News Grant from the Department of Defense funds USU dementia research.
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
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Lifestyles Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival disqualifies pumpkin, awards $10, 720.
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Sports
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USU Hockey Club goes 1-2 in home opening weekend.
Week of October 12, 2026
Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 202
DOD grant funds USU dementia research By Kylie Jones STATESMAN REPORTER
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ccording to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are an estimated 7.4 million people 65 and older living with dementia currently in the United States. Those individuals rely on nearly 13 million caregivers. This means the majority of individuals who live with dementia have more than one unpaid caregiver throughout their lives. The 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report says that these caregivers can range from family members to friends, who make up 83% of caregiving hours provided to older adults in the U.S. Included among those caregivers are active and veteran military personnel, families and friends. These caregivers, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, put in an average of nearly 30 hours per week per caregiver to provide care. This task can be mentally, emotionally and physically taxing, and finding resources to help can be difficult. Beth Fauth, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center, and her team saw this and decided to take it as an opportunity to create change. Using years of clinical research, Fauth and her team, funded by the Department of Defense, put together the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy project. ACT helps caregivers learn to live with their situations positively. Fauth explained how ACT promotes mindfulness and acceptance throughout a caregiver’s journey. ACT is an
extension of cognitive behavioral therapy, but rather than changing general feelings or thought patterns, ACT specifically focuses on helping an individual learn to live with these difficult experiences by focusing on the things that matter most to them personally. The goal of this online intervention is to make mental health resources easily accessible for both caregivers and individuals with dementia. According to Utah State Today, Fauth and her team collaborated and obtained a $1.6 million grant from the DOD to fund their research and carry out the study. Heather Kelley, a researcher for the Center for Mental Health Promotion, explained the overall goals for the ACT for Caregivers study and the steps that were taken to get there. “The goal of this study is to test a digital mental health intervention,” Kelley said. Kelly went on to express her hope for this online intervention option providing caregivers with the support and strategies needed to lead healthy, overall positive lives while administering care to their loved ones. This online intervention will allow caregivers to receive support that they may not have had access to previously, whether that’s due to location, cost, time or personal feelings of shame or doubt. Kelley emphasized that one of the main focuses of the study is to help individuals first recognize their feelings and then take actions that will help them acknowledge those feelings while remaining close to what they value. In the case of the caregivers who are freely giving their
time and efforts, what they most value is often their loved one with dementia, so helping them take actions to regulate themselves and be present for their loved one is at the forefront of this study. “Caregivers reported that it was also improving their relationships, and it was improving their physical health,” Kelley said. The goal is that this grant will allow these researchers to assess this preliminary finding in a systematic way. The ACT for Caregivers study will be split into a sixsession program. The study will start by administering a survey for participants to take. After this, they will complete the six-week online intervention, followed by completing the same survey again at the conclusion of the program.
Kylie Jones is a third-year student majoring in social work who enjoys writing, rock climbing and doing yoga. — a02434773@usu.edu
Sept. 19 Officers responded to a report of a fight that had occurred on campus. Two individuals reported getting into an altercation in which one was taken to the ER by personal transportation for evaluation. No charges were desired or filed by either party. Sept. 21 USUPD officers responded to a vehicle accident in Logan Canyon. The officer found the vehicle on the edge of the river. They described the driver to be impaired and found drugs and drug-related paraphernalia in the vehicle. The officer assisted UHP with other aspects of their investigation before clearing the call. Sept. 28 An individual reported being attacked by a family of raccoons on campus. USUPD responded to gather information and reported the incident to Logan City Animal Control.
Oct. 1 USUPD was notified of an individual that was reporting being held against their will and also children in another state being abused. Officers forwarded the information to officials in the other state. This incident was handled by officials in that jurisdiction and was not tied to any USU associated locations.
