News
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Aggie Shuttle color and route changes cause confusion for students.
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Lifestyles Aggie alumnus to compete on “Survivor” Season 51.
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Sports
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Take a look into the football rivalry between Utah State and the University of Utah.
Week of September 14, 2026
Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 202
Aggie Shuttle changes cause confusion By Dylan Moore STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
GO! app, the colors of the buses are wrong.” Fulks said he doesn’t personally ride Connect buses and wasn’t aware the color overlap was considered a problem worth fixing. “I think it would be an easier solution to not use colors at all,” Fulks said. “Use something else to distinguish the routes.” Fulks, who has ridden the North Core route in the past, said he doesn’t object to extending it to reach the veterinary building, but he questioned why the university hasn’t added smaller shuttles to cover routes that are approaching capacity. He said he was recently passed by a full 800 East bus while waiting at a stop near the end of its route.
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tudents returning to Utah State University this fall found a familiar system with a new look, as Aggie Shuttle swapped the colors on several of its bus routes and rerouted one line to reach the university’s new Veterinary Medicine Building. Tracy Hulse, director of parking and transportation, said the color changes were meant to eliminate overlap with Cache Valley Transit District’s Connect Public Transit buses, which run alongside Aggie Shuttle through 700 North, also known as Aggie Boulevard. Connect changed its own route colors five years ago, according to Hulse, landing on blue and green for buses that travel the same stretch of road as Aggie Shuttle’s blue and green routes. “It’s always been just a little confusing because that was our blue and green route as well,” Hulse said. Hulse said the university considered making the switch when Connect first changed colors but held off because the overlap wasn’t causing major problems. With other changes already planned for this year, he said, it made sense to update the colors at the same time. The most visible of the other changes affect the route known as the North Core Express, which is now gray after previously being blue. The route was rerouted to serve the new Veterinary Medicine Building at 1400 North and 1200 East, sending buses up 14th North instead of 10th North before continuing on. Hulse said the detour adds enough distance that riders could wait two to three minutes longer than before.
STATESMAN FILE PHOTO Students getting onto the orange Aggie Shuttle bus at the TSC bus stop.
He said the university may make further adjustments to that route because students who park in the Stan Laub Indoor Training Center area have been crossing 14th North without a crosswalk. Options under discussion include a temporary route change or asking Logan City to add a crosswalk similar to one near the Motorpool farther west. Hulse said he hasn’t received complaints about the changes, aside from the usual confusion that often comes during the first weeks of a semester. Not every rider agrees the changes have gone smoothly. Adam Fulks, a junior studying mechanical engineering, said the new colors have made it harder, rather than easier, to navigate the system. “It’s been confusing because the bus stop signs still have the old colors,” Fulks said. “Even when you log on to the Passio
Sept. 2 Report of a small fire in a dumpster behind the USU Geology Building. The material that was on fire was pulled out of the dumpster and the flames were put out. No damage to any USU property. Sept. 2 USUPD responded to a report of an individual trespassing at the North Endzone Patio. Upon arrival, officers were already in contact with the suspected individual who was issued a citation for trespassing.
Dylan Moore is a senior majoring in political science and minoring in anticipatory intelligence and Russian. He always loves going on outdoor adventures and cooking. — dylan.moore@usu.edu
Sept. 2 USU police officers responded to a report of an individual receiving messages containing sexual extortion through the online messaging application Telegram. The unknown suspect threatened to distribute intimate photographs of the complainant. Sept. 3 USUPD assisted a student by providing information regarding the lawful and unlawful methods of carrying a firearm on Utah State University campus, referencing USU policies and Utah criminal code.
