2023 USU Winter Sports Magazine

USU Winter Sports

10

Tamiah Robinson has ‘that dog mentality’

contents

24 Akin and Eytle-Rock: Friends from London to Logan

20 Taylor Funk: From rec room to Spectrum

34

Ice ice baby:

USU Hockey player Tomas Maciunas’ life on and off the rink

42 Head coach Kristin White helps Utah State Gymnastics find its balance

50

USU Snow Club creates a community for snow sports

0165 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-0165

MANAGING EDITOR

Darcy Ritchie

SPORTS EDITOR

Jake Ellis

COPY EDITOR

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STATESMAN WRITERS

Kate Stewart Nathan Dunn

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Tamiah Robinson has ‘that dog mentality’

By Kate Stewart

THREE-LEVEL-SCORER

Tamiah Robinson is a guard for Utah State University Women’s Basketball.

This year, Robinson transferred from Labette Community College, where she played two seasons. Last season, she was an NJCAA Division II second-team All-American.

Isabella Tañedo, another guard on the team, says Robinson “just gets the job done.”

“She has that dog mentality,” Tañedo said.

Robinson has played basketball since she was 5 years old. She said she loves the passion it brings out of her.

“I’m a very chill, laid back person, but playing basketball brings out so much passion. You can see that I love the game,

and how much love I have for the game,” Robinson said. “It brings out a side of me that most people don’t see.”

The team competed in their first exhibition game on Oct. 28, beating Fort Lewis College 74-45.

“It was good — that was just like my first real DI collegiate game, so I was excited and nervous at the same time. But it was good,” Robinson said. “I think we’re gelling pretty good together, but there is more stuff we can work on, and we’re just going to keep getting better from here on out.”

Both head coach Kayla Ard and Andre Gibbs, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, said Robinson is a great shooter.

“It’s no secret that her scoring ability is second to none. She’s going to help us in that area a lot,” Gibbs said.

Ard said Robinson can score on all three levels: she can shoot the three, she has a really good midrange game and she is excellent at finishing at the rim.

Like Tañedo, Ard also said Robinson has “that dog mentality” on the court.

Prima Chellis, a forward and another teammate of Robinson, said her favorite thing about Robinson is how she reads the floor.

“She has really good court vision,” Chellis said.

Robinson plays both point and shooting guard. She said she is pretty comfortable in both spots, so it’s hard to decide which is her favorite.

“We’re just going to keep getting better from here on out.”

-Tamiah Robinson

“I like playing point guard because I get to dictate everything that goes on the court, and I just think that’s good because I think that I make good decisions as a point guard,” Robinson said. “I like playing off the ball because I feel pretty free off the ball. So I can play the wing; I could shoot, I could drive.”

According to Ard, Robinson is consistent — the kind of player who can quietly drop 20 points.

“She’s a very consistent player, so I want to help her consistently be the best player on the court every night,” Ard said.

Ard said she loves having Robinson on the team.

“There’s a lot of things I love about her. When she’s happy and she smiles — I mean, she can light up a room. She’s got a great smile. She’s got a great personality. She’s funny, I love that about her. I love that she’s grateful. She wants to be here,” Ard said.

Ard referenced Robinson’s smile again when talking about her recruitment to USU.

“I could literally feel her smile through the phone when she was talking to me when she committed. So it was a special moment. I don’t tear up very often, but I did when she committed,” Ard said. “She’s just a special kid.”

Like Ard, Chellis also spoke fondly of Robinson’s smile.

“My favorite thing about Tamiah is probably her laugh — like when she laughs, it just makes you laugh because it’s so giggly — and her smile,” Chellis said.

Tañedo said she feels like she and Robinson just get each other because they are both from the East Coast. She said she loves when they crack jokes, laugh, hang out and talk about everything.

Chellis said Robinson and Tañedo are her “lifelong friends.”

“We’re all new here, and like, we just bonded so well with each other,” Chellis said. “After I graduate, they’ll be the people I want to be at my wedding.”

Robinson said the environment with her team has been really good. She said they are “gelling pretty quick on and off the court.”

“As fun as she is on the court, and all the spectacular things she can do, off the court she’s fun to be around,” Gibbs said.

