The 2010-11 Utah Statesman sports awards
As the 2010-11 school year comes to a close, it’s time to look back and honor the players, coaches and moments that stood out in bigger ways than any other at Utah State University this past year.
It was a year that saw almost countless superstars excel on the fields, courts, ice rinks and tracks wearing an Aggie uniform. It saw years of frustration come to an end for some sports, while other sports continued their same levels of domination demonstrated in the past. It was a year that saw incredible coaching performances from multiple sports and moments that will surely be talked about for years. It was a year that will surely be remembered for years to come.
These awards, as voted on by the sports staff of The Utah Statesman, are to honor and commemorate the great year that 2010-11 was and the players and coaches who made it all happen.
Male Athlete of the Year
Tai Wesley
Men’s Basketball
For the second time in three years, Tai Wesley helped lead USU to a school-record 30 wins, a WAC Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
On top of team success, Wesley graduates with his name littered across the tops of the statistical leader boards in Utah State history. Wesley is among the top 10 Aggies of all time in points scored, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, made field goals, field goal percentage, made free throws and is tied with teammate Tyler Newbold for the most games ever played in a Utah State uniform with 139.
Wesley also became the third USU player in the last four years to be named the WAC’s Player of the Year on top of being named an honorable mention All-America selection.
Honorable Mention
Bobby Wagner – football
All-WAC first team, WAC-leading 11.1 tackles per game
Clint Silcock – track and field
Second team All-American, school-record high jump
Kent Arsenault – hockey
Set USU record for career goals scored. Led team to nationals.
Female Athlete of the Year
Liz Mcarthur
Volleyball
The junior outside hitter was the go-to girl throughout the year for the volleyball team’s best season in recent memory.
On top of a team-leading 504 kills on the season, McArthur earned first-team all-Western Athletic Conference honors, was the member of multiple All-America teams and named WAC Tournament MVP following the team’s upset of No. 3 ranked Hawaii in the championship match.
McArthur was one of five USU players to play in all 126 sets throughout the season, averaged four kills per set and had a team-leading 42 service aces. The 24-9 record on the year was the team’s best since 1982, while the appearance in the NCAA Tournament was just the fourth in school history.
Honorable Mention
Lauren Hanson – soccer
All-WAC second team, broke USU record for goals scored.
Ashlee Brown – women’s basketball
Led team to NIT second round, all-WAC first team.
Sonia Grabowska – track and field
Honorable mention All-America honors for pole vault.
Coach of the Year
Reagan Pebley
Women’s Basketball
While other coaches may have won WAC championships, national coach of the year honors or advanced their team to national tournaments, no other coach exceeded expectations for their team more than women’s basketball head coach Raegan Pebley.
Starting the season picked to finish in eighth place by the WAC coaches, Pebley led USU to a third place finish by year’s end, earning WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Despite a loss to Fresno State in the WAC Tournament semifinals, Pebley made the most of a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, getting a postseason victory over the Arizona Wildcats 103-95 in the NIT’s first round behind the stellar play from two emerging superstars in Ashlee Brown and Devyn Christensen.
While it is no easy task to live up to high expectations going into a season, it is a whole different challenge to go monumentally above and beyond where the bar was placed on a team to start a season.
Honorable Mention
Stew Morrill – men’s basketball, 30-4 record
Grayson DuBose – volleyball, 24-9 record
Jon Eccles – hockey, 39-7-1 record
Game of the Year
Football
Oct. 1 vs. BYU
After 17 years of frustration piled upon decades of more of losing football, perhaps the biggest sign of the changing tides showed itself on Oct. 1 with the nation watching as Gary Andersen’s squad laid a relentless ground assault on the Cougars of BYU.
While 31-16 doesn’t look like a blowout, the score was 31-3 midway through the third quarter before Andersen took his foot off the gas and played to kill the clock on the ground to preserve a victory rather than risk a costly mistake or two in an attempt to complete the blowout.
It wasn’t just a win, it was domination, and on national TV. It was the kind of win that looks to be a potential signal of what lies ahead for a new era of Utah State football. This was the first glorious moment of a return to glory for Utah State football
Honorable Mention
WAC championship win over No. 3 Hawaii – Volleyball
Bracketbuster at Saint Mary’s – men’s basketball
103 points in NIT vs. Arizona – women’s basketball
Big Play of the Year
BRADY JARDINE’S DUNK
Feb. 19 at Saint Mary’s College
To pick just one moment out of so many that make a season and a year memorable is difficult, and in a year like 2010-11, there were plenty to choose from. None other though had the passion of Brady Jardine’s dunk over Saint Mary’s forward Mitchell Young in the Feb. 19 Bracketbuster game.
Having stormed back from a double-digit deficit, USU looked to be in control for a crucial road victory before SMC’s Clint Steindl hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Gaels new life. Following Steindl’s second 3, USU’s Brockeith Pane drove around a defender towards the baseline, drawing two extra defenders over to help when Jardine streaked into the lane, caught a pass from Pane and elevated for a thunderous dunk and a foul that essentially sealed the game for USU and earned Jardine mention for Dunk of the Year honors all around the nation.
Honorable Mention
Xavier Martin – 79-yard touchdown vs. BYU
Brian Green – Long 3-pointer to save USU at Hawaii
Clint Silcock – School-record high jump of 2.24 meters
Liz Mcarthur, STERLING BOIN photo