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By Essence Barnes STATESMAN EDITOR
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ore than 600 emo and indie music fans gathered at Kilby Court Alleyway on Sept. 5 for a charity music festival that raised money for Utah organizations while protesting Sen. Mike Lee. FML 2 Fest, formerly known as F--k Mike Lee Fest, returned to Salt Lake City after an almost 2.5-year hiatus. “If you can name a festival anything, why don’t you use it to say something that needs to be said,” said Jacob West, creator of the first festival and the lead singer and guitarist for the band Summer 2000. The festival drew more than 600 people this year, compared with roughly 200 attendees at the inaugural event, according to Sam Hurtado, the organizer of this year’s festival. Under new leadership from S&S Presents, an independent music promotion company, the festival was renamed FML 2 for this year’s event. “Calling it FML 2 was the only way to do it at Kilby Court,” West said. “We can all still verbally call it ‘F--k Mike Lee.’” All ticket sales from the show went toward supporting local organizations, including Equality Utah, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, Utah Wildlife Foundation and Utah Immigrant Advocacy Coalition. “Pretty much every charity we have is directly benefiting against policies that Mike Lee puts in place, whether it’s the Great Salt Lake or Planned Parenthood, so they’re like an indirect response to things like that,” Hurtado said. Event attendees and performers said they opposed Lee’s positions on environmental conservation, reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ protections. Discussion surrounding data centers and the Great Salt Lake were pertinent points of concern for many. “I’m a wildlife ecology major,” said Elliott Lucherini, lead singer and guitarist for World Record, a Logan-based band. “He is selling off our land — our valuable state land — that we need to keep pure and precious.” Others highlighted the relationship between how supporting local artists can help support the community. “I think it builds a sense of community, and if we want to change anything about the politics we see then we have to build that community,” said Weston Bowles, studying a double major in data analytics and political science at Utah State University. While the festival’s political message was central to many attendees, not everyone came specifically to protest Lee. Some said they were drawn primarily by the emo scene and music lineup but appreciated the opportunity to support local organizations. “People who are in emo right now aren’t in it for the money,” said attendee Brady Griffiths. “They’re in it because they love their community and they want to see things get better for people who have it more difficult.” Thirteen bands performed throughout the festival, alternating between indoor and outdoor stages to keep music playing from 3-10 p.m. “All these bands are playing for free,” Hurtado said. Luke Bamford, lead guitarist for SLC band ROTTENBOY,
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—————— Essence Barnes news editor
said events like FML 2 are important because they can introduce young people to political issues. “So many people here are like, ‘Oh, these are cool bands I’d love to see,’” Bamford said. “Maybe they’re not into politics. Maybe they’re 16. Maybe they show up to hear the bands and they learn, and that gets them into politics in a way that’s beneficial for the state.” The Ritornello Form, a Nevada-based band, also performed. They said despite coming from another state, their group can sympathize with the cause. “A majority of Nevada is right-wing,” said Charles Wade, bassist for the Ritornello Form. “It’s cool that we can share this experience and play this fest with people that have the same opinion on political issues.” Many attendees spoke on how the emo music scene often tends to overlap with activism.
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PHOTO BY Lola Probasco Band Lydacaine performs in front of attendees on Sept. 5 during FML 2 at Kilby Court Alleyway.
Jayke Martin lifestyles editor
Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2026
FML 2 returns to Salt Lake City
—————— Ezra Robertson multimedia editor
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Essence Barnes is a fourthyear student majoring in journalism who enjoys reading, writing and storytelling. — essence.barnes@usu.edu
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Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 202
USU alumnus to compete on ‘Survivor’ season 51 By Dylan Moore STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
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Utah State University alumnus is headed to a beach in Fiji, when “Survivor” returns for its 51st season on Sept. 23. Cristian Chavez, 26, started college at Utah State as a chemistry major before switching paths, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in human resources. He now works as a head of human resources and lives in Herriman. Chavez, who grew up in Salt Lake City, said his years at Utah State stood out for their sense of community. “The student life at Utah State is kind of, I don’t know, unmissable,” Chavez said. “It’s hard to miss out on such good activities, and such good culture that the students create.” Chavez said the show has already been filmed, though he couldn’t discuss how his season played out. He described a years-long effort to get cast, calling the process “full of twists and turns.” According to Survivor journalist Mike Bloom, Chavez previously served as an alternate contestant for the show’s 47th season before ultimately landing a spot on Season 51. “This has been a dream of mine for such a long time,” Chavez said. “All of my hard work for the past six-ish years has finally paid off.” Chavez said he trained for the physical and mental demands of the game by focusing on endurance, including working through puzzles while riding a stationary bike for hours at a time. “I tried to prepare my mind, my body to be fully immersed in the experience,” Chavez said.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY CRISTIAN CHAVEZ Survivor 51 contestant Cristian Chavez, a USU alumnus.
