At the end of the school year, the Emery Spartans sports department presented awards to four outstanding student-athletes for the 2024-2025 school year. Hayden Sitterud and Porter Hurdsman collected awards for the boys, and Katelyn Nielson and Kali Jensen took home awards for the Lady Spartans.
Sitterud walked away with the Spartan Male Athlete of the Year award. On the football field, he was a force on both sides of the ball, gathering 45 catches throughout the season for 747 yards and seven scores; he also had 20 kickoff returns for 409 yards. He collected 61 total tackles on defense, four of which were sacks, and a pair of interceptions. Sitterud also collected a Second-Team All-State nod.
On the diamond, he slugged his way to a .295 batting average, collecting 31 hits (three home runs), 22 runs, and 21 RBIs. He went 4-2 on the mound, faced 203 batters, struck out 50, and walked 21. Sitterud ended the season with a 2.68 ERA in 10 appearances.
Nielsen earned the Spartan Female Athlete of the Year award for her contributions on the diamond, volleyball, and basketball courts. This season, she helped the Lady Spartans advance to the quarterfinal round and earned Second-Team All-State and Academic All-State recognition in volleyball.
Nielson was a force on the basketball court, leading the Lady Spartans with a 15.8-point-per-game average. She also led Emery in field goal percentage (49%), rebounds per game (6.9), and free throw percentage (73%). The Lady Spartans came up short in the State Championship game against Canyon View. Nielsen earned First-Team All-State and Academic All-State honors for her play on the basketball court.
Nielson was also a fixture on the diamond, leading the Lady Spartans to a 22-13 overall record, which placed them in second place in Region 12 with a 12-2 record. Nielsen ended the season with a .350 batting average and led the team with 33 RBIs. She collected 35 total hits, including 13 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. She earned Academic All-State honors for softball as well.
Hurdsman walked away with the Male Academic Athlete of the Year award. When we discuss student-athletes, we need to remember that the student comes first, and Hurdsman excelled on both the playing field and in the classroom.
Hurdsman caught 64 passes for 1,024 yards on the football field, scoring 15 touchdowns for the Spartans. He also earned First-Team All-State and Academic All-State honors on the gridiron.
He also earned success on the basketball court, averaging 7.4 points per game and leading the team with 3.9 assists per game. Hurdamsn also carried a 76% free-throw average and shot 39% from the three-point line. In the year, Hurdsman dished out 97 assists and grabbed 36 steals. He also earned an Academic All-State nod.
Jensen made her presence known in volleyball, basketball, and softball and was awarded the Female Academic Athlete of the Year.
On the volleyball court, she helped the Lady Spartans to a 17-13 record and to the quarterfinals of the State Championships. Jensen earned Academic All-State honors and an Honorable Mention in All-State voting in the sport.
On the basketball court, she led the team with 46 assists, was third in team scoring with 159 points (7.6 average), and in steals with 49 on her way to earning Second-Team All-State honors and another Academic All-State nod.
Jensen was also a great contributor on the diamond for the Lady Spartan softball team. She collected 34 hits in 33 games this season, including a pair of doubles and a home run, with 15 RBIs and 25 runs scored, and carried a .337 batting average. Jensen also earned her third Academic All-State nod in the school year for softball.
Congratulations to all the year-end award winners at Emery High School.