There has never been a better time to be a Utah State Aggie supporter. At least, that is what USU athletic director Diana Sabau believes.
In a letter sent out Thursday to Utah State athletics supporters, Sabau highlighted the success of USU athletics in 2024-25 and expressed optimism for the future of Aggie sports, both in the school’s final year in the Mountain West Conference and with future membership in the Pac-12.
“In the past year, we achieved significant progress and made remarkable advancements as we focused on modernizing and future-proofing our athletics department,” the letter reads.
Among the accomplishments Sabau singled out were:
- The run by USU women’s soccer, which went 18-1-5 in 2024, setting the school record for wins. The team also won its second straight MW title and hosted its first ever NCAA Tournament game.
- The 25th place finish at the NCAA championships by the men’s cross-country team, which qualified for the championships for only the fifth time in USU history.
- The debut season of Jerrod Calhoun as head coach of the men’s basketball team, which went 26-8 and earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- The MW title won by the women’s gymnastics team, the first in program history.
- USU softball’s first postseason appearance since the 2011 WAC Tournament.
- Men’s golfs second place finish in the Golfweek National Golf Invitational Championship.
- First team All-America honors earned by pole vaulter Logan Hammer, who finished sixth overall in the country at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.
- First team All-America honors earned by Shelly Jensen for finishing No. 7 in the steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Sabau went beyond the athletics accomplishments, though.
A significant portion of her tenure at Utah State has revolved around fundraising, which has been especially needed as a result of Utah State’s move from the MW to the Pac-12. Understandably, Sabau praised the success of the “Reach and Rise campaign,” which launched in June of last year and has raised “nearly $29 million.”
She also noted that over $1 million in cash and commitments were made during the “Match Madness campaign,” which took place during the spring, and that on “A Day of Giving,” USU surpassed its previous high for donations by 23%.
Sabau also credited Utah State student-athletes for their efforts away from their sports, noting that USU finished No. 13 nationally in the NCAA for community service and engagement.
She also praised the efforts of Aggie student-athletes in the classroom, noting that 266 Aggie student-athletes earned a cumulative 3.2 grade point average or posted a 3.2 GPA during the last two semesters, a program high for USU athletics.
Mostly, though, Sabau expressed optimism for the future of Utah State athletics, which on July 1 next year will officially be a member of the remade Pac-12.
“Utah State is primed for success in its final season in the Mountain West in 2025-26,” the letter reads. “With change on the horizon in this ever-evolving world of intercollegiate athletics, I believe in our student-athletes and coaches and ask that you continue to showcase your unwavering support — whether it’s in the stands, out in our community or with a financial gift that impacts the standard of excellence at Utah State."
Sabau also reiterated that it is her goal to see Utah State become “a premier athletics program in the West.”
“Join us on this exciting journey and help us continue to reach and rise,” the letter reads. “If you haven’t made a recent donation to the Big Blue Club, I urge you to invest in our mission because your support is vital to making Utah State a premier athletics program in the West.”