He said his time at Utah State, particularly his work with student life programs and as a resident assistant through Residence Life, helped prepare him for the social side of the game. “Being able to advocate for people while also trying to maintain the rules and balance of everything — that’s a big part of what Survivor is,” Chavez said. Season 51 marks what CBS is calling the show’s “Open Era,” in which any twist or advantage from the franchise’s history could resurface at any point in the game. The season features 21 castaways, including a livestock farmer, a professional wrestler and a voice actress, filmed on location in Fiji. Chavez said his family reacted with excitement when he told them he had been cast. “It was nonstop screams and shouting,” Chavez said, “like a giant celebration in the moment.” Chavez offered a piece of advice for current students modeled on his own path through multiple majors before settling on human resources. “Never give up, but also try new things,” Chavez said. “Do whatever your heart and the universe is guiding you towards, but also don’t keep yourself so locked into one decision that that’s what you’re going to do your entire life.” For at least one current Utah State student, Chavez’s casting has made the show feel more personal. Connor Howard, a senior studying Photo by Robert Voets/CBS ©2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. landscape architecture, said he grew up watching “Survivor” with Survivor 51 contestant Cristian Chavez. Season 51 is set to premiere Wednesday, Sept. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) his mother and has followed the on the CBS Television Network. show closely since. same school as me was able to accomplish something “It hits home a bit more, and I have someone I can like this,” Howard said. root for,” Howard said of Chavez’s casting. Howard said he plans to root for Chavez once the Howard said he thinks the skills required to navigate season begins, though he added with a laugh that it college life translate directly to the game. “It provides you with good social dynamics with other would depend on “how convincing he is.” Chavez said he hopes Aggies and “Survivor” fans alike students,” Howard said. “You’re going through stuff tune in for the premiere. so quick, and I think the idea of learning and growing “Everyone who is a Survivor fan should be very through the college experience really equips you for excited,” Chavez said. that.” Howard, who said he hopes to apply for the show himself someday, said watching a fellow Aggie compete has given him confidence in that goal. “I’m still encouraged that someone who went to the
— dylan.moore@usu.edu
By Jillian Peterson STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
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reek life at Utah State University is expanding this year with the addition of Phi Delta Theta, which will become the fifth university-recognized fraternity. Phi Delta Theta, also known as Phi Delt, will join Alpha Tau Omega, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Alpha Sigma Phi. “We hope by bringing another fraternity to campus we can introduce a new community in which men can find belonging,” said Ian Nemelka, the advisor of Fraternity and Sorority Life. The addition was agreed upon by the Interfraternity Council, or IFC, which is made up of students from various fraternity chapters on campus. According to Nemelka, the IFC received letters of intent from two fraternities interested in establishing chapters at Utah State: Phi Delt and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, a fraternity that has had a chapter at the university in the past. After representatives from both fraternities’ national headquarters met with the IFC, the council selected Phi Delt to expand to Utah State this year and plans to consider reintroducing Sigma Alpha Epsilon in a future year. “We have a unique culture and identity at Utah State, and the IFC felt that Phi Delta Theta understood that best,” Nemelka said.
PHOTO BY Elise Gottling A mural in the Fraternity and Sorority Life room of the TSC is shown on Sept. 2.
Flags displayed in the Fraternity and Sorority Life room of the TSC are shown on Sept. 2.
