April 26, 2006
LOGAN, Utah - Utah State's athletic department recognized 143 student-athletes and 10 managers and trainers for obtaining a 3.2 grade point average at the 51st Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Luncheon here Wednesday.
To be eligible for the honors, student-athletes must have obtained a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or have posted a 3.2 GPA in the last two semesters.
Tennis player Andrea Barker earned the day's top award as she was named the Whitesides Recipient. The senior from Brighton High School in Sandy, Utah, posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average while majoring in exercise science.
Barker, who is the valedictorian of the College of Education, has been accepted into graduate school at the University of Utah and will work to become a physician's assistant. She will be the youngest member of the class, which accepted just 36 of more than 600 applicants.
A four-year letterwinner on the tennis team, Barker compiled an 8-14 record in singles play this past season.
"It is a special award for me, because I was not sure I would finish up here after I got married my sophomore year," Barker said. I have had such a wonderful time being up here. Doing sports has taught me how to balance everything."
Other special recognition was given to track athlete Dustin Vetica, who was the recipient of the Aggie Achievement Award. Vetica, a senior from Morgan, Utah, overcame serious spine injuries sustained in a car wreck his sophomore year of high school to earn high school All-America honors and compete at Utah State.
Unfortunately, Vetica, succumbed to more injuries at USU and was not able to run this outdoor season. Vetica has already graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
Dr. Ken White was presented the Meet The Challenge Award for his contributions to academics and athletics. Dr. White is a professor in Animal Science and has served as the athletic department's faculty representative for several years.
USU also handed out team honors at the banquet. Women's Track was awarded the top academic team with more than 20 members, while women's cross country topped the teams with less than 20 members. Golf earned the most improved award.
In all, approximately 45 percent of USU's student-athletes have earned a 3.2 grade point average to qualify for the awards.
2006 USU WHITESIDES SPECIAL HONORS
Whitesides Winner - Andrea Barker, TennisAggie Achievement - Dustin Vetica, TrackMeet The Challenge - Dr. Ken White
Top Teams (20+ members)1. Women's Track2. Soccer3. Men's Track
Top Teams (less than 20 members)1. Women's Cross Country2. Men's Tennis3. Gymnastics
Most Improved Teams1. Golf2. Women's Cross Country3. Football and Women's Track
2006 USU WHITESIDES HONOREES
AgricultureCaroline Berry, TrackNick George, FootballLiesel Kohler, GymnasticsJennifer Twitchell, Track
BusinessLinzy Allen, TrackSteve Atkinson, TrackLindsey Benson, SoftballAlan Bishop, FootballShawn Bjarnson, SoftballRyan Bohm, FootballBrandon Broadhead, GolfJill Bruins, SoftballZuzana Cernianska, VolleyballMalik Cin, FootballSara Fleming, SoftballNate Fredrick, FootballChris Huber, BasketballLacey Hulbert, TrackChris Jepsen, GolfMatt Kohler, FootballKevin Liu, TrackRachael Mandy, GymnasticsLiz Masson, SoccerCass Matheus, BasketballOtis Nelson, FootballPreston Otte, GolfJoao Pinho, TennisWilliam Price, TrackPreston Robinson, FootballAshley Rutledge, BasketballKerry Shepherd, FootballTerrance Washington, FootballMatt Wiser, FootballJohannes Zelle, TennisZach King, Manager
ScienceKathryn Duhadway, TrackYance Fawcett, TrackJamie Garn, TrackMichelle Hatch, TrackSarah Johnson, GymnasticsKiersten Nilsson, SoccerKelly Patterson, GymnasticsDarrly Wheeler, Football
EngineeringErik Borschel, TrackLukas Bouton, TennisJeffrey Catron, TrackPalmer Hawkins, TrackVance Twitchell, Track
EducationKelli Allred, SoccerCarolyn Andrus, TrackAndre Bala, FootballAndrea Barker, TennisMichell Bowen, TrackTrisha Cardon, SoccerTanner Cooley, FootballChris Curtis, FootballRachelle Dixon, SoccerJessica Garnett, SoftballKaylene Gastaldi, TrackBrittany Hagen, BasketballCharlsie Harris, SoccerNate Harris, BasketballVanessa Hawkins, TrackLeslie Higley, SoftballBeth Hodge, VolleyballDerek Hoke, FootballReese Hulbert, TrackAbby Hunt, SoccerJacob Jensen, TrackAshley Johnson, TrackAmber Judd, TrackLindsay Lauro, SoccerQuela Leonhardt, SoftballStacie Lifferth, TrackErin Manning, TennisAli Marchant, BasketballAlex Martin, GymnasticsJase McCormick, FootballTiffany McQueen, SoccerLauren Monson, TennisLindsay Nuttal, SoccerJessica Parenti, GymnasticsDana Peart, SoccerAlexis Perry, SoftballKelsi Peterson, VolleyballRoxanne Ritchie, SoftballShannon Ross, SoccerSierra Smith, SoccerEric Sobolewski, FootballJillian Steele, TrackTiffany Strickland, TrackRyan Taylor, FootballAnne-Marie Torp, BasketballJami Uragami, SoftballCachet Webb, TrackCharity Weston, SoccerLisa Willardson, SoccerAshley Wilson, SoccerNatalie Wisan, SoccerMegan Wold, TrackCarrie Yost, TrackDustin Zieman, Football
HASSJosh Anderson, FootballAshley Barr, GymnasticsScott Bell, TrackRebecca Bostwick, TrackBen Childs, FootballAmy Egan, TrackMitchel Lancaster, TrackCameron Madsen, TrackLogan Moore, TrackJJ Netto, TennisBryan Perkinson, FootballKatie Ross, TrackChanel Weddle, SoccerSarah Young, TrackCarly Bleadorn, Manager
UndeclaredDevin Belnap, FootballLacey Christenson, SoccerJessica Darrow, SoccerNicole Felley, GymnasticsLindsey Freeze, BasketballJaymie Goodsell, GymnasticsNnamdi Gwacham, FootballDwayne Hansen, TrackHeather Hiller, VolleyballNick Jensen, FootballJason Jeppsen, TrackKatherine Keller, SoccerKrista Larson, TrackAlyssa Lowry, SoccerDevin Markle, GymnasticsKatie Omann, GymnasticsBrittany Price, GymnasticsTaylor Richards, BasketballCarly Robinson, TrackJennifer Schiess, TrackJudd Thompson, FootballSeth Wold, Track
Graduate SchoolClark Bryner, TrackPaul Bugnet, TrainerNatalie Chadwick, TrainerJessica Freeman, BasketballErin Graybill, VolleyballKatie Habecker, TrainerMeagan Lewis, GymnasticsEmily Millard, TainerKarri Miller, TrainerHannes Schenk, TennisKrissy Stella, TrainerJason Stephens, FootballBrittany Tressler, Basketball