According to Robinson, the team does things off the court to build their chemistry, which she has seen translate to their performance on the court.

Robinson said she has enjoyed her time in Logan and at Utah State so far.

“It has been pretty cool. I’m from Philly, so back there it’s like — it’s fast, it’s a lot of things going on. So to be out here in Logan and at Utah State, I’m just growing and trying new things, and I’m just in a calm environment,” Robinson said.

When talking about her goals, Robinson said she’s looking for “anything revolving around sports.”

“I want to go pro, but other goals would be like a coach or athletic trainer,” Robinson said.

Ard said Robinson is very open to growth, which is a huge advantage at her age.

“She wanted to come here to put herself in an uncomfortable situation because she felt like this path would help her, you know, achieve her dreams, which was going overseas and playing professional basketball. She thought that she could grow here — yes, as a basketball player, but as a person,” Ard said.

Ard said her favorite thing about Robinson is her willingness to challenge herself.

“She likes to put herself in challenging situations and sometimes uncomfortable situations to help her grow,” Ard said.

Ard said she wants to help Robinson grow as a basketball player and get on the Mountain West map, but also as a person so she can reach her goals after USU.

Gibbs said he is really excited to see Robinson reach her potential. He said with her, the sky is the limit.

“I already know we are going to be very, very proud of her at the end of the year,” Gibbs said.

Winter

Q: Who do you play as in Mario Kart?

A: Roy. Best in the house, by the way.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Probably football team, wide receiver. Be like McGriff.

Q: Who on the team would win in an arm wrestling tournament?

A: I would say myself, but probably not. I probably go the Ukrainian powerlifter, Max Shulga.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Dreams and Nightmares” by Meek Mill.

Q: What’s your go-to road trip snack?

A: Gummies, like the Mott’s. We have the fruit snacks — those be hitting.

Q: Who on the team would win in an arm wrestling tournament?

A: Probably Szymon. He’s just a bit reckless, dangerous, but he’s strong, I guess. I’ll give it to him.

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: Get into the gym a little early. Getting shots up, working on some ball handling. Listen to some music.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “The Notebook.”

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: I like to sit in my car or either on the bus, if we’re on an away games, and just listen to music. Most people listen to like pump up music, I like to listen to more chill music.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Death of a Bachelor” by Panic! at the Disco.

Q: Who on the team would win in an arm wrestling tournament?

A: Dan Akin. Plain and simple.

Sean Bairstow, Sr., Guard

Taylor Funk, Gr., Forward

Isaac Johnson, So., Center

RJ Eytle-Rock, Sr., Guard

Sean Bairstow, Sr., Guard Taylor Funk, Gr., Forward

Isaac Johnson, So., Center

RJ Eytle-Rock, Sr., Guard

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Taylor Funk: From rec room to Spectrum

By Nathan Dunn

MONDAYS,

TUESDAYS

and Thursdays may be mundane in the work week, but for Taylor Funk, they brought the start of his basketball career.

“My dad would take me to the closest rec center on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,” Funk said. “The men would get off work and then start hooping. And I’d always been playing against these older guys and — starting at a young age — and gradually was able to start playing with them.”

Between shooting from the sidelines and later, playing against the older crowd, Funk got in a lot of practice.

“Eventually, I just got good enough to play with them, and that’s kind of where I took off,” Funk said.

Funk, a graduate transfer from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, committed to Utah State in late March 2022. At St. Joseph’s, Funk averaged 13.2 points and nearly seven rebounds per game in 120 career games. In addition to his stellar stat line, Funk shot 40% from the field and 37% from the arc during his senior season.

How was Utah State able to sign this sharpshooter? According to Funk and Utah State head coach Ryan Odom, the recruiting process started when Funk was in high school.

“We tried to recruit Taylor when I was at UMBC. We didn’t get him, and he ended up at St. Joe’s, and so he was somewhat familiar with us,” Odom said. “We just started recruiting him right away and we’re very fortunate we got him to visit pretty quickly.”

Funk said he remembers Odom calling him the first time before he signed at St. Joseph’s.

“The second time around, he got me,” Funk said, laughing.

