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Week of March 19, 2019
www.usustatesman.com (435) 797-1742 TSC Room 118 Free single copy M
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MENTAL HEALTH SPECIAL EDITION
K
Mountain West Champs
Tournament recap inside
Stop the Stigma. Let’s talk about mental health.
22.8%
of adults between 18 and 24 living in Utah have experienced depression.*
*According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health from 2015-2017 . They define depression as having symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy life.
PAGE 2
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
NEWS
False alarm code blue triggers The evolution of USU’s Mental Aggies with PTSD Health Week By Spencer Burt NEWS STAFF WRITERVV
Why do I have PTSD? What did I do wrong, either in this situation or after
For someone who has been through trauma, even false alarms can be triggering. A few weeks ago when Utah State University’s Code Blue system sent out a warning of an “armed aggressor” on campus, Sierra Wise was in the printmaking studio with other art students. Her fight-or-flight instincts were to make sure
— Sierra Wise, USUSA Caine College of the Arts Senator
everyone hid underneath the tables while their professor
help
locked the door and some students covered the windows. About five to 10 minutes later, an “all clear” message was sent out on the system, telling students, faculty and staff that the alert was an error. Although it was a false alarm, those several minutes of uncertainty sparked symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in Wise, the USU Student Association senator for the arts college and a firsthand witness of gun violence. About four years ago, she was serving as a missionary in Guatemala for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. She and her mission companion were talking to some women outside their family’s home in broad daylight when a Jeep with blacked out windows drove toward them with armed men inside.“Then all of a sudden we heard like these loud noises behind us,” Wise said. “They had sawed-off shotguns and were shooting at the women who we were speaking to, but we were in the line of fire.” They ran with the women into the house and hid under a bed as family members barricaded the door. One man was shot in the arm, but nobody else was injured. Police were nearby and chased the shooters down the street before they could do more damage. The missionaries immediately ran out the door and got as far away from the area as possible.Wise said the men who shot at them were likely seeking drug money the family owed them.While they were not the intended target of the shooting and escaped physically unharmed, the ordeal left psychological scars. It wasn’t until she returned home that Wise realized she had post-traumatic stress disorder — that this was more than just a
degree in their life, but not
because it was a false alarm,”
everyone experiences post-
she said. “But my heart goes
traumatic stress, and for those
out to all the people who have
who do, it is not their fault.
been in situations like that that
“That was hard for me to cope with,” Wise said. She would ask herself, “Why
weren’t false alarms.” She said she also recognizes that her experience is different
do I have PTSD? What did I do
than many other trauma
wrong, either in this original
survivors.
situation or afterwards?” With the help of a mental
Having witnessed gun violence and fearing for her life, while
health professional though, she
still traumatic, she considered
said she’s been able to work
herself “privileged” compared to
through it and realize that there
victims of personal violence.
is no right or wrong way to deal
According to the National
with trauma. “It’s incredibly
Institute of Mental Health,
affirming to have someone
PTSD usually comes after a
coach you through that and
“shocking, scary, or dangerous”
talk you through that and to
experience, such as assault,
recognize … this isn’t my fault,”
abuse, car accidents, war,
she said.
disasters, or the loss of a loved
But on Feb. 20, the Code Blue
one. It can come at any time
alert brought back similar
or any age, shortly after the
feelings.
experience or years later. While
“Hiding under a table with
a single event or experience can
a crying classmate felt very
be traumatic, so can prolonged
reminiscent to hiding under a
exposure to traumatic things
bed with a crying companion,”
— even witnessing them
Wise said.
secondhand.
After finding out the alert
USU journalism and
was a mistake, she called her
communoication Professor
therapist right away to make an
Matthew LaPlante talks openly
appointment.
with his classes about his PTSD.
“I anticipated that I was going
As a newspaper reporter, he
to have PTSD symptoms, and
has covered traumatic things
I definitely did,” she said.
like the Iraq War, gang warfare
Symptoms she had previously
in El Salvador and tribal
worked through in therapy
infanticide in Ethiopia. He has
resurfaced, and she had
also interviewed and written
nightmares for about a week
about the families of fallen
after the false alarm. But
soldiers, which he said was just
therapy again gave her someone
as traumatizing if not more.
to talk through the trauma. Wise emphasized her
Rather than one particular experience, LaPlante said his
appreciation to how the
PTSD came from many of
university handled the
these experiences over time.
aftermath, particularly the
Even while writing about
listening session hosted the
others’ post-traumatic stress
next day when university
— including war veterans and
administration and police gave
their families — he said he
a more detailed explanation and
didn’t realize that he was also
gave students and employees
experiencing it.
the chance to speak their concerns. “The experience was definitely unfortunate, but it wasn’t tragic
“I was constantly being triggered, but I didn’t know that was what was happening,” he said of the time when he sought
about years ago.July has sometimes been hard for him, he said, as the sound of whistling and exploding fireworks would sometimes trigger him. Recently, he said, an unexpected sneeze from his wife can even do it. LaPlante was teaching a class when the “armed aggressor” Code Blue alert was sent out.
By Michaella Whitney NEWS STAFF WRITER
Mental health week originated through individuals at Utah State who worked together to promote awareness and resources due to
completely normal it felt,”
the crisis they saw on campus. It got off to a slow start in 2014
he said. “It could have been
only to grow to a fully endorsed event by the administrators and
triggering ... you never know
student body of Utah State University.
with those things.”
Ty Aller, a licensed family and marriage therapist and graduate
The National Institute of
student, was the USUSA graduate director under the Graduate
Mental Health lists criteria
Studies Senator at the time he thought of mental health week.
for a PTSD diagnosis,
He and a couple others had an “in” to student involvement and
including multiple of these
worked through the graduate studies senator to promote resources
symptoms:FlashbacksBad
for mental health and address the growing need at the university.
dreamsFrightening thoughts
“When we first started, it wasn’t outwardly ostracized, it wasn’t
Avoiding certain places, people,
outwardly no you can’t do this, but we couldn’t get people to talk
thoughts or objects related to
to us about it. Like the people with money, the administrators,
a traumatic event, being easily
people you needed to get on board. It was hard.” Aller said.
startled, feeling tense, trouble
Aller’s next steps were to show the university through their own
remembering things about the
efforts that this needed to happen and people needed to know
traumatic even, feeling guilt or
about it.
blame.
“So the first week we did was a rag-tag thing. We had workshops
Wise added that if someone
with graduate psychology students that were self help type things,
tells a trusted family member
we had a mental health fair where we invited a lot of people from
or friend that they have
the community in health services to come and talk with students
PTSD, it would not usually be
in the sunburst lounges. We had motivational speakers come
appropriate to follow up by
which had a great outcome.” Aller said.
asking what happened. “If that
The following year only lead to more funding and more promo-
person wants you to know what
tion across campus. Aller was elected as USUSA graduate studies
happened, they’ll tell you,” she
senator and was able to write mental health week in his charter.
said. Instead, she suggested that
“I was really passionate about continuing those types of things
one could ask questions like “Do
so I was able to get it passed in the grad study senator charter
you want to talk about it?” or
that mental health week should be a required piece.” Aller said.
if there is anything that could either help or make it worse. “You don’t always have to know the story behind why someone has a post-traumatic response,” she said.
