LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men's cross country runner Caleb Garnica has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, March 21. The award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
 
With their sponsorship of the Student-Athlete of the Week, America First Credit Union donates funds directly to support student-athlete scholarships.
 
At the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships last Monday in Stillwater, Okla., Garnica crossed the finish line in 30 minutes, 31.2 seconds to place 28th in the men's 10-kilometer race and earn All-American status (given to the top 40 finishers). The native of Springville, Utah, helped lead USU to its best-ever finish at the NCAA Championships, as the 21st-ranked Aggies scored 351 points to place 11th overall, surpassing their previous best championship finish of 16th in 2019. Utah State beat 15 ranked teams, including 10 that were ranked ahead of them.

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Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
MEN'S BASKETBALL – Junior center Neemias Queta (Barreiro, Portugal) recorded a double-double in Utah State's 65-53 loss against Texas Tech in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament last week. Queta finished the game with 11 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and six assists as he shot 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from the floor and 50.0 percent (1-of-2) at the free throw line. Queta is just the second player since 1985-86 to record 10-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, 5-plus blocks and 5-plus assists in an NCAA Tournament game.
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Senior Katie Haviland (Lehi, Utah) represented Utah State's women's cross country team as an individual at the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships, which were held last Monday in Stillwater, Okla. Haviland earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Championships after she garnered second-team all-Mountain West honors by placing eighth at the conference championships. At the NCAAs, she placed 43rd in the 6K race with a time of 21:01.6.
 
GYMNASTICS – Senior Autumn DeHarde (Sussex, Wis.) helped Utah State finish third at the 2021 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships, held last weekend in Logan. The Aggies took third with a 196.250 – their best score ever for a conference championship meet. The 196.250 recorded by the Aggies ranks as the seventh-best home score in school history. Following the meet, DeHarde, for the second-consecutive year, was named the MRGC Beam Specialist of the Year, as well as earning first-team accolades on the apparatus. DeHarde tied for second on beam at the meet with a 9.875. She also tied for fourth on floor with a 9.875 and tied for 22nd on vault with a 9.725. 
 
SOCCER – Senior midfielder Ashley Cardozo (Holladay, Utah) set the school's all-time assists record last week as Utah State posted a 1-1 Mountain West home record with a 5-0 win against Air Force and a 2-1 overtime loss to Colorado College. Against the Falcons, Cardozo was credited with an assist on three of the five USU goals, bringing her career total to 20 and passing Wesley Hamblin (2014-17) as the all-time leader in school history. Cardozo also finished the game against AFA with three shots. Against the Tigers, Cardozo led all players with five shots, including three on goal, while playing the entire 92 minutes of the match. For the week, Cardozo totaled eight shots, with three on goal and three assists, in 161 minutes of action.
 
MEN'S TENNIS – Sophomore Roko Savin (Zagreb, Croatia) recorded Utah State's only point in its 4-1 loss at No. 19 Arizona State last weekend. Savin won his match at No. 4 singles in straight sets (6-4, 7-6).
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS – Sophomore Renata Lombera (Mexico City, Mexico) earned Utah State's only point in its 6-1 loss at BYU last weekend. Lombera posted a three-set win at No. 4 singles (6-2, 3-6, 6-4).
 
MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Senior Kyle Brost (Chandler, Ariz.) broke his own school record in the men's triple jump to highlight the Utah State's season-opening outdoor meet at the UNLV Spring Invitational last weekend. Brost placed third in the event with his mark of 15.63 meters (51-3.50), breaking his previous school record of 15.47 meters (50-9.25). Brost helped the Aggies, who didn't compete any of their distance runners, place third in the 10-team field with 70 points.
 
WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD – Senior Maia Garren (Logan, Utah) captured a pair of titles on the women's side for Utah State at its season-opening outdoor meet last weekend at the UNLV Spring Invitational. Garren won the shot put title with a personal-best heave of 15.55 meters (51-0.25), which ranks fourth all-time in school history, and won the discus with a personal-best toss of 48.96 meters (160-7). Garren and the women placed fifth in the 12-team field with 62 points.
 
VOLLEYBALL – Freshman outside hitter Tatum Stall (Chandler, Ariz.) led Utah State to a 1-1 Mountain West home record last weekend against Air Force (W, 3-2, L, 3-0). In the win over the Falcons, Stall recorded a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs. She hit .244 (14-4-41) on the night, adding three blocks, two service aces and one assist. In the second match, Stall led the Aggies will 11 kills, hitting .114 (11-7-35). She also added five digs, one block and one assist. On the week, Stall hit a team-high .184 (25-11-76), while tallying 15 digs, four blocks two aces and two assists.
 
2020-21 Utah State Athlete of the Week Winners
Nov. 30 – Andrew Peasley, Football
Dec. 6 – Jessica Chatman, Women's Basketball
Dec. 13 – Jessica Chatman, Women's Basketball
Dec. 27 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
Jan. 3 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
Jan. 10 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
Jan. 17 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
Jan. 24 – Camren Todd, Men's Cross Country
Jan. 31 – Rollie Worster, Men's Basketball
Feb. 7 – Autumn DeHarde, Gymnastics
Feb. 14 – Colten Cordingley, Golf
Feb. 21 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
Feb. 28 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
March 7 – Caleb Garnica, Men's Cross Country
March 14 – Neemias Queta, Men's Basketball
March 21 – Caleb Garnica, Men's Cross Country
 
-USU-