Japan. At the time, she thought it may have been her last chance to earn the title of Olympian. “There was a point in 2021 where I wasn’t sure if I was going to go for it again,” Hawkins said. “There was this part of me that was like, ‘Dang, even if I make more Team USA teams, I’m not going to be able to say that I was an Olympian. It was so heartbreaking for me.” But Hawkins persevered. She made the Team USA roster for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. There she placed eighth

The oldest rivalry in Utah sports is back as Utah State and the University of Utah will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2013. The 11-year gap is the longest span between games in the 132-year old series. USU will look to pull off a major upset over a team that’s a preseason Big 12 Conference favorite and a popular pick to make this year’s expanded College Football Playoff. This is the third installment in a series of 12 opponent previews that will go in-depth on each of the Aggies foes for the 2024 football season. It includes input from Josh Furlong, the Sports Director of KSL.com who’s duties include covering the Utes as a beat writer. Utah State Football Opponent Preview Vol. 1 – Robert Morris Utah State Football Opponent Preview Vol. 2 – USC Game Info Game Day: Sept. 14 Location: Merlin Olsen Field (Logan, UT) Kickoff Time: 2:30 p.m. Quick-Hit Info on Utah Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham (21st year at Utah, 162-79 record) 2023 Record: 8-5 2023 Offense Rank: 100th (23.2 points per game) 2023 Defense Rank: 19th (19.3 points allowed per game) Returning Production Rank — 43rd 2024 Preseason Consensus Ranking — 14th History of Utah State vs Utah All-Time Series: Utah leads