57 Huskers to Earn Degrees at Spring Commencement Saturday
Lincoln - A total of 57 Husker student-athletes who combined for 45 All-America awards during their Husker careers are expected to receive diplomas at University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s commencement exercises at Pinnacle Bank Arena Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Coach Gary Pepin’s men’s and women’s track and field program make up more than one-third of Nebraska’s graduating class of successful student-athletes. A total of 20 members of the track and field team will earn degrees, including nine-time NCAA All-American Cody Rush (Grand Island, Neb.). The senior, who was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2015, could earn more All-America awards on the track and in the classroom before his career ends at Nebraska. Six-time All-American Chad Wright (Kingston, Jamaica), who was the 2012 NCAA discus champion, will earn his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, while fellow six-time NCAA All-American Ricco Hall (Kentwood, Mich.) will earn his degree in psychology.
Three-time All-American Jacob Bender (Naperville, Ill.) and All-American Marusa Cernjul (Celje, Slovenia) added more strength to a distinguished group of five track and field student-athletes who combined for 25 NCAA All-America awards.
Other track and field graduates included Paula Andrie (Gillette, Wyo.), Melanie Blum (Wahoo, Neb.), Nolan Border (Lincoln, Neb.), Craig Driver (Minden, Neb.), Chantal Duncan (Kingston, Jamaica), Guy Fenske (Sargent, Neb.), Breunna McCarty (Omaha, Neb.), Tess Merrill (Grand Island, Neb.), Madelyn Osmundson (Overland Park, Kan.), Jake Pinion (Blair, Neb.), Siera Rohde (Ansley, Neb.), Sam Shaw (Aurora, Neb.), Beau Simmons (Aurora, Neb.), Mitchell Westberry (Omaha, Neb.) and Morgan Woitzel (Omaha, Neb.).
Many of the track and field graduates will be in action at Ed Weir Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers play host to the Nebraska Invitational.
The Nebraska football program added eight graduates to Saturday’s commencement, after a pair of former Huskers earned master’s degrees at Friday’s graduate commencement at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Givens Price (Houston, Texas) earned his master’s degree in accountancy, while Kevin Williams (Holland, Ohio) claimed his master’s degree in construction engineering and management.
Punter Sam Foltz (Greeley, Neb.) headlines a pair of Husker football graduates who expect to play the 2016 season with degree in hand, including defensive back Charles Jackson (Spring, Texas). Other former Husker football players to earn diplomas on Saturday include Lane Hovey (Adel, Iowa), Paul Kelly (Davie, Fla.), Chris Long (Blair, Neb.), Eric Martin (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Greg McMullen (Akron, Ohio) and Paul Thurston (Arvada, Colo.).
Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American Shavon Shields (Olathe, Kan.) gave Coach Tim Miles’ men’s basketball program an impressive graduate. Shields, who was the 2016 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year and Nebraska’s 2016 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, was also a member of the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works Team. On the court, Shields was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2016.
All-American Rachel Theriot (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) added a graduate for the women’s basketball program. The 2014 Big Ten Tournament MVP and three-time All-Big Ten selection earned honorable-mention All-America accolades in 2014.
Coach Dan Kendig’s women’s gymnastics program added a strong All-America flavor to the May’graduates with nine-time All-American Jessie DeZiel (Rogers, Minn.). The 2015 Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year was also a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient for the Huskers.
Coach Chuck Chmelka’s men’s gymnastics program added a pair of impressive graduates with Ethan Lottman (Gretna, Neb.) and Ryan Irick (Wichita, Kan.). Lottman was a two-time All-American on pommel horse for the Huskers during his career while adding CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2015. Both Lottman and Irick are candidates for CoSIDA Academic All-America awards in 2016.
Four-time NCAA All-American James Green (Willingboro, N.J.) headlines an impressive class of five wrestlers earning degrees for Coach Mark Manning’s program. Green, who finished third at the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Championships, went on to win the freestyle championship at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials at 154 pounds, before earning a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships. Austin Wilson (Hastings, Neb.) added an All-America award at 165 pounds for the Huskers at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Those two Husker All-Americans were joined by Anthony Abidin (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Eric Coufal (Howells, Neb.) and Tyrell Galloway (Omaha, Neb.) in Nebraska’s graduating class of wrestlers.