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By Dylan Moore STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
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tudents waited up to 45 minutes to take exams at Utah State University’s Logan Academic Testing Center during the fifth week of the semester as a line stretched out the door and onto the sidewalk. Wait times have since returned to normal, according to Shari Peterson, the testing center manager. She said the average wait during the week-five rush was closer to 25 to 30 minutes, with 45 minutes marking the longest it got. Staff, including Peterson, daytime testing coordinator Students wait in line at the Logan Academic Testing Center on Oct. 7. Alli Gilbert and evening and weekend testing the highest demand between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. coordinator Eli Weaver, said the rush was expected. Despite the lines, the testing center never reached In 2024, wait times reached two hours and the line capacity during the rush in weeks four and five. extended down to the Eccles Conference Center, and According to Peterson, the main testing room has staff said week five has been on their radar ever since. 193 seats, and nine more are available in a reducedPeterson said wait times were much shorter this year distraction room. Staff also worked with the library despite similar numbers of students. to create a door between the testing center and an “The lines were long, but the wait time was short,” overflow room, which allows more students to test at Peterson said. once. Week five, along with finals, is among the testing “We never hit capacity, so we never ran out of seats,” center’s busiest stretches, though weeks eight and Peterson said. 12 also draw heavy traffic. Peterson said Wednesday Peterson said the testing center typically only hits through Friday are the busiest days of the week, with capacity during finals. One of the biggest changes since 2024, Peterson said, is a “line director,” who now oversees the testing center. The director shows students to open check-in stations. The approach “shaves off seconds, which increases to minutes,” Peterson said. The testing center employs three full-time staff members and 52 student workers, with 10 to 12 proctors on a typical shift. Peterson said extra shifts are offered during peak weeks. For students, the lines have become a familiar part of testing. Hanah Kolata, a sophomore studying veterinary science, said every exam she has taken this semester has involved a line, typically lasting 10 to 15 minutes. Kolata said that during her second test, she was late to class despite having an appointment because she had scheduled it close to another class and had to wait longer than expected.
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—————— Essence Barnes news editor
Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026
Testing center lines spike to 45-minute waits in week five
Jayke Martin lifestyles editor
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The Utah Statesman Office TSC 118 435.797.1742 usustatesman.com Senior Reporters Dylan Moore Jillian Peterson Rory McNeill Senior Photographer Elise Bliss Photographers Lola Probasco Owen Clarke Dane Johnson
Reporters Quinton Papa Cambria Thurgood Kendy Plant Jen Cefalo Wyatt Cano Elissa Ross Payton Shannon Kylie Jones
Cover art by Ezra Robertson
Dylan is a senior majoring in political science. You can usually find him on some sort of outdoor adventure. PHOTOS BY Elise Bliss Students put phones in locked bags at the Logan Academic Testing Center on Oct. 6.
— dylan.moore@usu.edu
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Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 202
USU club recreates campus in Minecraft
By Jen Cefalo STATESMAN REPORTER
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ggies gather in an online space to build, survive and engineer. The Utah State University Minecraft Club runs the Minecraft server that is replicating structures and landmarks of the USU Logan campus. David Jorgensen, a senior studying computer science and the president of the Minecraft Club, was asked what his favorite thing that the club has replicated in the server was. “I’d have to say either the pixelated statues or the Old Main,” Jorgensen said. “It was a really fun project to convert Mike Whiting’s artwork into the game using code and to do a collab with him on Instagram.” The server is full of various places to explore, from campus buildings to art installations. The club’s Instagram posted images of the statues that were recreated in pixel form around the Minecraft version of campus. Jorgensen describes how his friend inspired him to start the club. “The USU Minecraft build got started when my friend Chris recommended building Reeder Hall in 2022,” Jorgensen said. “After building it, I built Old Main, and the rest is history.” This history led to what is now a growing server anda club on campus for students to enjoy. The Minecraft Club is free to join. The club meets in the TSC Clubhouse on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Jorgensen shared what people can expect if they join the server or club. “People can expect a low-key, welcoming Minecraft community,” Jorgensen said. “On the server, we also have a survival world for Aggies to build and have fun together.” Cody Puertas, a junior at USU, was asked if he had heard of
the Minecraft Club. Though he hasn’t joined himself, Puertas said he’s heard from others that the club is fun and everyone is welcome. “It’s not a club where you’re forced to join or a club that you have to come to every week to keep your membership,” Puertas said. “It’s more something that, if it interests you, it’s fun, and it’s there for you if you have the interest to play Minecraft and do whatever you want with the server, as long as it stays within their boundaries.” An in-game image capture shows a virtual Big Blue standing next to a Block A in USU’s Minecraft Club server The server has a few rules to continue playing on collected over 760,000 potatoes in the Minecraft server. it: be respectful of others, do not use hate speech or harass This contributed to the club being able to donate over 2,000 other players, claim the land if a player would like to protect pounds of potatoes to the SNAC with Johnson Family Farms. it and keep any machines and farms lag friendly. The server also has a newly launched Bedwars map. The Minecraft Club also hosts events such as the Potato Bedwars is a player versus player minigame in Minecraft Rush, which happened Sept. 27 through Oct. 3. This gave where players attempt to protect their own beds and destroy club members a chance to serve other students going to USU other players’ beds. The goal is to be the last player with their through Johnson Family Farms and the Student Nutrition bed intact. Access Center. The USU Minecraft server supports Java Edition which is According to the club’s Discord, the Potato Rush involved also the main version supported by the server. However, the collecting or farming potatoes within the game. The club server can also be accessed through Windows 10 PC Edition or Pocket Edition. To join the USU Minecraft server in Java, start out by clicking “Multiplayer” and then the “Add Server” button. From there, type “USUMC” in the server name and “mc.usu.net” for the server address. Then click “Done,” and finally double click the line for the USUMC server you just made. To join the USU Minecraft server in Bedrock, click “Play” and then click the “Servers” button at the top of the screen. Next, click the “Add Server” button in the top left. Like with Java, type in “USUMC” for the server name and “mc.usumc. net” for the server address.Leave the port the same, finally click ”Add and play.” Before being able to join the server,there will be a prompt to download the server’s resource pack, which is what makes the textures in game look the way they do, including making Big Blue look more realistic and true to the real-life version.
