LOGAN, Utah – Utah State football player Cooper Legas has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Oct. 8. 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.
 
In the Aggies' 44-24 Homecoming victory over Colorado State this past Saturday on Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium, Legas helped Utah State rally from a 17-0 first-quarter deficit – the second straight week the Aggies have come back from 17 down to win – which is tied for the fourth-largest comeback in school history.
 
Legas was 19 of 29 passing for 387 yards and four touchdowns – both career highs – against the Rams. He threw a career-long 76-yarder to senior wide receiver Terrell Vaughn to give Utah State the lead for good, 24-17 with 13:49 to go in the third quarter.
 
On his final touchdown pass of the night, Legas connected with junior wide receiver Micah Davis from 19 yards out with 11:38 to go in the game, capping the Aggies' run of scoring 37 unanswered points.
 
Legas began the game just 2 of 9 for 21 yards and two interceptions, but finished by completing 17 of his final 20 passes for 366 yards and the four TDs.
 
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound signal caller from Orem, Utah, became the first Utah State signal caller to ever pass for 300 yards or more against CSU. And while he only completed passes to just three different receivers, all three finished with more than 100 yards receiving in the game, marking just the second time in school history that has ever happened (1996).
 
Legas currently ranks first in the Mountain West and 20th in the nation in completion percentage at .690 (78 of 113). He is also first in the conference and 23rd nationally in passing efficiency (163.6).
 
The Aggies (3-3, 1-1 MW) return to action on Friday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m., when they host Fresno State (5-1, 1-1 MW) at Maverik Stadium. The game will be televised on the CBS Sports Network. Tickets can be purchased here.
  
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included: 
 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Junior Wyatt Evans (Nibley, Utah) was the first Aggie to cross the finish line as he placed fifth overall with a 7K time of 21:17.45 to lead Utah State to a first-place finish at the Steve T. Reeder Memorial Invitational. The Aggies finished with 26 team points – 16 better than second-place Weber State.
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Sophomore Malia Lowe (Kuna, Idaho) led Utah State to a first-place finish at the Steve T. Reeder Memorial Invitational by placing second with a 5K time of 18:23.68 last week. Lowe and the Aggies finished with 20 points, bettering the 53 points scored by second-place College of Southern Idaho.
 
SOCCER – Sophomore forward Tess Werts (Portland, Oregon) led Utah State with four points on a goal and two assists last week as Utah State posted a 1-1 Mountain West record with a 2-0 win at New Mexico and a 2-1 loss at San Diego State. Against the Lobos, Werts recorded solo assists on each of the team's goals, finding Kaylie Chambers in the fourth minute and Alysia Butters in the 53rd. This was the first multi-assist game of Werts' career. She then followed that performance up by scoring a 46th-minute goal against the Aztecs, her second of the season.
 
MEN'S TENNIS – Junior Sergi Micó Fenollar (Cocentaina, Spain) won the main draw singles title last weekend at the Idaho State Invitational with a perfect 4-0 record. Fenollar won his Round of 16 match in a three-set victory (3-6, 7-6, 6-4) over Idaho State's Hiroki Fujita and then defeated ISU's Andreas Kramer in straight sets (7-6, 6-2). Fenollar then won his semifinal match over Utah's Michael Blando in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) and defeated Idaho State's Victor Sklenka for the main draw title in three sets (3-6, 6-4, 7-5).
 
VOLLEYBALL – Junior opposite side hitter Adna Mehmedovic (Peoria, Arizona) led Utah State to a 2-0 Mountain West home record last week with sweeps against Nevada and Fresno State. Mehmedovic led the Aggies with 22 kills during the week, averaging 3.67 per set, while hitting .444. She also added seven blocks and three assists. Against the Wolf Pack, Mehmedovic led USU with 13 kills, hitting .409, while recording four blocks and two digs. Against the Bulldogs, she had nine kills, hitting .500, while logging three blocks and one dig.

2023-24 America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week Winners 
Aug. 28 – Shelby Capllonch, Volleyball 
Sept. 4 – Adna Mehmedovic, Volleyball 
Sept. 11 – Jaiden Francois, Football 
Sept. 18 – Diera Walton, Soccer 
Sept. 25 – Shelby Capplonch, Volleyball 
Oct. 2 – Bodin Zarkovic, Men's Tennis
Oct. 9 – Cooper Legas, Football

-USU-