LOGAN, Utah – Utah State University held a ceremony Friday night to officially induct its 2025 class into its Athletics Hall of Fame.
The seven inductees into the 2025 class include former head football coach Gary Andersen (2009-12, 2019-20), women’s basketball player Devyn Christensen (2010-13), men’s basketball player Shawn Daniels (2000-01), football player Tyler Larsen (2009-13), volleyball player Amanda Orgill-Nielson (2004-07), gymnast Jessica Parenti Otte (2003-07), and soccer player Taryn Rose (2011-14).
Since its inception in 1993, nearly 150 student-athletes, coaches, administrators and contributors, along with three teams, have been inducted into the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame.
2025 Utah State University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Class
GARY ANDERSEN
Salt Lake City, Utah
Head Football Coach (2009-12; 2019-20)
Gary Andersen’s hiring as Utah State’s head coach on Dec. 4, 2008, began a transformation within the program that changed the course of Aggie Football forever. Over two tenures spanning more than five years, he established a foundation of sustained success, turning Utah State into a consistent winner. Andersen built the program on core values and prioritized the development of student-athletes academically, socially and athletically and focused on success both off and on the field, which set the foundation for sustained success.
Taking over in December 2008, Andersen inherited a program that had endured 11 consecutive losing seasons, had not reached a bowl game since 1997, and had only two winning seasons in the previous 28 years. Three years later, the 2011 team won five straight games to secure Utah State’s first winning season and bowl appearance in 14 years, finishing 7-6 with a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. That season also marked the first time in 18 years that the Aggies reached seven wins.
In 2012, Utah State fielded one of the best teams in school history, finishing with an 11-2 record to set the school record for wins in a season. The Aggies went 6-0 in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play to secure their first outright conference championship since 1936. They then won just the second bowl game in school history, claiming the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Championship.
Utah State finished the season ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press Poll, marking only the second time in program history it ended a season nationally ranked. The Aggies also record back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1979-80. In recognition of the team’s success, Andersen was named WAC Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.
Andersen was rehired on Dec. 9, 2018, becoming the only coach in program history to serve multiple tenures as head coach. In 2019, he led Utah State to a berth in the Frisco Bowl, marking his third bowl appearance with the Aggies.
Overall, his 33 career wins rank fifth in school history, and his three bowl appearances are tied for the second-most. His teams produced seven All-Americans, 10 NFL Draft picks, 24 players on NFL rosters, four players on CFL rosters, and 45 all-conference selections.
Off the field, Andersen prioritized academic and personal development. Utah State earned national Academic Progress Rate (APR) recognition, led the WAC and MW conferences in Graduation Success Rate in multiple seasons, and had over 100 players named to All-Academic teams. In 2019, the Aggies posted a 3.02 GPA, the highest in program history, with 43 players on the Honor Roll and 21 earning a 3.5 GPA or higher.
Andersen, and his wife Stacey, along with their children and grandchildren, have all made Logan their home.
DEVYN CHRISTENSEN
Union, Oregon
Women’s Basketball (2010-13)
Devyn Christensen earned first-team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors in her final two seasons at Utah State and was named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-Region 7 team as a junior. She was named academic All-WAC twice and earned three conference weekly honors.
Christensen’s name is all over the Utah State career record lists, ranking first in 3-pointers made (226) and attempted (632), first in free throw percentage (89.6), second in scoring (1,551), second in field goals attempted (1,256), third in free throws made (319), fourth in steals (191), fourth in field goals made (503), sixth in 3-point percentage (35.8), eighth in scoring average (13.3), eighth in assists (235) and ninth in games played (117).
Christensen scored 30-plus points three times in her career, including a career-high 37 points against Idaho in the 2013 WAC Championship semifinals, which ties for fourth on the USU single-game record list. She also set the single-game record with nine 3-pointers made in the game against the Vandals.
Christensen holds the program single-season record with 107 3-pointers made and 302 3-pointers attempted during her senior campaign. She also holds the top two spots on the free throw percentage single-season record list after shooting 92.4 percent from the stripe as a senior and 89.8 percent as a junior.
SHAWN DANIELS
Bakersfield, California
Men’s Basketball (2000-01)
One of the best post players in school history, Shawn Daniels started all 68 games he played in during his two-year Utah State career (2000-01) as he helped the Aggies to a pair of Big West Tournament Championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances and an overall record of 56-12, including back-to-back 28-win seasons, which is tied for the third-most wins in program history.
During his senior season, Daniels helped Utah State record its first NCAA Tournament win in 31 years when it defeated fifth-seeded Ohio State (77-68 OT) in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
Daniels led the Aggies in scoring and rebounding in both of his seasons, averaging 12.0 points and 7.9 rebounds as a junior and 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds as a senior. He scored in double figures 48 times and had two 20-point games during his career, including a career-high 28 points as a senior, while adding 14 double-figure rebounding games, including a career-high 17.