Jen Cefalo is junior studying kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise science. One of her favorite hobbies is watching Formula 1 races on the weekends. — jen.cefalo@usu.edu An in-game screen capture shows Old Main sitting on the east end of the Quad in USU’s Minecraft Club server.
By Cambria Thurgood STATESMAN REPORTER
Parade,” McBride said. Tuesday’s event was the Cow Milking Contest at the Caine Dairy Teaching and Research Center. rom the Quinney Field Camp to the Tractor “There was a good majority of people who had never Parade, Utah State University students and staff had the opportunity to discover what the the S.J. done it before, and it was so fun to see them get their hands dirty and do something that they’ve never done & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural before and then get excited about telling their family or Resources has to offer. friends what they had spent their Tuesday night doing,” Sept. 26 through Oct. 2 was the annual QANR Week Kriegh said. for the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture Not only did Big Blue milk a cow, but QANR Dean & Natural Resources. Derek McLean also participated in the competition. “It’s an effort to support our students through events “It was so fun to watch him,” Kriegh said. “He got his — providing them with fun activities and connections hands dirty. He milked the cow, and it was so fun. All and celebrating the college as a whole,” said Addison the students who were there were cheering for him. Kriegh, a junior studying wildlife ecology and That was an example of him showing up and being management. involved.” With the recent merge of colleges at Utah State Kriegh said that McLean was at every event, making University, event coordinators wanted to ensure that it a good opportunity for students to put a face to the there was something for everyone to enjoy. name. “We recently merged the College of Agriculture and “It was amazing to see him at every event supportApplied Sciences and the College of Natural Resources, ing all of the students and just being so involved and so this year we wanted to bring everyone together supportive towards our students and the faculty,” Kriegh and highlight all of the amazing things that are in our said. “He really made the week so much better by makcollege,” said QANR Senator Sarah McBride. The week-long celebration started off with the Quinney ing the college feel connected and making the students feel supported.” Field Camp on Sept. 26, an overnight camp that Students and staff were able to enjoy snow cones on included workshops and outdoor activities for students. the Stan L. Albrecht Agricultural Sciences Building patio On Monday, the annual Quinney Fair was set up on and complete a service project at First Dam in Logan the Quad bringing clubs and businesses to participate. Canyon, followed by a barbecue dinner, Aggie Ice Cream McBride said that having this event on the Quad is a and yard games on Wednesday. On Thursday, students good central location to attract students to the event. got to grab breakfast and talk with different college “We mostly try to meet students where they are administrators and student services at the Meet & Eat and then bring in clubs from different parts of the m college — so about 40 different clubs — and a lot of event. The final event of the week on Friday was the annual them participated in the fair and then also the Tractor Tractor Parade. Beginning in 2006, the parade honors the lives of the eight USU students and one instructor who were involved in a van accident that claimed the lives of the nine occupants, according to Utah State Today. “We have made sure to carry on this tradition for 21 years to honor the students who were members of our college who passed away,” McBride said. The students involved in the accident were part of the Agricultural Systems Technology program and were fixing up old tractors. After their passing, classmates helped finish their project and displayed the tractors in a parade to honor them. “They were doing maintenance on them. A lot of them were old tractors, so then everyone else in PHOTOS BY Ezra Robertson the ag-tech program helped quickly
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Participants throw candy to attendees at the Tractor Parade at Utah State Univeristy on Oct. 2.
