Utah State Recognizes 212 Student-Athletes as Whitesides Scholar-Athletes

Utah State's athletics department is recognizing 212 student-athletes as Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athletes. 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.
 
The annual luncheon honoring the group of student-athletes was among all USU events canceled due to the current coronavirus pandemic. America First Credit Union remains a proud sponsor of the Whitesides Awards and luncheon.
 
Soccer senior Mealii Enos and track & field senior Stokton Smith were the top honorees this year, as the pair received the Joe E. Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award. Enos is set to graduate this spring with degrees in special education and communicative disorders.
 
"During my time as an Aggie, I've always strived for excellence both on the field and in the classroom. It's an honor to receive the Whitesides Award," Enos said. "I am so grateful to my coaches and teammates who always supported me in prioritizing my academic career, especially since they all suffered through early morning practice because of my class schedules. It has been an amazing four years and I will miss Utah State so much. Once an Aggie, always an Aggie."
 
Smith will also graduate this spring with a degree in management information systems. Both student-athletes are graduating with 4.0 GPAs.
 
"I have been very blessed to be a part of Utah State Athletics, and to be receiving this reward," Smith said. "Academics never take a backseat for us as student-athletes, because of the wonderful staff helping keep us focused on planning for the long term. I really owe any success to the great academic coordinators, counselors and coaches who have helped me along the way."
 
Soccer senior Kanyan Merrill and football grad student Jacoby Wildman received the Wayne Estes Memorial Award, which is presented to a male and female graduating senior who excels in scholarship, citizenship and leadership.
 
Utah State also announced team honors with the awards. Men's cross country was named the top academic team with fewer than 20 members for the third-consecutive year, as the team boasted a team GPA of 3.49. Women's cross country was the top academic team with more than 20 members, with a 3.73 team GPA. Men's tennis was recognized as the most improved academic team.
 
In addition to the team and student-athlete awards, the department recognized Molly Rowley as the Student-Athlete Tutor of the Year and Mary Kate McGuire as the Student-Athlete Mentor of the Year.
 
The Whitesides honors were started in 1953 by former USU athlete, coach and athletics director Joe E. Whitesides.

2020 UTAH STATE WHITESIDES HONOREES
 

Most Outstanding Team (greater than 20)
First Place – Women's Cross Country, 3.73 team GPA
Second Place – Women's Track & Field, 3.57 team GPA
Third Place – Women's Soccer, 3.39 team GPA
 
Most Outstanding Team (fewer than 20)
First Place – Men's Cross Country, 3.49 team GPA
Second Place – Women's Tennis, 3.48 team GPA
Third Place – Men's tennis, 3.40 team GPA
 
Most Improved Team
Men's Tennis
 
Wayne Estes Memorial Award
Kanyan Merrill
Jacoby Wildman
 
Joe E. Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award
Mealii Enos
Stokton Smith
 
Tutor of the Year
Molly Rowley
 
Mentor of the Year
Mary Kate McGuire
 
College of Agriculture & Applied Sciences (20)
Heston Andersen – Men's Track & Field – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
Luke Bailey – Men's Track & Field – Technology Systems
Karlie Callahan  – Women's Track & Field – Residential Landscape Design & Construction
Kayla DeCoursey – Volleyball – Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Emma Dudley – Women's Basketball – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
Grace Gibbons – Women's Track & Field – Applied Economics
Steph Gorman – Women's Basketball – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
Katie Struthers-Haviland – Women's Track & Field – Residential Landscape Design & Construction
Reagan Hoopes – Women's Track & Field – Food Science
Mikhail Kidd – Men's Track & Field – Residential Landscape Design & Construction
Alexis Koetitz – Women's Track & Field – Family & Consumer Sciences Ed
Elle Nesbitt – Volleyball – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
Marren Nielsen – Soccer – Aviation Technology
Lillian Okamoto – Women's Tennis – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
Alecia Robinson – Soccer – Technology Systems
Zara Ryan – Women's Tennis – Dietetics
Cierra Simmons-Mecham – Women's Track & Field – Dietetics
Taylor Smart – Women's Track & Field – Outdoor Product Design & Development
Oran Wasserman – Men's Track & Field – Food Science
Kailey Welch – Women's Track & Field – Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Science
 
Caine College of the Arts (4)
Brinley Adams – Soccer – Art
Dustin Mathews – Football – Art and Design
Madi Straker – Gymnastics – Art
Jakob Tew – Men's Track & Field – Art
 
