Feb. 27, 2012
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State women's track and field member Katelyn Heiner has been named the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending Sunday, Feb. 26, an award that is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
Heiner, a senior from Ogden, Utah (Ogden HS) earned two first-team all-WAC honors after winning the 400m and being a member of the winning 4x400 meter relay team at the 2012 Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships last weekend as she helped Utah State win the team championship. Heiner's time in the 400m (55.08) was a personal-best, while the time of 3:43.59 ranks the 4x400 meter relay team at No. 5 in Utah State history. Heiner was also named second-team all-WAC after finishing sixth in the long jump [5.64m (18-06.00)]. For Utah State, it was its first indoor team championship since winning the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship in 1994.
This is the first USU weekly honor this season for a women's track and field student-athlete.
Those who qualify will return to Nampa, Idaho on March 8-11 for the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships. The field for the championships will be announced on March 5 by the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee. The Aggies will also be in action on March 3 at some last chance meet that have yet to be determined.
Fans can follow Utah State Athletics, including USU track & field and cross country, at http://twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
MEN'S BASKETBALL - Sophomore guard Preston Medlin (Carrollton, Texas) scored a career-high 32 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists in leading Utah State to a 67-50 home win against Idaho last weekend. Medlin, who had 27 of his points in the second-half, finished the game shooting 11-of-13 (.846) from the field, 6-of-8 (.750) from three-point range, and 4-for-5 (.800) at the free throw line.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - Junior guard Devyn Christensen (Caldwell, Idaho) scored 26 points in Utah State's 85-63 home win against Idaho last weekend. Christensen, who scored 22 of her 26 points in the second half, shot 61.5 percent from the field (8-13), 60.0 percent from three-point range (3-5), and was 7-for-7 at the free throw line. She also added a season-high five steals to go along with five rebounds and three assists in the game.
GYMNASTICS - Senior Rebecca Holliday (Orange, Calif.) posted a career-high 38.925 to place second in the all-around and shared the beam title with a career-high tying 9.850 as Utah State scored a 193.625 to finish third in a tri-meet at BYU with Southern Utah. Holliday also matched her career-high on vault with a 9.700, placing 14th, as well as recording 9.650 on bars to tie for 12th, and a 9.725 on floor to finish 11th.
SOFTBALL - Junior first baseman Christine Thomsen (Fresno, Calif.) hit .667 (4-6) with one run batted in and one run scored last week as Utah State dropped a doubleheader at Southern Utah by scores of 9-3 and 7-2. Thomsen went 2-for-3 at the plate during both games.
MEN'S TENNIS - Freshman Matt Sweet (Salt Lake City, Utah) won both of his matches last week in helping Utah State post a 4-3 home win against Weber State. In singles play, Sweet posted a straight sets win (6-0, 6-4) at the No. 3 spot and teamed with senior Nate Ballam for a 9-7 win at the second doubles position to give the Aggies the doubles point.
MEN'S TRACK - Senior Daniel Howell (Manti, Utah) earned first-team all-WAC honors in a pair of events after capturing titles in the 3,000m and 5,000m at the 2012 Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships last weekend helping Utah State finish in second-place. Howell clocked in with a personal-best time of 8:14.79 to capture his second-straight 3,000m WAC indoor title while crossing the finish line with a time of 14:34.45 in the 5,000m.
2011-12 Utah State Athlete of the Week Winners
Aug. 29 - Shantel Flanary, Soccer
Sept. 5 - Chuckie Keeton, Football
Sept. 12 - Robert Turbin, Football
Sept. 19 - Brian McKenna, Cross Country
Sept. 26 - Marcus Fritz, Men's Tennis
Oct. 3 - Robert Turbin, Football
Oct. 10 - Chuckie Keeton, Football
Oct. 17 - Liz McArthur, Volleyball
Oct. 24 - Jennifer Flynn, Soccer
Oct. 31 - Brian McKenna, Cross Country
Nov. 7 - Molli Merrill, Soccer
Nov. 14 - Brockeith Pane, Men's Basketball
Nov. 21 - Robert Turbin, Football
Nov. 28 - Bobby Wagner, Football
Dec. 5 - Adam Kennedy, Football
Dec. 12 - Preston Medlin, Men's Basketball
Dec. 19 - Michael Smith, Football
Dec. 26 - Preston Medlin, Men's Basketball
Jan. 9 - Brooke Jackson, Women's Basketball
Jan. 16 - Ashlee Brown, Women's Basketball
Jan. 23 - Silas Pimentel, Men's Track & Field
Jan. 30 - Sarah Landes, Gymnastics
Feb. 6 - Ashlee Brown, Women's Basketball
Feb. 13 - Sarah Landes, Gymnastics
Feb. 21 - Sarah Landes, Gymnastics
Feb. 27 - Katelyn Heiner, Women's Track & Field
-USU-