Attendees watch floats towed by tractors during the Tractor Parade at Utah State University on Oct. 2.
finish the tractors so they’d be ready for the parade,” McBride said. That’s when the QANR week tradition was born. Today, the parade continues through donated vehicles. “The majority of the tractors, trucks and trailers are donated for the day by local businesses,” McBride said. “Some are owned by Utah State or faculty members as well.” While planning the events, Kriegh said that representation not only for the college, but also for each major was important.
Cambria is from West Point, Utah. This is her third year at USU. She is double majoring in journalism and communications. She loves camping and snowboarding. — cambria.thurgood@usu.edu
Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026
QANR brings a week full of events and honors past and present students
Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 202
Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival returns to Logan By Jillian Peterson STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
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ommunity members, pumpkin growers and Utah State University students gathered at the fourth annual Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival, which offered a first-place prize of more than double the prize money of last year. This year, however, the winning pumpkin was disqualified. A pumpkin weighing in at 2,258 pounds was transported from Rexburg, Idaho to Logan for the competition, but was disqualified by judges because of a new rule that was put in place this year by an international organization called the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, said Ed Dennis, one of the five judges at the weigh-off. The pumpkin had multiple large soft spots on the underside, indicating the pumpkin was rotting. According to this year’s rulebook, entries with more than two soft spots and soft spots greater than three inches in any direction disqualifies a pumpkin. “The hard part was that it was over an $11,000 prize he would have won,” Dennis said. “It was a very difficult decision, so we felt really bad about it. It kind of put a sour note on the whole day.” This disqualification made Mohamed Sadiq, a neurologist who works in Layton, Utah, the winner, with a pumpkin weighing 2,144 pounds. The payout for the winner was $5 per pound of pumpkin, giving Sadiq a prize of $10,720 — more than double last year’s $5,000 first-place payout. Dennis said this year there were considerably fewer pumpkins than usual entered in the competition. “It’s really dependent on the weather,” Dennis said. “With all the heat we had this year and the water shortage, many of the growers lost their pumpkins.”
Crowds wait in line to see the competing pumpkins in the weigh-off at the Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival.
In addition to the weigh-off, the festival featured vendor booths, food trucks and free activities such as a pumpkin pie-eating competition and a movie at the Utah Theatre. “I went last year, and this year it seemed like there were more booths to look at and more activities for kids to do,” said Utah State student Charlotte Clark. “There were also a lot of food options, which was nice.” According to Clint Nash, the president of the Utah Giant Pumpkin Growers, the logistics of the event are handled by Anderson’s Seed and Garden, a local business owned by Mark Anderson, Logan city’s mayor. Anderson’s Seed and Garden estimated that about 20,000 people would attend the event. “I would say there were almost too many people,” Clark said. “It was super packed and hard to move around a lot of the time,” PHOTOS BY Ezra Robertson Clark said events like this can help students Crowds pass by as contest participants carve pumpkins at the Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival feel like part of the Logan community. in Logan on Oct. 3.
“It gives us a chance to connect with people outside of our age group and interact with people we normally wouldn’t,” Clark said. “It was fun to have a place to go outside of campus for an event and meet new people.” Utah State student Ruth Rasmussen also attended the event and said she enjoyed eating pumpkin cheesecake crepes from The Crepery and walking through the booths. “We just love fall, and so what better way to celebrate fall than with a pumpkin festival,” Rasmussen said.
Jillian Peterson is a junior studying journalism. She is a big fan of concerts, snowboarding and the Taco Bell drive-thru. — jillian.peterson@usu.edu
Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026
A large inflatable pumpkin reflects in the windows of the Utah Theatre at the Center Street Giant Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 3.
