LOGAN— Utah State University officially announced its move to the Mountain West Conference – beginning July 1, 2013 – Friday in front of a packed auditorium at the new Agricultural Sciences building.   “I know Moses wandered in the wilderness for 40 years,” USU President Stan Albrecht said. “I don’t know why we had to do it for 50.”   The Aggies will make the move with fellow Western Athletic Conference member San Jose State, and join recently departed WAC members Nevada, Fresno State, and Hawaii (football only). The...

  LOGAN— The day Utah State University fans and alumni have been waiting for since the first domino of conference realignment fell has finally arrived. USU will announce Friday that it will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and joining the Mountain West Conference.   Though rumors have been swirling for months, the smoke built into some serious flames over the past couple of weeks. USU Athletic Director added fuel to the fire when he joked that the Aggies were working on changing the WAC conference logos on their football...

  LOGAN— The USU football team took to Merlin Olsen field at Romney Stadium Monday for the Aggies first scrimmage of the spring. After roughly 100 plays and nearly two hours of action, here are the first impressions of this Aggie team.   QB Competition Close Again: Last year, the Aggies didn’t name a starting QB until true-freshman Chuckie Keeton took the field against Auburn in the season opener. Though I don’t think Gary Andersen will wait that long to anoint a starter this time around, the race is once...

  LOGAN— The Utah State softball team made sure to avoid a season sweep against the Nevada Wolf Pack with a 4-0 win at Johnson Field Saturday afternoon.   USU junior pitcher Mandy Harmon, who kicked off the Western Athletic Conference regular season with a complete-game shutout at Louisiana Tech, threw another one against Nevada allowing the Wolf Pack only three hits on the day.   “Mandy did a fantastic job,” USU head coach Carissa Millsap-Kalaba said. “She did a really good job hitting her spots. She really carried us...

  LOGAN— The USU softball team opened Western Athletic Conference play at home with a pair of losses Friday afternoon.   Nevada’s Megan Fincher scored two runs to go with two hits and three RBIs to lead the Wolf Pack over the Aggies 8-7 in the first game — an extra-inning affair — and 3-1 in the second game.   USU raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Sophomore Kassie Uchida singled up the middle to lead off the inning and advanced to second base on a...

LOGAN— The USU men’s basketball team may wish it could have a do-over with its 2012 season – at least for the first 25 games. The Aggies are on a tear as of late, and advanced to the championship game of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament with a 105-81 win over Oakland.   Ignited by a 3-point barrage, the Aggies jumped all over a very talented Oakland team – highlighted by the nation’s leading scorer, Reggie Hamilton – and rolled to the easy victory.   “Everything looks easy when you make...

  LOGAN— Senior Rebecca Holliday said it meant a lot to compete in her final Western Athletic Conference Gymnastics Championship at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.   “It was really fun and I’m so glad that we got to have WAC my senior year here in the Spectrum,” Holliday said.   Holliday said being at home put the team in a different mind-set.   “We said any doubts you have get rid of them,” she said. “Attack everything, don’t doubt yourself and get after everything.”   Holliday and Freshman Sarah...

    LOGAN— The USU women’s tennis teamed hosted San Francisco University Friday and came away with a tough loss, 4-3.   Things started off well for USU in doubles as the Aggies won 2-1 and earned the point. The No. 1 doubles team of Jaci West and McKenzie Davis defeated Julie Wartenburger and Blair Reed, 8-3. Kristina Voytsekhovich and Romina Nedakovic also beat Melinda Akerbrant and Alana McMahon, 8-4.   The only USU loss came at the hands of Milica Tanovic and Yurie Hashiguchi who beat Brianna Rowland and...

LOGAN— The USU men’s basketball team may not have been the top WAC team in 2012. Saturday night though, they were clearly the best WAC team in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament as they blasted the Idaho Vandals, 76-56.   “I thought that we came out excited to play. We had some energy and at this time of the year that is critical,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said. “Obviously, it is easier when you are the home team, but it is not always a guarantee. I was just really pleased...

  TUCSCON, Ariz.— A top road bars score and second-best overall score of the season on the apparatus paced Utah State gymnastics to a 192.975 and a third-place finish in a quad meet hosted by No. 18 Arizona Friday night, joined by Bridgeport and Air Force.   The host Wildcats of Arizona won the meet with a 196.525, followed by the Purple Knights of Bridgeport with a 193.525.  USU’s 192.975 was good for third, just ahead of the Falcons of Air Force’s 192.175.   Friday was USU’s final tune-up before...