College of Humanities & Social Sciences (23)
Marco Anthony – Men's Basketball – Political Science
Chad Artist – Men's Track & Field – Communication Studies
Aaron Bredsguard – Football – English
Connor Coles – Football – Political Science
Taylor Franson – Women's Basketball – Journalism
Taylor Garza-Freeman – Soccer – Social Work
Ryann Holmes – Softball – Interdisciplinary Studies
Hannah Jones – Women's Tennis – Journalism
Kuba Karwowski – Men's Basketball – Sociology
Corinne Larsen – Volleyball – Golbal Communication
Mazie Macfarlane – Softball – International Studies
Mosese Manu – Football – Sociology
Carolina Millan – Women's Tennis – IELI
Jordan Nathan – Football – Sociology
Ally Packard – Volleyball – History
Brandon Pada – Football – Political Science
Jake Pitcher – Football – English
Madison Taylor – Women's Track & Field – Journalism
Cameron Tucker – Golf – Political Science
Chris Unga – Football – Sociology
Jaylen Warren – Football – Sociology
Imelda Williams – Soccer – Global Communication
Stephanie Wright – Women's Track & Field – Journalism
 
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education & Human Services (59)
Terin Adams – Football – Master's: Physical and Sport Education
Darcy Allen – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Sid Barlow – Soccer – Human Movement Science
Justin Bean – Men's Basketball – Exercise Science
Izzie Belnap – Volleyball – Exercise Science
Jenny Bitner-Rogers – Women's Track & Field – Elementary Education
Faith Brantley – Women's Basketball – Pre-Physical Therapy
Bailey Brinkerhoff – Women's Track & Field – Psychology
Diogo Brito – Men's Basketball – PE Teaching
Riley Burt – Football – Master's: Physical and Sport Education
Kayla Butterfield – Women's Track & Field – Psychology
Kelee Call-Funk – Volleyball – Health Education and Promotion
Kennedy Clement – Women's Track & Field – Nursing
Mark Crandall – Men's Track & Field – Human Resource Management
Hailey Cuff – Volleyball – Psychology
Leah Dougherty – Women's Basketball – Health Education and Promotion
Bailey Downing – Volleyball – Health Education and Promotion
Grace DuBay – Volleyball – Pre-Physical Therapy
Hannah Dutson – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Garen Earley – Men's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Elli Eastmond – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Alfred Edwards – Football – Exercise Science
Mealii Enos – Soccer – Special Education/Communication Disorders & Deaf Education
Daniel Fleming – Men's Track & Field – Doctorate of Family and Human Development
Audrey Garrett – Women's Track & Field – Family Life Studies
Morgan Gill – Gymnastics – Pre-Physical Therapy
Josie Givens – Women's Track & Field – Communication Disorders & Deaf Education
Adam Hendrickson – Men's Track & Field – Master's: Instructional Technology & Learning Science
Nick Heninger – Football – Master's: Physical and Sport Education
Madi Hess – Women's Track & Field – Elementary Education
Gabe Hunter – Golf – Psychology
Erin Kuba – Softball – PE Teaching
LeAnn Larkin – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Sione Lasike – Football – Exercise Science
Jordan Love – Football – Exercise Science
Peyton Lumanog – Soccer – Exercise Science
Amber Marshall – Soccer – Exercise Science
Kevin Meitzenheimer – Football – PE Teaching
Kanyan Merrill – Soccer – Human Development and Family Studies
Mikaela Meyer – Gymnastics – Exercise Science
Leah Molina – Softball – Psychology
Bryce Mortenson – Football – Exercise Science
Paige Moser-Tews – Soccer – Exercise Science
Jensen Mosman – Women's Track & Field – PE Teaching
Eric Munoz – Football – Exercise Science
Rachel Noel – Soccer – Exercise Science
Madi Shepherd – Volleyball – Health Education and Promotion; Master's: Public Health
McKinley Pavicic – Gymnastics – Health Education and Promotion
Stephanie Reed – Softball – Pre-Physical Therapy
Caleb Repp – Football – Master's: Physical and Sport Education
Jenny Seas – Women's Track & Field – Nursing
Hunter Simonsen – Men's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Whitney Solosabal – Volleyball – Health Education and Promotion
Arianna Steiner – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Tyler Thornton – Softball – Exercise Science
Leighton Varnadore – Gymnastics – Health Education and Promotion
Jesse Vasquez – Football – Exercise Science
Ben Willis – Men's Track & Field – Exercise Science
Michala Zilkey – Women's Track & Field – Exercise Science & Communication Studies     
 
College of Engineering (18)
AJ Vongphachanh – Football – Mechanical Engineering
Bridger Altice – Men's Track & Field – Electrical Engineering
Lexi Aragon – Gymnastics – Environmental Engineering
Haydon Cooper – Men's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Cassandra DuBose – Volleyball – Biological Engineering
Spencer Eldridge – Men's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Porter Ellis – Men's Track & Field – Biological Engineering
Jordan Foraker – Soccer – Civil Engineering
Caleb Garnica – Men's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Thomas Heaps – Men's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Christian Holmes – Men's Tennis – Preparatory Engineering – Mechanical Engineering
Tori Loomis – Gymnastics – Biological Engineering
Claire Mantz – Women's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Melanie Muncy – Women's Track & Field – Civil Engineering
Spencer Stutz – Men's Track & Field – Mechanical Engineering
Camren Todd – Men's Track & Field – Civil Engineering
Josh Wintch – Men's Track & Field – Biological Engineering
Logan Wood – Football – Civil Engineering        
 