The visit to Logan that followed Odom’s next call was a successful one.

“I came out on a visit, and it was wraps from there,” Funk said. “I fell in love with everything about this place. The team culture, coaches, the land, the people.”

And it wasn’t just Funk who came to Utah State. Funk’s father, Tim, said he and his wife moved to Logan during the basketball season to attend his son’s games.

Recruiting a sought-after transfer was the key for Utah State this season, since the Aggies lost fan-favorite players Justin Bean, Brock “Mr. Clean” Miller and Brandon Horvath.

After entering the transfer portal, Funk was pursued by a long list of universities: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, BYU, Colorado, Delaware, DePaul, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Iona, Loyola-Chicago, LMU, Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rice, Saint Louis, Tulane, VCU, William & Mary and Xavier, according to multiple reports.

Funk’s commitment was a big get for Utah State — so big the team named him a captain for the season.

“He obviously is poised for a great season. He’s done really well,” Odom said.

However, there were concerns about Funk’s health at the beginning of the season. At the Blue and White scrimmage in early October, Funk was in a boot. Previously, he had a hand injury that cut his sophomore season short, and another hand injury that ended his season last year in the Atlantic 10 tournament.

But Odom wasn’t worried.

“He’s not going to have the benefit of playing in the scrimmages, but he’s been here since April,” Odom said. “He’s been playing with these guys who have been practicing all summer, so he has a really good feel as a veteran player.”

In Funk’s first game with the Aggies, he dropped 18 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to complete a double-double in the Aggies’ 75-58 win over Utah Valley.

“He has a really intimate feel for his game, and he’s a natural fit for the way that we coach here,” Odom said. “He can really shoot the basketball.”

Funk’s new teammates noticed the impact he was already having, from his skills to his confidence and loud voice.

“He’s got really good energy,” guard Steven Ashworth said. “He knows a lot about the game and has a lot of knowledge that’s good to impart on the younger guys.”

Although Funk has been in Logan less than a year, he says he has learned a lot from Odom.

“He is very good at building competence in you. He got things out of me that I didn’t even know I was capable of doing,” Funk said. “He lets you mess up, that’s what’s cool about it. He really, really encourages you to get in the gym, get some extra reps up.”

Prospective recruits visiting Logan this season will see signs of a positive culture in Odom’s coaching and players’ attitudes.

“I’m a happy guy — it’s very rare you are going to see me down with an attitude. I love meeting new people,” Funk said. “I’ve always got a smile on my face.”

With high hopes and the right mindset, Funk is looking to lead the charge for the Aggies as they begin the onslaught of Mountain West Conference games.

Akin and Eytle-Rock: Friends from London to Logan

By Jake Ellis

MOST

UTAH STATE

Men’s Basketball players challenge each other in the basketball video game NBA2k in their free time off the court, but forward Dan Akin and guard RJ Eytle-Rock compete in FIFA, a soccer video game. It’s one characteristic that hangs over from their British backgrounds.

“We be playing FIFA all night,” Eytle-Rock said. “We definitely have our battles — like, the house gets loud sometimes.”

Both claim to be the best at the game, but it’s clear the rivalry has gone back and forth — Akin said Eytle-Rock doesn’t let him play as FC Bayern Munich anymore because he always won.

Their soccer rivalry isn’t confined to the virtual pitch, though. Both support different London-based Premier League clubs, with Akin backing Chelsea F.C. and Eytle-Rock cheering on Arsenal F.C.

But while they may be rivals in soccer, they’ve played basketball together for nearly a decade, and their friendship shines on the court.

Back in 2017, Akin was playing his final high school season at Barking Abbey in London. He and Eytle-Rock were both being recruited by then-UMBC head coach Ryan Odom. To show how seriously he wanted the players, Odom flew out to London.

“He was like the only guy that came to London,” Akin said. “To me, that meant like, OK, he really wants me to play for him if he’s going to fly out.”

The trip worked, and Akin signed with UMBC. He started contributing immediately — during his freshman campaign, he averaged 3.5 points and 3.4 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Eytle-Rock, who was a year younger than Akin, decided to go to prep school in New Jersey for a year. He suffered an injury and was sidelined most of the season, but he watched Akin score the first basket of UMBC’s historic upset of Virginia in the 2018 NCAA tournament.