Phi Delt was established in 1848 at Miami University — 40 years before Utah State became a college — and is focused on three key principles: friendship, sound learning and rectitude. These principles, Nemelka believes, will make this fraternity a good fit for Utah State. “They want to contribute to making Utah State a better place, and ultimately, because we’re a relatively small community, that’s what we want,” Nemelka said. With 3% of students involved in fraternities and sororities at Utah State, Nemelka said Greek life looks different in Logan compared to universities with higher involvement. “Some of our chapters are unhoused, meaning they don’t have a physical chapter house like you’d expect,” Nemelka said. “We also don’t restrict recruitment to one single rush week.” Phi Delt will not be an exception to this as they will not have a chapter house and plan to recruit year-round. Connor Cox, a recruiter for Phi Delt, said a chapter house is not essential to building a successful fraternity. “I graduated from [the University of Nevada, Las Vegas], which was a school that didn’t have any Greek housing,” Cox said, “so outreach really came from just getting involved in the campus community.” Finding community and professional connections, Cox said, is what this fraternity is all about. “There are lots of opportunities for career networking,” Cox said. “There are plenty of professionals in a plethora of fields who come from Phi Delta Theta who are more than willing to get connected with you and help you find a path to the career you’re looking for.”
PHOTO BY Elise Gottling
According to their website, Phi Delt has initiated more than 300,000 men, including astronaut Neil Armstrong. “We hope to attract students who want to be involved on campus and have a greater connection to others on campus,” Cox said. “I joined Phi Delt because it was a group of people that showed me they wanted to be my friend, and they gave me the kind of community I needed.” For more information on Phi Delt, students can visit @usuphidelt on Instagram.
Jillian Peterson is a junior studying communication and media. She is a big fan of concerts, snowboarding and the Taco Bell drive-thru. — jillian.peterson@usu.edu
Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2026
Phi Delta Theta establishes new chapter at Utah State
Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 202
NEHMA unveils two exhibitions exploring nature and technology By Cambria Thurgood STATESMAN REPORTER
Inside the exhibition are two series, both inspired by the natural world. The main series is The Intervening he Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art Substance which is specifically inspired by mysterious introduced two new temporary exhibitions underwater Radiolaria, which are silica skeletons from opposite ends of the material spectrum: of zooplankton and jellyfish. The second series, inflatable and steel sculptures. Concerning Plants, is inspired by plant root systems. The museum constantly organizes temporary “My pieces are always insightful and pretty much exhibitions to provide educational opportunities for always inspired by nature and different forms of the Cache Valley and Utah State University community. nature,” Banowetz said. The two new exhibitions are insightful and meant for Her sculptures are created to remind us that there is audiences to reflect on how they choose to live their a lot of our environment to explore and protect. lives. The second exhibition is placed throughout the USU “We hope that the art will get people to stop and Sculpture Walk. Sculpture artist Mike Whiting created think and what they’re doing and why they’re doing 10 pixelated steel sculptures inspired by 8-bit pixel it,” said NEHMA deputy director Jeff Lambson. graphics present in early video games such as Pac-Man The first exhibition, The Intervening Substance, is and Space Invaders. Sculptures such as the orange open from Sept. 3 to Dec. 18. It features hand-sewn bird, the orange pretzel and the light blue eagle are inflatable sculptures created by artist Nicole Banowetz. Whiting’s creations. Banowetz has been making inflatables for over 12 The exhibition officially opened on Sept. 3, and the years and has recently been making artwork out of 10 sculptures will remain part of the USU Sculpture upcycled tents. Walk through June 5, 2027. Visitors can view the “I was really excited by how big you can make things entire collection by walking about a mile and a half with just a sewing machine and fabric,” Banowetz across USU campus. A new sculpture walk map is said. “It’s much more accessible, cost-wise and storage- also being created to include Whiting’s exhibition. wise.” Whiting’s sculptures explore the relationships and Banowetz’s work has been shown all over the world impacts that the digital world has on our daily lives. and is even in permanent collections at the Denver Lambson said that they are carrying out the artist’s Children’s Museum and in the Amsterdam Light message by placing the sculptures outside where Festival’s Light Art Collection. people can get away from their screens. “We lucked out to get her,” Lambson said. “It’s forcing you to go outside and to start thinking “She’s booked at galleries, museums and public events about the impact of the electronic world in your life,” all over the country all the time.” Lambson said. Both exhibitions were opened for the first annual NEHMA Block Bash inspired by the museum’s exhibition The Lure and Lore of the West. The festival celebrated the art, stories and spirit of the American West with poetry, live music, crafting activities, food trucks and more. NEHMA also brought out the Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous and Grand Ole Opry member Andy Hedges to perform cowboy poetry. There was also a panel discussion where they talked about Bigfoot and how our relationship with the natural world shaped the Bigfoot legend. This was the first festival NEHMA has organized, however they plan to do a similar event every year at the beginning of the school year themed around a different exhibition or artwork in the museum. “The hope is to do it yearly and have it become a community tradition,” said Chiara Sorensen, coordinator of visitor and event services. NEHMA plays an important role in the USU community by supporting local artists and providing opportunities for USU through educational programs and public events. These opportunities help encourage appreciation for the arts. PHOTOS BY Ezra Robertson “We want people to know that the art museum is for campus and for the students,” Lambson said. Mike Whiting’s steel eagle sculpture is seen on the Quad.