Aller and then-USUSA President Trevor Olsen were able to form a committee tasked with planning Mental Health Week every year. “From that point on it was me and Ty tag-teaming and we found student groups that were really excited about it,” Olsen said. Rachael Fresh, a president’s cabinet member under the Olsen and who worked side by side with Aller and Olsen, said “when
Editor’s note: The author is
Ty Aller and the Student Body President made it such a big deal,
currently one of LaPlante’s
that’s when everyone got on the same page. I think it’s important
students and was in his class at
to recognize that this was the first step we ever took to address-
the time of the Code Blue alerts.
ing mental health week as a culture at Utah State.” Olsen was also President of the Utah Student Association, an
— spencerburt@aggiemail.usu. edu @SpencerABurt
organization comprised of student body presidents from all Utah colleges. As president, Olsen was able to get the group talking about mental health across the state. “Most of the officers had some personal interaction with mental health, whether it was personal or someone they knew around
herself uncomfortable around
them,” he said. “So everyone seemed to really get on board with
firearms, strongly disliking
it.
loud noises, and dealing with
Policies were changed, legislation was set in place for the next
the uncertainty that someone,
student body officers and, in 2017, mental health was declared a
anyone, could have a weapon on
statewide crisis.
them that could be a threat to
Fresh is overjoyed that the week still stands as a tradition.
her safety.
“This was our first step to addressing the issue and so I think
Wise was diagnosed with PTSD
it’s amazing that it’s still a tradition because it’s important to
by a psychiatrist, then met with
recognize how far we’ve come.”
a therapist to work through the symptoms.
— michaella10645319@gmail.com
One major part of this, Wise said, was acceptance experiences trauma to some
PHOTO BY Megan Nielsen Rachael Fresh speaks at the Stand Up To Suicide March on Mar. 24, 2018. This event was part of Mental Health Week on Utah State University’s campus.
“For me, it was amazing how
“crazy mission story.” She found
— accepting that everyone
B N
10
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Rachael Fresh speaks at the Stand Up To Suicide March on Mar. 24, 2018. This event was part of Mental Health Week on Utah State University’s campus.
W h
PAGE 3
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
USU students impacted by statewide conversion therapy bill
Everyone is impacted: USU professor opens up about mental health struggles By Michaella Whitney NEWS STAFF WRITER
Editor’s note: to protect her
a pseudonym
After doctors diagnosed her
post-traumatic stress disorder
Eri Ethington, a transgen-
der student at Utah State
University, was heartbroken as she watched a bill proposing to ban conversion therapy die in the Utah Legislature.
“Watching elected officials,
people who are supposed to
be safeguarding the welfare of the people of Utah, cor-
rupt a proposed law into an endorsement of torturing
LGBTQ children was horrible,” Ethington said.
The bill, proposed by Rep.
Craig Hall, R-West Valley
City originally aimed to ban state-licensed therapists
from practices intended to
change sexual orientation or gender identity of minors. The revised bill did not
address conversion therapy regarding gender identity
and focuses specifically on prohibiting practices that
would cause physical distress. After the series of
revisions, Hall said he could no longer support his own bill.
After coming out in high
school, Ethington was sent to conversion therapy, the
practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity through a variety of
almost a decade later,
version therapy asserts the
times still wakes up “in a
practice is ineffective, and
conversion therapy has been
Ethington said she somepanic.” She is not alone.
“I’ve had other friends who
labeled as pseudoscience.
went through the electro-
school, I was sent to LDS
programs, and recovering
“When I came out in high
Family Services to get
‘fixed,’” Ethington said. “The therapist told me that I was
risking my soul by ‘choosing’ to be this way, and told both
shock and vomit-inducing
Ethington said.
She said the Facebook
she is a part of welcomes
who I was, then I would
be dead within a few years because God doesn’t look
favorably on LGBTQ people.” Ethington said she told her
family after a few sessions
that she would not go back
and was then kicked out of the house, living homeless for several months of high school.
“It’s devastating to have
your support structures
ripped away from you in
that room, to be told your
family, friends, church and beliefs will all be stripped from you just because you are a little different from other people,” Ethington
said. “It took a long time to
recover from that abuse and
thing that gives me purpose.”
a huge stigma in this country
and I think that that is some-
She said she enjoys life when
students are interested in
er you want to call them are and it needs to stop,” the
professor said. “Because there
—Utah State University professor
more difficult for them,”
where I would be isolated several months to change
issues, mental issues, whatev-
themselves has been even
group for Utah survivors
from friends and family for
“I think that emotional
schoolers, who are motivated
from it and learning to love
me and my parents that if I
didn’t attend a special camp
you hanging.”
will, in her words, will “keep
“You have to deal with that on a daily basis and you have to go one with your life on a daily basis,”
PHOTO BY Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune/via Associated Press Taryn Hiatt, Utah and Nevada chapter director with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, wipes away tears as members of the House Judiciary Committee opt to modify the conversion therapy bill. Rep. Craig Hall, R-West Valley City watched his colleagues dismantle his bill to end conversion therapy .
scientific consensus on con-
ulation of students, that aren’t crazy middle schooler or high
is identifying the professor by
different techniques. The
what they love because that
create, where I have this pop-
privacy, The Utah Statesman
By Naomi Ward NEWS SENIOR WRITER
teach the classes I wish to
of conversion therapy that new members every year, including teens who have
experienced homelessness or suicidal ideation after undergoing the therapy.
“Honestly, unless you’ve
been through it yourself, it’s impossible to describe the
physical and mental toll, the torture, of going through that process – whether it
involves physical torture or not,” Ethington said. “But
because these are children, most people don’t see it or know it’s still happening.” Ethington plans to study
social work and work with LGBTQ youth.
— naomiyokoward@gmail.
com
@naomiyokoward
and fibromyalgia at 27-years-
learning more and ask lots of
are people out there who are
because it’s a pain that no
her heart.
want to talk about it because
old, the pain was “unbearable one can really grasp.”
“You have to deal with that
on a daily basis and you have to go one with your life on
a daily basis,” said Maria, a
Utah State University professor who agreed to talk about
her mental experiences under a pseudonym.
She has found treatments
through medication and therapists.
“I’m under treatment to be
all reciprocal,’ she said. “You
guys are in one way or another carrying me and it keeps
they don’t want to be judged. Let’s stop judging people. Let
us stop judging people. Let us be more accepting.”
She says that mental health
me wanting to stay alive. It’s
is no different from breaking
end of the day. That’s some-
leg will get the correct med-
just about staying alive at the thing that my profession gives me.”
This professor is aware of
the challenges that arise on a
a leg. A person with a broken ication and therapy to heal. She says it’s the same way with mental health.
“Mental health and emo-
tional health has to be taken
daily basis and even when I
she says. “You have to find
there are people who actually
I know that thinking that
a lot of isolation, it’s a lot
feel like I touch rock bottom, there are better days ahead is really important,” the professor said.
She has been able to find
purpose in her suffering by doing what she loves.
“I have the luxury to do
something I absolutely love
in a place where they let me
Even now, as an adult
“You let me touch your heart
and you touch my heart, it’s
really suffering who don’t
day to day basis.
able to go through life on a
doing,” she said. “Here I am
rebuild my world.”
questions, students who touch
“You have ups and downs,”
a way to deal with that. It’s of acceptance. You’ve got to accept what’s going on and you’re going through all
kinds of phases. It changes
your identity, it changes who you are and so it’s changes
everything from one day to another.”
