USU Recognizes 143 Student-Athletes For 3.2 Grade-Point Averages At Annual Whitesides Luncheon
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, Tennis
Aggie Achievement - Dustin Vetica, Track
Meet The Challenge - Dr. Ken White
Top Teams (20+ members)
1. Women's Track
2. Soccer
3. Men's Track
Top Teams (less than 20 members)
1. Women's Cross Country
2. Men's Tennis
3. Gymnastics
Most Improved Teams
1. Golf
2. Women's Cross Country
3. Football and Women's Track
2006 USU WHITESIDES HONOREES
Agriculture
Caroline Berry, Track
Nick George, Football
Liesel Kohler, Gymnastics
Jennifer Twitchell, Track
Business
Linzy Allen, Track
Steve Atkinson, Track
Lindsey Benson, Softball
Alan Bishop, Football
Shawn Bjarnson, Softball
Ryan Bohm, Football
Brandon Broadhead, Golf
Jill Bruins, Softball
Zuzana Cernianska, Volleyball
Malik Cin, Football
Sara Fleming, Softball
Nate Fredrick, Football
Chris Huber, Basketball
Lacey Hulbert, Track
Chris Jepsen, Golf
Matt Kohler, Football
Kevin Liu, Track
Rachael Mandy, Gymnastics
Liz Masson, Soccer
Cass Matheus, Basketball
Otis Nelson, Football
Preston Otte, Golf
Joao Pinho, Tennis
William Price, Track
Preston Robinson, Football
Ashley Rutledge, Basketball
Kerry Shepherd, Football
Terrance Washington, Football
Matt Wiser, Football
Johannes Zelle, Tennis
Zach King, Manager
Science
Kathryn Duhadway, Track
Yance Fawcett, Track
Jamie Garn, Track
Michelle Hatch, Track
Sarah Johnson, Gymnastics
Kiersten Nilsson, Soccer
Kelly Patterson, Gymnastics
Darrly Wheeler, Football
Engineering
Erik Borschel, Track
Lukas Bouton, Tennis
Jeffrey Catron, Track
Palmer Hawkins, Track
Vance Twitchell, Track
Education
Kelli Allred, Soccer
Carolyn Andrus, Track
Andre Bala, Football
Andrea Barker, Tennis
Michell Bowen, Track
Trisha Cardon, Soccer
Tanner Cooley, Football
Chris Curtis, Football
Rachelle Dixon, Soccer
Jessica Garnett, Softball
Kaylene Gastaldi, Track
Brittany Hagen, Basketball
Charlsie Harris, Soccer
Nate Harris, Basketball
Vanessa Hawkins, Track
Leslie Higley, Softball
Beth Hodge, Volleyball
Derek Hoke, Football
Reese Hulbert, Track
Abby Hunt, Soccer
Jacob Jensen, Track
Ashley Johnson, Track
Amber Judd, Track
Lindsay Lauro, Soccer
Quela Leonhardt, Softball
Stacie Lifferth, Track
Erin Manning, Tennis
Ali Marchant, Basketball
Alex Martin, Gymnastics
Jase McCormick, Football
Tiffany McQueen, Soccer
Lauren Monson, Tennis
Lindsay Nuttal, Soccer
Jessica Parenti, Gymnastics
Dana Peart, Soccer
Alexis Perry, Softball
Kelsi Peterson, Volleyball
Roxanne Ritchie, Softball
Shannon Ross, Soccer
Sierra Smith, Soccer
Eric Sobolewski, Football
Jillian Steele, Track
Tiffany Strickland, Track
Ryan Taylor, Football
Anne-Marie Torp, Basketball
Jami Uragami, Softball
Cachet Webb, Track
Charity Weston, Soccer
Lisa Willardson, Soccer
Ashley Wilson, Soccer
Natalie Wisan, Soccer
Megan Wold, Track
Carrie Yost, Track
Dustin Zieman, Football
HASS
Josh Anderson, Football
Ashley Barr, Gymnastics
Scott Bell, Track
Rebecca Bostwick, Track
Ben Childs, Football
Amy Egan, Track
Mitchel Lancaster, Track
Cameron Madsen, Track
Logan Moore, Track
JJ Netto, Tennis
Bryan Perkinson, Football
Katie Ross, Track
Chanel Weddle, Soccer
Sarah Young, Track
Carly Bleadorn, Manager
Undeclared
Devin Belnap, Football
Lacey Christenson, Soccer
Jessica Darrow, Soccer
Nicole Felley, Gymnastics
Lindsey Freeze, Basketball
Jaymie Goodsell, Gymnastics
Nnamdi Gwacham, Football
Dwayne Hansen, Track
Heather Hiller, Volleyball
Nick Jensen, Football
Jason Jeppsen, Track
Katherine Keller, Soccer
Krista Larson, Track
Alyssa Lowry, Soccer
Devin Markle, Gymnastics
Katie Omann, Gymnastics
Brittany Price, Gymnastics
Taylor Richards, Basketball
Carly Robinson, Track
Jennifer Schiess, Track
Judd Thompson, Football
Seth Wold, Track
Graduate School
Clark Bryner, Track
Paul Bugnet, Trainer
Natalie Chadwick, Trainer
Jessica Freeman, Basketball
Erin Graybill, Volleyball
Katie Habecker, Trainer
Meagan Lewis, Gymnastics
Emily Millard, Tainer
Karri Miller, Trainer
Hannes Schenk, Tennis
Krissy Stella, Trainer
Jason Stephens, Football
Brittany Tressler, Basketball
