LOGAN, Utah – Utah State track & field freshman Logan Hammer has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, May 14. The award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.
 
The native of Nampa, Idaho, won the Mountain West pole vault championship, clearing a personal-best height of 5.25 meters (17-2.75). Hammer's mark ranks fourth all-time at USU and sixth nationally among freshmen.
 
It is Hammer's first time in his career being named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week.
 
In addition to Hammer's title at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships, junior Brennan Benson utilized a strong kick on the homestretch to claim the championship in the 800 meters with a time of 1:48.94, ranking fifth all-time at USU. In the women's 800 meters, junior Mattie Geddes qualified through the preliminary with a time of 2:08.46, resetting her own school record in the event. Geddes proceeded to again break her personal-best time in the finals by over a full second, placing sixth in the event with a time of 2:07.40.
 
In the women's javelin, sophomore Valerie Clark and junior Djamilliah Paepke-Chile claimed USU's first podium finishes of the weekend with a pair of personal-best throws. Clark recorded a mark of 49.07 meters (161-0), becoming only the second Aggie woman to clear the 49-meter mark. Paepke-Chile recorded her best mark of the competition and her career on her final throw with a mark of 48.94 meters (160-6). The duo rank second and third, respectively, all-time in the javelin at Utah State.
 
The Aggies recorded another two podium finishes on Friday, as junior Kelton Chenworth finished on the podium in the high jump for the third-consecutive year, placing third with a mark of 2.03 meters (6-8.00), and junior Max Wehrli, junior Max Wehrli placed third  in the men's steeplechase for the second-straight year, finishing with a time of 8:46.79. Junior Abbey Bryant provided Utah State's last podium placement of the weekend on Saturday, taking third in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.65. 
 
All told, USU came away with two individual titles and seven total podium finishes. In the team competition, the men placed fifth with 73 points, while the women finished eighth with 50.5 points.
 
Utah State track & field is next in action at the NCAA West Preliminary Championships in Sacramento, California. The competition will take place on Wednesday through Saturday, May 24-27.
 
Fans can follow the Utah State track & field programs at twitter.com/USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at instagram.com/USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD – Junior Mattie Geddes (Twin Falls, Idaho) placed sixth in the 800 meters at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships with a time of 2:07.40. Geddes' time breaks her own school record by over a full second.
 
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
Feb. 26 – Mica Rivera, Women's Track & Field
March 6 – Steven Ashworth, Men's Basketball 
March 13 – Bodin Zarkovic, Men's Tennis 
March 20 – Tyler Thornton, Softball 
March 27 – Roko Savin, Men's Tennis 
April 3 – Mica Rivera, Women's Track & Field
April 10 – Valerie Clark, Women's Track & Field
April 17 – Mattie Geddes, Women's Track & Field
April 24 – Max Wehrli, Men's Track & Field
May 1 – Stijn Paardekooper, Men's Tennis
May 8 – Yonas Mogos, Men's Track & Field
May 15 – Logan Hammer, Men's Track & Field
 
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