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A steel pretzel sculpture, created by Mike Whiting, is seen outside of the Merrill-Cazier Library.
Cambria is from West Point, Utah. This is her third year at Utah State, and she is double majoring in journalism and communications. She loves camping and snowboarding. — cambria.thurgood@usu.edu
Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2026
SLC’s FML 2 Fest Returns for a Cause
Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 202
Page 9 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2026
Upwards of 600 people gathered at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City on Sept. 5 for FML 2 Fest. The 2nd year of the festival featured 12 emo artists, some of whom traveled from Illinois and Nevada. The charity festival raised money to go towards five organizations, including Equality Utah and FRIENDS of the Great Salt Lake.
Lola Probasco is a student and photographer for the Statesman. Other than school and taking photos, Lola also finds time to knit and play guitar. — lola.probasco@usu.edu
Page 10 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 202
Battle of the Brothers: A look into Utah’s oldest rivalry By Rory McNeill
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STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER n Saturday, the Battle of the Brothers will kick off for the 114th time as the Aggies take on the University of Utah. The 134-year-old football rivalry is one of the oldest in college football and the oldest rivalry within the state of Utah. In anticipation of the matchup, here’s a look back at the history of the rivalry. The rivalry has existed since the inception of college football in Utah, as the very first intercollegiate games played by both Utah State University, known then as the Utah Agricultural College, and the University of Utah were a matchup between the two universities in Logan. On November 25, 1892, the Aggies defeated the Utes 12-0 in the first-ever game of the rivalry. The two teams didn’t meet again until 1900, but between 1900 and 2009 the Aggies and Utes played annually, with exceptions only in 1908, 1911 and 1943. Between 2009 and today, meetings between the universities have been less regular, with only four matchups: 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2024. Despite the Aggies claiming the first win, the rest of the rivalry’s history has largely fallen in favor of the Utes, who hold a commanding 80-29-4 record against the Aggies. The longest win streak for USU is only four games, from 1965 to 1968. The Utes won the matchup for twelve seasons uninterrupted from 1998 to 2009. The Aggies snapped the streak with one of the most competitive matchups in the rivalry’s history: a 27-20 overtime win in Logan in 2012. This game would not only break the Aggies’ losing streak, but it would also be, as of now, the last win for the Aggies. Quarterback Chuckie Keeton led the Aggies’ offense and, in a phone call with The Utah Statesman, shared memories from the game. “Getting into it, I didn’t have the clearest understanding of how intense the rivalry was. A lot of my teammates at the time were Utah high school kids. They got me schooled up in the midst of it and gave me more insight,” Keeton said. “Because they were in-
state players, the rivalry lasted longer than just a college game, but it was something more like a neighborhood type rivalry.” The game was a back-and-forth contest. The Aggies entered the final moments with the lead in hand, but the Utes were able to get down the field and score a field goal, taking the game to overtime. In the opening drive of overtime, a 23-yard rush by Keeton helped the Aggies to the redzone where they would score the game deciding touchdown. “The energy of the stadium and our team continued to mount until the clock was zero, and then again until Will Davis had a pass breakup on the home sideline in order to win the game,” Keeton said. “Seeing the students, and really the entire stadium rush the field was a remarkable experience. At one point somebody embraced me with tears in their eyes. You could tell it was something that meant so much to those guys.” The win was the last time the Aggies beat the Utes, though they have met three times since, most recently in a 38-21 Utah win in Logan during the 2024 season. The Aggies have the opportunity to snap their current losing streak in the series with their matchup against the Utes on Saturday. The Aggies will enter Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday as the underdogs once again, but inside the locker room the team feels like they have what it takes to come out with a win. STATESMAN FILE PHOTO Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes throws a pass during a 2024 game against Utah at Maverik “We have to play a clean game, and we Stadium. get that we have to be at our absolute matter what team we’re playing, we have to bring our best, and that’s required every single week,” offensive absolute best, and we know that’s what it’s going to lineman Jimmy Liston said. “That’s ultimately what puts you in the best possible scenario to win. It doesn’t take for us to win” The Battle of the Brothers will continue in 2030 when the Aggies play the Utes in Salt Lake City, before the Utes return to Logan in 2031 and the Aggies return to Salt Lake City in 2033.
