LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's athletics department recognized 202 student-athletes for achieving a 3.2 grade point average at the 23rd 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 54 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 & field athlete Jodi Williams, continuing a streak of six straight and nine of the last 10 honorees from the track & field program.

Williams (Enterprise, Utah/Enterprise HS) will graduate from Utah State this spring with a master's degree in fitness promotion, having already earned an undergraduate degree in exercise science in her first three years. Williams already has a position with Age Promotion Performance upon graduation, having interned with the company last summer. Overall, Williams is a multiple Whitesides Scholar Athlete recipient and earned academic all-conference accolades three times, in addition to being named a member of the 2015 USTFCCCA all-academic team.

As a student-athlete, Williams is a member of the Aggies' indoor and outdoor track & field teams, winning a high jump title as a freshman and earning a pair of all-conference citations during her career at Utah State. Williams' personal-best marks of 1.75m (5-8.75) and 1.76m (5-9.25) in the high jump during the indoor and outdoor seasons are still among the top in school history, ranking No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

"My athletics and academics definitely go together," she said. "I don't think I would have made it through the academics without the athletics. It kept me here and involved and gave me the motivation to achieve success in the classroom.

Utah State also handed out team honors and women's tennis was named the top academic team with less than 20 members. Women's cross country was the top academic team with more than 20 members and the women's basketball, volleyball and softball teams were the most improved academic teams.

Travis Seefeldt, who is 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.

Dr. Rich Gordin was presented the Meet The Challenge Award, while McKayla Sharp and Abigail Bentley were both given the Outstanding Tutor Award, and Analise Barker 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.

2016 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES SPECIAL HONORS

Whitesides Winner - Jodi Williams

Aggie Achievement Award - Travis Seefeldt

Meet The Challenge - Dr. Rich Gordin

Outstanding Tutors - McKayla Sharp and Abigail Bentley

Outstanding Mentor - Analise Barker

Top Teams (20-plus members)

1. Women's Cross Country

2. Women's Track & Field

3. Women's Soccer

Top Teams (less than 20 members)

1. Women's Tennis

2. Men's Golf

3. Women's Volleyball/Women's Basketball

Most Improved Teams

Women's Basketball

Women's Volleyball

Softball

2016 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES HONOREES

Jon. M. Huntsman School of Business

Jarom Baldomero, Football - Accounting

Austin Bass, Men's Tennis - Economics

Austin Cheney, Football - International Business

Sara Cobb, Soccer - Accounting

David Collette, Men's Basketball - Business Administration

Ethan Cortazzo, Football - Economics

Jenny De Boer, Soccer - Marketing

Sabrina Demerath, Women's Tennis - Management Information Systems

Lew Evans, Men's Basketball - Business Administration

Dalton Forsythe, Football - Economics

Adam Hendrickson, Men's Track & Field - Business Administration

Landon Horne, Football - Finance

Tanner Jenson, Golf - Finance

Cole Lambourne, Men's Track & Field - Business Administration

Jake LaSalle, Golf - Economics

Luis Lopez, Men's Tennis - Business Administration

Brady Martin, Men's Track & Field - Accounting

Grace McGuire, Soccer - Business Administration

Braxton Miller, Golf - Business Administration

DJ Nelson, Football - Business Administration

Taylon Niederhauser, Football - Marketing

Danielle Nowers, Soccer - Marketing

Lauren O'Brien, Volleyball - Accounting

Travis Seefeldt, Football - Management Information Systems

Tyler Shaffer, Men's Track & Field - Business Administration

Madelyn Sirmon, Women's Track & Field - Business Administration

Jack Swindells, Men's Tennis - Economics

Chase Thurgood, Men's Track & Field - Marketing

Ekaterina Tugarinova, Women's Tennis - Economics & Marketing

Romai Ugarte, Men's Tennis - International Business

Elliot Willis-Orlando, Men's Track & Field - Business Administration

Kelsey Yamauchi, Women's Track & Field - Management Information Systems

Tyler Weese, Football - Business Administration

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Dylan Anderson, Men's Track & Field - Conservation & Restoration Ecology

Maggie Hallerud, Women's Track & Field - Wildlife Science

Anna Maki, Women's Track & Field - Environmental Studies

Caroline Weiler, Women's Track & Field - Environmental Studies

Elizabeth Winters, Women's Track & Field - Forestry and Wildlife Resources

College of Engineering

Alan Borschel, Men's Track & Field - Civil Engineering

Nic Bowens, Men's Track & Field - Civil Engineering

Joanna Boyd, Women's Track & Field - Mechanical Engineering

Spencer Fehlberg, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical Engineering