“He won’t let me forget that,” Eytle-Rock said, laughing. “I was just happy for Dan as well because that was his first year.”

Seeing the Retrievers’ success in March Madness made Eytle-Rock glad he had committed to play for them the following season.

“I was just like, ‘Wow, that’s really where I’m going next,’” Eytle-Rock said.

Starting the next season, Eytle-Rock joined Akin for three years at UMBC.

After the 2020-21 season, both players had a big decision to make when Odom took the head coaching job at USU.

Eytle-Rock followed Odom to Logan, and Akin blazed his own path to Cal Baptist.

“I wanted to do something different, and obviously, California was different,” Akin said. “I had a great experience there.”

For the Lancers, Akin averaged 10.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, good enough for second in the Western Athletic Conference in rebounding.

Their friendship withstood the season apart, the first time since Eytle-Rock went to UMBC that the pair didn’t play together. They said they texted each other to check in on how the other’s games had gone.

“We have a good little brotherhood going on,” Akin said.

But, after a season in the Golden State, Akin decided he was ready for another change. After Cal Baptist lost in the first round of the CBI Tournament, Akin announced he was entering the transfer portal for a second time. This time around, Akin was ready to rejoin his old coaches and Eytle-Rock.

“Being familiar with coaches helps, and then knowing someone on the team helps a lot with the transition coming to the team,” Akin said. “So it wasn’t a completely new team.”

Carvalho, Gr., Guard

Q: Who do you play as in Mario Kart?

A: Luigi.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Track and field or cross country.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “Beast.” It’s horrible, guys.

Chellis, Gr., Forward

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: I have to take a nap, like at least two hours.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Football. Put me on D-line.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “Goosebumps.”

Kimball, Gr., Guard

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: My pregame ritual is probably just to listen to music and laugh with my friends so I can calm down before the game.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Softball.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus.

Q: Who do you play as in Mario Kart?

A: I was the mushroom.

Q: What’s your go-to road trip snack?

A: I’m very much addicted to those Ghirardelli chocolates… If there’s a bag in front of me, the whole thing is gone.

Maria

Mayson

Prima

Kayla Ard, Head Coach

Maria Carvalho, Gr., Guard Mayson Kimball, Gr., Guard

Prima Chellis, Gr., Forward

Kayla Ard, Head Coach

Eytle-Rock felt Akin coming to USU was a given, but that didn’t stop Akin from “playing around” with Eytle-Rock’s emotions until he confirmed he was coming to Logan.

“Finally, you made up your mind,” Eytle-Rock said. “We can just get back to doing what we were doing, and then it’s kind of just like a relief.”

Now reunited as roommates, they continue to have a shared understanding of what it’s like to be in a completely different world from where they grew up.

“We can just look at each other and just know what’s up,” Akin said. “That’s really good to have.”

Akin and Eytle-Rock maintain their British brotherhood while also developing new friendships with other teammates, including the fellow European players on the team: guard Max Shulga from Ukraine and center Szymon Zapala from Poland.

Their American teammates are also rubbing off on them, which was made clear when they were asked which other USU team they would play for if they did not play basketball. They both said American football. Eytle-Rock would be a quarterback “throwing dimes,” while Akin thinks he would be a “pretty good DB.”

Now, as the Aggies enter Mountain West Conference play, Akin looks forward to guarding the likes of Wyoming forward Graham Ike and San Diego State forward Nathan Mensah.

“I’m excited to play against really good players and see what I can do against them,” Akin said.

Akin added that the Aggies plan to shock the conference after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason media poll.

“They’re going to wake up when they see us play,” Akin said.

“They’re going to wake up when they see us play.”

-Dan Akin

Ice ice baby: USU Hockey player

Tomas Maciunas’ life on and off the rink

By Jacee Caldwell

WE ALL KNOW THE greats, the Utah State University legends: Justin Bean, Logan Bonner, Sammie Murdock, Tatum Stall, etc. One thing they all have in common is being a student-athlete for USU Athletics.