But she encourages those
seriously enough because
take their lives,” she said. “It’s okay to have these kinds of
problems. We can live with it. I think that we need, a little
bit more than everyone else, feelings of love, and to not feel judged.”
— michaella10645319@
gmail.com
with mental health to do
What to do when you have the winter blues By Taylor Cripe NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is classi-
fied as a recurrent major depressive disorder,
according to Psychology Today. It is a disorder
commonly observed during the winter months, and in climates that have darker days and longer winters.
Cristine Price, a counselor for Family
Solutions Counseling in Logan, said SAD is a persistent disorder and mainly affects those who are already susceptible to depression.
“It is much easier for this disorder to affect
those who already struggle with feelings of hopelessness,” Price said.
SAD is no different from other disorders in
that it requires a “trigger episode,” according to Anna Whisler, the program director for Family Solutions Counseling.
“After the trigger episode, people may feel
worthless, guilty, have a lack of motivation, and isolate themselves,”Whisler said.
Whisler says the change in seasons becomes
the “trigger episode,” causing a serotonin
imbalance due to the lack of sunlight. The
lower amounts of serotonin then increase a
person’s likelihood of being depressed.
In addition to its symptoms, SAD can also
have a negative impact on daily life.
“It can make wanting to get up and go to
class extremely difficult,”Whisler said, “People tend to feel like a burden.”
Price, says this is one of the worst parts.
“People tend to ask themselves, is my state a
burden on others?” Price said.
According to Psychology Today, SAD can
affect sleep patterns as well as cause weight
gain and fatigue. While it is common for more individuals to have symptoms of depression during the winter months, both Whisler
and Price say that it is not something to be ignored.
“If you have more days than not where you
feel down and hopeless, you should seek help,” Whisler said. “This disorder can wreak havoc on your life in a short period of time. People can lose jobs or relationships.”
If detected early on, people can be prepared
for the hormonal changes associated with
SAD. Whisler says that working with thera-
pists in the fall and making a game plan can see “Winter blues” PAGE 4
PHOTO BY CIMARON NEUGEBAUER BULLEN HALL AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY COVERED IN SNOW.
PAGE 4 “Winter blues” FROM PAGE 3 be beneficial.
“Be prepared, think, what didn’t work last
winter?” Whisler said. “If you love running outdoors, how can you do it indoors?”
According to Price, having a positive mind-
set will also go a long way towards recovery.
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
Abortion restrictions, stronger beer and smoking bills pass By Joseph Gedon and Lindsay Whitehurst ASSOCIATED PRESS
Price has written a book called “The Gift of
Gratitude,” where she details her own strug-
gles surrounding college, depression and SAD. “Training my mind to be in a state of grat-
itude gave me relief from depression,” Price said.
Vitamin D supplements and light therapy are
also options to deal with the negative effects of SAD.
When asked what advice they would give
to college students, both therapists said they wanted to offer words of encouragement.
“A lot of people experience this disorder,
especially students new to the area,” Whisler
said. “Students that come from out of town are usually not prepared for Logan winters. This can be a shock to the system.
“When students struggle, they need to under-
stand that it’s not them, it’s the climate,” Price said.“There needs to be more support on campus so that students do not struggle.”
Whisler said she wants students to know that
they do not have to be alone.
“There are a lot of resources to help you, this
is not something you have to go through by yourself, “ she said.
Students who are struggling with symptoms
of SAD or other depressive disorders can con-
tact Counseling and Psychological Services in
the Taggart Student Center on campus.Family
Solutions also has a blog post to help students better understand SAD. https://www.family-
solutionsutah.org/blog/beating-the-wasatchwinter-blues
— taylorcripe@gmail.com
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah legislators wrapped up their
45-day annual session Thursday after passing abortion restric-
tions, reaching a deal to raise alcohol levels in beer and moving to restrict underage marriage.
Here’s a look at some of the record 573 bills passed this year: BEER ALCOHOL LEVELS
A compromise will raise the amount of alcohol available in beer
sold at grocery and convenience stores to 4 percent starting in
November, up from 3.2 percent. Supporters said a failure to raise the limit would lead to a lack of beers on the shelves because big
brewers aren’t producing as many low-alcohol beers as the market shrinks. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which
counts most lawmakers as members, had opposed an earlier proposal to raise the alcohol percentage to 4.8 percent. ___
ABORTION
Lawmakers have passed a measure sponsored by Republican Rep.
Cheryl Acton that would ban abortion after a fetus reaches 18
weeks gestational age, which could be among the strictest in the
country. Exceptions include if the pregnancy was a result of rape or is a serious detriment to the mother’s health. The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has already said it will sue if the measure is signed into law.
Another measure to ban abortions sought only because a fetus has
been diagnosed with Down syndrome has also been sent to Gov.
Gary Herbert’s desk. It would only go into effect if a similar law is upheld elsewhere. Utah law currently prohibits abortion past the 22nd week.
PHOTO BY Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP U.S. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, works the remaining hours on the final day of the Legislative session at the Utah Capitol on Thursday, March 14, 2019.
lobby.
A proposed “red-flag law” allowing police to temporarily confis-
cate guns of those deemed to be a threat died without a hearing. A measure allowing family members to voluntarily give up firearms passed.
A proposal inspired by the death of University of Utah student
Lauren McCluskey to hold gun owners civilly liable if they loan firearms used in a crime died in committee. ___
SMOKING AGE
Lawmakers have passed a plan to raise the tobacco-buying age
from 19 to 21, with exceptions for military members. The measure
___
GUN LAWS
Lawmakers strengthened the “stand-your-ground” law by stating
there’s no duty to retreat, but did not pass a measure that would have declared the state didn’t need any new gun laws. They also passed a voluntary suicide-prevention measure focused on edu-
cation and gun-lock distribution that was supported by the gun
sponsored by Republican Rep. Steve Eliason would phase in the change, putting it fully into place by January 2021. It comes as some cities raise the ages themselves. ___
SLAVERY
Voters will be asked next year whether to remove a provision in
the state constitution that allows slavery as punishment for crime. Lawmakers signed off on the measure championed by the sole
black member of the Legislature, Democratic Rep. Sandra Hollins. ___
AID FOR PEOPLE LEAVING POLYGAMOUS GROUPS
Lawmakers passed a proposal to allow people escaping polyga-
my to receive money from a crime-victims fund. Anyone leaving
a polygamous community is qualified to apply, but to receive the compensation they must make a report to law enforcement and
cooperate with an investigation. Analysts are estimating the fund would pay out about $3,500 a year per victim starting in 2020. ___
UNDERAGE MARRIAGE
Legislation is sitting on Herbert’s desk that bans marriage com-
pletely for those 15 and younger, and requires judicial and paren-
tal approval for 16 and 17-year-olds. It also outlaws marriages with age gaps larger than seven years. The proposal initially aimed to ban all underage marriage but was later amended by Democratic
sponsor Rep. Angela Romero. Current state law says 15-year-olds can marry with judicial approval and 16 and 17-year-olds only need consent from a parent. ___
U.S. CONSTITUTION
A call for a new Constitutional convention passed, adding Utah
to several states that have approved similar measures. Republican sponsor Sen. Evan Vickers believes a convention to revisit the
Constitution is necessary to combat what he sees as federal over-
reach resulting in national debt and manipulation of federal man-
dates. It requires two-thirds of all states to approve similar resolutions. PHOTO BY Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP Abraham Roe creates large soap bubbles on the front capitol of the Utah Capitol during the last day of the Legislative session on Thursday, March 14, 2019.