For his career, Daniels averaged 11.9 points and 7.3 rebounds, totaling 809 points and 497 rebounds. He ranks fifth all-time in school history with 117 career blocks, including a career-high and then-school-record seven blocks against Pacific as a senior. Daniels, who ranks second all-time in school history with his 1.8 blocks per game average, also holds two of the top four single season block records in school history with 59 during his senior season and 58 during his junior campaign. Overall, he ranks sixth in single season blocks per game, averaging 1.7 as both a junior and senior.
Daniels also led Utah State in field goal percentage both seasons, shooting 58.1 percent (179-of-308) as a junior and 57.6 percent (167-of-290) as a senior, and finished his career shooting 57.9 percent (346-of-598) from the floor, which ranks ninth all-time in school history.
TYLER LARSEN
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Sport: Football
Years: 2009-13
Tyler Larsen earned second-team All-American honors following his senior season in 2013, becoming just the third offensive lineman in school history to earn first- or second-team All-American accolades.
Larsen, who was one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy as the most outstanding center in college football as a senior, is one of just 10 players in school history to be named a three-time first-team all-conference selection as he garnered first-team All-Mountain West (MW) accolades in 2013 and first-team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors in 2011 and 2012.
Larsen played in 54 games and started the final 52 games of his career, both of which were school records at the time. Larsen helped Utah State to a school-record three-straight bowl games (2011-13), including back-to-back bowl wins in 2012 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) and 2013 (Poinsettia Bowl). USU won the WAC title in 2012 for its first outright conference championship since 1936 and he helped Utah State to the inaugural MW Championship game as the Aggies won the Mountain Division title in 2013, followed by a win against No. 21 Northern Illinois in its bowl game.
Following his collegiate career, Larsen signed an NFL free agent contract with the Miami Dolphins. Larsen spent 10 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Washington Commanders (2015, 2021-23) and Carolina Panthers (2016-20).
AMANDA ORGILL-NIELSON
West Valley City, Utah
Volleyball (2004-07)
One of 11 volleyball players in school history to earn All-American honors, Amanda Orgill-Nielson is one of only two players to finish her career in the top five in both career kills and career blocks.
As a senior in 2007, Orgill-Nielson finished second in school history with 532 kills, third with 1,406 attempts and 12th with 38 service aces en route to earning first-team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) accolades. Orgill-Nielson was also named AVCA All-West Region and academic All-WAC as a senior. That year, she ranked in the top 10 in the nation in kills per set.
Utah State also recorded one of its biggest wins in school history during Orgill-Nielson’s senior season as the Aggies posted a 3-0 win at No. 10 Hawai’i to snap a 108-match homecourt winning streak for the Rainbow Wahine that dated back to 1993.
As a junior, Orgill-Nielson led the Aggies with 465 kills, 1,390 attempts and 39 aces en route to earning second-team All-WAC honors. Those totals rank sixth, fourth and 11th in school history, respectively, in a single season. Orgill-Nielson also holds the school record with six service aces in a four-set match against Eastern Washington on Aug. 25, 2007.
During her sophomore season, Orgill-Nielson helped Utah State to its second-ever NCAA Tournament.
Orgill-Nielson ranks fourth all-time in school history in career kills with 1,369 and sixth in career blocks with 359. She also finished her career in the top six in four other statistics, including third in career attempts (3,991), fourth in matches played (121), fifth in career aces (116) and sixth in block assists (337).
JESSICA PARENTI OTTE
Glendora, California
Gymnastics (2003; 2005-07)
One of the greatest gymnasts to ever don a Utah State leotard, Jessica Parenti Otte was a three-time all-conference honoree and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Gymnast of the Year as a senior in 2007.
During her senior campaign, Parenti Otte was named All-WAC on vault, bars, beam and in the all-around. As a junior, she earned All-WAC accolades on vault, bars and in the all-around. As a sophomore, she earned All-Western Gymnastics Conference (WGC) honors on bars and floor and was All-WGC on bars, beam and in the all-around as a freshman in 2003.
One of the best vaulters in school history, Parenti Otte holds a share of the school record with a 9.950 on the event, while her 9.815 beam average in 2005 was a school record at the time. She ranks eighth all-time in school history with an all-around score of 39.425 and is tied for the 11th-highest bars score (9.925) ever.
Parenti Otte ranks third all-time in school history with 45 career titles, including 13 in the all-around (tied for second in school history), 15 on bars (third), eight on beam (tied for third) and six on vault (tied for 10th). She captured most of her titles during her junior (14) and senior (14) seasons, which rank third and fifth, respectively, all-time in class history. Her 10 titles as a sophomore rank tied for seventh all-time in class history.
