Dec. 31, 2007

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's basketball player Gary Wilkinson has been named the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Dec. 30, it was announced on Monday. The award is voted on by a state media panel.

Wilkinson, a 6-9 forward from South Jordan, Utah (Bingham HS) scored a game-high 15 points and added a game-high eight rebounds in Utah State's 76-55 win against Oral Roberts. Wilkinson finished the night by shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 1-of-1 from the free throw line, and added one assist and one block in just 24 minutes of action.

On the season, Wilkinson is averaging 11.9 points and 5.4 rebounds and is shooting 53.7 percent from the field and 85.4 percent from the free throw line. He ranks fourth in the Western Athletic Conference in free throw shooting, seventh in overall shooting, eighth in blocked shots (0.87) and 14th in scoring.

Utah State (10-5, 0-0) returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 3 when it begins WAC play against Hawai'i (4-8, 0-0) at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The game against the Rainbow Warriors will be televised live by KJZZ-TV.

Nominees from other sports included:
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - Senior guard Jamelah Brown (Phoenix, Ariz.) was one of three players to score 11 points in Utah State's 70-64 loss to Brigham Young on Saturday. Brown, who added a team-high six rebounds, was 4-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from three-point range.

2007-08 Utah State Athlete of the Week Winners
Sept. 4 - Dana Peart, Soccer
Sept. 10 - Amanda Nielson, Volleyball
Sept. 17 - Dana Peart, Soccer
Sept. 24 - Kevin Robinson, Football
Oct. 1 - Melissa Osterloh, Volleyball
Oct. 8 - Kevin Robinson, Football
Oct. 15 - Seth Wold, Cross Country
Oct. 22 - Amanda Nielson, Volleyball
Oct. 29 - Seth Wold, Cross Country
Nov. 5 - Lauren Hansen, Soccer
Nov. 12 - Danielle Taylor, Volleyball
Nov. 19 - Rob Myers, Football
Nov. 26 - Stephen DuCharme, Men's Basketball
Dec. 3 - Jaycee Carroll, Men's Basketball
Dec. 10 - Danyelle Snelgro, Women's Basketball
Dec. 17 - Tai Wesley, Men's Basketball
Dec. 24 - Jaycee Carroll, Men's Basketball
Dec. 31 - Gary Wilkinson, Men's Basketball