A Local ‘Titan’

For Utah State hockey senior Titan Anderson, playing in Logan is more than convenient. It is home. The Wellsville native has been on the ice nearly his entire life, and after years spent traveling across the country to chase competitive hockey, he returned to Cache Valley to compete in front of the people who rarely got to see him play. 

Anderson is a fourth-generation Aggie and the president of the USU hockey team. His family ties run deep on campus. The Richard and Moonyeen Anderson Engineering Building is named after his grandparents, one of several reasons he said Utah State was the right fit. 

“My family’s really big into Utah State,” Anderson said. “All my friends growing up knew I played hockey, but they never got to see it. So, coming here meant my grandparents and everyone else could finally watch.” 

Anderson started skating when he was 3 years old and picked up hockey at 4, learning at the George S. Eccles Ice Center. By 6, he switched to goalie after his team needed someone in net. 

“Everyone knew I was kind of different, and to be a goalie, you have to be a little bit weirder,” Anderson said. “One of the older goalie parents put me in gear one day, and I loved it.” 

Hockey opportunities in Utah were limited during his childhood, and Anderson moved often to keep progressing. He lived in Park City, Colorado and Tennessee with host families while playing for competitive youth programs. He returned home at 16 and later joined the Junior Mustangs Youth Hockey program before committing to Utah State. 

Anderson said the sport’s growth in Utah has accelerated in recent years, especially with the arrival of the Utah Mammoth. 

“They’ve been so good for the community,” he said. “It’s getting kids excited about hockey. I think the next 10 years are going to change a lot for the sport here.” 

At Utah State, Anderson has become one of the program’s most experienced players. As a starter, he holds the record for the most starts in team history, and as president, he manages scheduling, travel and administrative tasks alongside a board of officers. 

Head coach Eric Gierloff, who previously spent more than a decade refereeing collegiate games across the state, said Anderson’s influence extends well beyond the net. 

“He’s involved with just about every aspect of the team,” Gierloff said. “Being the president, he touches all of that, and as a starter with the most starts in USU history, he’s been an integral part of the team since he started.” 

Gierloff first met Anderson when he was a young player coming up through local programs. He said Anderson’s drive has been evident ever since. 

“There’s no question he gives 110% effort in everything he does,” Gierloff said. “He takes a lot of pride in his performance. When he has a bad game, he takes ownership, and then he rebounds and has a fantastic showing the next time.” 

Gierloff joked goalies “have to be wired a little differently,” something he recognizes from his own experience playing the position. 

“Your job is to stand there and have things shot at you,” he said. “Most people would get out of the way. It’s a different mindset, and it sticks with you long after you stop playing.” 

For Anderson, the next step is still undecided. He said professional opportunities in Europe are possible, but he is also preparing to join his family’s cancer diagnostics research lab in Logan one day. He is currently a senior in business management.  

“My body kind of hurts now,” Anderson said. “There’s a part of me that wants to go play pro over in Europe, but if not, my dad has been training me and my brother to take over the lab.” 

With the Aggies ranked fourth in the west region, the team is pushing through a season marked by midyear coaching changes and close competition. Anderson said it has taken a collective effort to stay focused, and he is proud of how the group has responded. 

For him, finishing his senior year on home ice feels like closing the loop on a childhood dream. 

“Coming back here after moving so much just feels right,” Anderson said. “I get to play in front of my family. That’s what I always wanted.”