BLUE COLLAR SPIRIT
7/13/2024 11:47:00 AM | Football, General, Men's Tennis, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Volleyball
A common theme throughout the Boise State athletic department is a commitment to the blue collar mentality or spirit, a mantra and work ethic that drives student-athletes and coaches to remain humble and hungry, never forgetting the work needed to meet high standards and achieve team goals on the field and in the classroom. Congratulations to the 2023-24 Bronco Student and Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
- Paige Bartsch, Volleyball
- Ashton Jeanty, Football
SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
- Courtney Blackson, Gymnastics
- Sam Sippel, Men's Tennis
Paige Bartsch, Volleyball
Boise State Athletics selected volleyball player Paige Bartsch as the Boise State Female Athlete of the Year for 2023-24.
The senior-to-be has been a three-year starter for the Broncos and was an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Honorable Mention and the Mountain West Co-Player of the Year in 2023. Bartsch was the fourth Bronco all-time to receive AVCA All-American Honorable Mention recognition. In addition, she became the second Boise State volleyball student-athlete to be named the conference player of the year.
The native of Helena, Mont., was also an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team honoree last fall.
The junior outside hitter was one of the most dominant players in the conference in 2023. She finished the season leading the MW in eight statistical categories: total kills (530), kills per set (5.05), total attacks (1,349), attacks per set (12.85), total service aces (52), service aces per set (0.50), total points (614.5) and points per set (5.85).
She was ranked in the top 20 nationally in all eight of those categories: second for points per set, fifth for kills per set and attacks per set, eighth for total points, 10th for total kills, 14th for total attacks and service aces per set, and total service aces.
Bartsch closed the regular season recording 13 contests with 20-plus kills and 16 contests with 20-plus points, with two in the 30s.
She led the Broncos in kills in 28 of 29 matches, in service aces 15 times, digs on four occasions, blocks thrice, and points 27 times.
Bartsch moved into second place in Mountain West history for kills in a season with 530 and fourth in points with 614.5.
The outside hitter also set two school match records for attacks in a three-set match (58) and service aces in a five-set match (7), as well as four all-time season records for points (614.5), points per set (5.85), kills (530), kills per set (5.05); and two rally-scoring era records for total service aces (52) and service aces per set (0.50).
Ashton Jeanty, Football
EA Sports recently released its new College Football 25 video game, bringing back a game to much fanfare after lying dormant for over a decade. Yet Bronco Nation has been watching video game moves create video game numbers on what seemed to be a “Rookie” level difficulty setting all last fall in the form of Ashton Jeanty.
The 2023 All-American and Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year posted numbers normally seen only on the video game and he did so in only 12 games played. Jeanty led the nation in missed tackles caused (106), yards after catch among non-wide receivers (621), first downs recorded (96) and yards after catch per reception (14.1) and was second nationally with a 94.6% season rushing grade. He averaged a staggering 4.52 yards per rush … AFTER CONTACT.
More than his gaudy numbers, Jeanty embodies a true “Blue Collar” spirit in how he handles the attention – nearly silently. There’s no boasting, no gloating, no flaunting of his success. There is only more hard work. While Bronco Nation and football fans nationwide exclaimed their oohs and aahs at the moves Jeanty made on the field, the product of an Army family did what his military father taught him to do – keep working hard.
“Ashton Jeanty deserves all of the success and accolades people heap on him,” head coach Spencer Danielson recently said of his top tailback. “But it’s not just because of what he does on the field during games. It is because he is often the first one in the building and the last one to leave. He was consistently the hardest working player throughout the offseason, spring practice and summer workouts. He is relentless in getting faster, stronger, better.”
With Jeanty back in the Treasure Valley for the 2024 campaign, he is primed to break records in a program known for producing top-flight professional running backs, such as Jay Ajayi, Doug Martin, Alexander Mattison and more. He enters the 2024 season with a goal of 2,000 rushing yards – a feat no Bronco has achieved. Don’t be surprised if he checks that goal off his list. Breaking records is nothing new to Jeanty. But don’t be surprised if silence follows where others would often crow about that success. Bragging about accomplishments would be completely new to him.
Courtney Blackson, Gymnastics
Blackson, a four-year competitor for the gymnastics team graduated with a bachelor's of science degree in Health Science in May. As an athlete, Blackson was a two-time NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships participant, three-time All-Mountain West, and seven-time MW Specialist of the Week.
Outside of competition, Blackson was recognized for her excellence in the classroom as a three-time WGCA Scholastic All-American, two-time member of the Academic All-Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference team, and a two-time CSC Academic All-District 7 recipient. She has also qualified as a WGCA Scholastic All-American and a CSC Academic All-American finalist for the 2024 season.
“I was able to prioritize academics while competing at the collegiate gymnastics level through established skill sets, high standards, and our amazing Bronco staff,” said Blackson. “It was well known that academics was something our gymnastics team took pride in, as we held many titles of high academic achievements at Boise State. I was determined to uphold this standard and make not only my coaches and teammates proud, but also myself.”
After graduating, Blackson began work as a gymnastics coach in the Boise community and hopes to become a firefighter for the city in the coming years.
Sam Sippel, Men's Tennis
After two years on the Bronco men’s tennis team, Sam Sippel graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Master of Business Administration. He earned CSC Academic All-America and All-District honors and was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete as a senior. In his five years as a collegiate tennis player, Sippel was a three-time CSC Academic All-American, four-time CSC Academic All-District athlete and a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.
“Time management was key in order to be successful academically and athletically” said Sippel. “I was also always willing to go the extra mile, so my mental toughness helped make my success possible.”
His final season as a Bronco was highlighted by selections to the MW Championship All-Tournament team at No. 1 singles and doubles, winning the MW Championship MVP, and competing at the NCAA National Singles Championship. He also earned all-conference honors in both singles and doubles in 2024. Sippel plans to use his MBA to find a career in finance or investment banking and hopes to stay connected to tennis.
Thank you for celebrating the highlights from the 2023-24 academic year and here’s to What’s Next.