Summer Rent from just
$600
for the entire Summer
PAGE 5
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
STUDENT LIFE
Examining Utah’s unique relationship with religion and mental health By Shelby Black STUDENT LIFE SENIOR WRITER
There is no doubt that Utah has a unique culture. Things
like fry sauce, mountains, weird spellings of names, soda and sugar cookie shops, and summer vacations to Bear Lake are all second nature to Utahns. Another cultural distinction is
that confronted emotional health. In this talk, Holland stated,
“It is so unhealthy to hear and to promote this. I was a very
“However bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are
obedient missionary and my mission still sucked, and that’s
more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a
is OK for someone to not be OK, and it is OK for an LDS mis-
some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no
battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.”
OK,” Forsgren said. A huge part of Forsgren’s message is that it sionary experience to not be 100 percent perfect.
Another challenge is that people who are members of a reli-
gion will often feel that certain parts of their life were dictated
the large number of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
by a higher being. Forsgren commented that in Utah, it
Latter-Day Saints that live in Utah.
is common to hear people say that bad things that
Culture can have a significant effect on people and
have happened to them are a part of God’s
their mental health. As mental health issues have
plan. She said during her difficult times this
grown in recent years, some members of the LDS
was very damaging to hear.
church have had to balance managing their
She also explained that people many
mental health with being active in their faith.
times only want to show the good
This has brought challenges as well as posi-
and happy sides of themselves,
tive learning experiences for those involved.
when really it is not always so.
Harper Forsgren has dealt with many of
“People also always try to paint
these challenges, and she hopes to share
the best of themselves. You try to
her story and message with others. Fors-
be so perfect, so you never paint
gren is originally from Richmond, Utah.
the journey. You always just
She attended Utah State University and
paint the outcome,” Forsgren
recently transferred to Brigham Young
said. “We don’t necessarily
University to continue pursuing her
talk about the times where we
nursing degree.
pray and nothing happens. We
She served as a full-time missionary in
are so worried with looking a
the California Anaheim mission. During
certain way.”
her time there, she developed Post
The Church of Jesus Christ
Traumatic Stress Disorder, which con-
of Latter-day Saints is adapt-
tinues to affect her after her mission.
ing to recognize mental health
PTSD, but she doesn’t let this define
changed how many times mission-
Harper now lives day to day with
challenges. Recently the church
her. Instead, she uses her experiences
aries can call home. Instead of
to advocate for mental health and help
twice a year, missionaries can now
explain difficult topics in LDS culture on
call home once a week. Many have
her blog, which she and her sister share.
cited that this change is to accommo-
In the beginning, Harper said it was
date the mental health of these young
difficult to want to be a part of the LDS faith
adults.
because she felt it had let her down.
“You are wondering why these missionaries are
“I didn’t have any desire to be active because
dropping like flies. You can’t cut them off from all of
for me, a big problem was that I felt like I was
their support,” Romano said. “This makes the transition
supposed to go on a mission, but then I came back
better and hopefully this will help them be not as upset or
and it gave me mental illness,” Forsgren said. “Then
depressed on their missions.”
I felt like I was supposed to go to BYU and it made it
Forsgren felt that being able to talk to her mom and get sup-
worse.”
port while she was in the field could have changed the course
She explained that such doubts can create a feeling of
of her mission.
isolation, and it can be hard to know your place within your
“I do not think these missionaries are soft at all,” Forsgren
culture. Forsgren has had to create her own way.
said, adding that she would rather be called soft than deal with
“I don’t necessarily feel like there was place for me, but I am
what she does now.
making there be a place,” Forsgren said.
Both women agreed that a cultural change in mental health
Feeling out of place is not uncommon for others within the
perspective begins with just talking about it.
LDS culture who live with mental illness. Annie Romano is a
“We just need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable,
psychology student at Utah State University. Romano experi-
and then eventually we can talk about it,” Romano said.
ences social anxiety. She explained that this can create difficult
They encouraged those who are struggling to open up to
situations when trying to attend church services.
someone, whether it is a journal, a close friend, or a profes-
“I think, ‘Who am I going to sit next to? Who am I going to
sional. It is important to check on friends and truly ask how
talk to?’ Sometimes I feel a distance from the gospel and I can
GRAPHIC BY Ean Donehy
feel forgotten and abandoned,” Romano said. “It is like, why
do I have to deal with this? I literally have this disorder in my brain, and it feels so unfair sometimes.”
For many years, the LDS church was silent on mental illness.
There was an acknowledgment of physical disabilities, but those who were struggling on the inside weren’t sure where to turn.
“It feels like a physical debilitation, but it is in your brain and
it is constant. The problem is people don’t know you have it, and that makes it harder,” Romano said.
In more recent years, LDS church officials have began to
speak on the topic of mental health. Church leader Jeffrey R. Holland gave a talk at the October 2013 General Conference
Forsgren said that this was pretty groundbreaking for the LDS
they are doing. For people to understand what they were going through, they had to share their struggles.
“I wished people knew that you are capable of feeling joy
culture. “We need to stop acting like mental health isn’t real,”
and also capable of feeling complete isolation and sorrow, and
to someone and get help like you would if you were physically
I was understood when I started talking.”
she said. “If you have these mental illness, you need to go talk ill.”
Throughout their journey of living with mental health in
Utah’s LDS culture, both Forsgren and Romano have run into many misconceptions.
One misconception that Forsgren battled with was the idea
that mental health is determined by “righteousness” within one’s religion.
that’s OK,” Forsgren said. “For me, I started to actually feel like There are many resources available for those struggling with
similar situations. To seek help, please visit campus resources here; for more information on the LDS church and mental health, visit here.
—shelby.black@aggiemail.usu.edu @shelbsterblack
PAGE 6
Healthy habits to improve mental health
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
@christynagard Sometimes I remember that BYU is not on spring break this week because they do not in fact *have* a spring break, and then I feel a little better about my own life.
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Tried to find out how to get into the bell tower of old main
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@Jen_tach How I’m feelin about school tomorrow
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GRAPHIC BY Ellie Giauque By Alek Nelson STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
Because of the various causes of mental health problems and
differing experiences of individuals, mental health is a difficult and complex topic.
While different people may have different needs, creating
healthy habits can help maintain or improve mental health. Here
are some professionally-recommended habits used by students at Utah State University to help ease and control the symptoms of mental health problems.
1. Get active
Exercise is one of the most common recommendations to
improve mental health. According to multiple studies, regular
exercise is shown to not only help with physical fitness, but to
relieve stress, improve sleep and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Angela Johnson, a USU student majoring in outdoor recre-
ational therapy, uses exercise and outdoor activities to handle
the stress of schoolwork and other responsibilities. “For me, it’s a let-out,” Johnson said. “It helps me get away from the things
that are stressing me out.” She also said that getting outside and exercising helps her be happier and more productive.
