LOGAN, Utah – Utah State junior guard Max Shulga has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Feb. 19. The award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
 
It is the first time this season and in his career Shulga has earned America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week accolades.
 
The native of Kyiv, Ukraine, led Utah State to a 2-0 Mountain West home record last week with an 80-65 win against Air Force and a 75-66 come-from-behind win against Nevada. Shulga was also named the Mountain West Player of the Week for his efforts.
 
Against the Falcons, Shulga scored a career-high 29 points, while adding seven rebounds and three assists with zero turnovers.
 
Against the Wolf Pack, he posted his fourth double-double of the season and his career, logging 13 points and a career-high-tying 10 rebounds, while adding four assists.
 
For the week, Shulga averaged 21.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 46.4 percent (13-of-28) from the field, 50.0 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) at the free throw line.
 
NEXT GAME
 
The Aggies open a two-game road swing when they head to the Cowboy State to take on Wyoming on Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., in Laramie.
 
NEXT HOME GAME
 
Utah State returns to the friendly confines of the Spectrum for Senior Night on Saturday, March 4, against Boise State. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
 
For more information on Utah State's men's basketball program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @usubasketball, on Facebook at usumensbasketball and on Instagram at usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men's basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.
 
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – Graduate guard Maria Carvalho (Lisbon, Portugal) averaged 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game last week as Utah State dropped a pair of Mountain West games to Fresno State (76-61) and Boise State (89-41). Against the Bulldogs, Carvalho scored a team high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 2-of-2 from the 3-point range and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. She also dished out three assists, pulled down five rebounds and snagged two steals. Against the Broncos, she scored four points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field, while adding three rebounds and one steal. For the week, Carvalho shot 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from the field, 66.7 percent (2-of-3) from 3-point range and 100.0 percent (2-of-2) at the free throw line.
  
GYMNASTICS – Junior Brianna Brooks (Las Vegas, Nevada) finished second in the all-around with a personal-best 39.300 in Utah State's 197.125-196.175 loss to No. 21 Southern Utah last weekend. Brooks tied for fifth on vault (9.800), tied for first on bars (career-high-tying 9.900), tied for third on beam (personal-best-tying 9.900) and placed 11th on floor (9.700).
 
SOFTBALL – Freshman pitcher Hailey McLean (Sparks, Nevada) appeared in three games last week in both the circle and the outfield as she helped Utah State to a 2-3 record at the Saint Mary's Tournament with wins against Saint Mary's (3-2) and San José State (5-2), and losses to UC San Diego (1-0, 7-0) and Saint Mary's (2-0). McLean had a hand in both of USU's wins as she earned the victory against the Gaels and notched USU's first save of the season against the Spartans. Against Saint Mary's, McLean pitched her second complete game of the season to earn her second career win, striking out nine batters while giving up just one earned run. Against SJSU, McLean came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh, giving up no hits and striking out one Spartan to earn the save. McLean finished the week with a 2.45 ERA after throwing a team-best 11 strikeouts in 11.0 innings of work. She also started two games at right field before stepping into the circle, recording two putouts and one assist. At the plate, McLean drew two walks and scored a run.
 
MEN'S TENNIS – Senior David Cierny (Zvolen Slovakia) posted a 2-2 record last week as Utah State lost a pair of matches at Denver (6-1) and to Idaho (5-2) on a neutral court. Against the Pioneers, Cierny posted a three-sets win at No. 1 singles (4-6, 6-4, 6-1) and teamed with fellow senior Bodin Zarkovic for a 6-3 win at the first doubles position. And against the Vandals, Cierny lost in straight sets at No. 1 singles (6-3, 6-1), while he teamed with Zarkovic for a 6-4 loss at the first doubles position.
 
2022-23 America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week Winners
Aug. 29 – Kylee Stokes, Volleyball
Sept. 5 – Diera Walton, Soccer
Sept. 12 – Shelby Capllonch, Volleyball
Sept. 19 – Whitney Lopez, Soccer
Sept. 26 – Sara Taylor, Soccer
Oct. 3 – Camren Todd, Men's Cross Country
Oct. 10 – Ajani Carter, Football
Oct. 17 – David Cierny, Men's Tennis
Oct. 24 – McKenzie Hunninghake, Soccer
Oct. 31 – Diera Walton, Soccer
Nov. 7 – Connor Coles, Football
Nov. 14 – Ike Larsen, Football
Nov. 21 – Calvin Tyler Jr., Football
Nov. 28 – Shelby Capllonch, Volleyball
Dec. 5 – Maria Carvalho, Women's Basketball
Dec. 12 – Sean Bairstow, Men's Basketball
Dec. 26 – Sean Bairstow, Men's Basketball
Jan. 2 – Dan Akin, Men's Basketball
Jan. 9 – Taylor Funk, Men's Basketball
Jan. 16 – Peyton Teevens, Women's Track & Field
Jan. 23 – Devin Pancake, Men's Track & Field
Jan. 30 – Mica Rivera, Women's Track & Field
Feb. 6 – Steven Ashworth, Men's Basketball
Feb. 12 – Hailey McLean, Softball
Feb. 19 – Max Shulga, Men's Basketball
 
- USU -