June 15, 2005
LOGAN, Utah -
Once again, Utah State led the Big West Conference in spring academic all-conference selections as the Aggies landed 32 student-athletes on the teams that were announced on Wednesday.
To qualify for the teams a student-athlete must have a cumulative 3.2 grade point average, be a sophomore academically and participate in 50 percent of his or her games.
Among the selections was four-time honoree Mike Nielson, a senior from Bellevue, Wash. Nielson has been one of the Aggies' top distance runners in his career and most recently competed in the NCAA Championships in the 5,000 meters where he finished 24th.
After USU's 32 selections, UC Santa Barbara was second with 28 picks, while Long Beach State, UC Irvine and Idaho each had 21 selections.
For the year, Utah State produced 57 academic all-Big West selections to top the league for the sixth time in the last seven years. UC Santa Barbara was second overall with 52 honorees during 2004-05, while Cal Poly was third with 48.
In addition to the Big West Conference nominees, USU had 10 gymnasts earn academic all-Western Gymnastics Conference honors. Football players earning all-academic honors in the Sun Belt Conference, will not be announced until the end of the summer.
USU's Spring Academic all-Big West Honorees
Men's Tennis
Roshan Rasekhi, Sr., Physical Education, Salt Lake City, Utah
Hannes Schenk, Jr., Finance, Meran, Italy
Women's Tennis
Andrea Barker, Jr., Physical Education, Sandy, Utah
Lauren Monson, So., Physical Education, Salt Lake City, Utah
Carolyn Stephens, Sr., Nutrition and Food Sciences, Logan, Utah
Men's Track
Clark Bryner, Jr., Bioregional Planning (graduate program), Logan, Utah
David Danley, Sr., Fisheries & Wildlife, Heber, Utah
Scott Faldmo, Jr., Finance, Farmington, Utah
Yance Fawcett, Jr. Math Education, Henefer, Utah
Reese Hulbert, So., Physical Education, Taylorsville, Utah
Kenny Murdock, Sr., Psychology, Spanish Fork, Utah
Mike Nielson, Sr., Finance, Bellevue, Wash.
Women's Track
Carolyn Andrus, So., Elementary Ed, Orem, Utah
Dayna Barrett, Sr., Physical Education, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Caroline Berry, So., Undeclared, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sarah Dimmick, Sr., English, Wasilla, Ore.
Amy Egan, So., English, Latrobe, Pa.
Kaylene Gastaldi, So., Special Ed & Elementary Ed, Shingle Springs, Calif.
Emily Hillam, Sr., Physical Education, Kearns, Utah
Ashley Johnson, So., Physical Education, Hyrum, Utah
Amber Judd, So., Family, Consumer and Human Development, Midvale, Utah
Lida Ripplinger, Sr., Physical Education, Salt Lake City, Utah
Katrina Smart, So., Elementary Ed, Logan, Utah
Jill Steele, Jr., Physical Education, Kenmore, Wash.
Tiffany Strickland, Jr., Elementary Ed, Orem, Utah
Crystal Thiselle, Sr., Finance, Missoula, Mont.
Cachet Webb, So., Physical Education, Blackfoot, Idaho
Softball
Shawn Bjarnson, Jr., Business Information Systems, Provo, Utah
Jessica Garnett, So., Physical Education, Temecula, Calif.
Quela Leonhardt, Jr., Physical Education, Sandy, Utah
Jenna McCartney, So. Physical Education, Hamilton, Mont.
Roxanne Ritchie, So., Physical Education, Henderson, Nev.