Rory McNeill is a junior from Rocklin, California studying mechanical engineering. He loves Aggie sports, skiing, golf and writing music. Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton scrambles during a game against Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
STATESMAN FILE PHOTO
— rory.mcneill@usu.edu
By Quinton Papa
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STATESMAN REPORTER n the spot where the sagebrush grows, the traditional Scottish Highland Games are making a return to Logan for the first time in 20 years. According to the Utah Heavy Athletics website, the games were first organized in Scotland in the 11th century when King Malcom III held a royal contest to find the strongest and fastest people in his kingdom. Now, they’re a way for people to compete, find community and celebrate Scottish heritage. “It’s been in Utah probably for 30 years, maybe a little bit longer than that,” Ben Kitchens, the athletic director for the event, said. “It’s really not started to blossom until maybe the last, like, five years.” Kitchens helps to run the event but is also a competitor in the sport itself. He shared more about the training regimen the athletes go through. “For an average games, you’re doing upwards of five to six hours of nonstop activity with very heavy implements,” Kitchens said. Milly Garren, a recent Utah State University graduate and former Aggie track and field athlete competing in the sport, also commented on the difference in training. “We do a lot of Olympic lifting,” Garren said. “You’ll have some more specific workouts, so those are just a little bit different practices — or, I mean, you’re still throwing. It’s the difference would be just you have nine events to work through, so you just kind of have to spread out your time.” Athletes need to combine traditional strongman training with endurance exercises and movements specific to the Highland Games in order to perform at their best during the competition, according to Kitchens. “I was curious, and I tracked how many calories I expended, and it was upwards of, like, 6,000 calories just in one competition,” Kitchens said. Highland games consist of traditional Celtic and Gaelic tests of strength, including stone put, caber toss, Scottish hammer, weight for distance, weight over bar and sheaf toss. Every event involves throwing some heavy object, either a large stone, weight or a tapered pine pole called a caber, according to the Utah Heavy Athletics website. “One of the ones that is kind of, maybe, more well known with the community is called the caber toss, which kind of
Utah Highland Games participants pose for a photo after a competition in Highland, Utah earlier in the season.