In 2006, Parenti Otte was the WAC champion on vault with a 9.875 and was the WAC Champion in 2007 on vault, bars and in the all-around. That year, she had the highest all-around score in the conference with a 39.350 and placed 14th in the all-around at NCAA Regionals.
Parenti Otte was a four-time academic all-conference honoree and earned CoSIDA Academic All-American accolades in 2006.
TARYN ROSE
North Salt Lake City, Utah
Soccer (2011-14)
Taryn Rose is a four-time all-conference honoree who played an integral role in one of the most successful eras of Utah State soccer. During her four years in Logan, the Aggies posted a combined 48-23-15 record with back-to-back Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championships and the first two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.
Rose helped anchor the Aggie defense for four years as she started every match of her career — a then-program-record 86 starts — with over 7,600 total minutes on the pitch.
As a senior, Rose earned first-team All-Mountain West (MW) honors and became the first Aggie ever to earn MW Defensive Player of the Year accolades. She also earned second-team All-MW honors as a junior and second-team All-WAC honors as a freshman and sophomore. In 2011, she was named the WAC Freshman of the Year.
During the span of her career, the Utah State defense held opponents to just 0.81 goals per game with 40 shutouts. The team’s top two goals allowed averages in program history came during her sophomore (0.55) and junior seasons (0.66). Rose totaled 17 points on seven goals and three assists during her career, with two game-winning goals.
Previous Inductees By Class:
Class of 2024: Bob Erickson (wrestling); Rich Haws (men’s basketball); Sid Lane (contributor, football); Liz McArthur-Fisher (volleyball); Bill Munson (football); Natalie Norris (soccer); Clint Silcock (track & field); Gary Wilkinson (men’s basketball).
Class of 2023: Tana Call Davis (gymnastics, 1987-90); Shantel Flanary (soccer, 2008-11); Krista Larson Du Plessis (track & field, 2006-09); Jerrie McGahan (women’s basketball, 1977-80); Denae Mohlman Pruden (volleyball, 1997-2000); Christine Thomsen (softball, 2012-13); Marilyn Weiss (woman’s athletics director, 1975-81).
Class of 2022: Trever Ball (track & field/cross country, 2002-06); Robert Turbin (football, 2008-11); Tai Wesley (men’s basketball, 2008-11); Barb Zahl (gymnastics, 1988, 1990-92).
Class of 2021: Kathy Beasley-Houchen (softball, 1993-96); Jaycee Carroll (men’s basketball, 2005-08); Bobby Wagner (football, 2008-11); Lance White (track & field, 1992-95).
Class of 2020: Zuzana Cernianska (volleyball, 2002-05); Eric Franson (men’s basketball, 1991, 1994-96); Russ Paulsen (wrestling, 1972-75); Donald Penn (football, 2002-05); Kevin Robinson (football, 2004-07); Kendall Youngblood (men’s basketball, 1989-92).
Class of 2018: Tony Brown (men’s basketball, 1999-2002); Erin Cartwright-Davis (volleyball, 2001-03); Charlie Denson (contributor); Greg Kragen (football, 1980-83); Kevin Nixon (men’s basketball, 1985-88); Kendal Smith (football, 1985-88).
Class of 2017: Kent Baer (football, 1970-72; assistant football coach, 1979-85); Gordon “Dutch” Belnap (men’s basketball coach, 1974-79), men’s tennis coach (1969-71); Shane Bingham (track & field, 1993, 1996-98); Chris Cooley (football, 2000-03); Christy Denson-Pettiette (gymnastics, 1997-2000); Jayme Gordy (soccer, 1997-2000); Nate Harris (men’s basketball, 2003-06); Stew Morrill (men’s basketball coach, 1998-2015).
Class of 2016: DeAnna Earsley-Bowers (softball, 1990-93); Tom Forzani (football, 1970-72); Jim Helton (track & field, 1966-67); Jim Hough (football, 1974-77); Phil Johnson (men’s basketball/track & field, 1960, 1962-63); Dave Manning (football, 1972-73); Steve C. Mothersell (football/contributor, 1973-74); Rod Tueller (men’s basketball coach/athletics director, 1980-88; 1985-92).
Class of 2015: Dr. Stan Albrecht (university president, 2005-16); Lucia Chudy (volleyball, track & field, 1977-79); Ray Corn (gymnastics coach, 1978-2008); Kevin Curtis (football, 2001-02); Spencer Nelson (men’s basketball, 1999, 2003-05); Lloydene Searle (women’s basketball, softball, volleyball, softball head coach, 1972-75; 1981-97).