Whether it is taking a walk around campus or going snow-
boarding, daily physical activity is an effective tool in increasing confidence and building positive mental health.
2. Limit screen time, especially social media With the advent of the smartphone, we now have screens in
front of us almost constantly. Recent research from The Nielsen Company found that American adults spend over 11 hours a
day interacting with media. While social media allows for easier communication between friends and family, it may be taking a toll on the mental health of its users.
A study from the University of Pennsylvania observed 143
undergraduate students and their mental health statuses. One
group of students limited their social media use to 30 minutes a day while the other group used it as normal. After three weeks, the group that limited social media use showed a significant decrease in loneliness and depression.
As a result, researchers in this study recommend setting a limit
of 30 minutes of social media use every day. Self-monitoring
screen time is also believed to decrease symptoms of anxiety.
Monitoring social media use and screen time is now very easy, as many smartphones have built-in or downloadable apps that can help track app usage.
3. Find activities you enjoy Nicole Fleming, a student studying computer engineering,
found that sculpting helped her deal with stress during high
school. Since coming to USU, she has taken up painting to help
her maintain her mental health. “It takes a level of focus that has
just helped me forget about what things are really stressful,” she said.
While painting might not be your activity of choice, it is import-
ant to find hobbies to do outside of schoolwork. These types of
activities, whether it be playing the guitar or board games with friends, can help wind the brain down after a stressful day and give a chance to focus on other things in life.
3. Watch what you eat When feeling down or anxious, it can be easy to fill meals
@coopylow Anyone else forget they were in school?
physically.
In a post on the blog of the Harvard Medical School, Doctor
Eva Selhub argued that what we eat influences our brains and how we function. She said that research has shown that diets
high in fruits and vegetables, fish and unprocessed grains help regulate the levels of serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin helps regulate things like our sleep schedules and moods. This im-
proved regulation results in better physical and mental health.
4. Take time to be mindful Mindfulness is a common technique to help maintain mental
health, and it has become more popular in recent years. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, director of the Center for Mindfulness at
@kenzhastheforce
moment and nonjudgmentally.” Mindfulness is one of the core principles of meditation and yoga.
Jessica Spackman, a senior in technical communication at USU,
has found that doing yoga multiple times a week has helped her take control of her mental health. “I am prone to anxiety and have noticed a difference in the days and weeks when I have done yoga and when I have taken time for myself,” she said.
Yoga and meditation resources can be easily found on the inter-
net. Spackman, for example, practices yoga on her own by using YouTube, including the popular channel “Yoga with Adriene.”
Meditation apps like Calm and Headspace have also become
popular and include routines that range in length from one minute to an hour. Many of these apps offer free trials, and Headspace offers a student plan at $9.99 a year.
In addition, many free resources are compiled on the “Bio-
feedback” page of USU’s Counseling and Psychological Services website. These resources can be found underneath the section
entitled “Relaxation Audios, Websites & Apps” (counseling.usu. edu/biofeedback/index).
Other resources and tips to improve overall wellness can be
found at http://aggiewellness.usu.edu/ or by visiting CAPS in room 306 of the Taggart Student Center. —alek.nelson@aggiemail.usu.edu @nelsonalek
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the University of Massachusetts Medical School, mindfulness is
“paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present
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with heavily processed comfort food. However, research shows that people will be better off eating healthy, both mentally and
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@CoachSmith_USU LET’S DANCE!!!
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WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
GRAPHIC BY Regan Johnson By Erick Graham Wood STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
According to Mental Health America, over 44 million Amer-
ican adults have a mental health condition. Although depres-
sive episodes in youth are on the rise, 62 percent of youth
with depression or anxiety receive no treatment.
Religion and politics are two of the largest overall reasons
for an increase in anxiety disorders, as reported by the Cana-
dian Broadcast Channel.
The cause for the increase in youth cases isn’t certain, but
anxietycentre.com suggested multiple possibilities, including
increased parental pressures, adoption of electronic media,
increased terrorist threats, or a rise in child abuse.
The American Psychological Association has recorded a rise
in anxiety since 2016. In 2017, two-thirds of Americans said
they were stressed or anxious.
Utah’s rate of depression and anxiety is in the highest
percentile, according to USA Today in 2018. The report from
the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that
Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah have the
highest suicide rates in the United States.
Kimball Gardner, the prevention program director at the
National Alliance on Mental Health’s Utah Chapter, told USA
Today that “we are a culture of pick yourself up by your
bootstraps” people, and many people think they have to do
everything on their own.
this service for those who may be on the waitlist and need to
getting help. “It’s a real wonderful thing to send a message to
and free up space on those wait lists.”
“It is not unmanly, a failure or laziness,” Gardner said about
others: Don’t wait. Don’t try to tough it out.”
USU student Camila Despain sees this need to acknowl-
discuss issues of faith. This way we can help students quicker
—erickwood97@gmail.com
edge the realities of mental health disorders. “I’ve dealt
with depression and anxiety for years now, and I’ve learned
@GrahamWoodMedia
how to manage,” Despain said. “However, there are so many young people who are told that it’s just ‘hormones and teenage rebellion,’ but we need to acknowledge their very real
emotions. Youth who don’t learn good coping skills turn into adults seeking unhealthy outlets.”
The Census Bureau reported that although more Americans
are insured and have access to care in the past four years,
there is a shortage of mental health workers, with a need four times greater than currently staffed.
This need can be seen at Utah State University, where
Counseling and Psychological Services are booked weeks and sometimes months in advance.
To combat an increase in students seeking counseling, Dr.
Bonnie Glass-Coffin started an interfaith initiative at USU where students could meet with local clergy volunteering their time.
“Currently there is a waitlist to visit with counselors on
campus,” Glass-Coffin said in February. “We decided to offer
Campus resources help sexual assault survivors overcome trauma and PTSD By Abigail Slade STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
There are survivors of sexual assault everywhere, and there are
many resources at Utah State University to help survivors deal
eating disorders, nightmares, flashbacks, intermittent remembrance, drug and/or alcohol abuse and self-harm.
Gallegos said that during a traumatic situation, the body has
three common responses. “We have fight, flight, or freeze,” she
with post-traumatic stress disorder and other challenges.
said. “This freeze response is what we call ‘tonic immobility,’
Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Title IX office are
the traumatic event, you’re still in that frozen space, and as you
The Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office, USU
the main on-campus organizations dedicated to helping victims
of interpersonal violence and sexual assault.
These resources help survivors receive medical care, file reports
and that’s what many survivors usually experience. Following heal, your brain is slowly ‘thawing.’”
There are benefits of seeking help during this “thawing” period,
mainly to understand that the
on campus or in the criminal justice system, help with time
freeze response is normal and
survivor may need.
a starting point for post-trau-
management and organization, and many other things that a There are also therapists available to help survivors work
through trauma and find productive ways to move forward while
that tonic immobility could be matic stress.