PHOTO BY Ezra Robertson
Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 202
By Wyatt Cano STATESMAN REPORTER
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n Oct. 2, the Merrill-Cazier Library at Utah State University joined libraries across the state in participating in the first-ever statewide Reada-Thon. The event was made to form and strengthen literacy skills in children and encourage all Utahns to join in making a daily habit of reading, according to a news release from Gov. Spencer Cox’s office. Cox invited libraries and Utahns to join him in reading for at least an hour. Stephanie Western, a collection analyst for USU Libraries, helped organize the event for the library and said she was excited to take part. “I knew instantly I wanted the library to participate. I was excited to read the email when I saw it in my inbox,” Western said. Western also gave credit to the students in the Center for Academic Belonging and Learning Excellence for their help. “We got help from the ABLE office in planning this event. I wouldn’t say it was last-minute, but we did not have very much time to plan, and they were a great help,” Western said. When asked about the future of this event, Western expressed her hopes for growth. “I hope it can be bigger and better. I also hope that we were able to make the place feel cozy, almost like home.” Western estimated that more than 120 students attended. “For all the students that didn’t participate today, I would say you don’t need an excuse to come to the
Students and faculty gather in the New Books Reading Lounge, making theirselves comfortable while participating in Utah’s statewide Read-a-Thon on Oct. 2.
PHOTOS BY Ezra Robertson Carmen Jacome reads in the Merrill-Cazier during Utah’s statewide Read-a-Thon on Oct. 2.
library to read or just to relax. We try to make the library as cozy for all students when they are far from home or even just having a rough day. We are here to be a retreat for students on campus.” For the Read-a-thon, students were welcomed to the New Books Reading Lounge with many places to sit and blankets for students to use. The lounge had books across all genres for students to grab and read from, as well as a QR code for students to access the university’s Libby account. Libby contains all of the university’s e-books and audiobooks for students to enjoy for free. A hot chocolate bar was also available for students to enjoy while they read or as they pass by. “I love to read, and this day is perfect for me to just sit and have an excuse to read,” said Alison Moss, a sophomore studying biology. Similarly, Paige Jones, a sophomore studying public health, said, “I came here for two things: I like to read, and this was an assignment for my honors class, so I’m glad I can just have an excuse to sit down and read.” When asked about the event, Emily Graf, a graduate student studying history, said the event brought a nostalgia factor. “For me at least, there is a nostalgia factor. I remember all the read-a-thons I would participate in. I love to read and I have reading homework, so this day works out great for me,” said Graf. When asked about their hopes for future read-a-thons,
multiple attendees had similar opinions. “I hope that more people come and participate in just enjoying this event. You don’t need to have a book to read and participate,” said Moss. Jones agreed with this sentiment. “I just hope more people come. I’ve seen many students just watch or pass by without even enjoying the hot chocolate available,” said Jones.
Wyatt Cano is a freshman studying public health and pre-med. He loves video games, the outdoors and playing saxophone. — wyatt.cano@usu.edu
Page 9 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026
Utah State library joins first Utah Read-a-T hon
Page 10 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 202
From Utah Tech to Utah State: Brevin Hamblin’s journey to the Pac-12 By Quinton Papa STATESMAN REPORTER
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wo years ago, Brevin Hamblin took a chance to prove himself. He wanted to prove he was good enough to play in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Now, he’s making plays in the Pac-12 and was just awarded Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week. “I was looking to jump to the FBS level from Utah Tech. I just kind of wanted to prove to myself and everyone out there that I could play at the FBS level, and I got the Utah State offer pretty early into me entering the transfer portal,” Hamblin said. Hamblin spent his freshman year playing as a defensive back for the Utah Tech University Trailblazers. He had a successful year, playing all 11 games with two starts as a true freshman and ending the season with 43 tackles. In high school, Hamblin had a stand-out career at Syracuse High School, setting the school record with 13 interceptions, according to Utah Tech Athletics. The choice to transfer to Utah State was an easy one for Hamblin. “[I] took a visit here, met with coach Mendenhall and the defensive staff, and honestly, just really fell in love with the program,” Hamblin said. Family was also a big motivator for Hamblin. “I’ve had two siblings actually graduate from here, so I’ve known a lot about Utah State,” Hamblin said. “It was cool to be able to come up here with them.” Another motivation for Hamblin comes in the form of a bracelet that he wears on his arm during every game. According to Utah Tech Football, Hamblin wears the blue bracelet to honor his sister Marlise, who passed away in August of 2014.
