WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - JANUARY 15, 2024
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Ashley Springer - (435) 797-5547
This Week
Tues., Jan. 16 --- at New Mexico, 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sat., Jan. 20 --- FRESNO STATE, 2 p.m. (KMYU/MWN)
• No. 16 Utah State men's basketball (16-1, 4-0 MW) continues Mountain West action this week with a pair of games as it plays at New Mexico (14-3, 2-2 MW) on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 8:30 p.m., on FS1 (Xfinity Ch. 264/722HD, DISH Ch. 149, DirecTV Ch. 618) and hosts Fresno State (7-9, 0-3 MW) on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m., in a game broadcast on KMYU/MW Network.
Last Week
W, 83-59 --- WYOMING
W, 87-86 --- at UNLV
• Utah State extended its win streak to 15-straight games after posting an 83-59 home win against Wyoming and an 87-86 win at UNLV last week. Against the Cowboys, USU shot 52.5 percent (32-of-61), including 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from behind the arc and 92.9 percent (13-of-14) at the free throw line. UW shot 40.0 percent (18-of-45), including 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from 3-point range, and 78.3 percent (18-of-23) at the free throw line. Junior wing Great Osobor scored 20 points and redshirt sophomore center Isaac Johnson had 10, while graduate senior guard Darius Brown II had a double-double of 13 points and 11 assists. Against the Rebels, USU shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) from the field, 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from downtown and 92.0 percent (23-of-25) at the free throw line. UNLV (8-7, 1-2 MW) shot 44.4 percent (28-of-63) from the field, 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from deep and 76.7 percent (23-of-30) at the charity stripe. Osobor logged a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds, while senior guard Ian Martinez scored 24 points and Brown finished with 10.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Contact: Jaden Johnson - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Wed., Jan. 17 --- NEVADA, 6 p.m. (MWN)
Sat., Jan. 20 --- at Boise State, 3 p.m. (MWN)
• Utah State women's basketball (3-13, 0-5 MW) continues its 2023-24 campaign with a pair of Mountain West games this week as it hosts Nevada (8-9, 2-2 MW) on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6 p.m., and plays at Boise State (11-6, 2-2 MW) on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m. Both games will be streamed and be broadcast on the radio on 107.7 FM. Links to live streams and stats are available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Last Week
L, 67-71 --- at New Mexico
L, 64-90 --- at Fresno State
• Utah State posted an 0-2 record last week with a 71-67 loss at New Mexico and a 90-64 loss at Fresno State. Against the Lobos, junior guard Cheyenne Stubbs led USU with 25 points, to go along with five boards, four assists and four steals, while junior guard/forward Samiana Suguturaga added 11 points and eight rebounds. USU shot 42.9 percent (24-of-56) from the field, 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from 3-point range and 73.7 percent (14-of-19) from the free throw line. UNM shot 32.5 percent (26-of-80) from the floor, 33.3 percent (11-of-33) from behind the arc and 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the charity stripe. Against the Bulldogs, Stubbs led USU with 17 points as she was one of 12 Aggies to score in the contest. USU shot 38.2 percent (21-of-55), including 29.5 percent (5-of-17) from 3-point range, and shot 68.0 percent (17-of-25) at the free throw line. FSU shot 47.8 percent (33-of-69), including 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from deep, and made 66.7 percent (14-of-21) of its free throws.
GYMNASTICS
Contact: Adalee Randall - (435) 797-1361
This Week
Fri., Jan. 19 --- at #25 Southern Utah/vs. #24 Arizona State, 7 p.m.