looks like a big tree or a big telephone pole that varies in lengths and weights depending, again, on the class that you compete in,” Kitchens said. “For my group, the cabers will vary anywhere between 15 to 20 feet long and anywhere between 85 to 130 pounds, and the whole goal of that is to pick it up and flip it end over end.” According to Kitchens, another event, sheaf toss, involves using a pitchfork to launch a bag, or sheaf, of hay above a bar. “It’s based off of farmers that would take their pitchforks and throw hay bales,” said Maia Garren, Milly’s sister and USU alumna who holds the school record for women’s indoor weight throw. “They throw it as high as they can. Obviously, those farmers’ hay bales were a lot heavier than what we are throwing, but we’re essentially mimicking that same idea where we have a pitchfork and we have a bag that we use. It’s got twine in it — they’re weighted bags — and we’re trying to throw it up over a bar as high as we can.” According to Kitchens, sheaf toss tends to be a crowd favorite. “That one’s pretty fun to watch because you actually have to, like, turn your head up to see it go over the bar,” Kitchens said. “That’s a pretty fun one to watch for the crowd as well, and it’s one of my favorite events too.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF UTAH HIGHLAND GAMES
All of the athletes are very welcoming and encouraging for spectators to come. “We look scary,” Maia said. “I know a lot of the times, like, you look out on the field, and everybody looks scary because everyone there’s a lot of big, jacked people throwing, but everyone’s so nice.” The sentiment is similar across the Garren family. “Everyone’s really there just to have a fun time,” Milly said. “There’s not that many athletes, especially, like, in your state, and so you kind of become well acquainted with the people in your state, which is fun, and so I think it’s a lot more fun because like everyone’s just there to have fun.” Participants will compete at the Cache County Fairgrounds on Oct. 24. Admission is free for spectators.
Quinton Papa is a senior studying communication studies from Springfield, Missouri. He loves writing music, off-roading and being an Aggie. — quinton.papa@usu.edu
Page 11 - The Utah Statesman, September 14, 2026
Highland Games return to Cache Valley
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USU volleyball opens home slate with UCLA, Utah By Mark Greenwood
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STATESMAN EDITOR tah State Volleyball opened its home campaign with a 3-0 loss against UCLA on Wednesday in the Wayne Estes Center. With the loss, the Aggies moved to 0-6 on the season. “I think our outings have been better every single time. It’s a really, really good UCLA team, and I think we had moments of higher-level volleyball than we’ve shown all season,” head coach Keith Smith said after the match. “I think the Estes is — I haven’t been to other places in the Pac-12 yet, but it’s going to be hard to find a place better to be for your home court.” The Aggies have played a grueling non-conference schedule to open Smith’s inaugural season, as they have yet to take on a team that finished below 64th in the country in last season’s Key Performance Indicator rankings. The Bruins were no exception, as they finished 35th in last season’s final NCAA RPI ranking. “One of the things we’re talking about first of all is we are in our ‘hard’ right now, and that’s the way the schedule is designed,” Smith said. “Let’s have our ‘hard’ in September, and when we get to the conference in October, we’re in the easy times. Our main focus has been getting better every single day.” The Aggies got off to a sluggish start in front of the rowdy home crowd of 1,320, falling behind 7-0 to open the first set.
They found their footing later in the first set, pulling within three points at 22-19, but didn’t have enough to pull off the first-set comeback, falling 25-20. “In our communication after set one is we — minus that first seven, eight-point run — we won that set, and honestly played some really high-level volleyball,” Smith said. “I think the same thing happened in set two. We were doing a really good job in the service line and just didn’t quite have it.” The second set got off to a similar start, but this time with the roles reversed. Utah State got out to an early 8-5 lead, prompting a quick timeout from UCLA.
Mark Greenwood is a senior studying finance. When Mark isn’t covering Aggie sports, he loves the Dodgers, Rams, golfng, and skiing. — mark.greenwood@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Owen Clarke Silina Damuni, 5, sets the ball during a match against UCLA in the Wayne Estes Center on Sept. 9.
Utah State Soccer takes on BYU, South Dakota State By Rory McNeill
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STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER tah State Soccer continued its non-conference schedule over the weekend, taking on in-state rival Brigham Young University on Thursday and South Dakota State University on Sunday. The Aggies started their season 4-2-1 before their bout with the Cougars, with losses coming to No. 15 University of Kansas and No. 24 University of Colorado Boulder, and a tie with the University of Michigan. Looking forward, Utah State will have two more nonconference matches against Idaho State University and Saint Mary’s College this week before its inaugural Pac-12 match on Oct. 1 against Texas State University. The Aggies have been led so far by junior forward Ellie Hendrix, who was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and USU Student-Athlete of the Week after scoring consecutive game-winning goals in 1-0 victories against Utah Valley University and the University of Utah earlier in the season. More recently, Hendrix scored a goal and tied the program’s single-game assist record with 3 assists in an 8-1 win over Utah Tech University. With just a couple of matches left before conference play, the Aggies are looking to fine-tune before searching for a fourth-straight conference championship this season. — rory.mcneill@usu.edu
PHOTOS BY Owen Clarke Mia Lopez, 12, dribbles towards the goal in a match against Utah Tech on Sept. 3 Ellie Hendrix, 5, smiles at a teammate during a match against Utah Tech on at Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field. Sept. 3 at Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field.
