WEEKLY AGGIE UPDATE - APRIL 1, 2024
OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Contact: Jake Ellis - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Fri.-Sat., April 5-6 --- at Utah Spring Classic, All Day
• Utah State's track & field teams return to action this weekend as it competes in the Utah Spring Classic on Friday and Saturday, April 5-6.
Last Week
NTS --- at San Francisco State Invite
NTS --- at Stanford Invite
• Utah State collected three titles and recorded seven all-time top-10 marks at two meets in the Bay Area last weekend as the Aggies competed at the Stanford Invitational and at the San Francisco State Invitational. Sophomore Logan Hammer won the men's pole vault invite at the Stanford Invitational, clearing 5.32 meters (17-5.5). Hammer bested his previous personal record of 5.30 meters (17-4.5) and still sits at third all-time in school history in the event. At the San Francisco State Invitational, freshman Madeline Carmona won the women's high jump, clearing 1.62 meters (5-3.75). Also at the San Francisco State Invitational, freshman Ruby Jordan won the women's hammer throw with a mark of 49.36 meters (161-11). Jordan beat her second-place competitor by more than two meters. Freshman Shelby Jensen now ranks second all-time in school history after she finished second in her section of the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:11.58 at the Stanford Invitational. In the same event on the men's side, sophomore Logan Garnica won his section with a time of 8:49.17 and now sits at seventh all-time in USU history. Also in Stanford Invitational, junior Emma Thornley won her section of the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:34.62, as she moved up the USU top-10 list to third place. In the men's 10k, junior Camren Todd now also ranks third all-time in school history as he placed eighth in his section with a time of 28:43.08. Junior Max Wehrli now sits at eighth all-time in USU history in the men's 5,000 meters after he took 19th in his section with a time of 14:02.78 at the Stanford Invitational. In the women's triple jump at the Stanford Invitational, senior Sidnee Naerebout finished sixth with a mark of 12.16 meters (39-10.75). Naerebout moved up the USU top-10 list to fourth with the performance.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Emma Becerra - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Fri., April 5 --- UNLV, 11 a.m.
• Utah State women's tennis (4-12, 1-5 MW) continues its season this weekend as it hosts UNLV (10-6, 3-2 MW) on Friday, April 5, at 11 a.m.
Last Week
W, 4-1 --- AIR FORCE
L, 0-4 --- NEW MEXICO
• Utah State posted a 1-1 Mountain West record last week with a 4-1 win against Air Force and a 4-0 loss to New Mexico. Against the Falcons in doubles play, senior Lisa Küng and freshman Ana Paula Chavez Sanchez posted a 6-1 win at the second position, while graduate senior Zeynep Naz Ozturk and senior Laura Fernanda Eugenio De Hilario notched a 6-4 win at the first position. In the singles play, Hilario won in straight sets at the No. 3 spot (6-2, 6-3) and Ozturk won in straight sets at the No. 1 spot (6-2, 6-3). The Aggies clinched the match with a three-set win from junior Indya Nespor at the No. 4 spot (5-7, 6-4, 2-1). And against the Lobos, USU did not win a match. Other Aggies to compete included junior Indya Nespor and freshmen Niyati Kukreti and Magdalena Nunez Pureco.
SOFTBALL
Contact: Jaden Johnson - (435) 797-2066
This Week
Mon., April 1 --- at Utah, 5 p.m.
Wed., April 3--- NEVADA, 1 p.m. (DH)
Sat., April 6 --- at Fresno State, 3 p.m. (MT)
Sun., April 7 --- at Fresno State, 1 p.m. (MT)
• Utah State softball (19-15, 3-6 MW) continues its 2024 campaign this week with games against three different opponents. The Aggies start the week with a single contest at Utah (19-15, 3-9 Pac-12) on Monday, April 1, at 5 p.m., before hosting Nevada (30-7, 8-1 MW) in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 3, with games at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. USU then travels to Fresno State (22-11, 2-4 MW) for two games on Saturday, April 6, at 3 p.m. (MT), and Sunday, April 7, at 1 p.m. (MT). Links to live streams and stats are available at www.utahstateaggies.com.
Last Week
L, 3-7 --- at UNLV
L, 13-14 (9) --- at UNLV
L, 3-12 (5) --- at UNLV
• Utah State lost all three games of its Mountain West series at UNLV last weekend (L, 3-7; L, 13-14 (9); L 3-12 (5). Six Aggies saw time in the circle, combining for an ERA of 15.00. The USU pitching staff allowed 41 hits and 30 earned runs, while striking out nine batters and walking 17. Sophomore catcher Grace Matej led the Aggies at the plate after batting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, a home run, seven RBIs and five runs scored. As a team, USU hit .291 (25-for-86), including four doubles and three home runs. Junior infielder Ariel Fifita led the Aggies with 10 putouts and 10 assists.
MEN'S TENNIS
Contact: Emma Becerra - (435) 797-8584
This Week
Sat., April 6 --- BOISE STATE, Noon
• Utah State men's tennis (14-4, 1-1 MW) continues Mountain West play this weekend as it hosts Boise State (13-9, 1-0 MW) on Saturday, April 6, at noon.