Nieka Gutenberger, Women's Track & Field - Computer Science

David Hirschmann, Men's Track & Field - Mechanical Engineering

Tanner Hunt, Men's Track & Field - Biological Engineering

Kelsey Jacobs, Women's Track & Field - Mechanical Engineering

Jaydon Lord, Men's Track & Field - Electrical Engineering

Tyler Roberts, Men's Track & Field - Civil Engineering

Samuel Serrano, Men's Tennis - Computer Science

Eric Shellhorn, Men's Track & Field - Civil Engineering

Amanda Stoudt, Women's Track & Field - Bioengineering

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services

Colby Argyle, Softball - Communicative Disorders & Deaf Education

Sydney Blair, Women's Track & Field - Exercise Science

Kacey Bolingbroke, Soccer - Health Education & Promotion

Rachel Brewster, Women's Basketball - Exercise Science

Emily Briones, Gymnastics - Pre-Physical Therapy

Jessica Brooksby, Soccer - Exercise Science

Katie Brown, Gymnastics - Pre-Physical Therapy

Karlee Campbell-Zollinger, Soccer - Exercise Science

Kashley Carter, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical Therapy

Jillian Chappel, Gymnastics - Exercise Science

Sarah Chow, Softball - Family Life Studies

Emma Clark, Soccer - Pre-Physical Therapy

JoAnna Cuba - Health Education & Promotion

Maddie Day, Volleyball - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Josie Deere, Soccer - Exercise Science

Kylie-Rose Dickson, Softball - Elementary Education

Mia Estes, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical Therapy

Edmund Faimalo, Football - Interdisciplinary Studies

Marcus Fritz, Men's Tennis - Exercise Science

Rachel Gale, Volleyball - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Salanoa Galea'i, Football - Exercise Science

Hannah Gleason, Volleyball - Exercise Science

Kody Gould, Men's Track & Field - Exercise Science

Johanna Gunnarsdottir, Women's Track & Field - Psychology

Bailee Hammond, Soccer - Psychology

Lauren Harmon, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Sydney Hart, Softball - Health Education & Promotion

Lexie Henrie-Parrish, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Kassidy Johnson, Volleyball - Exercise Science

Noelle Johnson, Softball - Interdisciplinary Studies

Kaylie Kamalu, Volleyball - Health Education & Promotion

Miranda Kerr, Gymnastics - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Sarah Landes, Gymnastics - Exercise Science/Marketing

Diane Leach, Women's Track & Field - Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education

Ann Marie Lee, Soccer - Exercise Science

Carly Lenzen, Volleyball - Exercise Science

Meghan Lyall, Women's Tennis - Psychology

Shannon Maloney, Women's Track & Field - Psychology

McKinzey Martinez, Gymnastics - Exercise Science

Jordyn McCracken, Softball - Exercise Science

Bailey McIntire, Gymnastics - Psychology

Olivia Moriconi, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical Therapy

Kirstyn Namba, Softball - Pre-Physical Therapy

Elise Nelson, Women's Basketball - Pre-Physical Therapy

Tylee Newman, Women's Track & Field - Special Education

Jentz Painter, Football - Exercise Science

Chance Parker, Men's Track & Field - Exercise Science

Baylee Peck, Women's Basketball - Pre-Physical Therapy

Megan Perkins, Women's Track & Field - Psychology

Brittany Rawlins, Women's Track & Field - Exercise Science

Eli Rogers, Golf - Pre-Physical Therapy

Megan Ryan, Women's Track & Field - Pre-Physical Therapy

Katie Schroeder, Softball - Exercise Science

Allison Scranton, Women's Track & Field - Elementary Education

Amanda Sheets, Softball - Exercise Science

Justin Sheets, Men's Track & Field - Psychology

Lecy Skousen, Women's Track & Field - Health Education & Promotion

Jordan Smith, Softball - Exercise Science

Natalie Stoven, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Bethani Talbot, Women's Track & Field - Elementary Education

