Three-In-One: Women's Basketball Featured/Track Makes WAC History/Hockey Results

There's so much going on in Aggie athletics that three areas are featured — women's basketball, track and hockey.

 

Utah State University's women's basketball program was highlighted recently in a story by Martin Renzhofer in the Salt Lake Tribune. That story, along with a short video promotion for the women's basketball team, is front and center on Utah State University's Web page. Check out the story. It alternates in the center box with news about Utah State's Founders Day celebration

 

There's also big news from the WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships (see full story below).

 

And, in news just in, Utah State's Hockey Team (club sports) took its first game during competition at the 2005 ACHA Division II National Competition. In the first day's competition, Utah State's team came out on top of top-ranked Indiana University 11-6. The team moves on to play today (March 3) against Oakland University at 6:30 p.m. (CST). For up-to-date results from the national tournament, see the Utah State Hockey Web page.

 

 

 

 

March 1, 2005

 

LOGAN — Michael Nielson made history at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nampa, Idaho, by becoming Utah State's first WAC 3,000 meters champion. For his efforts, Nielson was named Utah State University Athlete of the Week in a split decision over gymnast Jessica Parenti. A state media panel votes on the weekly award.

 

Nielson, along with first-place finishes by Zach Lloyd in the shot put and Christian Lee in the pole vault, helped lead the Aggies to a second-place finish at their first WAC Championships. Utah State was in the lead going into the last day of competition before being beat by UTEP.

 

Nielson, a senior distance runner from Bellevue, Wash., won the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:25.54, just 1.76 seconds in front of second-place finisher Japheth Ng'ojoy from UTEP.

 

Nielson also finished fourth in the men's one mile run with a personal best time of 4:13.74, just 3.71 seconds out of first place.

 

Other Nominees...

 

Basketball — Spencer Nelson: Led Utah State to a pair of home wins against Long Beach State and UC Irvine last weekend. Against the 49ers, Nelson recorded his league-leading eighth double-double of the year with 16 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with four assists, three steals and just one turnover. Against the Anteaters, Nelson scored 21 points in just 25 minutes and added five rebounds and five assists, while shooting 7-10 from the field and 7-8 from the free throw line. For the week, Nelson averaged 18.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals, while shooting 68.4 percent from the field and 73.3 percent from the free throw line.

 

Women's Basketball — Taylor Richards: Averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in Utah State's two road losses last weekend to Long Beach State (75-59) and UC Irvine (81-74). Richards, a freshman point guard, scored a team-high 13 points and dished out four assists in Utah State's loss to Long Beach State on Thursday. She then matched her career-high with 20 points and snared six rebounds against the Anteaters on Saturday.

 

Women's Tennis — Courtney Anderson: Was the only member of the Utah State team to post a victory against Portland on Saturday afternoon. She won the No. 4 spot against Alyson Tyson 6-7, 6-1, 6-4. Anderson now leads the team in wins, winning five in a row. She hasn't lost a match since her opening match this season against Allison Rainey of the No. 8 Washington Huskies. In doubles play against Portland she teamed with Andrea Barker to play at the No. 2 spot, and lost 8-3.

 

Men's Tennis — No nomination.

 

Gymnastics — Jessica Parenti: Led Utah State gymnastics to its third straight victory last Friday [Feb, 25] as the Aggies defeated Boise State 195.450 - 194.200. Parenti, a redshirt sophomore out of Glendora, Calif., competed in the all-around for the first time this season and won the all-around title with a 39.150. She also had season highs on bars (9.775), beam (9.850) and floor (9.875). She finished tied for second on beam and also took second on floor. Her all-around and beam scores were the best scores the Aggies have had on the events this season. Her bars and floor scores were second best for the Aggies this season.

 

Softball — Quela Henderson-Leonhardt: Went 2-8 at the plate and had 5 RBI in a double-header against Southern Utah. Utah State won both games. Those two hits were essential. One was a three-run home run in a close pitching oriented game. The other was a double that drove in two runs.

 

Women's Track and Field — Lida Ripplinger: Was one of Utah State's top performers at the WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Ripplinger finished second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:06.49. She also finished fourth in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:59.86.

 

 

Sept. 6 - David Danley, Cross Country

Sept. 13 - Lindsay Lauro, Soccer

Sept. 20 - Kindy Peterson, Volleyball

Sept. 27 - Robert Watts, Football

Oct. 4 - Megan Mills, Soccer

Oct. 11 - Nicole Gooch, Soccer

Oct. 18 - Dana Peart, Soccer

Oct. 25 - Amanda Fahnestock, Volleyball

Nov. 1 - Trevor Ball, Cross Country

Nov. 9 - Kevin Robinson, Football

Nov. 15 - Zuzana Cernianska, Volleyball

Nov. 22- Travis Cox, Football

Nov. 30- Christina Zdenek, Women's Basketball

Dec. 7- Nate Harris, Basketball

Dec. 14 - Spencer Nelson, Basketball

Dec. 21 - Spencer Nelson, Basketball

Dec. 28 - None Selected

Jan. 3 - Nate Harris, Basketball

Jan. 10- Jaycee Carroll, Basketball

Jan. 19- Ali Aird, Women's Basketball

Jan. 24- Taylor Richards, Women's Basketball

Feb. 1- Spencer Nelson, Basketball

Feb. 8- Spencer Nelson, Basketball

Feb. 15- Jessica Parenti, Gymnastics

Feb. 22- Ali Aird, Women's Basketball

March 1- Michael Nielson, Men's Track and Field