LOGAN, Utah – Utah State volleyball's Shelby Capllonch has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Sept. 24. 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.
 
The graduate outside hitter led the Aggies with 28 kills as Utah State began Mountain West play with a pair of home wins with a 3-2 victory against Wyoming and 3-1 win against Colorado State. For the week, Capllonch averaged 3.11 kills per set and hit .308 (28-8-65), while adding five assists, two service aces and two blocks.
 
Against the Cowgirls, the native of Honolulu, Hawaii, logged a double-double against the Cowgirls with 10 kills and 12 digs, while adding three assists, two service aces and one block in the match. She then had a match-best 18 kills, the most by an Aggie this season, against the Rams, while hitting .444 (18-2-36), to go along with eight digs, two assists and a block.
 
Utah State (9-4, 2-0 MW) next faces New Mexico (9-4, 1-1 MW) in Albuquerque on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m.
 
Season tickets for the 2023 Utah State volleyball season are on sale now.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie volleyball program on Twitter, @USUVolleyball, on Facebook at /USUVolleyball or on Instagram, @usuvolleyball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
 
Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Junior Wyatt Evans (Spanish Fork, Utah) placed second with a 10K time of 32:41.60 to lead Utah State to a first-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Mountain Regional Preview last week in Reno, Nevada.
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY – Sophomore Meredith Price (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) led Utah State to a first-place finish by placing third with a 6K time of 23:17.40 last week at the 2024 NCAA Mountain Regional Preview last week in Reno, Nevada.
 
FOOTBALL – Freshman quarterback McCae Hillstead (Lehi, Utah) was 25-of-47 passing for 399 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions in Utah State's 45-38 home loss to James Madison last weekend. Hillstead's 399 passing yards are a program record for a freshman and tied for the 14th-most in school history. Hillstead also had season highs in completions, attempts and touchdowns. 
 
SOCCER – Sophomore forward Tess Werts (Portland, Oregon) helped Utah State to a 1-1 Mountain West record last week with a 1-0 loss at Air Force and a 2-1 win at Colorado College. Werts was responsible for the opening goal in the team's 2-1 win against the Tigers as she received the ball near midfield in the seventh minute before beating out several defenders and chipping a shot over the keeper. Werts also tied for the team lead with two shots, including one on goal, against the Falcons.
 
MEN'S TENNIS – Fifth-year senior Bodin Zarkovic (Belgrade, Serbia) went undefeated in singles play and won the main draw title at the Air Force-hosted Bedford Cup in the Mountain last weekend. On the first day, Zarkovic defeated UNLV's Anton Ornberg in three sets (4-6, 6-0, 7-5) and Air Force's Phillip Deaton in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). On Saturday, Zarkovic defeated Denver's Anish Sriniketh in straight sets (7-6, 6-1). Zarkovic then went on to defeat Weber State's Tristan Sarap in the final round of the east draw of the lightning flight in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) to take the singles main draw title. 
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS – Senior Maile Brilhante (Hilo, Hawaii) competed at the Boise State-hosted Barb Chandler Classic last weekend. Brilhante and freshman partner Savannah Johnson went 1-1 in doubles action with a 6-1 win against Montana State senior Felicia Jayasaputra and junior Mia Ljubas, and a 6-1 loss against Boise State sophomore Ryan Kershner and freshman Ella Piron 6-1. Brilhante lost both of her singles matches.

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 Capllonch, Volleyball
 
-USU-