Shyani Terukina, Soccer - General Studies

Paige Timothy, Women's Track & Field - Exercise Science

Lexi Turley, Women's Tennis - Exercise Science

Monika Van de Vondel, Women's Tennis - Exercise Science

Zach Van Leeuwen, Football - Family, Consumer & Human Development

Rachelle Warner, Soccer - Family, Consumer & Human Development

McCoy Willey, Golf - Interdisciplinary Studies

Michala Zilkey, Women's Track & Field - Physical Education Teaching

Caine College of the Arts

Jennifer Christensen, Women's Track & Field - Music

Jordyn Chung-Hoon, Soccer - Art

Sydnie Dolzine, Soccer - Art

Karli Lundquist, Women's Track & Field - Art

Jacqueline Winterton, Women's Track & Field - Music

Katelyn Zabriskie, Women's Track & Field - Art

College of Science

Lauren Anderson, Volleyball - Statistics

Zach Cottrell, Men's Track & Field - Mathematics/Statistics Composite

Stephanie Crapse, Women's Track & Field - Biochemistry

Hannah Demler, Women's Track & Field - Biochemistry

Tavia Dutson, Women's Track & Field - Biochemistry

Kelsey Girardelli, Women's Track & Field - Biology

Braden Harris, Football - Biology

Mikayla Howes, Soccer - Public Health

Kaylie King, Women's Track & Field - Biology

Sara Lorscheider, Soccer - Biology

Mia Maher, Softball - Bioveterinary Sciences

Elysia Mesa, Softball - Biology

Jordan Nielsen, Football - Biology

Tori Parkinson, Women's Track & Field - Public Health

Lauren Pierson, Women's Track & Field - Mathematics Statistics & Composite Teaching

Erin Rickenbach, Soccer - Physics Teaching

Hayley Sanzotti, Gymnastics - Biology

Bryson Stout, Men's Track & Field - Earth Science Composite Teaching

Landon Watts, Men's Track & Field - Biology

Devin Wright, Men's Track & Field - Biology

College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences

Jacob Barton, Men's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Elise Berning, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Jordan Beutler, Men's Track & Field - Plant Science

Kayla DeCoursey, Volleyball - Family Consumer Science Education

Laycee Elliott, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Jacqueline Heaps, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Jaylen Hinckley, Soccer - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Alyssa Hirschi, Women's Track & Field - Outdoor Product Design

Emily Hubner, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Benjamin Johnston, Men's Track & Field - Interdisciplinary Studies

Hannah Malone, Women's Track & Field - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Erica Moscoso, Volleyball - Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Sciences

Maggie O'Meara, Women's Tennis - Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences

Candace Sharp, Women's Track & Field - Family Consumer Science Education

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Maci Bingham, Women's Track & Field - Interdisciplinary Studies

Tijana Djukic, Women's Basketball - Communication Studies

Daniel Echeverry, Men's Tennis - International Studies

Nini Guensler, Women's Tennis - Sociology

Wesley Hamblin, Soccer - Communication Studies

Karlee Deeter, Women's Track & Field - History Teaching/Political Science

Deshane Hines, Football - Sociology

Wyatt Houston, Football - Sociology

Seokwon Jeon, Golf - Sociology

Angela Phillips, Women's Track & Field - English Technical Writing

Selina Ramsey, Women's Track & Field - American Studies

Siua Taufa, Football - Sociology

Katie Toole, Women's Basketball - Communication Studies

Brock Warren, Football - Sociology

Kaitlyn Wilcox, Women's Track & Field - Interdisciplinary Studies

Jeannie Woller, Soccer - English

University Studies

Kelsey Andersen, Soccer - Pre-Business

Chad Artist, Football - Exploratory

Hudson Conrad, Football - Allied Health Nursing

Taylor Enders, Women's Basketball - Pre-Business

Brenn Flint, Women's Track & Field - Exploratory

Leaugen Fray, Men's Track & Field - Pre-Business

Ryan Garrett, Football - Exploratory

Keifer Higham, Golf - Exploratory

Jenna Kane, Women's Tennis - Exploratory

Lizzy Klinker, Women's Basketball - Exploratory

Parker Landgren, Men's Track & Field - Exploratory

Deja Mason, Women's Basketball - Exploratory

Funda Nakkasoglu, Women's Basketball - Pre-Business

Alice Patch, Women's Tennis - Pre-Business

Natalie Rainbolt, Gymnastics - Pre-Business

Jontrell Rocquemore, Football - Exploratory

Mason Tobeck, Football - Exploratory

Madison Ward, Gymnastics - Exploratory

Jacoby Wildman, Football - Pre-Business

School of Graduate Studies

Payton Allen-Schutte, Women's Track & Field - Communicative Disorders & Deaf Ed

Parker Blulth, Men's Track & Field - Accounting

Grayson Moore, Men's Basketball - Business Administration

Michael Okonkwo, Football - Financial Economics

Mariah Thompson, Women's Track & Field - Health Promotion

Jodi Williams, Women's Track & Field - Fitness Promotion

Ben Wysocki, Football - Special Education

Michelle Yasukochi, Gymnastics - Accounting

-USU-