In all, approximately 47 percent of USU's student-athletes earned a 3.2 GPA to qualify for the awards.
April 27, 2010
LOGAN, Utah -
Utah State's athletics department recognized 157 student-athletes for achieving a 3.2 grade point average at the 17th annual Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Luncheon Tuesday. To be eligible for the honor, student-athletes must have a cumulative 3.2 grade point average or have posted a 3.2 GPA during the last two semesters.
In all, approximately 47 percent of USU's student-athletes earned a 3.2 GPA to qualify for the awards.
The top honoree during the luncheon was track athlete Erin Stratton. The senior from Aurora, Colo. (Smoky Hill HS) graduated Summa Cum Laude in December of 2009 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and a minor in psychology. She was the valedictorian of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department with a 3.98 cumulative grade point average.
As a four-year letterwinner on Utah State's cross country/track and field teams, Stratton has claimed three Western Athletic Conference Championships as she won the mile and 3000m at the 2009 WAC Indoor Championships and the 1500m at the 2008 WAC Indoor Championships.
"To win this award means a lot because it shows that I was able to do well in both sports and the classroom," said Stratton. "You have to learn how to prioritize and make sure you're focusing both on school and track. I was raised to excel academically and athletics is something that I love so I have always tried to do well in both."
Stratton, who has earned academic all-WAC honors eight times during her USU career, is currently taking graduate courses in the sciences to prepare for her physician's assistant program this summer at Marietta (Ohio) College.
Sixteen of the past 18 recipients of the top individual honor have been women as the only males in that time to win the award was Mike Puzey from men's basketball in 2003 and Tyler Ellis from men's track who shared the award with Rebecca Anderson and Alison Taylor last year.
Utah State also handed out team honors and women's tennis was named the top academic team with less than 20 members, women's track and soccer were the top academic teams with more than 20 members, and men's tennis was the most improved academic team.
John Johnson, who is a sophomore on the men's track team, received the Aggie Achievement Award for overcoming life challenges and personal adversity to ultimately excel as a student-athlete and obtain a high level of academic achievement at Utah State University.
Dr. Mary Doty was presented the Meet The Challenge Award posthumously. USU Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Raymond T. Coward also received the Meet The Challenge Award, while Glennie Mesa was given the Outstanding Tutor Award and Trissta Lyman was given the Outstanding Mentor Award for their work with USU's student-athletes.
The Whitesides honors started in 1953 by former USU athlete, coach and athletics director Joe E. Whitesides.
2010 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES SPECIAL HONORS
Whitesides Winner - Erin Stratton (Women's Track)
Meet The Challenge - Dr. Mary Doty and Dr. Raymond Coward
Aggie Achievement Award - John Johnson
Outstanding Tutor - Glennie Mesa
Outstanding Mentor - Trissta Lyman
Top Teams (20-plus members)
1. Women's Track
1. Women's Soccer
3. Men's Track
3. Football
Top Teams (less than 20 members)
1. Women's Tennis
2. Gymnastics
3. Men's Tennis
Most Improved Teams
1. Men's Tennis
2. Football
3. Gymnastics
3. Golf
2010 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES HONOREES
Jon. M. Huntsman School of Business
Jake Actkinson, Football
Katie Astle, Volleyball
Steven Atkinson, Men's Track
James Brindley, Football
Adrian Bybee, Football
Alice Coddington, Women's Basketball
Alex Daines, Men's Tennis
Tanner Dance, Men's Tennis
Austin French, Golf
Todd Griffith, Men's Track
Heather Heinrich, Gymnastics
Brady Jardine, Men's Basketball
John Johnson, Men's Track
Nicole Johnson, Women's Basketball
Ben Macey, Football
Jordan McMurray, Men's Track