Jon M. Huntsman School of Business (42)
Simon Thompson – Football – Business Administration
Felipe Acosta – Men's Tennis – International Business
Allanah Alvarado – Softball – Business Administration
Josh Barclay – Men's Track & Field – Finance
Rae Bedke-Hillis – Women's Track & Field – Finance
Carson Bischoff – Men's Basketball – Business Administration
Olivia Burnett – Soccer – Marketing
Karen Christensen – Women's Track & Field – Business Administration
Taylor Compton – Football – Marketing
Annaliese County – Women's Tennis – Accounting
Aaron Dalton – Football – Marketing
Laura Daulton – Women's Basketball – Economics
Autumn DeHarde – Gymnastics – Marketing
Gabrielle Dekkers – Women's Tennis – International Business
Chandler Dolphin – Football – Marketing
Trevin Dorius – Men's Basketball – Management
Dominik Eberle – Football – Marketing
Dallin Farnsworth – Men's Track & Field – Master's: Business Administration
Sindri Gudmundsson – Men's Track & Field – Accounting
Kennedy Hira – Softball – Business Administration
Bryson Hirabayashi – Golf – Finance
Bri Lerma – Softball – Business Administration
Renata Lombera – Women's Tennis – International Business & Finance
Patrick Maddox – Football – Accounting
Sam Merrill – Men's Basketball – Business Administration
Brock Miller – Men's Basketball – Business Administration
Sam Nelson – Men's Track & Field – Finance
Sara Noel – Soccer – Accounting
Chandler Obray – Men's Track & Field – Accounting
Lucy Octave – Women's Tennis – Marketing & Economics
Spencer Panter – Golf – Management
Abel Porter – Men's Basketball – Master's: Human Resources
Karter Shaw – Football – Management
Ty Shaw – Football – Economics
Stokton Smith – Men's Track & Field – Management Information Systems
Christiane Sundstrom – Soccer – Economics
J.D. Thorne – Men's Track & Field – International Business
Logan Varnadore – Gymnastics – Marketing
Kami Warner – Soccer – Marketing
Cooper Wayment – Golf – Finance & Management Information Systems
Jacoby Wildman – Football – Master's: Business Administration
David Woodward – Football – Marketing          
 
S.J. Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources (2)
Luke Beattie – Men's Track & Field – Recreation Resource Management
Jesse Henderson – Golf – Environmental Studies           
 
College of Sciences (10)
Heather Baker – Women's Track & Field – Biology
Travis Boman – Football – Biology
Jacob Davis – Men's Track & Field – Biology
Taylor Dittmar – Gymnastics – Chemistry
Maia Garren – Women's Track & Field – Biology
Hadley Hamar – Gymnastics – Physics
Emmie Harris – Women's Basketball – Biology
Chase Nelson – Football – Biology
Jocelyn Polansky – Women's Basketball – Biology
James Withers – Men's Track & Field – Biology  
 
University (34)
Skyler Andam – Men's Track & Field – Exploratory
Megan Astle – Soccer – Exploratory
Josh Bowcut – Football – Exploratory
Ali Bybee – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory
Josh Calvin – Football – Exploratory
Heidi Carpenter – Volleyball – Integrated Studies
Sean Carter – Football – Integrated Studies
Emma Cobabe – Gymnastics – Exploratory
Jack Drews – Football – Exploratory
Elle Golison – Gymnastics – Integrated Studies
Hunter Hill – Football – Exploratory
Arvid Hjalte – Men's Tennis – Exploratory
Justin Hodges – Men's Track & Field – Exploratory
Mariah Jenkins – Women's Track & Field – Pre-Business
Abby Jensen – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory
Shyla Latone – Women's Basketball – Exploratory
Cooper Legas – Football – Exploratory
Hannah Lybbert – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory
Makenzie Macfarlane – Softball – Exploratory
Pailate Makakona – Football – Exploratory
Erin McQuillen – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory
Marli Niederhauser – Soccer – Exploratory
Kristin Rhees – Soccer – Exploratory
Dean Rice – Football – Exploratory
Olivia Romney – Soccer – Exploratory
Javier Ruiz – Men's Tennis – Pre-Business
Roman Ruiz – Men's Track & Field – Pre-Business
Autumn Spafford – Volleyball – Exploratory
Megan Terry – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory
Ariel Toomey – Gymnastics – Pre-Business
Kapri Toone – Softball – Exploratory
Addison Trupp – Football – Exploratory
Kyle Van Leeuwen – Football – Exploratory
Halli Whitby-Durocher – Women's Track & Field – Exploratory