After the game against Troy University, when the Aggie defense forced a season-high three turnovers and held the opposing offense to just 10 points, Hamblin was awarded the Pac12 Defensive Player of the Week. During the game, Hamblin had a team-high 12 tackles for his first double-digit tackle outing of the season and the 11th of his career. He currently leads the team in total tackles at 42, according to Utah State University Athletics. On the defense as a whole, Utah State head football coach Bronco Mendenhall had good things to say about the defense moving forward. “The defense kept making play after play after play when they needed to preserve the win, and as we continue to try to expand what PHOTO BY Elise Bliss USU football players, including Hamblin, left, tackle a Troy University player at Maverik Stadium on we’re doing, as was well documented, we’re struggling with procedure and different things,” Sept. 26. Mendenhall said. “We’re not polished and Lewis is a junior transfer from Texas Tech University finished yet, but we’ll take the victory and we’ll learn and currently playing his first season as a safety for USU. grow from here.” Hamblin also attributed much of his success to his team. Utah State defensive coordinator and safeties coach Nick He mentioned how he feels everyone on defense working Howell thought the honor was very deserved. together in their roles is what makes him stand out. “He should get it. He’s one of the best players in the “I couldn’t do it without the team around me and all 11 conference,” Howell said. “He’s one of the best players in dudes on the defense,” Hamblin said. “It takes an army, the country.” honestly, for everyone to stand out in their own role. But Hamblin attributes much of his success to his coaching I’m honored I got it. It’s awesome.” staff and the players around him. Hamblin’s attitude toward his teammates and the “Coach Howell does a great job incorporating the safeties game are part of what makes him stand out as a player, and the scheme to make plays, so it allows players like according to Howell. He spoke about the type of player me and Chapman [Lewis] to stand out in the back end,” Hamblin is and the impact that attitude has on the Hamblin said. coaching staff and team. He also mentioned Hamblin’s coachability. “He’s just a really good kid. Really easygoing, really easy to coach, but also super hardworking, focused, goaloriented and driven,” Howell said. “Really good football instincts and IQ, so he figures stuff out really fast. He can play multiple positions really, really easy. He’s just really easy to coach.” Hamblin will continue to play for the Utah State Aggies as they continue into conference play.
Quinton is a senior studying communication studies from Springfield, Missouri. He loves writing music, off-roading and being an Aggie. STATESMAN FILE PHOTO Brevin Hamblin celebrates an interception for a touchdown against Nevada on Nov. 8, 2025 at Maverik Stadium. Hamblin recorded his first career interception for a touchdown as the Aggies went on to win 51-14.
— quinton.papa@usu.edu
Fans of all types came to support the first few days of the tournament, including two fans who sported both he Utah State University Hockey Club held its Montana and Utah State face paint in first home tournament from Oct. 1-3, facing the stands. teams such as the University of Montana, Ky Seamons served a mission for The Montana State University, and the University of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Providence. The tournament was held over a span of Saints near the University of Montana three days. While these were not the Aggies’ first games and is now a student at USU, which was of the season, this tournament marked the start of their her reason for supporting both teams home schedule. The Aggies will continue their season on Friday night. Lizz Hardy, a member into February, with their last home game on Feb. 12, of the community, joined Seamons in 2027. representing both Montana and Utah. The Aggies’ three-day homestand started off on a “Hockey has such a good community,” high note with a win of 7-0 against the University Hardy said. “I wasn’t necessarily afraid of Montana Grizzlies. However, in the two following to rep the other school. I know no games of the tournament, the Aggies lost 4-3 against matter which team I’m going to rep, it’s the Montana State University Bobcats and 3-2 against going to be awesome. People are going the Providence University Argos. Both games ended in Utah State defenseman Owen Ramsay, 16, takes a shot during a hockey game against Montana State in to be nice.” overtime, where the Aggies just couldn’t seem to get the On Friday, Oct. 2, the Aggies held off the the Eccles Ice Center on Oct. 2. upper hand. Bobcats in the first period but also failed On Oct.1, the Aggies battled against the Grizzlies. play, the Aggies scored their first goal of the night — to score any goals of their own. Both teams entered the The first period consisted of an opening goal scored scored by Wallace, assisted by Ferry. This started the first intermission with zeros across the board. by forward Jack Wallace, followed by a second goal momentum for Ferry to make the second goal, which Eventually, the Aggies fell behind at the end of the scored by forward Carter Amidon, with an assist from tied the game 2-2. second period with a score of 0-3. defenseman Jack Lafontaine. Each team attempted to break the tie during overtime By the end of the third period, the Aggies brought the In the second period, forward Xander Logan assisted in the 3-on-3. Neither team scored and the game moved game back to a tie with three goals scored by