Feeling guilt, shame, or con-
dealing with emotions and memories.
fusion about their experience
sexual assault could cause PTSD. Dr. Michael Twohig, a professor
vivors when deciding whether
experiencing PTSD and has collaborated with the resource offic-
an assault. However, Gallegos
sexual assault will be diagnosable with PTSD, but many will be.”
one can do is to banish those
Recently, there has been a growing focus on how experiencing
is a common challenge for sur-
of psychology at USU, specializes in working with individuals
or not to come forward about
es on campus. He said that “not every person who experiences a
said that the best thing some-
To this same end, Felicia Gallegos, the Outreach and Prevention
Coordinator at SAAVI, said that it is important to understand
“The majority of situations
happen in a gray area. It’s
different.”
legos said. “Almost every sin-
cally, mentally and emotionally drained, but it could be the exact
our door has those thoughts..
For example, one survivor may cope with PTSD by being physi-
opposite for someone else: they could channel all their energy
into work or school to stay distracted.
Other reactions include depression, anxiety, inability to focus,
March 26, 2019 2:30pm – 3:30pm Perry Pavilion, Huntsman Hall
thoughts.
that while there are common patterns, “everybody’s experience
is different, and everybody’s reaction to what they experience is
George S. Eccles Memorial Lecture in Economics
rarely black or white,” Gal-
gle person who walks through
—sladeabigail@aggiemail.
usu.edu
Dr. John B. Taylor:
The Outlook for Economic Policy and the Economy John B. Taylor is the Mary and Robert Raymond Professor of Economics at Stanford University and the George P. Shultz Senior Fellow in Economics at the Hoover Institution. He formerly served as senior economist and member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on central banking and monetary policy.
File Photo Illustration
PAGE 8
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
OPINION
Stereotypes
Making sense of a crazy world By Alek Nelson STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
We can’t comprehend how everything in the world works; we still find ways to grapple with a complicated world. One way we do this is by processing and organizing the people, places, and things in our lives. Whether it’s a metal filing cabinet full of color-coded folders or a friend “Kondo-ing” their apartment, we see results of our efforts to organize the world around us. “The human compulsion to group people and objects together was ingrained in our being since we evolved,” said Charlie Caruso, a businesswoman and author. “We need to group things, group the dangerous and unknown from the 'safe to eat' or the 'it won't eat you' categories. Without the ability to categorize these threats, our ancestors wouldn't have survived.” But what happens when we rely on these categorizations to understand people, though? While labeling allows us to process the world more easily, it also simplifies how we view the things being labeled — including human beings. This oversimplification can result in stereotyping, but people are
not stagnant objects. We grow in different areas throughout life and we become different as we have different experiences. Labels do not allow for growth. They simplify a person down to a word and don’t allow for any variance. We see results of labels in many places. It can be seen in the women’s
Labeling others or ourselves, whether it be based on race, sexual orientation, age or socioeconomic status, keeps us from seeing and understanding the complexity of the individual pinned underneath that label. It keeps people from progressing in life, something we all want and need. People are messy subjects, and are not meant to be placed in neat, tidy boxes with printed, permanent labels. The only label that we should always remember to stick to ourselves and others is that of a human being. We each have layers of immense complexity and do not deserve to be limited by a label we place on ourselves or others. I hope that we can strive to view others, especially those we don’t easily relate to, for who they really are deep down. We can’t simplify a person and their diverse experiences down to an easyto-digest label that sits well in our framework of thinking. Rather, we must consistently strive to see each other as fellow human beings trying to make sense of this crazy world. Doing so will create more thoughtful policy, greater humanity and kindness for others. In a world as confusing and complex as ours, that is what we need.
The only label that we should always remember to stick to ourselves and others is that of a human being.
suffrage and civil rights movements of the nineteenth century as groups of people fought to break from the labels that had been placed upon them for centuries. Today, we see and hear labels applied to our generation on social media sites and cable news all the time, such as “snowflakes” or “millennials.” Even terms like “republican” and “democrat” are types of destructive labels in today’s political atmosphere. Labeling people brings with it a highschool-clique type of atmosphere, where athletes and band kids have certain molds to fill, and it is seen as weird if people in these groups do anything “out of the ordinary.”
Letters to the editor Have an opinion you’d like to share? Email your letter to opinion@usustatesman.com. Letters must not contain personal attacks or other inappropriate language and should be limited to 400 words or less. Anonymous letters will also not be published; please include your name and a phone number or email address (neither of which will be published). Letters received by The Utah Statesman will be published online at www.usustatesman.com, as well as in the print issue of the Statesman, depending on space.
PAGE 9
WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
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WEEK OF MARCH 19, 2019
MARCH 19 - 25
3/19 Speaker: Lifestyle Rx for anxiety & depression 12:30pm TSC Auditorium Jazz at Caffe Ibis 1:00pm Caffe Ibis 52 Federal Ave Logan, UT Soup ‘n Stroke Support Group 4:00pm Sunshine Terrace Foundation 248 W 300 North Logan, UT Thoughts, feelings, behaviors workshop 5:00pm TSC 310B
3/20 Teacher Fair North 9:00am Taggart Student Center 0175 Old Main Hill Logan, UT Tree Trimming and Tree Care with Rex Davis 12:00pm Logan City Environmental Building Classroom 153 N 1400 W Logan, UT Exercise for your mind 4:00pm The ARC
3/21
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Canyon Conversations Series (SNC) 11:00am Stokes Nature Center 2696 E. Highway 89 Logan, UT
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Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
Mountain West Review
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
First round: Utah State 62 - Colorado State 59 the career assists record with 437, previously
held by Jennifer Schlott. Freshman guard Steph
Gorman stepped up for the Aggies as well in the second half, scoring nine of her 10 points in the final two quarters.
“We’re now starting to get some punch there
offensively and I think our late season run has
been due to the fact we’ve started to score more points,” Finkbeiner said.
Colorado State responded to Utah State’s 11-to-0
run to open the quarter by going on a 17-to-8 run of its own over a six minute period toward the
end of the game. Between all the ups and downs
of the second half, Utah State was up by just one point with 30 seconds left in the game.
“I know there’s two sides to the story here,” Fink-
beiner said. “Colorado State’s view and our view.
We did the things that we needed to do to get the win. So we’re really proud of the girls.” PHOTO BY Megan Nielsen The Utah State women’s basketball team huddles up prior to its Mountain West Conference tournament first-round matchup with Colorado State. The Aggies defeated the Rams 62-59 to advance to the second round for the first time since 2017. By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Colorado State was able to play the Aggies closer
than their first two meetings, but Utah State was able to come away with a 62-59 in its opening
game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament. Newly honored all-conference player Shannon
Dufficy wasn’t the lead contributor for the Aggies
in the first half of Sunday’s opening game against
Colorado State, but this wasn’t a problem for Utah State. Senior guard Rachel Brewster continued to be in good form as she put up nine of the Aggies’
30 points in the first half. Junior guard Olivia West
also had nine points at the half, going 3-of-5 from deep. “Olivia and Rachel, we needed that first half out
of them,” said Utah State head coach Jerry Finkbeiner. “Definitely needed them.”
However, Colorado State took advantage of Utah
State failing to hit its shots in the third quarter,
closing in on the Aggies’ lead and gaining one of
its own by the end of the quarter. Utah State shot 1-of-7 for the first four minutes of the quarter,
allowing the Rams to close the gap. Overall, the
Aggies ended up going 3-of-16 from the field as a team and were looking at a 38-37 deficit.
