LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's
Chase Nelson was recently awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
"Receiving this scholarship has been exciting," Nelson said. "I am grateful for the financial aid it will provide as I move toward my career goals, and I am honored to receive it on behalf of the NCAA due to my efforts as a student-athlete."
Nelson is just the fourth Utah State student-athlete to receive this award since 2000, joining Maurice Jenkins (men's T&F, 2001-02), Tylee Skinner (women's T&F, 2017-18) and Kashley Carter (women's XC, 2018-19).
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically, and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
The one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring). Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.
All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
"Student-Athletes can stretch themselves so thin between their sport and in the classroom," said Nelson, who was on Utah State's football team for four seasons. "This scholarship is a continuation of the benefits that came from that extreme effort. I am happy and humbled to be granted this scholarship."
Nelson graduated this past December with a bachelor's degree in human biology and minor in chemistry. He had a cumulative GPA of 3.81 while at Utah State.
The son of Keith and Joni Nelson has interviewed at both the University of Utah and Virginia Commonwealth University for medical school. Nelson would like to follow in his father's footsteps and become an orthopedic surgeon, "but there is still some time before that decision has to be cemented," he said.
Nelson played in 26 career games for the Aggies over the past two years. He recorded seven tackles while playing on special teams in 2019. The prior year, Nelson finished the season with 16 tackles, including 1.0 sacks and one forced fumble. He had a career-high six tackles in Utah State's 73-12 drubbing of Tennessee Tech on Sept. 13, 2018. As a redshirt freshman in 2017, Nelson did not appear in any games, but was named the Scout Team co-Defensive MVP.
Nelson earned academic all-Mountain West and MW Scholar-Athlete accolades in both 2018 and 2019.
Prior to joining the Aggies, Nelson prepped at nearby Logan High School, where he was a standout baseball and football player. He also served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manchester, England.
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball or on Facebook at Utah State Football, as well as on Instagram at instagram.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
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