LOGAN, Utah – Utah State Athletics held its annual Sagebrush Awards Banquet on Monday night in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum on the USU campus, honoring excellence in athletic performance, leadership, academics, and community service over the past year.
The top honor of the night went to senior track and field/cross country student-athlete Logan Garnica, who received the Sagebrush Scholar-Athlete Award. Garnica graduated from USU in May 2025 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in human development and family studies and holds a cumulative grade point average of 4.0. He plans to complete his education specialist (Ed.S) degree in school psychology.
The event began by recognizing junior men's basketball player Mason Falslev and sophomore volleyball player Kaylie Kofe, who were honored at this year's Robins Awards as the Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
Senior gymnast Amari Evans received the Aggie Achievement Award, for demonstrating perseverance in the eyes of adversity.
Softball senior Kaylee Erickson and football graduate Bryson Barnes received the Wayne Estes Memorial Award, which is presented to a female and male graduating senior who excels in scholarship, citizenship and leadership.
The USU Disabilities Resource Center received the Meet the Challenge Award in recognition of significant contributions toward our student-athletes academic services, and more importantly, to our Aggie student-athletes.
Utah State handed out team honors as men's tennis was recognized as the most improved academic team with less than 20 members, while football was the most improved academic team with more than 20 members. Women's track and field was the most outstanding academic team with more than 20 members, while gymnastics was the most outstanding academic team with less than 20 members.
Utah State then recognized a department-best 274 student-athletes that earned Sagebrush Scholar-Athlete honors. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a cumulative 3.2 grade point average or have posted a 3.2 GPA during the last two semesters.
Mitchell Athay and Kaleb Baker received the Mentor and Tutor of the Year, respectively, while Pearl Johnson (volleyball) and Chase Morgan (women's basketball) were honored with the Mike Carlisle Award honoring the top student assistants.
Junior football player Bronson Olevao Jr. and softball senior Kaylee Erickson were named the Male and Female Sagebrush Award winners. The Sagebrush Award is the highest honor given by Utah State Athletics for all-around excellence. It recognizes one male and one female student-athlete who exemplify leadership and distinction across four key areas: athletic performance, academic achievement, service and community engagement, and ground-level leadership.
Women's track and field junior Shelby Jensen and junior men's basketball player Mason Falslev were named the Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year as voted on by the student-athletes.
Redshirt freshman football player Carson Tujague and soccer freshman Capriel Winder were named the Male and Female Rookie of the Year.
Men's tennis sophomore Roman Venger and women's track and field freshman Adia Ross were named the Male and Female International Student-Athletes of the Year.
Men's basketball senior MJ Collins Jr. and soccer senior Taylor Rath were named the Male and Female Transfers of the Year.
Redshirt junior women's tennis player Magdalena Nuñez Pureco was named the Comeback Player of the Year after missing the 2025 season due to injury.
Volleyball claimed the Female Moment of the Year Award for defeating Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and men's basketball won the Male Moment of the Year for its win against Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Football won the Team Service Award as the group had over 7,938 hours of service during the past 12 months.
Volleyball was named Team of the Year after winning the Mountain West regular season with a perfect 18-0 record along with the MW postseason championship and then upset Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Gymnastics head coach Kristin White was named Coach of the Year.
Former football player Bobby Wagner was named Alumni of the Year. The Sagebrush Alumni of the Year recognizes an alumnus who embodies leadership, service, impact, and continues the Sagebrush Mentality — defined by resilience, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence through adversity — beyond their time at Utah State.
Wagner exemplifies this standard at the highest level. A Utah State Hall of Famer and NFL All-Pro, he has built a 14-year professional career highlighted by multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl championship. In 2026, he was named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, recognizing his elite commitment to service and community impact. He will return to Logan next weekend as Utah State's commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient, further reflecting his lasting connection to the university. Wagner's sustained excellence, leadership, and service make him a clear and deserving representation of the Sagebrush Mentality.
For more on Utah State Athletics, fans can follow the Aggies on Twitter (@usuathletics) or on Facebook by searching Utah State Athletics.
Below is a list of each award nominee and subsequent winner.