By Max Murray, Tanner Merritt, Sophie Anderson and Hannah Potter Baby Becoming
AGGIE RADIO BOARD MEMBERS
trinket The debut album ‘trinket’ by tsubi club offers fans of hyperpop and top-down pixel RPGs a speedrun through a modern take on the hero’s journey. In just under thirty minutes, ‘trinket’ feels surprisingly immersive, telling stories of wins and losses without ever taking itself too seriously. This project consists heavily of fun, glitchy dance-forward tracks that sound just as chaotic as the album cover looks. Mostly celebratory and triumphant sounding, ‘trinket’ has just enough emotional moments and self-reflection to make you feel like you can’t put this one down before you get to the next level. Songs like ‘all-time chump’ play like boss fights, while ‘Recap :’ gives you a second to catch your breath and regenerate some HP. The production is a standout on this project, but there’s still enough variety vocally to keep the album from feeling overly repetitive. “If you want to hit the ball farther, swing the bat harder,” says tsubi club on the outro of this album.
Bentelou is the musical project of Bentley Thomas. This is Bentley’s second full length album. The first, entitled The Fool was released in 2023. Baby Becoming came out this year on May 22nd. Bentley combines elements of folk, pop, jazz, and electronic to round out this fantastic record. There are overarching themes of life, growing up, love, family, and babies. The album itself feels like growing up. You’ll leave feeling inspired and moved. Not to mention Bentley’s beautiful voice, the instrumentation on this record also shines. Produced by Bly Wallentine, this is the best Bentelou has sounded yet.
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trinket
Godspeed Mixtape: Living on the Interstate As infrastructure around us becomes more antihuman, Godspeed Mixtape: Living on the Interstate by You Shall Know Our Velocity (abbr. YSKOV) asks us to turn against these brutal cityscapes and interstate hells and turn towards our friends, family and communities that really make up society. The album draws from the genre-free pop rock styles of The 1975 while layering tender and earnest lyrics about those you love over soundscapes that wouldn’t feel out of place on works from Sigur Ros, Chanel Beads, and The Beach Boys while also, throughout the album, shedding light on the urban-highway landscapes that are killing us and the beauty of our planet. If you miss the ambientto-explosive dives into the human experience of You Forgot It In People or how the sombre world of Give Up by The Postal Service hid under the beauty of watching the stars with loved ones, YSKOV’s album invites you back with open arms. I Am Thinking About Making A Movie Or A Change Released August of 2026, I Am Thinking About Making A Movie Or A Change by thanks for coming is an indie rock album that feels like a look into Rachel Brown’s journal. With lyrics that are raw and emotional, Brown shares “about the difference between being grounded and getting grounded”. Opposites are another common theme throughout this album, this is emphasised by the vocals. Brown layers fuzzy vocals that often clash in their harmonies creating a feeling of vulnerability and contrast to the listener. I Am Thinking About Making A Movie Or A Change is a must listen for fans of Water From Your Eyes, Free Cake For Every Creature, and This is Lorelei.
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Dark Ages Radio has been filling the airwaves with goth rock, new wave, industrial and everything in between since 2021. Listen to our longestrunning show Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM. Bullet Covenant
In the Headlights Haujobb
Godspeed Mixtape: Living on the Interstate
I Am Thinking About Making A Movie Or A Change
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Shake the Disease Depeche Mode
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Please Nine Inch Nails
Cry Little Sister Gerald McMann
Baby Becoming
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Aggie Radio Album Review
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Last weeks solution:
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www. sudokuoftheday. com.
Cover by Ezra Robertson
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