But what about the players who don’t play under the athletics department — the athletes playing club sports through Campus Recreation who have to be great, be students and find their own funding with less recognition?

This is where Tomas Maciunas comes into the picture. The 5’6” senior from Bountiful studying art and pre-dental is one of the forwards on USU’s hockey team — or the proper term, “club.”

Much like other athletes, Maciunas spends the majority of his time thinking about what he loves most. He said he’s either on the ice, lifting weights, hanging out with teammates, sleeping or eating.

More specifically, if you aren’t watching a game, you could probably find him at a Cafe Rio ordering a sweet pork salad, or playing tennis, what Maciunas calls his “second sport.”

Though hockey is inevitably time consuming, Maciunas said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Hockey is a really physical sport, and I just personally really like that,” he said. “It’s not really just an individual effort, it’s really a team-based sport. Hockey is what stuck with me — it’s the love of my life.”

But he did admit there are things he has to do to keep his mental health in check as a student-athlete. Maciunas said when life gets overwhelming, he takes time to himself to celebrate small victories.

“I took a microbiology test a little bit ago, and it was really hard,” he said. “So, after the test, I went out and got some food and ate out, which I typically try not to do.”

Maciunas has been on the rink since he was four years old, taking after his dad.

“My dad picked up hockey when he was in like his 30’s, and to be honest, he’s not that good,” he said, laughing. “But he got me into it at a young age, and I just really loved it.”

cont. on p 38

“Hockey is what stuck with me — it’s the love of my life.”

-Tomas Maciunas

Maciunas said regardless of how hard it was to learn at first, he’s always loved the aggressive nature of the sport.

And although he wasn’t sure about where hockey would take him next, he eventually learned he wasn’t ready to give it up. After graduating high school from Woods Cross, he found himself at the walk-on tryouts for USU’s club team.

After making the team, his passion for the ice only grew. However, after coronavirus hit the world, he had some time off.

Maciunas said after his break from the skates, he came back better than ever. Now in his final year repping No. 19 on the Aggie jersey, he’s had the chance to experience being an officer on the team.

“It’s really fun. It’s almost like running a business,” Maciunas said. “I like being a part of it. I like being able to make decisions for the team.”

USU hockey coach Olli Jansson said Maciunas was nominated for the position by his teammates.

“Tommy is a team player who is liked among his teammates. He is always willing to help out younger guys if they have any questions or problems,” Jansson said.

But being a team officer doesn’t come without its struggles. Because the team is under USU Campus Recreation rather than USU Athletics, Maciunas has to help manage the budget and make graphics for the team.

“A lot of the money that we get comes from admission fees,” he said. “It’s really important that we are marketing and trying to reach out to students on campus and get them to come to our games. The more people we get, the more money we can have to pay for the stuff we need to.”

Even with the extra responsibility, Maciunas knows it’s always worth it and will even miss it once he graduates.

Not only will he have to say goodbye to some of his teammates and Aggie fans, he’ll have to end some of the things he’s made a routine of.

Q: What’s your go-to road trip snack?

A: I love a good muddy buddie.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Golf team, no doubt.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: Never seen it, but “2012.”

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: I actually sit in the coaches’ locker room and coach Crawford will tell you that I like to watch Stanley Tucci.

Q: If you didn’t coach basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Tennis.

Q: If you were a professor at USU, which course would you teach?

A: Econ.

Gr., Forward

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: I like to have a hot shower before the game. I eat the same kind of foods, and I always have to tie my right shoe before my left shoe.

Q: If you didn’t play basketball, what USU team would you play for?

A: Probably the football team. I feel like I’d be a pretty good DB.

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: Drinking a Celsius and braiding Maria’s hair.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Goodbye Earl” by The Chicks.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “Beast” was definitely a bad one, or any romantic movie that doesn’t end with a happy ending.

Steven Ashworth, Jr., Guard

Dan Akin,

Abby Wahl, Gr., Forward

Ryan Odom, Head Coach

Steven Ashworth, Jr., Guard

Dan Akin, Gr., Forward

Abby Wahl, Gr., Forward

Ryan Odom, Head Coach

“I feel like this is oddly common on the team, but everyone puts the left side of their gear on first,” Maciunas said. “I also always get Jimmy John’s before our games, and I always have to have a lot of liquids.”