• Utah State gymnastics (0-6, 0-0 MW) continues its 2024 season this weekend with a tri meet at No. 25 Southern Utah (2-4) and against No. 24 Arizona State (1-1) in Cedar City, Utah, on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. Links to live streams and stats are available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Last Week
at Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet, West Valley City, Utah
4th, 193.600 --- vs. #5 Utah/#25 Southern Utah/#26 BYU
• Utah State posted a season-high 193.600 to place fourth at the Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet held in West Valley City, Utah on Monday. USU began the meet with a 48.250 on beam, followed by a 47.675 on floor, a season-high 48.600 on vault and a season-high 49.075 on bars. Fifth-ranked Utah won the meet with a 197.725, 26th-ranked BYU finished second with a 195.775 and 25th-ranked Southern Utah placed third with a 194.000. Senior Brianna Brooks started her night off with a team-high 9.775 on beam to tie for ninth on the event. Following Brooks' score were senior Lexi Aragon and junior Dani Kirstine with a pair of 9.725s, which tied them for 14th. Kirstine's score was a season high. Utah State took the floor for the second rotation. Senior Jenna Eagles highlighted the event with a season-high 9.850 to tie for sixth. Graduate student Alivia Ostendorf followed with a season-high-tying 9.800 as she tied for 13th. Utah State's vault rotation began the turnaround for the Aggies as they scored a season-high 48.600. Brooks and Ostendorf, along with freshman Nyla Morabito, lead the team with 9.750s, tying for 10th. The Aggies saved their best rotation for last as they recorded a season-high 49.075 on bars. Brooks posted the best score of the night for USU with a season-best 9.875, which tied her for fifth on the event. Graduate transfer Juliette Boyer earned a season-high 9.825 and tied for 12th, while Aragon and sophomore Avery Bibbey tied for 15th with a pair of 9.800s, which is a season-high for both gymnasts, and Kirstine scored a season-high 9.775.
INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Contact: Jake Ellis - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Fri.-Sat., Jan. 19-20 --- at Weber State Invite, All Day
• Utah State's indoor track & field teams will continue its 2024 indoor season on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19-20, when it competes at the Weber State Invite.
Last Week
NTS --- at Idaho State Invite
NTS --- at Nebraska Invite
• Utah State claimed 10 titles and 27 top-five finishes at the Idaho State-hosted Snake River Open last weekend. Junior Godwin Charles set a new school record in winning the triple jump with a leap of 15.74-meters (51-7.75), breaking his own record of 15.69 meters (51-5.75) set earlier this season. Sophomore Logan Hammer won the men's pole vault clearing a personal best 5.20 meters (17-0.75, a mark that ranks fifth all-time in school history. Senior Sidnee Naerebout took first in the women's triple jump with a personal best of 11.96 meters (39-2.50) to rank seventh all-time in Aggie history. Freshman Viann Robinson finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 11.35 meters (37-3.00). Freshman Landon Bott won the 800 meters with a time of 1:51.18 to rank seventh all-time in USU history. And, senior Christopher Kauffman tied for second in the event with a time of 1:55.95. Sophomore Javin Richards took second in the heptathlon with 4,899 points. Richards' personal best keeps him with the ninth-best heptathlon score in USU history. Senior Caden Dupee finished third in the heptathlon with a season-best 4,796 points. The first title of the day for USU came in the men's high jump as junior Kelton Chenworth cleared a mark of 2.06 meters (6-9.00). The women also impressed in the high jump as sophomore Hannah Lybbert finished fourth clearing 1.60 meters (5-3.00). Senior Hannah Davidson claimed the first title for the Aggie women as she won the mile with a time of 4:59.07. Freshman Shelby Jensen finished second in the mile with a time of 5:01.16 and Caroline Moon took fifth with a time of 5:08.97. The Aggie men had two top-five finishes in the mile as junior Camren Todd took second with a time of 4:12.13 and sophomore Drew Hogan placed third with a time of 4:13.20. The Aggies swept the top three of the women's 800 meters as senior Mattie Geddes finished first with a time of 2:14.04, freshman Marion Packer was second with a time of 2:15.56 and fellow freshman Julia Stuard