This didn’t phase the Aggies. Utah State opened
up the fourth quarter hungry to not let its tourna-
ment run end in the first game, going on an 11 to
nothing run over the first three minutes of the quarter. While Brewster led the team in the first half, it
took a full team effort to turn the ship around in
A strange looking pump-fake free-throw from
a Colorado State player gave the Aggies the ball
back under 30 seconds and all Utah State had to
do from there was make its free-throws, which it
did. Utah State would go on to shoot 6-of-6 from the line to close out the game, securing a 62-59 earn and a trip to the next round.
final two quarters. Brewster would go scoreless in the second half but
Utah State ended the game with six
players scoring more than eight points, including three in double figures.
“We’ve struggled all year long with
scoring,” Finkbeiner said. “Shannon’s scored all year but we’ve had a hard time having other people score with
her. The last five out of seven games, six out of seven games, we’ve finally
had two, three, sometimes four double-figure girls.”
Dufficy would make up for a slow
first half by scoring seven points and pulling down eight rebounds in the second half. She ended the game with 11 points and 15 rebounds,
netting an 18th double-double of the season, a Utah State single season record.
Junior guard Eliza West also broke
a record in the game for the Aggies. She dished out three assists to set
PHOTO BY Savy Knapp
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
Quarterfinals: Wyoming 64 - Utah State 41 By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS STAFF WRITER
LAS VEGAS (The Utah Statesman) — Monday
night saw the Aggies fall to Wyoming 64-41, ending their tournament run in the quarterfinals.
Right out of the gates, Wyoming wanted to make
sure that the game didn’t result in a low scoring affair like the previous two meetings between
these two teams this season. Within five minutes the Cowgirls were already off to a great start
shooting the ball, continuing the form that got the team in the top-five nationally in three point per-
centage. Wyoming made seven of its first 10 shots, including 2-of-4 from deep.
By the end of the quarter Utah State was faced
with an 18-9 deficit and not seeing a lot of options offensively.
“I think Wyoming is the best in the conference in
the halfcourt,” said Utah State head coach Jerry
Finkbeiner. “They executed offensively really well. A lot of back screens, a lot of cuts and back doors.” Junior forward Shannon Dufficy was doing her
best to keep the Aggies in the game by putting up
11 points at the half along with five rebounds. The all-conference forward would end up leading the team with 17 points and finishing one rebound
shy of her 19th double-double of the season. Un-
fortunately for Utah State, one player contributing wasn’t enough and Wyoming held a 37-21 lead at the half.
Wyoming was not only out-shooting the Aggies,
PHOTO BY Megan Nielsen Utah State junior forward Marlene Aniambossou dives for a loose ball during Utah State’s 64-41 loss to Wyoming in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Conference tournament.
but also was making its presence felt under the
ming showed no signs of slowing down from the
pulled down 18 rebounds in the first half, 10 more
invincibility radiating from its side of the court.
basket by cleaning up on the glass. Wyoming
than Utah State, all while shooting 59 percent
field and there even started to become a feeling of The Cowgirls were once again led by its two
from the field.
all-conference senior forwards Marta Gomez and
conference, but they’re long and they anticipate
and Cotton wasn’t far behind with 14 herself.
“Defensively they’re not the quickest group in the
well and they’re always in your face,” Finkbeiner said. “We just couldn’t shake them tonight. You
know, if the game
Bailee Cotton. Gomez led the team with 19 points All-in-all Wyoming finished with four players in double figures and 53 percent shooting.
The fourth quarter wouldn’t matter much in the
was to start off a
grand scheme of the game as Wyoming scored just
they wouldn’t have
41 and sending the Cowgirls to the semifinals and
little differently if been as hot, if we we would have
12 points to the Aggies’ 10, ending the game 64Utah State back to Logan.
Although the Aggies didn’t make it past the sec-
made a couple more
ond round of the tournament, the season can still
of the game could
to recent history. Utah State finished conference
shots the reflection have been different.”
A 13-to-2 run
to start the third
be looked at rose colored glasses in comparison
play with a 16-15 record, only the second time the Aggies have finished with a winning record since
joining the Mountain West Conference six seasons ago. While an NCAA tournament berth isn’t a
quarter put Utah
possibility for USU, the Aggies still could be in
deeper hole just five
tournaments. Finkbeiner alluded that the Aggies
State into an even minutes into the
PHOTO BY Megan Nielsen Utah State junior forward Shannon Dufficy lays the ball in past Wyoming’s Bailee Cotton. Dufficy had 17 points and second half. Wyonine rebounds in the Aggies’ loss.
the running for a number of other postseason
could still potentially receive an invitation to the Women’s Invitational Tournament.
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
Merrill named Player of the Year, Aggies win 4 of 6 major awards
PHOTOS BY Tim Carpenter & Megan Nielsen (Left) Utah State junior guard Sam Merrill lays the ball up during USU’s March 2 victory over Nevada. (Right) USU freshman center Neemias Queta celebrates Utah State’s March 16 victory over San Diego State to win the Mountain West Conference tournament. By Jason Walker SPORTS SENIOR WRITER
The Utah State men’s basketball team took home
four of the possible six postseason awards for the Mountain West Conference. Head coach Craig
Smith, junior guard Sam Merrill, and freshman
center Neemias Queta all received honors as voted on by the head coaches in the conference.
Smith received Coach of the Year with Neemias
Queta taking home not just Freshman of the Year, but Defensive Player of the Year as well. Sam
Merrill won a close three-way race with Nevada’s Caleb Martin and Jordan Caroline for the Player of the Year award.
Merrill finished second in the Mountain West in
scoring at 21.0 points per game. He also finished second in PER (25.2), fourth in offensive rating
(127.7) and sixth in assists per game (4.1). In the last four games of the regular season, the junior
guard averaged 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He also never left the floor in any of those
four games which included two overtime contests. Six other Aggies in history have won conference
player of the year, though Merrill is the first in
rebounds, assists, steals and blocks — became
West), Greg Grant (1986 Big West), Eric Franson
ly, Jalen Moore had climbed the highest on the
the Mountain West era. Dean Hunger (1980 Big (1995 Big West), Jaycee Carroll (2008 WAC), Gary Wilkinson (2009 WAC) and Tai Wesley (2011 WAC) are the other POY winners.
Queta, who averaged 11.6 points and 8.8 re-
bounds in his freshman campaign, led the confer-
the first Aggie to get on the First Team. PreviousMountain West All-Conference ladder by being
placed on the Second Team in 2014-15. The last First Team selection any Aggie got was Preston Medlin, a WAC First Team awardee in 2012.
Smith became the fourth USU coach to be given
ence in blocks by a wide margin. He averaged 2.4
coach of the year honors. Rod Tueller, Larry
Grimes). The freshman center also led the league
winners across the program’s time in the Big West
rejections per game (next closest was 1.6 by Nate in defensive rating (88.0), defensive box plus/
minus (8.1) and was third in defensive win shares
(2.2, slightly trailing the 2.3 of Martin and Caroline). Both Queta and Merrill were also given recogni-
tion with selections to the All-Conference teams.