Coach Pablo Morales’ Nebraska women’s swimming and diving program added six May graduates. The swimming and diving team, which won Nebraska’s Herman Team GPA Award in 2015 and 2016 as the women’s program with the highest cumulative combined grade-point average, also won the Life Skills Award of Excellence team competition in 2013 and 2014 as Nebraska’s most committed program to community service. Taryn Collura (Phoenix, Ariz.), Michaela Cunningham (Severna Park, Md.), Kelly Dunn (Winfield, Ill.), Jacqueline Juffer (Wagner, S.D.), Katt Sikle (Grain Valley, Mo.) and Krista Van Wie (Grand Island, Neb.) also brought the six swimming and diving graduates together from six states to give Nebraska one of its most successful programs in the classroom and community.
Three-time All-American Denise Martin (Chewelah, Wash.) highlighted a trio of graduates for Coach Ashley Rose-MacAllister’s rifle team. Martin is joined by Marissa Major (Arvada, Colo.) and Alexandrea Lorentz (Anchorage, Alaska) in the May graduating class.
Coach Kerry McKermott’s men’s tennis program will graduate a pair of 2016 seniors in three-time All-Big Ten selection Dusty Boyer (Ham Lake, Minn.) and Andrew Dzulynsky (Miramar, Fla.). Coach Scott Jacobson’s women’s tennis program added a pair of 2016 seniors as well with Maggy Lehmicke (Kirkland, Wash.) and Lauren Wagner (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.).
The Nebraska men’s golf program contributed a pair of graduates in Calvin Freeman (Table Rock, Neb.) and Cameron Palmer (Gilbert, Ariz.), while the women’s golf team added Cassie Deeg (Hugo, Minn.). Single graduates from baseball (Taylor Fish, Kearney, Neb.), soccer (Jaylyn Odermann, Gretna, Neb.) and softball (Emily Lockman, Corona, Calif.) rounded out the May graduating class.
NU’s May 2016 graduates came from near and far to call Nebraska home during their careers. The group came to Lincoln from 20 states, including 23 native Nebraskans. Members of the graduating class also came from Slovenia and Jamaica.
Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the country, while leading the nation in the number of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (321) and NCAA Top 10 Award winners (17) across all sports.
May 2016 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (57)
Student-Athlete Sport Hometown Major
Anthony Abidin Wrestling Dix Hills, N.Y. Sociology
Paula Andrie Track & Field Gillette, Wyo. Biological Systems Engineering
Jacob Bender Track & Field Naperville, Ill. Finance
Melanie Blum Track & Field Wahoo, Neb. Forensic Science
Nolan Border Track & Field Lincoln, Neb. Nutrition Science
Dusty Boyer Men’s Tennis Ham Lake, Minn. Communication Studies
Marusa Cernjul Track & Field Celje, Slovenia Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Taryn Collura Swimming & Diving Phoenix, Ariz. Psychology/Film Studies
Eric Coufal Wrestling Howells, Neb. Agribusiness
Michaela Cunningham Swimming & Diving Severna Park, Md. Biological Sciences/Mathematics
Cassie Deeg Women’s Golf Hugo, Minn. Marketing
Jessie DeZiel Women’s Gymnastics Rogers, Minn. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Craig Driver Track & Field Minden, Neb. Nutrition Science
Chantal Duncan Track & Field Kingston, Jamaica Ethnic Studies
Kelly Dunn Swimming & Diving Winfield, Ill. Marketing
Andrew Dzulynsky Men’s Tennis Miramar, Fla. Criminology & Criminal Justice
Guy Fenske Track & Field Sargent, Neb. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Taylor Fish Baseball Kearney, Neb. Mathematics
Sam Foltz Football Greeley, Neb. Agronomy
Calvin Freeman Men’s Golf Table Rock, Neb. History
Tyrell Galloway Wrestling Omaha, Neb. Electrical Engineering
James Green Wrestling Willingboro, N.J. Sociology
Ricco Hall Track & Field Kentwood, Mich. Psychology
Lane Hovey Football Adel, Iowa Finance
Ryan Irick Men’s Gymnastics Wichita, Kan. Nutrition Science
Charles Jackson Football Spring, Texas Ethnic Studies
Jacqueline Juffer Swimming & Diving Wagner, S.D. Economics
Paul Kelly Football Davie, Fla. Applied Science - Science for Educators
Maggy Lehmicke Women’s Tennis Kirkland, Wash. Journalism
Emily Lockman Softball Corona, Calif. Psychology
Chris Long Football Blair, Neb. Child, Youth & Family Studies
Alexandrea Lorentz Rifle Anchorage, Alaska Political Science/Sociology
Ethan Lottman Men’s Gymnastics Gretna, Neb. Art
Marissa Major Rifle Arvada, Colo. Global Studies
Denise Martin Rifle Chewelah, Wash. Business Administration