forward defenseman Easton Lower’s rebound, which brought the into a shootout. Jackson Ferry, Lafontaine and Amidon. score to 3-0. Luke Anderson took the first goal for the Aggies The Bobcats scored the final shot during overtime, The third period became more physical. However, followed by Lafontaine. Next up was Ferry, and his low which resulted in a final score of 4-3 in favor of the despite the antics, three more goals were scored by shot was saved by the Argos’ goalie. This led to the Bobcats. Lower, defenseman Braedyn Mooney and Amidon. After Argos taking the last goal, winning the game and the Crosby Taylor, a USU freshman who watches hockey several calls of holding and roughing, Mooney was resulting score of 3-2. any chance she can get, attended both Thursday and ejected from the game. According to the 2026-2027 roster, the current team Friday’s home games, as well as the team’s previous The final goal of Thursday’s game was a rebound hit consists of 16 players who are beginning their first away game at Weber State University. out of midair by forward DJ Freigang. This shot was season at USU: 14 freshmen and two transfers. “I’ve been a hockey fan my whole life,” Taylor said. scored within the last couple seconds of the game and Spectator Taylee Naylor is a junior at USU and formerly “I grew up around it. I’m even named after an NHL resulted in the Aggies’ win of 7-0. played lacrosse for the Utah State women’s club team. player.” Naylor acknowledged the difficulty that comes with Taylor noticed a difference in the team’s being part of a team full of new players. defense on Friday night. She mentioned that “It’s harder going into a season as a freshman or Thursday’s game seemed to be more focused on transfer student because the sophomores to seniors that defense while Friday’s more offensive plays just have already been there already have that connection,” weren’t delivering the same results. Naylor said. “As the season goes on, I hope that they get “Our defense played really well yesterday,” more confidence, and as a team, they get more united.” Taylor said. “I’m not seeing that today.” Taylor’s experiences with the hockey team have been positive so far, and she expressed her hopes for the future season, particularly for Elissa is a sophomore studying a more powerful defense and strategic use of communication studies. She is power plays. in her first year writing for the On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Aggies faced off with Statesman and loves being on the the Argos for the final game of the weekend. sports desk. Similar to Friday night’s game, the Aggies and the Argos ended the first period with a score of — elissa.ross@usu.edu PHOTOS BY Owen Clarke 0-0. However, in the second period, the Argos Utah State defenseman Andrew Arthur, 24, faces off with a Montana State player during a hockey game against the Bobcats in the Eccles Ice Center on Oct. 2. The Aggies fell to the took the lead with two goals. During a power By Elissa Ross STATESMAN REPORTER
T
Bobcats 4-3 in overtime on Friday night.
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Utah State Hockey Club goes 1-2 during first home games of the season
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USU Golf Club experiences ‘unprecedented growth’ By Elissa Ross STATESMAN REPORTER
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hen the Utah State University Golf Club was first established a year ago, it consisted of 18 total members. Currently, the club has increased to 26 active members. The club has seen an influx of over 100 interested members and hopes to continue this growth into the future according to club leadership. “We’ve already seen unprecedented growth within the last year,” said Andrew Bassett, one of the USU Golf Club vice presidents. In their tournament last fall, the club ended up taking third overall. They currently expect to increase their competition level as the club continues to grow. “We’re only going to have more and more members as part of the club,” Bassett said during an interview with The Utah Statesman, “which means we can have even more and more competitive teams.” Most recently, the USU Golf Club participated in a tournament with two teams consisting of 8 members each, which was an all-time record for USU. Participation in the club looks like tracking golf scores, attending social events and participating in local service projects. “In the first couple weeks of school we’ve already had two service projects,” Bassett said. One project was running a booth for a local golf simulator company, and the other was a cleanup project for Logan River Golf Course. The club already has another service project lined up for Nov. 12, with members participating in Campus Recreation’s upcoming Turkey Trot. Practices for the club are held at Logan River Golf Course, however, members are welcome to record their scores at a variety of courses. Additionally, opportunities are available for members during wintertime with optional practices held at a local golf simulator. Members can also participate in optional tournaments, and no experience is required to join the club. “You don’t need to have a lot of golf experience at all, and
GRAPHIC BY KAMRIN MCNEILL
