LOGAN, Utah – Utah State gymnast Madison Ward-Sessions was named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, January 13, it was announced Monday. The award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
 
It is the first time this year and sixth time in her career that the senior from Rexburg, Idaho, has been named USU's student-athlete of the week. With their sponsorship of the Student-Athlete of the Week, America First Credit Union donates funds directly to support student-athlete scholarships.
 
Ward-Sessions was also tabbed the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference (MRGC) Vault and co-Floor Specialist of the Week after the Aggies placed third at the Pitt quad meet last Saturday at Fitzgerlad Field House in Pittsburgh, Pa. Utah State recorded a 194.600 – the highest season-opening score in school history.
 
The native of Rexburg, Idaho, tied for first on floor with a 9.900 at the quad meet. She also captured the bars title with a 9.825, and has now won 24 titles overall during her career. Ward-Sessions recorded a 9.850 on vault to tie for third at the meet.
 
Utah State will return to action on Friday, Jan. 18, when the Aggies welcome BYU to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for both their home and MRGC opener. The dual meet is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, on Facebook at Utah State Gymnastics, and on Instagram at USUGymnastics. Fans can also follow the USU athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at UtahStateAthletics.
 
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
MEN'S BASKETBALL – Freshman center Neemias Queta (Barreiro, Portugal) was nearly perfect from the floor last week as he helped Utah State to a 1-1 Mountain West record with a 78-77 home loss to Fresno State and  a 71-55 victory at Wyoming. Against the Bulldogs, Queta recorded team highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. Queta also logged a career-high six blocks, the third-most in a single game in school history. Queta was a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and added one assist, while shooting 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from the free throw line against the Bulldogs. Against the Cowboys, Queta logged 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while shooting 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from the floor and 40.0 percent (2-of-5) at the free throw line. For the week, Queta averaged 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game, while shooting 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the floor and 50.0 percent (6-of-12) at the free throw line.
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – Junior guard/forward Shannon Dufficy (Preston, Victoria, Australia) averaged a double-double last week in helping Utah State to a 1-1 mark in Mountain West action with a 70-59 road loss at Fresno State and a 50-42 home win against Wyoming. Against the Bulldogs, Dufficy had 15 rebounds, 14 points, three assists, three blocks and two steals. Against the Cowgirls, she had a career-high-tying 24 points, to go along with 14 rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. For the week, Dufficy averaged 19.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 50.0 percent (14-of-28) from the field, 33.3 percent (2-of-6) from behind the arc and 80.0 percent (8-of-10) at the free throw line.
 
MEN'S TENNIS – Sophomore Felipe Acosta (Chascomus, Argentina) posted a combined 4-0 record last weekend in helping Utah State to a pair of home wins against Weber State (7-0) and Idaho State (6-1). Against the Wildcats, Acosta notched a straight-sets win at No. 4 singles (6-3, 6-1) and teamed with junior Duro Opacic for a 7-6 (7-5) win at the third doubles position. And against the Bengals, Acosta posted another straight sets win at No. 4 singles (6-1, 6-1) and teamed with Opacic for the 6-4 win at the third doubles position
 
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Junior Kyle Morris (Hillsboro, Ore.) won the weight throw with a toss of 16.22 meters (53-02.75) and placed second in the shot put with a personal-best-tying throw of 16.25 meters (53-03.75) at the Boise State-hosted Bronco Invitational last weekend.
 
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Senior Brenn Flint (Syracuse, Utah) won the shot put with a toss of 15.91 meters (52-02.50) at the Boise State-hosted Bronco Invitational last weekend.

2018-19 Utah State Athlete of the Week Winners
Sept. 3 – Jordan Love, Football
Sept. 10 – Dominik Eberle, Football
Sept. 17 – Isaac Arturo Arevalo, Men's Tennis
Sept. 24 – Jordan Love, Football
Oct. 1 – Adam Hendrickson, Men's Cross Country
Oct. 8 – Jordan Love, Football
Oct. 15 – Jordan Love, Football
Oct. 22 – Corinne Larsen, Volleyball
Oct. 29 – Jordan Love, Football
Nov. 5 – Darwin Thompson, Football
Nov. 12 – Cierra Simmons, Women's Cross Country
Nov. 19 – David Woodward, Football
Nov. 26 – Sam Merrill, Men's Basketball
Dec. 3 – Quinn Taylor, Men's Basketball
Dec. 10 – Shannon Dufficy, Women's Basketball
Dec. 17 – Jordan Love, Football
Dec. 22 – Shannon Dufficy, Women's Basketball
Jan. 7 – Shannon Dufficy, Women's Basketball
Jan. 14 – Madison Ward-Sessions, Gymnastics