But Maciunas doesn’t plan on saying goodbye to what he’s known his whole life just yet. He said he plans on continuing to play for fun and in any other leagues he can find. After graduation, he hopes to move and attend dental school.

Jansson said the team will definitely miss him once he’s gone.

“Tommy always brings his best to each game and practice,” Jansson said. “He’s one of the guys who always wants to get better and is ready to put in the work for it.”

Last year, Maciunas had nine goals and eleven assists across 36 games. He hopes to beat those stats this season.

And though the team’s season doesn’t end until March, Maciunas wanted the team next year to know to never take advantage of the time they have in the rink.

“Savor these moments,” he said. “Enjoy what we have here at USU because it’s honestly pretty special — there’s nothing really like it.”

Head coach Kristin White helps Utah State Gymnastics find its balance

By Darcy Ritchie

KRISTIN WHITE WAS in Oklahoma visiting her family when she got the call letting her know she had been hired as the new head coach of Utah State Gymnastics.

The announcement was met with lots of hugs and tears.

“It’s something that you’ve dreamed up your whole life, and to kind of see it come to fruition was something really exciting to share with all of them,” White said.

White was born and raised in Oklahoma and was the “hometown girl” competing on the University of Oklahoma gymnastics team. After graduating in 2010, she remained at OU as the team’s graduate assistant for two years. While there, she realized coaching college gymnastics was what she wanted to do with her life.

“I found my passion for the sport again,” White said. “I wanted to be able to go into coaching and give that same environment that I was given in college, and just really watch the student-athletes succeed.”

White knew if she wanted to coach college gymnastics, she needed to learn how to coach. After receiving her master’s degree in adult and higher education, she started coaching club teams in Massachusetts and Oklahoma before being hired as an assistant coach at Iowa State for two seasons. White came to Logan from Arizona State, where she was an assistant coach for three seasons.

Upon her arrival in Logan, White focused on reestablishing the team and getting her new staff in place.

White hired Rachel Slocum and Robert Ladanyi as assistant coaches this summer. Slocum is the primary coach on vault, and Ladanyi is the primary coach on bars.

“I feel very blessed to have one of the best staffs in the country, in my opinion,” White said. “Both of them are great technical coaches and have worked at some of the top programs in the country.”

Other than preparing for a great season, White has been focusing her first year as head coach on building a better team culture and relationship with the student-athletes — trying to teach them they’ve got people in their corner. cont. on p 46

“I really do believe in trying to have a good balance because balance makes us successful.”

-Kristin White

“Gymnastics is hard, and you’ve got to love what you do, and you’ve got to love the people that are around you,” White said. “When you have that feeling in the gym every single day, that’s going to make you a better athlete, even on the days when you don’t necessarily want to.”

White has been building that culture by getting to know the student-athletes and planning team activities, including tailgates and a team retreat at Bear Lake. The coaching staff also has monthly one-onone meetings with the athletes to check in with them.

Senior Ariel Toomey said the athletes can talk with the coaches about anything during those meetings, and it’s nice that White truly wants to know what’s going on in the lives of her students.

“Not everyday’s going to be perfect,” Toomey said. “Instead of getting mad, she really tries to understand what might be going on outside of gymnastics. So she’s really big on communication and making sure that we’re on the same page.”

Toomey said her first impression of White was that she cared about the student-athletes as individuals, rather than just their scores. Toomey was home for the summer when White started the job, but White called her frequently to check in and get to know her.

“She was just very involved from the very start and really wanted to get to know us,” Toomey said.

Junior Brianna Brooks said kind and caring coaches can be hard to find in the gymnastics world, and the new staff has been “a breath of fresh air.”

“I feel like it’s really easy to talk to her, and I can call her whenever,” she said. “Even at practice, she’ll just, like, call people over and just ask them about their day.”

Brooks is from Las Vegas, which is a seven-hour drive away, so she said it’s nice to have someone there for her in Logan.

“She’s like my second mom,” Brooks said. “I think she’s like everyone’s second mom.”

Along with creating a positive team culture, White also stresses the importance of academics, emphasizing “success both on the competition floor and in the classroom.”

