June 15, 2009
LOGAN, Utah -
LOGAN, Utah - Krista Larson of the Utah State women's track and field team has been named the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of June 8-14. The weekly USU award is chosen by a statewide media panel.
Larson, a native of Kaysville, Utah (Davis HS), earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I All-American honors by finishing ninth in the hammer throw at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. She threw for a distance of 194-03 (58.21m), tabbing ninth-place and earning All-America status by being among the top eight American finishers. Larson launched her All-American throw on her sixth and final throw.
Larson becomes USU's first female overall All-American since Jennifer Twitchell earned the honor in 2007 at the Indoor National Championships and the first female for outdoor track and field since Shae Jones-Bair in 2000. Overall, Larson is the eighth Aggie woman to earn All-American accolades. Larson is the first USU female hammer thrower to earn All-American honors and only the third field athlete.
After earning an at-large bid to the championships and entering the national meet No. 16 in the rankings, Larson tabbed 12th-place in the qualifying round Wednesday with a distance of 188-01 (57.33m), earning her a spot in Friday's final round.
This is not only Larson's first America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week this year, but the first of her career. Larson is the third different member of the USU women's track and field team to collect the USU accolade this season, joining Sonia Grabowska (Jan. 19 and Apr. 13) and Elaine Connolly (Apr. 20).
Other Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week Award Nominees Included:
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Nick Karren - Senior (Duchesne, Utah), ran the 400m hurdles in 50.85, finishing in 19th-place at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Karren needed to finish in 18th-place or higher to qualify for the next round. The 18th-place finisher, Ray Varner of Iowa finished in 50.81, pushing Karren out by .04 seconds.
2008-09 Utah State Athlete of the Week Winners
Sept. 1 - Jessie Chugg, Cross Country
Sept. 8 - Shantel Flanary, Soccer
Sept. 15 - Melissa Osterloh, Volleyball
Sept. 22 - Diondre Borel, Football
Sept. 29 - Christine Morrill, Volleyball
Oct. 6 - Ben Kessen, Cross Country
Oct. 13 - Lauren Hansen, Soccer
Oct. 20 - Sydne Porter, Soccer
Oct. 27 - Candice Clark, Soccer
Nov. 3 - Diondre Borel, Football & Jason Holt, Cross Country
Nov. 10 - Lauren Hansen, Soccer
Nov. 17 - Gary Wilkinson, Men's Basketball
Nov. 24 - Ana Pares, Women's Basketball
Dec. 1 - Ben Calderwood, Football
Dec. 8 - Lydia Whitehead, Women's Basketball
Dec. 15 - Gary Wilkinson, Men's Basketball
Dec. 22 - Jared Quayle, Men's Basketball
Dec. 29 - Tai Wesley, Men's Basketball
Jan. 5 - Jared Quayle, Men's Basketball
Jan. 12 - Gary Wilkinson, Men's Basketball
Jan. 19 - Sonia Grabowska, Women's Track and Field
Jan. 26 - Ana Pares, Women's Basketball
Feb. 2 - John Strang, Men's Track and Field
Feb. 9 - Danyelle Snelgro, Women's Basketball
Feb. 16 - Alex Thatcher, Men's Tennis
Feb. 23 - Danyelle Snelgro, Women's Basketball
Mar. 2 - John Strang, Men's Track and Field
Mar. 9 - Jared Quayle, Men's Basketball
Mar. 16 - Gary Wilkinson, Men's Basketball
Mar. 23 - Jared Quayle, Men's Basketball
Mar. 30 - Kate Greenough, Softball
Apr. 6 - Steve Strickland, Men's Track and Field
Apr. 13 - Sonia Grabowska, Women's Track and Field
Apr. 20 - Elaine Connolly, Women's Track and Field
Apr. 27 - John Strang, Men's Track and Field
May 4 - Tyler Labrum, Golf
May 11 - James Allred, Men's Track and Field
May 18 - Nick Karren, Men's Track and Field
May 25 - No award given
June 1 - Steve Strickland, Men's Track and Field
June 8 - No award given
June 15 - Krista Larson, Women's Track and Field
-USU-