I think that’s the great thing about it,” Vice President Eric Ingman said. “There’s so much diversity in where you’re at with the sport.” President of USU Golf Club Braylen Carlson describes the club as less exclusive and mentioned how other clubs around the country may require tryouts and charge hundreds of dollars in membership fees, but their club does not. “It’s interesting to see how … ours is much more laid back,” Carlson said. For the USU Golf Club, there is no tryout required to become a member of the club. Registration is online, and members must pay a $45 registration fee. They expressed their hopes in making the club as affordable as possible so members of all skill levels can come and enjoy the sport. “Our club, specifically, has really embodied the golf course culture in general,” Bassett said. “We have people who play it super casually, … people who have been playing their entire lives, grew up on a country club, that sort of thing. Our club has both.” On Oct. 3, the USU Golf Club participated in a tournament in Preston, Idaho. They brought a total of 16
members to the tournament who were chosen based on several requirements. “Not anybody can just come and participate in a tournament,” Bassett said. To be considered for a tournament, members of the club have access to an app made specially for golf club members where they can log their scores and participation, which will be considered when determining tournament eligibility, according to club leadership. The tournaments are co-ed, and everyone is welcome to participate. In fact, Bassett mentioned that during the tournament in Preston, they were the only team who brought female members. “I think the important thing is we prioritize participation,” Ingman said. “Those people will be preferred over people who just score well.” Club leadership says that the best way for members of the community to support the club is through sponsorships. “We are hosting tournaments through the [National Collegiate Club of Golf Association], so they can be a sponsor of a hole at a tournament or an overall sponsor,” Carlson said. Additionally, the community can offer their support to the club by participating in monthly service projects. Ingman mentioned that anyone, regardless of membership status, is welcome to participate in these projects and support their growth as a club. Ingman expressed his hope for future social events, including a Wii Sports golf tournament. Ingman described the culture of the golf club as diverse yet welcoming. “The idea is just to get the campus population who likes golf together,” Ingman said. — elissa.ross@usu.edu
Frames from the Homecoming field
Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026 Elise is a junior studying outdoor product design who also loves being behind the camera. When she’s not taking photos, she can be found hiking, enjoying the outdoors or trying to amp up her guitar skills. — elise.gottling@usu.edu
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These cats are cooking! What are these cats cooking, you may ask? Solos and renditions of jazz tunes are what! The USU Jazz Jams are in full swing again this year, starting off with the first one hosted on Sept. 30. I was simply ‘blown’ away by the amount of talent and energy brought forward by the students and staff in attendance that night. The TSC Hub was quite literally buzzing between sets. To witness a true test of one’s skill and talent is something I will always applaud. As someone who grew up in the performing arts, I have a deep admiration for any form of live performance. A performance-based skill takes months to perfect and challenges the artist every day. I truly am in awe when I witness these skills firsthand. It takes a real act of courage and self-confidence to put yourself in such a vulnerable space. The night featured solos from at least 10 different students, each with their own styles and tones. Some of the songs played were “There Will Never Be Another You” by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon, “Anthropology” by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, to name a few. I am very new to the world of jazz and have never really attended any live jazz performances. — Cal Talbot
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CAL TALBOT
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JAEDEN TUELLER
Learn to Fly
I . The Worst Guys
Smooth Criminal
Lover, You Should’ve Come Over
Foo Fighters
The Freakquency Salem and Sebastian take turns introducing each other to new music and interviewing different Aggies on campus! Each week features a new theme every Monday at 10:00 a.m, ensuring that no two songs are the same. Tune in to The Freakquency every week on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM.
Devon Gilfillian and the Power of Live Performance If there’s anything that can validate the power of a performance, it’s when you can clearly see that those performing genuinely love what they’re doing. This was more evident than ever when Devon Gilfillian took the stage at the State Room in Salt Lake City on Oct. 3. The State Room is a smaller venue with floor space for standing and some seats in the back set up like a movie theatre. This more intimate space worked perfectly for what followed. At 8 p.m., Jon Muq took the stage to open. His entire set was just him and his guitar. What you should know about Jon Muq is that his story is that of a Hollywood success story, something you only hear in movies. Between songs, he took time to share stories about the song he had just performed or was about to perform. Jon Muq is from Uganda. He grew up interested in music, and it wasn’t until he borrowed his friend’s guitar that he learned to play and sing songs in English before he even knew how to speak it. — Jaeden Tueller
Michael Jackson
Entombed Deftones
Childish Gambino
Jeff Buckley
Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, October 12, 2026
Last week’s solution:
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www. sudokuoftheday.com.
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