Philip Noble, Men's Track
Hailey Swenson, Women's Tennis
Thad Truman, Golf
Chris Ulinski, Football
College of Science
Nate Ballam, Men's Tennis
Cortnie Broadus, Women's Track
Rachel Feuz, Soccer
Maria Halton, Women's Track
Max Hansen, Men's Track
Laura Hatch, Women's Track
Ruth Hilton, Women's Track
Erica Huelsmann, Gymnastics
Nicole Rupp-Tindall, Softball
Danielle Shorts, Soccer
College of Engineering
Jake Doughty, Football
Rachel Flessner, Gymnastics
Lauren Gwilliam, Women's Track
Sam Hawkins, Men's Track
Tanner Higham, Golf
College of Education & Human Services
Jeff Alley, Men's Track
Katelyn Anichini, Women's Track
Matt Austin, Football
Kellen Bartlett, Football
Justine Baugh, Women's Track
Lori Beckstrom, Volleyball
Mercedes Blackwood, Women's Track
Laurel Bodily, Volleyball
Rachel Boynton, Women's Track
Christian Brown-Frazier, Football
Tyler Canales, Football
Ashlee Cannon, Women's Track
Rajric Coleman, Football
Amanda Corn, Gymnastics
Shantell Durrant, Volleyball
Tyler Ellis, Men's Track
Rachel Evans, Softball
Shantell Flanary, Soccer
Marissa Floodman, Women's Track
Josh Flores, Football
Pau Furtado, Women's Basketball
Nicole Gneiting, Volleyball
Kate Greenough, Softball
Aimee Haertel, Women's Track
Kali Hamby, Women's Track
Lauren Hansen, Soccer
Amanda Harmon, Softball
Aubrie Haymore, Women's Track
Brittni Hopkin, Women's Track
Stacey Howard, Women's Basketball
Washington Igboeli, Football
Katelyn Jensen, Women's Track
Devin Johnson, Football
Julia Johnson, Women's Track
Kimiko Kamo-Griffith, Women's Track
Diana Karavida, Gymnastics
Ellen Larsen, Soccer
Krista Larsen, Women's Track
Allison Maduell, Soccer
Liz McArthur, Volleyball
Molli Merrill, Soccer
Cache Morgan, Football
Christine Morrill, Volleyball
Shanna Nielsen, Women's Track
Nancy Olsen, Women's Track
Jamaine Olson, Football
Amber Rasmussen, Women's Track
Chandra Salmon, Soccer
Erin Salmon, Soccer
Kelsey Sax, Soccer
Alisa Sheffer, Women's Track
Kandace Shoell, Women's Track
Clinton Silcock, Men's Track
Lindsey Smart, Soccer
Erin Stratton, Women's Track
Summer Tillotson, Soccer
Shasta Tyteca, Softball
Amanda Watamaniuk, Gymnastics
Tai Wesley, Men's Basketball
Josselyn White, Volleyball
McKayla Williams, Women's Track
University
Katelyn Buttars, Women's Track
Carli Campbell, Women's Track
Kali Cancelosi, Softball
Courtney Cawley, Soccer
Devyn Christensen, Women's Basketball
Mark Cooper, Football
Preston Eaton, Men's Basketball
Katelyn Elliot, Softball
Karlie Fitzgerald, Women's Track
Matthew Maughan, Men's Track
Preston Medlin, Men's Basketball
Talina Nelson, Women's Track
Lindsay Obray, Soccer
Kristin Peterson, Women's Track
Jenelle Phillips, Women's Tennis
Drew Povey, Men's Track
Amber Thompson, Women's Track
Shelbi Tyteca, Softball
Jaclyn West, Women's Tennis
Bailee Whitworth, Women's Track
Mersadi Wilkins, Women's Track
Levi Williams, Men's Track
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Hollie Bosworth, Women's Track
Chelsea Burns, Women's Basketball
Kaylee Campbell, Women's Track
Parker Erickson, Football
Preston Erickson, Football
Camille Fehlberg, Women's Track
Matt Formisano, Men's Basketball
Madison, Jensen, Softball
Camarie Jones, Softball
Kelsey Keller, Women's Track
Nathan Lloyd, Men's Track
Wendy Madsen, Women's Track
Brooke McNaughton, Women's Track
Whitney Mendivil, Volleyball
Tyler Newbold, Men's Basketball
Melissa Osterloh, Volleyball
Kelsie Packham, Women's Track
Tanner Richins, Football
Heidi Saville, Women's Track
Casey Snider, Men's Track
Steven Strickland, Men's Track
Alex Thatcher, Men's Tennis
Britney Watts, Women's Tennis
Simone Hubbard, Softball
College of Agriculture
Jessie Chugg, Women's Track
Jennifer Day, Women's Track
Natalie Norris, Soccer
Jolyn Wendt, Women's Track
College of Natural Resources
Haley Hogan, Gymnastics
Daniel Howell, Men's Track
Chalese West, Women's Track
School of Graduate Studies
Alan Bishop, Football
Brandon Broadhead, Golf
Kira Datwyler, Women's Track
Chase Griffiths, Football
Nnamdi Gwacham, Football
LeeAnn Palo, Women's Basketball
Sydne Porter-Garner, Soccer
Lydia Whitehead, Women's Basketball
