April 22, 2014
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's athletics department recognized 200 student-athletes for achieving a 3.2 grade point average at the 21st annual Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Luncheon Tuesday. To be eligible for the honor, student-athletes must have a cumulative 3.2 grade point average or have posted a 3.2 GPA during the last two semesters.
In all, approximately 53 percent of USU's student-athletes earned a 3.2 GPA to qualify for the awards.
The top honoree during the luncheon was senior track athlete Katherine Vande Pol as 14 of the past 24 recipients of the top individual honor have been from track & field, while 20 of the past 23 honorees have been women. During that time, the only males to win the award have been Mike Puzey from men's basketball in 2003, Tyler Ellis from men's track who shared the award with Rebecca Anderson and Alison Taylor in 2009, and Daniel Howell from men's track who shared the award with Katelyn Heiner in 2012.
Vande Pol (Los Gatos, Calif./De Anza JC) will graduate from Utah State this spring with a bachelor's degree in animal, dairy and veterinary sciences and carries a 4.00 cumulative grade point average. Following graduation, she plans to pursue both her master's degree and her Ph.D. in animal sciences. Overall, Vande Pol is a two-time Whitesides Scholar Athlete recipient and earned academic all-conference honors during her first year at USU in 2013.
As a student-athlete, Vande Pol has been a member of Utah State's indoor and outdoor track and field teams, along with cross country during her two years at USU.
Utah State also handed out team honors and women's tennis was named the top academic team with less than 20 members. Women's track and field was the top academic team with more than 20 members and men's cross country was the most improved academic team.
D.J. Tialavea, who was a member of the football team, received the Aggie Achievement Award for overcoming life challenges and personal adversity to ultimately excel as a student-athlete and obtain a high level of academic achievement at Utah State University.
Sarah Wallace, who is a Senior Staff Assistant in the College of Engineering, was presented the Meet The Challenge Award, while Jeremiah Bearss and Victoria Tonnemacher were both given the Outstanding Tutor Award, and Jaycie Miller was given the Outstanding Mentor Award for their work with USU's student-athletes.
The Whitesides honors started in 1953 by former USU athlete, coach and athletics director Joe E. Whitesides.
2014 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES SPECIAL HONORSWhitesides Winner - Katherine Vande PolAggie Achievement Award - D.J. TialaveaMeet The Challenge - Sarah WallaceOutstanding Tutors - Jeremiah Bearss and Victoria TonnemacherOutstanding Mentor - Jaycie Miller
Top Teams (20-plus members)1. Women's Track2. Soccer3. Men's Track
Top Teams (less than 20 members)1. Women's Tennis2. Women's Cross Country3. Men's Golf
Most Improved Teams1. Men's Cross Country2. Women's Cross Country3. Men's Track
2014 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES HONOREESJon. M. Huntsman School of BusinessAustin Allred, Football - BusinessTrevor Andersen, Men's Track & Field - International BusinessJarom Baldomero, Football - AccountingKaitlyn Betts, Gymnastics - Business AdministrationMike Bills, Men's Track & Field - AccountingParker Bluth, Men's Track & Field - AccountingSpencer Butterfield, Men's Basketball - Business AdministrationPaul Clark, Football - AccountingBen Clifford, Men's Basketball - Finance/EconomicsSara Cobb, Soccer - AccountingBrennan Coburn, Golf - Business AdministrationJames Croasdell, Men's Basketball - EconomicsKyle Davis, Men's Basketball - Business AdministrationJoe Gough, Men's Track & Field - MarketingAustin Groll, Men's Track & Field - Business AdministrationCole Lambourne, Men's Track & Field - Business AdministrationB.J. Larsen, Football - Business AdministrationBraeden Loveless, Football - AccountingJeff Manning, Football - Business AdministrationAlex Marsaw, Football - Business AdministrationDan Mosman, Men's Track & Field - FinanceMichael Okonkwo, Football - FinanceCJ O'Neal, Men's Track & Field - Business Administration /MarketingTravis Parrish, Football - International BusinessFredrik Peterson, Men's Tennis - Business AdministrationJennifer Schlott, Women's Basketball - MarketingTravis Seefeldt, Football - Management Information SystemsNick Steingreaber, Men's Track & Field - FinanceAnnie Thomas, Softball - Business AdministrationAndrew Whiting, Men's Tennis - BusinessConnor Winters, Football - Business AdministrationMichelle Yasukochi, Gymnastics - Accounting