Class of 2014: Cordel Andersen (wrestling, 1981, 1984-86); Yolanda Arvizu (softball, 1979-82); Anthony Calvillo (football, 1992-93); Craig Carter (track & field, 1988-91); Troy Collier (men’s basketball, 1963-64); Dale Mildenberger (athletic trainer/contributor, 1975-2013).
Class of 2013: Candy Cashell (track & field, women’s basketball, 1982-84); Jim Laub (contributor); Jimmy Moore (men’s basketball, 1972-75); Corey Murdock (track & field, 1994, 1997-99); Roy Shivers (football, track & field, 1964-65); Jim Turner (football, 1959-62).
Class of 2012: Alfred Castro (wrestling, 1984-87); Eric Hipple (football, 1976-79); Brian Jackson (men’s basketball, 1978-81); Shae Jones-Bair (track & field, 1998-2000, 2002); James Murphy (football, 1978-80); James Parker (track & field, 1995, 1999-2001); Kristie Skoglund (softball, 1984-87); Emmett White (football, 1998-2001).
Class of 2011: Jerry Cerulla (track, 1965-67); LaVell Edwards (football, 1949-51); Dean Hunger (men’s basketball, 1977-80); Henry King (football, 1965-66); Rick Parros (football, 1976-79); 1980 National Championship Softball Team; 1981 National Championship Softball Team.
Class of 2010: Tom Foster (wrestling, football, 1963-66); Louie Giammona (football, 1973-75); Lauren Goebel Keller (volleyball, 1979-82); Shaler Halimon, Jr. (men’s basketball, 1967-68); Earl Lindley (football, men’s basketball, 1951-53); Glenn Passey (track, 1959-62).
Class of 2009: Bob Carlson (wrestling, wrestling coach, administrator, 1969-87); Greg Grant (men’s basketball, 1983-86); Dave Kragthorpe (football, baseball, administrator, 1951-54); Tom Larscheid (football, 1959-61); Alisa Nicodemus (cross country/track, 1991-93); John Pappas (football, 1966-68); Ralph Roylance (football, track, 1947-50).
Class of 2008: Jay Dee Harris (contributor/advisor); MacArthur Lane (football, 1965-67); Chuck Mills (football coach, 1967-72); Max Perry (men’s basketball, 1959-61); Kelly Smith (softball, 1984-86, 1988); 1978 National Championship Volleyball Team.
Class of 2007: Ladonna Antoine-Watkins (track, 1994-97); Robert Broughton (football and wrestling, 1963-65); Rulon Jones (football, 1976-79); John Ralston (football coach, 1959-62); Jay Van Noy (baseball and football, 1946-49); Nate Williams (men’s basketball, 1970-71).
Class of 2006: Kris Stano Lilly (gymnastics, 1982-83); Marvin Roberts (men’s basketball, 1969-71); Al Smith (football, 1984-86); John Clyde Worley (baseball, men’s basketball, football, and track, 1917-19); Dr. John Worley (football and track, late 1940’s, team physician).
Class of 1995: Tony Adams (football, 1970-72); Jay Don Blake (men’s golf, 1980-81); Karolyn Kirby (volleyball, 1979-81); Clark Miller (football, 1960-61); Bill Staley (football, 1965-67); Conley Watts (men’s basketball, 1933-34); Glen Worthington (football, men’s basketball, and track, 1926-29).
Class of 1994: Ladell Andersen (men’s basketball, men’s basketball coach, and athletics director, 1949-51, 1961-71, 1973-83); H. Cecil Baker (men’s basketball, track, and men’s basketball coach, 1922-25, 1950-61); Mark Enyeart (track, 1974-77); Phil Olsen (football, 1967-69); Eddie Peterson (football and track, 1934-36); Len Rohde (football, 1957-59); Elaine Roque (volleyball, 1979); Frank “Buzz” Williams (football, track, wrestling, athletics director, 1942, ’46-48, 1964-1973).
Class of 1993: Annette Viola Cottle (volleyball, women’s basketball, volleyball coach, 1976-79, 1982-84); Wayne Estes (men’s basketball, 1963-65); Mary Lou Ramm Flippen (softball, 1981-83); Fern Gardner (women’s basketball, softball, tennis, volleyball, women’s basketball coach, softball coach, volleyball coach, 1972-79); Cornell Green (men’s basketball, 1960-62); Ralph Maughan (men’s basketball, football, track, men’s basketball coach, football coach, track coach, 1942-46, 1951-88); George “Doc” Nelson (athletics director and wrestling coach, 1923-58); Merlin Olsen (football, 1959-61); E.L. “Dick” Romney (athletics director, baseball coach, men’s basketball coach, football coach, track coach, 1919-49); Kent Ryan (men’s basketball, football, track, 1934-37); L. Jay Silvester (track, 1956-59); Elmer “Bear” Ward (football and track, 1932-35).
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