LOGAN, Utah – Utah State track and field senior Emma Thornley has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Apr. 27. 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.
 
Thornley broke the Utah State school record in the 5,000 meters at the Stanford-hosted Payton Jordan Invitational this past weekend. She ran her race in 16:01.44, breaking the record set by junior teammate Sarah Ellis by 3.12 seconds. The two-time all-region honoree in cross country took 59.23 seconds off her previous personal best in the event as she finished fifth overall at the Stanford-hosted meet. Thornley and her mother, Rebekah, became the first parent and child to each set a Utah State school record during their Aggie careers.
  
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Utah State will travel south next week for the Robison Invitational in Provo, Utah, on Wednesday-Friday, April 30-May 2.

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Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
GOLF – Senior Esteban Jaramillo (Bogotá, Colombia) shot a final round 2-under 70 and finished tied for 19th at the 2025 Mountain West Golf Championship at 4-under 212 (69-73-70). It was his best 54-hole score of the season and it is his second under-par finish this year and the seventh of his career. He had two rounds under par during the tournament, including one in the 60s, to give him 10 rounds under par this year and 29 in his career and three rounds in the 60s this season and 12 in his career. His 19th place finish is his fourth top 20 placing this season and the 12th of his career. It is also the second time in his career he has finished in the top 20 at the Mountain West Championship. USU finished sixth at 16-under 848 (286-279-283) for its best conference finish since 2013.

SOFTBALL – Sophomore outfielder Tatum Silva (Rescue, California) led Utah State in a 1-2 showing last week against UNLV (W, 12-4 (5), L, 0-5, L, 2-10 (5)). Silva opened the week by going 1-for-2 against the Rebels. In the second game, she went 2-for-3 with a base on balls and two RBIs. In the final contest, she went 2-for-2 with a triple and an RBI. In total, Silva hit .714 (5-for-7) on the week with a triple, a base on balls and three RBIs while striking out just once. She posted an on-base percentage of .750 and a slugging percentage of 1.000. She was also responsible for one putout in the field.

MEN'S TENNIS – Sophomore Mohammad Alkotop (Amman, Jordan) recorded a pair of singles victories to help Utah State reach the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament, defeating San Diego State, 4-1, before falling to New Mexico, 4-2. Against the Aztecs, Alkotop notched USU's first victory of singles play with a 6-0, 6-2 win at the second position to tie the match. Alkotop then recorded a three-set comeback win against the Lobos with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles.

WOMEN'S TENNIS – Sophomore Niyati Kukreti (Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India) won her opening set, 6-4, during USU's 4-0 loss to San José State in the opening round of the Mountain West Tournament, and had just begun a decisive third set when the match was abandoned.

MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD – Freshman Ayodele Ojo (Waxahachie, Texas) claimed individual titles in the 100 meters and the 200 meters at the USU-hosted Aggie Invitational this past weekend. Ojo's 100-meter time of 10.27 moved him from eighth to fourth in Utah State history in the event, while his winning time in the 200 meters lofted him into ninth all-time. Ojo's time in the 100 meters ranks 35th in the NCAA West region.
 
 
2024-25 America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week Winners
Sept. 2 – Tess Werts, Soccer
Sept. 9. – Kate Christian, Soccer
Sept. 16 – Rahsul Faison, Football
Sept. 23 – Cora Brendle, Soccer
Sept. 30 – Sergi Micó Fenollar, Men's Tennis
Oct. 7 – Brooklyn Smith, Soccer
Oct. 14 – Tierney Barlow, Volleyball
Oct. 21 – Bizzy Arevalo, Soccer
Oct. 28 – Tanner Cragun, Football
Nov. 3 – Tierney Barlow, Volleyball
Nov. 11 – Kaylie Chambers, Soccer
Nov. 18 – Rahsul Faison, Football
Nov. 25 – Bryson Barnes, Football
Dec. 2 – Mason Falslev, Men's Basketball
Dec. 9 – Ian Martinez, Men's Basketball 
Dec. 16 – Daniel Chase, Track and Field 
Dec. 23 – Mason Falslev, Men's Basketball
Dec. 30 – Tucker Anderson, Men's Basketball 
Jan. 6 – Ian Martinez, Men's Basketball 
Jan. 13 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field 
Jan. 20 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field
Jan. 27 – Elise Livingston, Women's Basketball
Feb. 3 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field
Feb. 10 – Grace Matej, Softball
Feb. 17 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field
Feb. 24 – Claudia Medina, Softball
Mar. 3 – Cheyenne Stubbs, Women's Basketball
Mar. 10 – Nyla Morabito, Gymnastics
Mar. 17 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field
Mar. 24 – Brianna Brooks, Gymnastics
Mar. 31 – Tatum Silva, Softball
Apr. 7 – Camren Todd, Track and Field
Apr. 14 – Sergi Micó Fenollar, Men's Tennis
Apr. 21 – Logan Hammer, Track and Field
Apr. 28 – Emma Thornley, Track and Field

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