Last Week
L, 3-4 --- at New Mexico
W, 4-0 --- at Air Force
• Utah State posted a 1-1 Mountain West record last week with a 4-3 loss at New Mexico and a 4-2 win at Air Force. Against the Lobos, USU won the doubles point as graduate senior Bodin Zarkovic and junior Sergi Micó Fenollar won 6-2 at the second position, while sophomore Nuno Pinheiro and senior Stijn Paardekooper posted a 6-3 win at the first position. In singles play, Fenollar won in straight sets at the No. 3 spot (7-6 (3), 6-1) and Paardekooper won in straight sets at the No. 2 spot (7-6 (4), 6-0). Against the Falcons, the Aggies won the doubles point as graduate senior Bodin Zarkovic and junior Sergi Micó Fenollar posted a 6-1 win at the second position, while freshman Mohammad Alkotop and junior David Martirosian won 6-3 at the third position. In singles play, freshman Philipp Rein won in straight sets at the No. 6 spot (6-2, 6-4), Zarkovic won in straight sets at the No. 1 spot (6-3, 6-4) and Alkotop had the match-clinching point, which was decided by a tiebreak, in straight sets at the No. 5 spot (6-1, 7-6 (2)).
GOLF
Contact: Doug Hoffman - (435) 797-3714
This Week
Mon.-Tues., April 1-2 --- at Wyoming Invite, Maricopa, Arizona, All Day
• Utah State's golf team continues its 2024 spring season at the Wyoming Invitational, held in Maricopa, Arizona, on Monday and Tuesday, April 1-2.
Last Week
T-9th/17 --- at UC San Diego Invitational
• Utah State finished tied for ninth at the UC San Diego Invitational, as it posted a 54-hole team score of 20-over 884 (307-284-293) against the 17-team field. USU's best round of the tournament was its second 18 holes as it shot a 4-under 284, which tied for the seventh-best round by any team during the three-day event. USU began the tournament with a 19-over 307 and sat in 12th place after 18 holes. The Aggies then climbed all the way to sixth on the leaderboard following its 4-under-par second round. And during its final 18 holes, USU shot a 5-over 293. Freshman Enrique Karg led USU as he tied for 18th at 3-over 219 (75-71-73), which is his best 54-hole score of the season and his second-best 54-hole finish. Furthermore, his second round 1-under 71 is tied for his lowest round of the season. Junior Julio Arronte Sanchez tied for 40th at 6-over 222 (78-73-71). Sanchez finished the tournament with a 1-under 71 on Tuesday for his sixth round under par this season and the 10th of his career. Junior Esteban Jaramillo also tied for 40th at 6-over 222 (80-69-73), which was highlighted by a 3-under 69 during his second 18 holes on Monday. It is the third time this year and seventh time in his career he has carded a round in the 60s, and the fourth time this year and 17th time in his career he has shot under par. Senior John Cook tied for 46th at 7-over 223 (76-71-76) and senior Josh Pehrson tied for 79th at 15-over 231 (78-74-79). Cook's best round was during his second 18 holes as he carded a 1-under 71, which was his third round under par this year and the 12th of his career.
GYMNASTICS
Contact: Adalee Randall - (435) 797-1361
This Week
Fri., April 5 --- at California Regional, 2 p.m. (MT)
• Senior Brianna Brooks will represent Utah State at the NCAA Regionals as she qualified as an individual on bars. Brooks will compete in the California Regional on Friday, April 5, at 2 p.m. (MT).
Last Competition
2nd, 196.500 --- MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS
• Utah State gymnastics (8-18, 2-4 MW) concluded its season as a team with a second-place finish at the inaugural Mountain West Championships with a season-high score of 196.500 two weekends ago. The score ties for the fifth highest home score in school history and is second-year head coach Kristin White's career-high. It is also the second highest score in a conference championship meet in school history behind the 197.025 scored to win the 2022 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference championship. USU won one event title during the championships as senior Brianna Brooks claimed the bars title with a season-high-tying 9.900, which ironically, was her first bars title of the season and the third of her career. Brooks also finished second in the all-around with a 39.300. USU began the meet with a season-high 49.275 on beam, followed by a 49.275 on floor, a 48.750 on vault and a 49.200 on bars. Boise State won the meet with a score of 196.550, San José State placed third with a score of 196.400 and Air Force placed last with a score of 195.450. USU scored a season-high 49.275 to start the night on beam as senior Brianna Brooks and fifth-year senior Lexi Aragon tied for seventh with a score of 9.875. Senior Jenna Eagles and junior Dani Kirstine scored a pair of 9.850s and tied for ninth place. Junior Amari Evans scored a career-high 9.825 to round out the scoring on beam. USU headed to the floor for the second rotation and scored a 49.275. Freshman Nyla Morabito and Evans topped the Aggie scorers with a pair of 9.875s, which tied them for third place. Graduate student Alivia Ostendorf and senior Angel Stuart both tied for sixth place each scoring a 9.850. Eagles and Brooks each earned a 9.825, which tied the duo for 10th place. The score is tied for Brooks' career high on the event. On vault, Ostendorf scored the team high with a 9.800 and tied for third place. Morabito followed with a 9.775, which tied for eighth place as junior Payton Gatzlaff tied for 11th with a 9.750. Stuart posted a 9.725 and Brooks had a 9.700 to round out the scorers on the event. Brooks led USU's scoring on bars with a season-high-tying 9.900 and the MW Championship bars title. Graduate student Juliette Boyer followed with a season-high-tying 9.875 and tied for second place. Sophomore Avery Bibbey tied for fifth place with a 9.850, while Evans and Kirstine posted a 9.800 and 9.775, respectively.