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural ResourcesTom Derr, Men's Track & Field - Environmental StudiesElizabeth Winters, Women's Track & Field - Conservation & Restoration EcologyChalese West, Women's Track & Field - Wildlife Science
College of EngineeringJaron Bentrude, Football - Mechanical EngineeringNic Bowens, Men's Track & Field - Civil EngineeringBen Bracken, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringAustin Costley, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringJake Doughty, Football - Mechanical EngineeringDanielle Gaztambide, Soccer - Biological EngineeringTanner Hunt, Men's Track & Field - Biological EngineeringAbby Indreland, Softball - Mechanical EngineeringJulia Klingler, Women's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringJamie Markosian, Football - Civil EngineeringNick Markosian, Football - Civil EngineeringChris Martinez, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringEric Shellhorn, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringKatie Sweet, Women's Tennis - Biological EngineeringJeff Taylor, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical EngineeringElliot Willis-Orlando, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical Engineering
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human ServicesBreyanna Aufiero, Gymnastics - Exercise ScienceEric Berntson, Football - Social Studies Composite TeachingSydney Blair, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceJessica Brooksby, Soccer - Exercise ScienceKatie Brown, Gymnastics - Exercise ScienceKelsey Burke, Soccer - Exercise ScienceStephanie Burt, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceBrittany Bushman, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceKarlee Campbell, Soccer - Pre-Physical TherapyEmily Catron, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceClayton Christensen, Football - Exercise ScienceSarah Chow, Softball - Family Life StudiesAlyssa Curtis, Soccer - Exercise ScienceSamantha Curtis, Soccer - Exercise ScienceStefanie Daley, Gymnastics - PsychologyMcKenzie Davis, Women's Tennis - Exercise ScienceMaddie Day, Volleyball - PsychologyKayla DeCoursey, Volleyball - Family Life ScienceKylie Dibb, Soccer - Exercise ScienceMia Estes, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyAlyssa Everett, Volleyball - Exercise ScienceKatie Flynn, Soccer - Exercise ScienceHannah Gleason, Volleyball - Exercise ScienceShay Haddow, Soccer - Exercise ScienceMaris Hamblin, Soccer - Exercise ScienceCheyenne Harper, Softball - Communicative Disorders & Deaf EducationSydney Hart, Softball - Exercise ScienceKaylee Hartshorn, Women's Track & Field - Interdisciplinary StudiesHillary Hayes, Women's Tennis - Elementary EducationLexie Henrie, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentKendsey Hill, Softball - Elementary EducationKylie Ross, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyJenna Johnson, Women's Basketball - Elementary EducationLynette Johnson, Women's Basketball - PsychologyMcKenzie Johnson, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceDaphne Jones, Women's Track & Field - PsychologyMiranda Kerr, Gymnastics - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentBethany King, Women's Track & Field - Elementary EducationSarah Landes, Gymnastics - Exercise Science/MarketingSamantha Larsen, Softball - Health Education & PromotionsAnn Marie Lee, Soccer - Exercise ScienceKayla Lee, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyCarly Lenzen, Volleyball - Exercise ScienceAllison Lenzora, Softball - Interdisciplinary StudiesKyli McSpadden, Women's Track & Field - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentKristen Meyers, Gymnastics - Exercise ScienceSusie Miller, Gymnastics - PsychologyMari Miyashiro, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentMorgan Monks, Women's Track & Field - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentDevin Montgomery, Softball - Exercise ScienceLexie Morgan, Soccer - Exercise ScienceKirstyn Namba, Softball - Pre-Physical TherapyNate Needham, Football - Exercise ScienceElise Nelson, Women's Basketball - Pre-Physical TherapyPaige Neves, Volleyball - Communicative Disorders & Deaf EducationChristina Nye, Gymnastics - Pre-Physical TherapyRachel Orr, Volleyball/Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceTori Parkinson, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceRyan Pearson, Golf - Communicative Disorders & Deaf EducationSilas Pimentel, Men's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyTravis Reynolds, Football - Interdisciplinary