White set a standard for a 3.6 GPA from each athlete this year, and she starts each practice with a discussion about how school is going.

Danika Kirstine, So., VT/UB/BB

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “Spy Kids.” All the “Spy Kids” movies.

Q: If you were a professor at USU, which course would you teach?

A: I’ll teach a Zumba class.

Q: Who on the team would win in an arm wrestling tournament?

A: Avery.

Amari Evans, So., AA

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: Any of the songs from “Hamilton.”

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Track.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: Any of the, like, cheesy, romantic Hallmark movies. They’re kind of all the same.

Amari Evans, So., AA

Danika Kirstine, So., VT/UB/BB

Senior Angel Stuart said White emphasizes that the 3.6 GPA is a standard, not just a goal, and she is proactive in making sure the student-athletes are turning in their work on time.

“She’ll take the time to be like, ‘Step out of practice or go to study hall, get your homework done, and then get back in the gym,’” Stuart said.

White sets these academic standards because one day, gymnastics will be gone, and the student-athletes are at USU to get an education and to set themselves up for the rest of their lives.

“We’ve raised the standard in terms of academics, but I think they understand that it’s very important to me, and they’re doing a great job staying on top of it,” White said.

White doesn’t just emphasize balance for her athletes — it’s also very important in her own life.

“I really do believe in trying to have a good balance because balance makes us successful,” she said.

“That’s something that our staff tries to work on as well is just balancing the crazy coaching lifestyle while also balancing, you know, kind of having that family aspect.”

White moved to Logan with her husband, Trent, and their 1-year-old son, Brayden. She said her husband understands how important the job is to her and helps her maintain a balance between work and family.

“A coaching lifestyle is different, and a lot of people don’t experience that,” White said. “I give a lot of credit to him because he’s my biggest supporter, and he’s the one that helps kind of keep me grounded.”

Utah State Gymnastics ended last season ranked No. 23 in the nation. Under former head coach Amy Smith, the team won its first Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference championship and finished third in Session 1 of the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional.

Coming off a historic season could be intimidating for a new coach, but White is excited about the standard of excellence the team has set.

“Those goals and dreams don’t go away, you know, so I’m definitely very excited about it,” she said. “I know that our team is very hungry to succeed on the competition floor.”

See coach White and the Utah State Gymnastics team in action during their first home meet on Jan. 27.

USU Snow Club creates a community for snow sports

By Caitlin Keith

Utah State University’s Snow Club primarily focuses on skiing and snowboarding and is working on including other snow sports as well. Formerly known as the Snowboard and Ski Club, this is the club’s second year after a post-pandemic revamp.

“Our mission statement is that we are an organization at USU that’s all about making a community that’s inclusive but also affordable for skiing, snowboarding, and essentially all snow sports,” said Jackson North, the current club president.

North has been skiing for most of his life. He transferred to USU at the start of the fall 2021 semester and wanted to get involved and make friends.

North heard of the Snow Club at Day on the Quad. At the time, it was called the Snowboard and Ski

Club. North got in contact with the club adviser, Sean Michael, who was looking for new club officers.

Michael is a professor in the outdoor product design department at USU. He said he has loved snowboarding ever since the ’80s.

He has served as the club’s advisor since 2018 after he was approached by former USU student Bowman Caldwell about starting a club for skiing and snowboarding.

“The funny thing is, you know, a club like this, there’s probably been seven or something over the years. They often come and go,” Michael said. “But Bowman was pretty committed to it, and he got some other officers going.”

Caldwell got the club off the ground but graduated shortly after. Then the pandemic hit, pushing the Snowboard and Ski Club underground.

As the pandemic slowed down and the fall 2021 semester started, Michael was looking for a way to get the club off the ground and going again.

“We basically had zero officers, and nobody was wanting to return,” Michael said. “And so when the Day on the Quad was coming up, I asked the person who oversees the clubs if we could get a table. I just made up flyers and signup sheets and basically acted like the club was still going full speed. And we had 200 and some students signed up for information that day.”

The sign-up sheet included an option for students to choose if they were willing to be an officer.

