Jan. 16, 2009

LOGAN, Utah - The Western Athletic Conference announced its fall all-academic teams on Friday and Utah State had 42 student-athletes recognized marking the third straight year USU has led the conference in academic all-conference honorees from the fall sports of cross country, football, soccer and volleyball.

Of its 42 academic all-WAC selections, Utah State had 11 student-athletes from both football and soccer honored, along with seven student-athletes from volleyball and women's cross country, and six from men's cross country. Boise State had 39 fall academic all-WAC honorees, followed by Hawai'i (36), Fresno State (32), Idaho (32), Nevada (29), New Mexico State (29), San Jose State (29), and Louisiana Tech (20).

Utah State had two student-athletes earn academic all-conference honors for the fourth time in seniors Caroline Berry (cross country) and Otis Nelson (football). Berry graduated from USU last fall with a degree in corporate wellness and Nelson will graduate this spring with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Student-athletes who earned academic all-conference honors for the third time include Vanessa Gledhill and Ashley Johnson from cross country, Candice Clark, Ali Griffin, Alyssa Lowry and Lisa Willardson from soccer, Alan Bishop and Nnamdi Gwacham from football, and Rebecca Anderson from volleyball.

Furthermore, of the 42 student-athletes to earn fall academic all-WAC honors, 33 are receiving the accolade for at least the second time.

To be eligible for the fall academic team, a student-athlete must have completed one academic year, have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's contests.

Fall Academic All-WAC HonoreesFootballAlan Bishop, Jr., Exercise Science, 3.25James Brindley, Jr., Marketing, 3.03Andy Carlsen, Jr., Social Work, 3.15Jervon Graves, So., Electrical Engineering, 3.55Jake Hutton, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies, 3.23Nnamdi Gwacham, Jr., Exercise Science, 3.61Derek Hoke, GRAD, Family and Consumer Science, 3.45Otis Nelson, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies, 3.21Jake Poulson, So., Undeclared, 3.15Patrick Scales, So, Accounting, 3.13
SoccerCandice Clark, Sr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.26Ali Griffin, Sr., Art - Teaching, 3.27Lauren Hansen, So., Elementary Education, 3.59Alyssa Lowry, Sr., Journalism, 3.48Kiersten Nilsson, Sr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.82Heather Pond, So., Physical Education - Pre-Physical Therapy, 3.07Sydne Porter, Jr., Business, 3.44Erin Salmon, Jr., Early Childhood Education, 3.04Stefani Shiozaki, So., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.48Lindsey Smart, Sr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.83Lisa Willardson, Sr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.60
VolleyballRebecca Anderson, Sr., Statistics, 3.94Katie Astle, So., Accounting, 3.88Kris Hymas, Sr., English, 3.53Shanda Larsen, Jr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.87Christine Morrill, So., Undeclared, 3.31Melissa Osterloh, English, 3.67Lori Wilson, So., Family, Consumer and Human Development, 3.49
Men's Cross CountryJared Glenn, Jr., Physical Education- Pre-Physical Therapy, 3.83Nathan Lloyd, So., Political Science, 3.97Brian McKenna, So., Undeclared, 3.11Casey Snider, So., Conservation and Restoration Eco, 3.31Steven Strickland, Jr., Spanish, 3.57Heath Wing, Sr., Spanish, 3.40
Women's Cross CountryJustine Baugh, So., Elementary Education, 3.82Caroline Berry, Sr., Corporate Wellness, 3.65Vanessa Gledhill, Sr., Elementary Education, 3.80Ashley Johnson, Sr., Physical Education - Exercise Science, 3.76Kimberly Quinn, So., Wildlife Science, 3.49Erin Stratton, Jr., Physical Education - Pre-Physical Therapy, 3.98Alison Taylor, Sr., Biology, 3.89