StudiesAshlan Rogers-Court, Volleyball - Communicative Disorders & Deaf EducationEli Rogers, Golf - Pre-Physical TherapyTaryn Rose, Soccer - Exercise ScienceGrahm Schmaltz, Golf - Interdisciplinary StudiesAshley Shields, Women's Track & Field - Family, Consumer & Human DevelopmentHeather Simpson, Women's Track & Field - Communicative Disorders & Deaf EducationBrayden Stembridge, Football - Exercise ScienceAmanda Stoudt, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyKaitlyn Stratton, Soccer - Elementary EducationBradford Strobell, Men's Track & Field - Pre-Physical TherapyJoe Summers, Football - Exercise ScienceBethani Talbot, Women's Track & Field - Elementary EducationLexi Turley, Women's Tennis - Exercise ScienceSamantha Wagner, Gymnastics - PsychologyKalon Weston, Men's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceJensen Williams, Women's Track & Field - Health Education & PromotionsJodi Williams, Women's Track & Field - Exercise ScienceXavier Williford Jr., Men's Track & Field - Interdisciplinary Studies
Caine College of the ArtsJamie Duke, Soccer - ArtKarli Lundquist, Women's Track & Field - ArtKyle McKenna, Men's Track & Field - MusicAshlyn Mulford, Soccer - ArtKatie Nielson, Women's Track & Field - MusicShaleen Richardson, Women's Track & Field - ArtKaitlyn VanHoff, Volleyball - ArtJacqueline Winterton, Women's Track & Field - Music
College of ScienceJoanna Boyd, Women's Track & Field - StatisticsKelsey Girardelli, Women's Track & Field - BiologyMikayla Howes, Soccer - Public HealthDacia Hunter, Women's Track & Field - Biology Science Composite TeachingSara Lorscheider, Soccer - Biology Science Composite TeachingHayley Sanzotti, Gymnastics - BiologyDylan Harlow, Men's Tennis - Computer Science
College of Agriculture & Applied SciencesJacob Barton, Men's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesSydney Blaser, Women's Track & Field - Animal, Dairy & Veterinary ScienceHollie Bosworth, Women's Track & Field - Family Consumer ScienceMichael Cardinal, Men's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesLaycee Elliott, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesChari Hawkins, Women's Track & Field - Family Consumer Science EducationTanner Higham, Golf - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesNatalie Norris, Soccer - Nutrition and Food Sciences/Exercise ScienceReed Platke, Golf - Landscape Architecture & Environmental PlanningBrooke Rawlins, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesMegan Rhead, Softball - Animal, Dairy & Veterinary SciencesCierra Simmons, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food SciencesKatherine Vande Pol, Women's Track & Field - Animal, Dairy & Veterinary SciencesBailee Whitworth, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences
College of Humanities and Social SciencesAbby Andrews, Women's Track & Field - Communication StudiesMakayla Betz, Gymnastics - Social WorkBrock Bird, Football - Communication StudiesKarlee Deeter, Women's Track & Field - History TeachingTijana Djukic, Women's Basketball - Global CommunicationDaniel Gray, Football - SociologyLars Gunderson, Football - Interdisciplinary StudiesWyatt Houston, Football - SociologyPaige Jones, Gymnastics - EnglishBrooke Larsen-Leavitt, Soccer - JournalismElise Maddox, Women's Track & Field - Spanish TeachingMariah Peterson, Softball - Social WorkSelina Ramsey, Women's Track & Field - EnglishCree Taylor, Women's Track & Field - English TeachingDaquan Vandross, Football - SociologyZach Waxler, Golf - JournalismCurran Wearmouth, Men's Tennis - GeologyJeannie Woller, Soccer - Creative WritingDaniel Wray, Football - English
University StudiesRicky Ali'ifua, Football - UndeclaredDennis Baumgartner, Men's Tennis - UndeclaredSander Brouwers, Men's Track & Field - Undeclared BusinessJordan Brown, Football - Undeclared BusinessMorgan Carter, Softball - Undeclared BusinessAnna Maki, Women's Track & Field - UndeclaredBailey McIntire, Gymnastics - UndeclaredBraxton Miller, Golf - UndeclaredBrittany Rawlins, Women's Track & Field - UndeclaredErica Richins, Women's Track & Field - UndeclaredJayne Robison, Soccer - UndeclaredSebastian Schneider, Men's Tennis - UndeclaredKallie Sperry, Women's Tennis - UndeclaredAshley Stuhlmann, Women's Tennis - UndeclaredJake Thompson, Football - Undeclared BusinessAlec Willard, Men's Track & Field - UndeclaredColby Wilson, Men's Track & Field - UndeclaredKatelyn Zabriskie, Women's Track & Field - Undeclared
School of Graduate StudiesAubrie Haymore, Women's Track & Field - Health & Human MovementMatt Thatcher, Men's Tennis - AccountingCristal Turner, Women's Basketball - Physical & Sport Education