Sagebrush Scholar-Athlete Award
• Logan Garnica, Men's Cross Country / Track & Field
Robins Award Winner
• Kaylie Kofe, Volleyball
• Mason Falslev, Men's Basketball
Aggie Achievement Award
• Amari Evans, Gymnastics
Wayne Estes Memorial Award
• Kaylee Erickson, Softball
• Bryson Barnes, Football
Meet the Challenge Award
• USU Disabilities Resource Center
Most Improved Academic Team
• Football – More than 20 Members
• Men's Tennis – Less than 20 Members
Most Outstanding Academic Team
• Women's Track & Field – More than 20 Members
• Gymnastics – Less than 20 Members
Tutor of the Year
• Kaleb Baker
Mentor of the Year
• Mitchell Athay
Mike Carlisle Award
• Pearl Johnson – Volleyball
• Chase Morgan – Women's Basketball
Female Sagebrush Athlete of the Year
• Kaylee Erickson, Softball (WINNER)
• Magdalena Nuñez Pureco, Women's Tennis
• Jamisyn Heaton, Women's Basketball
• Sophie Chandler, Women's Track & Field
• Kaylie Chambers, Soccer
• Kaylie Kofe, Volleyball
• Avery Bibbey, Gymnastics
Male Sagebrush Athlete of the Year
• Bronson Olevao Jr., Football (WINNER)
• Kace Jones, Men's Track & Field
• Luis Cantu, Golf
• Eliot Nobel, Men's Tennis
Female Student-Athlete of the Year
• Shelby Jensen, Women's Track & Field / Cross Country (WINNER)
• Kaylie Kofe, Volleyball
• Mya Witte, Gymnastics
• Kaylie Chambers, Soccer
• Shay Jones, Women's Track & Field
Male Student-Athlete of the Year
• Mason Falslev, Men's Basketball (WINNER)
• Bryson Barnes, Football
• Logan Hammer, Men's Track & Field
• Jean-Baptiste Badon, Men's Tennis
• Landon Bott, Men's Track & Field
• Ayodele Ojo Jr., Men's Track & Field
Female Rookie Student-Athlete of the Year
• Capriel Winder, Soccer (WINNER)
• Summer Sofonia, Soccer
• Terezia Mlkva, Women's Tennis
• Mara Gruber, Gymnastics
• Aitana Rosello Lopez, Women's Basketball
• Jazmin Ramirez, Softball
• Adia Ross, Women's Track & Field
• Chahd Tourkhani, Women's Tennis
Male Rookie Student-Athlete of the Year
• Carson Tujague, Football (WINNER)
• Adlan Elamin, Men's Basketball
• Tayshaun Ogomo, Men's Track & Field
• Jakub Medved, Men's Tennis
• Elijah Perryman, Men's Basketball
Female International Student-Athlete of the Year
• Adia Ross, Women's Track & Field (WINNER)
• Sophie Sene, Women's Basketball
• Nyla Morabito, Gymnastics
• Sabina Pintea, Women's Tennis
• Rine Yonaha, Soccer
Male International Student-Athlete of the Year
• Roman Venger, Men's Tennis (WINNER)
• Luis Cantu, Golf
• Enrique Karg, Golf
Female Transfer Student-Athlete of the Year
• Taylor Rath, Soccer (WINNER)
• Aaliyah Gayles, Women's Basketball
• Annie Ivins, Women's Track & Field
Male Transfer Student-Athlete of the Year
• MJ Collins Jr., Men's Basketball (WINNER)
• Chase Goetschel, Golf
• Braden Pegan, Football
• Noah Avinger, Football
• Xavier Calvelo, Men's Tennis
• Jayden Holdsworth, Men's Track & Field / Cross Country
Comeback Player of the Year
• Magdalena Nuñez Pureco, Women's Tennis (WINNER)
• Nyla Morabito, Gymnastics
• Sabina Pintea, Women's Tennis
• Kaylee Erickson, Softball
• Broc Lane, Football
• Summer Diamond, Soccer
Female Moment of the Year
• Volleyball (WINNER) – First round win versus Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament.
• Soccer – Winning its third straight Mountain West Championship.
• Gymnastics – Winning back-to-back Mountain West Championship.
• Shelby Jensen, Women's Track & Field – Earned first-team All-American honors after placing seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Male Moment of the Year
• Men's Basketball (WINNER) – First round win versus Villanova in the NCAA Tournament.
• Golf – Finished in second place at the 2025 GOLFWEEK National Golf Invitational Championship.
• Men's Tennis – Winning the Mountain West Championship.
• Football – Win at Fresno State to become bowl eligible.
• Ayodele Ojo, Men's Track & Field – Setting the school record in the 60-meter dash.
Coach of the Year
• Kristin White, Gymnastics (WINNER)
• Manny Martins, Soccer
• Aaron Paajanen, Men's Tennis
Team Service Award
• Football (WINNER)
• Volleyball
• Gymnastics
• Soccer
Team of the Year
• Volleyball (WINNER)
• Men's Basketball
• Gymnastics
• Soccer
• Men's Tennis
Alumni of the Year
• Bobby Wagner