finished third with a time of 2:18.87. In the women's 400 meters, junior Adi Nielson finished first with a time of 56.46, while sophomore Alison Richter finished third (58.15) and senior Olivia Smith took fifth (58.67). In the women's 3,000 meters, senior Bailey Brinkerhoff-Todd won the title with a time of 10:00.68. Freshman Brie Smith finished fourth in the event with a time of 10:31.44 and Madison Strasner placed fifth with a time of 10:32.95. The men also totaled three top-five finishes in the 3,000 meters as freshman Joshua Armstrong took second with a time of 8:29.95, junior Eric Nelson placed fourth with a time of 8:31.37 and freshman Johnathan Simmons finished fifth with a time of 8:31.73. The Aggie team of junior Emma Reeves and Geddes, Nielson and Richter won the women's 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:53.52. Charles also impressed in the men's long jump taking second with a mark of 6.99 meters (22-11.25). Freshman Samuel Beckwith finished third in the event with a mark of 6.92 meters (22-8.50) and junior Joshua Hartvigsen took fourth with a mark of 6.58 meters (21-7.25). In the men's 200 meters, freshman Joseph Douglas took fifth place with a time of 23.10. In the women's pole vault, junior Mikayla Dalton placed fifth, clearing 3.40 meters (11-1.75). The Aggies also competed in two events at the Graduate Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska as sophomore Milly Garren was the top Aggie performer with a mark of 16.17 meters (53-0.75) in the women's weight throw. Senior Gavin Beierle was the top Aggie finisher with a fourth-place finish in the men's shot put with a mark of 16.31 meters (53-6.25).
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Emma Becerra - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Sat., Jan. 20 --- IDAHO STATE, 11 a.m.
• Utah State women's tennis (0-0, 0-0 MW) will open its 2024 spring season this weekend as it hosts Idaho State (0-0) on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 11 a.m., at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club.
Preseason Notes
• Utah State returns four letterwinners from the 2023 dual match season as it went 7-14 overall and 2-8 in Mountain West play. The returning class includes fifth year Zeynap Naz Ozturk, seniors Maile Brilhante, Laura Fernanda Eugenio De Hilario and Lisa Küng, junior Indya Nespor and sophomore Magdalena Nunez Pureco. Incoming Aggies include junior Cielo Tapia-Cruz, a transfer from North Carolina A&T, and incoming freshmen Ana Paula Chavez Sanchez, Savannah Johnson and Niyati Kukreti. Naz Ozturk was named to the all-MW singles team last year after posting an 7-8 record during the dual match season, playing exclusively at the top two positions, while Küng tied the all-time record at USU for doubles wins in a single season. Küng won a total of 23 doubles matches, including a 13-5 record during the dual match season, tying the program record.
MEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Emma Becerra - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Sun., Jan. 21 --- WEBER STATE, Noon
• Utah State men's tennis (0-0, 0-0 MW) will open its 2024 spring season this weekend as it hosts Weber State (0-0) on Sunday, Jan. 21, at noon, at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club.
Preseason Notes
• Utah State returns four letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 12-13 overall record, including a 3-3 mark in Mountain West play to finish tied for third. The Aggies concluded their season with a 4-2 loss to Boise State in the championship match of the MW Tournament. Fifth year Bodin Zarkovic and senior Stijn Paardekooper highlight the returning class for USU, joined by junior Sergi Micó Fenollar and sophomore Nuno Pinheiro. The Aggies are joined by junior David Martirosian, who transferred to Utah State from Glendale (California) Community College and freshman Philipp Rein. Zarkovic was named to the all-MW singles and doubles teams for the second-consecutive season last season as he went 21-9 on the year, including an 18-5 record in dual match play and a 5-0 mark in MW action. Zarkovic ended the season on a 15-match unbeaten streak, including three-straight wins during USU's run at the MW Championships. During this past fall, Zarkovic became the first Aggie ever to advance to the round of 16 at the ITA Fall National Championships. He also continued his winning streak of 29-straight singles victories as his last loss was on Feb. 24, 2023, at the Arizona State Invite.