Eustachy and Stew Morrill are the other three
and WAC. Smith’s 25 wins are the most all-time
by a first-year head coach at Utah State. He also
became the first-ever USU coach to win a regular season Mountain West title.
On Monday, the Mountain West media mem-
Merrill was selected to be on the First Team
bers announced their selections for each of these
Second Team and All-Defensive teams.
es who voted for the official awards. Earlier on
All-Conference West with Queta getting on the Since joining the conference at the start of the
2013-14 season, only one player has received
one of the six individual awards. Koby McEwen
received Freshman of the Year honors in 2016-17. Merrill — who averaged career-highs in points,
awards, mirroring the decisions of the MW coachTuesday, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association
honored Smith, Merrill and Queta as part of the
USBWA’s District VIII. Smith received the District VIII Coach of the Year award with Merrill and
Queta being All-District VIII First Team selections.
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
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Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPS Aggies defeat San Diego State in tournament championship game to earn first MWC title
PHOTO BY Matt Halton Utah State’s Diogo Brito cuts down the net following Utah State’s 64-57 victory over San Diego State in the Mountain West Conference title game March 16. This was the Aggies’ first title since joining the conference in 2013, and guarantees Utah State its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. By Jason Walker SPORTS SENIOR WRITER
The Aggies are going to the big dance for the
first time in nearly a decade.
No more questions. No more analyzing the
bubble. No more trips to Joe Lunardi’s latest NCAA bracket projections. It’s settled.
With its 64-57 win Saturday over San Diego
State — just the second win over the Aztecs
since joining the Mountain West — Utah State
became the true Mountain West champions, and with it, USU will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Through the first 20 minutes, though, that
result was far from a surety. SDSU’s defense
smothered the Aggies at times and though USU held a 34-32 lead at the break, it was either
team’s game to win. Sam Merrill said that the
progress throughout the season and his confi-
Mexico game” in how they executed.
it wasn’t a surprise to us, because we know that
teams’ first half felt “pretty similar to the New “We didn’t feel like we played all that well in
the first half,” Merrill said. “And yet we were still up by two. So we were pretty confident coming out of the half.”
Just to pull off a halftime lead seemed a small
miracle with how hard many of Utah State’s
early goings were. But one player, Abel Porter, made it a whole lot easier. The redshirt soph-
omore, in just his 16th Division I start, played
like a veteran. He racked up 10 points all while
going a flawless 4 for 4 from the field, including
dence has gone up so much. And to be honest, Abel’s that type of player.”
Once the halftime break ended, though, Utah
State decided it’d had enough of hanging with the Aztecs and reeled off a 13-0 run spanning a little under five and a half minutes. Merrill
stood at the center of that early run, flanked by Brock Miller and Neemias Queta. The trio ac-
counted for not only the entire 13-0 run to start the half, but 27 of the Aggies’ 30 second-half points overall.
More impressive than the offensive output was
2 of 2 on 3-pointers.
the defensive silencing of SDSU’s offense, which
game I could feel that he was locked in and
were held to 33 percent shooting in the game.
“Abel is a gamer,” Merrill said, adding, “Pre-
ready. And obviously he’s made such great
missed its first 10 shots of the second half and
“To hold a team like that to 33 percent for the
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019 game and 27 percent in the second half, that’s how you’re able to close
out games,” Smith said, “and that’s how you’re able to close out championships.” Merrill, named the conference tournament MVP to go with his regular
season Player of the Year trophy, tallied a game-high 24 points — 15 in
the second half. In his three-game tournament run, the junior guard averaged 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. He also shot 47.5 percent from the field and 92.6 percent from the free throw line.
Winning it all helped “validate what we did in the regular season,” as
head coach Craig Smith put it. Smith also elaborated on how impressed he is with his squad’s overall body of work.
“It’s just an amazing group,” Smith said. “When you look at the growth
that these guys had and we’ve talked about our youth and all that kind of
stuff. You really think back to the year and not one time did we lose backto-back games this year. Not one. You play 34 games in the schedule that
we had and all the travel, to not lose back-to-back games is like incredibly difficult to do.”
The ultimate goal for Utah State, and especially Merrill, isn’t just to win
regular season titles, conference tournament games, conference championships or even appear in the NCAA Tournament. It’s about winning in March’s biggest stage.
“This is incredible,” Merrill said. “But I feel like we have a lot more left
in the tank and we’re going to definitely try and show that wherever we end up this next weekend.”
PHOTO BY Matt Halton Utah State guard Sam Merrill dribbles during the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs in the Mountain West Championship game in Las Vegas, NV, on March 16.
PHOTO BY Savy Knapp
Mountain West Tournament Review 2019
Aggies bound for the ‘Big Dance’ Utah State earns first NCAA Tournament invite since 2011, will face Washington in first round By Jason Walker SPORTS SENIOR WRITER
Utah State will make its 21st NCAA Tournament
appearance — and first since 2011 — this Friday as the eighth seed in the Midwest bracket. The
Aggies will face the ninth seed Washington, who were the regular season PAC-12 champions.
“We’re so excited to represent Utah State the
right way and obviously the Mountain West Conference in a first-class fashion,” USU head coach Craig Smith said, following the announcement. Aggies junior guard Sam Merrill, the Mountain
West tournament MVP and regular season conference Player of the Year added that they are “very
excited to have helped bring Utah State basketball
back to where it needs to be.”
This season will be the first time in program his-
tory that the team will be the chalk favorites in an NCAA Tournament game. The highest seed USU
has received since seeding numbers began being assigned in 1980 is 10 (three times).
The fact that this iteration of the Aggies made
history by doing something no Aggie squad,
even the legendary Stew Morrill-led teams, ever
managed was not lost on Smith or its star player Sam Merrill (Both mentioned it in their opening
statements to the media). That didn’t change the
level of disbelief based on where this team started in November.
“This has been like a fairy tale, quite frankly,”
Smith said of the season.
“It’s incredible,”
Merrill said. “I
never would have
thought we’d be at
this point with how my first couple years (at Utah
PHOTO BY Savy Knapp Utah State’s Brock Miller dribbles during Utah State’s 91-83 victory over New Mexico in the MWC Tournament first round on March 14.
just how we’ve
USU head coach, led the Aggies to a 77-68 upset
State) went. But, grown as a team
and how each play-
in overtime against fifth seed Ohio State.
“I don’t remember (the last USU tournament
er individually has
win), I was probably four or five,” Merrill said.
incredible ride.”
next few years. And those were really good Utah
grown, it’s been an From 2002 to
2011, Utah State made six tourna-
ment appearances, though they lost
“But I do remember all the losses throughout the State teams that just, for some reason or another, couldn’t find a way to get over that hump but
we’re hoping to be that team that can do that and make some noise for our program.”
Getting into the tournament was not in question
in each of those
after the Aggies made their bid official with a 64-
never higher than
game of the conference tournament. The question
matchups and were an 11 seed (2009). The last win in
the famed March
57 win over San Diego State in the championship then became: how high will that seed be? In the end, the players appeared satisfied.
“We wanted the best seed that we could get,”
tournament came
Merrill said, “Getting an eight seed was awesome.”
Morrill, in just his
Friday night, and it will air on TNT as well as
in 2001 when
third season as the
Tip-off for the game will be at 4:50 p.m. MST
KBLU-LP 92.3 FM.