North became president of the club that semester. He and the first round of officers rebuilt the club from the ground up.

Katie Creglow, a junior and the current club activities coordinator, served as an officer last year. Creglow is from Alaska, and she has been skiing for most of her life.

“It was really hard because we didn’t really have a lot of guidance,” Creglow said. “We had to wing it for a bit and just figure it out along the way, but then this year, it’s a lot smoother since we had the experience of last year.”

The name of the club was shortened from the Snowboard and Ski Club to the Snow Club, which served as part of the club’s resurrection.

Among the changes was the inclusion of other snow sports, such as backcountry and cross country skiing and pow surfing.

“The current officers, they’ve also grown it to where there are, I think, 500+ students already

on the mailing list, and they are on track to set a new record for number of paying members,” Michael said.

This is North’s second year as president, and he works with eight other officers to run the club.

The other officers include Creglow, vice president Ryker Schenck, treasurer Davis Sineath, social media specialist Sydney Higginson, membership service coordinator Noah Cartwright, sponsorship outreach officer Sean Moran, utility officer Pierce Callister and events committee member Trail Carroll.

The Snow Club offers different activities and events to its members to socialize with one another and create a community.

“We do ride nights, where people can come and ski together at night skiing,” Creglow said. “We organized that last year, and we had hot chocolate and it was really fun.”

The club also holds rail jams in the winter. They set up a rail on Old Main Hill for people to bring their boards and skis and ride.

Both North and Creglow said their most successful event held so far was a wax night at Directive skate shop in Logan.

“Directive downtown sponsored this wax night and people came into their shop, and they set up a bunch of wax stations, and people got to wax for free, which is really amazing,” Creglow said. “That was a big hit. And then we also contributed a little bit to Directive because we brought people in, and then we gave them some money for hosting us.”

Even though snow sports happen during the winter, the club runs all school year, hosting a variety of activities.

At the beginning of the fall semester, they held a bonfire in Green Canyon, and a barbeque for the members and anyone else who wanted to join.

Rojas, 5th-year, VT/UB/BB

Q: Who do you play as in Mario Kart?

A: Either Luigi or Toad.

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Basketball.

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Basketball.

Bayles, 5th-year, UB/BB

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: Usually before meets, I visualize my beam routines in the comp arena and listen to a calming playlist.

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Softball.

Q: Who on the team would win in an arm wrestling tournament?

A: Lexi (Aragon) for sure would win.

Brianna Brooks, Jr., AA

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “Fergalicious.”

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Aggiettes.

Q: What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen?

A: “The Barbarian.” It wasn’t good. It was weird.

Q: What’s your pregame ritual?

A: I like to eat bacon and eggs and then put perfume on before I go out.

Q: What song do you know every lyric to?

A: “The Wire” by HAIM.

Q: If you didn’t play gymnastics, what USU team would you play for?

A: Maybe if we had a women’s golf team, I would try and do that.

Grace

Maia Fishwick, Sr., AA

Carly

Grace Rojas, 5th-year, VT/UB/BB Brianna Brooks, Jr., AA

Maia Fishwick, Sr., AA

Carly Bayles, 5th-year, UB/BB

The club has a chat on Discord for the members where they announce events and other club information. Members can also use the chat to connect with one another, coordinate carpooling up to the resort, or plan activities together.

It costs $25 to become a member of the Snow Club, and sign ups can be done online at ususnowclub. com. More information on the club and its officers is also available on the website.

Paying the membership fee gives members access to the different deals the club has through sponsorships.

Snow Club members get $25 off a season pass to Beaver Mountain Ski Resort. There are other benefits as well, such as a discount code for the Ikon pass, and discounts at companies such as Toko and Weston.

The Snow Club also has sponsorship deals with local businesses like Lucky Slice and Prodigy Brewing, who support club activities.

If interested, anyone can join the clubs’ email list or group chat without paying the membership fee.

The Snow Club’s purpose is to help people get out on the mountain, enjoy the winter and take part in winter sports.

“I want people to know that the USU Snow Club is here on campus,” North said. “We’re not leaving anytime soon. Come meet some of us, have fun with us, and you know, just enjoy the environment. Enjoy this weather that we have upon us.”

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