Eric Martin Football Moreno Valley, Calif. Sociology
Breunna McCarty Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Criminology & Criminal Justice
Greg McMullen Football Akron, Ohio Criminology & Criminal Justice
Tess Merrill Track & Field Grand Island, Neb. Finance/Management
Jaylyn Odermann Soccer Gretna, Neb. Communication Studies
Madelyn Osmundson Track & Field Overland Park, Kan. Speech-Language Pathology
Cameron Palmer Men’s Golf Gilbert, Ariz. Finance
Jake Pinion Track & Field Blair, Neb. Marketing
Siera Rohde Track & Field Ansley, Neb. Animal Science
Cody Rush Track & Field Grand Island, Neb. Nutrition Science
Sam Shaw Track & Field Aurora, Neb. Communication Studies
Shavon Shields Men’s Basketball Olathe, Kan. Biological Sciences
Katt Sikle Swimming & Diving Grain Valley, Mo. Elementary Education
Beau Simmons Track & Field Aurora, Neb., Agronomy
Rachel Theriot Women’s Basketball Middleburg Heights, Ohio Child, Youth & Family Studies
Paul Thurston Football Arvada, Colo. Broadcasting
Krista Van Wie Swimming & Diving Grand Island, Neb. Psychology
Lauren Wagner Women’s Tennis Roslyn Heights, N.Y. Marketing
Mitchell Westberry Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Austin Wilson Wrestling Hastings, Neb. Biological Sciences
Morgan Woitzel Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Child, Youth & Family Studies
Chad Wright Track & Field Kingston, Jamaica Mathematics
Advanced Degrees (Friday)
Givens Price Football Houston, Texas Accountancy (MPAC)
Kevin Williams Football Holland, Ohio Construction Engineering & Management (CEMT-MS)
Lincoln - A total of 57 Husker student-athletes who combined for 45 All-America awards during their Husker careers are expected to receive diplomas at University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s commencement exercises at Pinnacle Bank Arena Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Coach Gary Pepin’s men’s and women’s track and field program make up more than one-third of Nebraska’s graduating class of successful student-athletes. A total of 20 members of the track and field team will earn degrees, including nine-time NCAA All-American Cody Rush (Grand Island, Neb.). The senior, who was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2015, could earn more All-America awards on the track and in the classroom before his career ends at Nebraska. Six-time All-American Chad Wright (Kingston, Jamaica), who was the 2012 NCAA discus champion, will earn his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, while fellow six-time NCAA All-American Ricco Hall (Kentwood, Mich.) will earn his degree in psychology.
Three-time All-American Jacob Bender (Naperville, Ill.) and All-American Marusa Cernjul (Celje, Slovenia) added more strength to a distinguished group of five track and field student-athletes who combined for 25 NCAA All-America awards.
Other track and field graduates included Paula Andrie (Gillette, Wyo.), Melanie Blum (Wahoo, Neb.), Nolan Border (Lincoln, Neb.), Craig Driver (Minden, Neb.), Chantal Duncan (Kingston, Jamaica), Guy Fenske (Sargent, Neb.), Breunna McCarty (Omaha, Neb.), Tess Merrill (Grand Island, Neb.), Madelyn Osmundson (Overland Park, Kan.), Jake Pinion (Blair, Neb.), Siera Rohde (Ansley, Neb.), Sam Shaw (Aurora, Neb.), Beau Simmons (Aurora, Neb.), Mitchell Westberry (Omaha, Neb.) and Morgan Woitzel (Omaha, Neb.).
Many of the track and field graduates will be in action at Ed Weir Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as the Huskers play host to the Nebraska Invitational.
The Nebraska football program added eight graduates to Saturday’s commencement, after a pair of former Huskers earned master’s degrees at Friday’s graduate commencement at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Givens Price (Houston, Texas) earned his master’s degree in accountancy, while Kevin Williams (Holland, Ohio) claimed his master’s degree in construction engineering and management.
Punter Sam Foltz (Greeley, Neb.) headlines a pair of Husker football graduates who expect to play the 2016 season with degree in hand, including defensive back Charles Jackson (Spring, Texas). Other former Husker football players to earn diplomas on Saturday include Lane Hovey (Adel, Iowa), Paul Kelly (Davie, Fla.), Chris Long (Blair, Neb.), Eric Martin (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Greg McMullen (Akron, Ohio) and Paul Thurston (Arvada, Colo.).
Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American Shavon Shields (Olathe, Kan.) gave Coach Tim Miles’ men’s basketball program an impressive graduate. Shields, who was the 2016 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year and Nebraska’s 2016 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, was also a member of the 2016 Allstate NABC Good Works Team. On the court, Shields was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2016.
All-American Rachel Theriot (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) added a graduate for the women’s basketball program. The 2014 Big Ten Tournament MVP and three-time All-Big Ten selection earned honorable-mention All-America accolades in 2014.
Coach Dan Kendig’s women’s gymnastics program added a strong All-America flavor to the May’graduates with nine-time All-American Jessie DeZiel (Rogers, Minn.). The 2015 Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year was also a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient for the Huskers.
Coach Chuck Chmelka’s men’s gymnastics program added a pair of impressive graduates with Ethan Lottman (Gretna, Neb.) and Ryan Irick (Wichita, Kan.). Lottman was a two-time All-American on pommel horse for the Huskers during his career while adding CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2015. Both Lottman and Irick are candidates for CoSIDA Academic All-America awards in 2016.
Four-time NCAA All-American James Green (Willingboro, N.J.) headlines an impressive class of five wrestlers earning degrees for Coach Mark Manning’s program. Green, who finished third at the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Championships, went on to win the freestyle championship at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials at 154 pounds, before earning a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships. Austin Wilson (Hastings, Neb.) added an All-America award at 165 pounds for the Huskers at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Those two Husker All-Americans were joined by Anthony Abidin (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Eric Coufal (Howells, Neb.) and Tyrell Galloway (Omaha, Neb.) in Nebraska’s graduating class of wrestlers.
Coach Pablo Morales’ Nebraska women’s swimming and diving program added six May graduates. The swimming and diving team, which won Nebraska’s Herman Team GPA Award in 2015 and 2016 as the women’s program with the highest cumulative combined grade-point average, also won the Life Skills Award of Excellence team competition in 2013 and 2014 as Nebraska’s most committed program to community service. Taryn Collura (Phoenix, Ariz.), Michaela Cunningham (Severna Park, Md.), Kelly Dunn (Winfield, Ill.), Jacqueline Juffer (Wagner, S.D.), Katt Sikle (Grain Valley, Mo.) and Krista Van Wie (Grand Island, Neb.) also brought the six swimming and diving graduates together from six states to give Nebraska one of its most successful programs in the classroom and community.
Three-time All-American Denise Martin (Chewelah, Wash.) highlighted a trio of graduates for Coach Ashley Rose-MacAllister’s rifle team. Martin is joined by Marissa Major (Arvada, Colo.) and Alexandrea Lorentz (Anchorage, Alaska) in the May graduating class.
Coach Kerry McKermott’s men’s tennis program will graduate a pair of 2016 seniors in three-time All-Big Ten selection Dusty Boyer (Ham Lake, Minn.) and Andrew Dzulynsky (Miramar, Fla.). Coach Scott Jacobson’s women’s tennis program added a pair of 2016 seniors as well with Maggy Lehmicke (Kirkland, Wash.) and Lauren Wagner (Roslyn Heights, N.Y.).
The Nebraska men’s golf program contributed a pair of graduates in Calvin Freeman (Table Rock, Neb.) and Cameron Palmer (Gilbert, Ariz.), while the women’s golf team added Cassie Deeg (Hugo, Minn.). Single graduates from baseball (Taylor Fish, Kearney, Neb.), soccer (Jaylyn Odermann, Gretna, Neb.) and softball (Emily Lockman, Corona, Calif.) rounded out the May graduating class.
NU’s May 2016 graduates came from near and far to call Nebraska home during their careers. The group came to Lincoln from 20 states, including 23 native Nebraskans. Members of the graduating class also came from Slovenia and Jamaica.
Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the country, while leading the nation in the number of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (321) and NCAA Top 10 Award winners (17) across all sports.
May 2016 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (57)
Student-Athlete Sport Hometown Major
Anthony Abidin Wrestling Dix Hills, N.Y. Sociology
Paula Andrie Track & Field Gillette, Wyo. Biological Systems Engineering
Jacob Bender Track & Field Naperville, Ill. Finance
Melanie Blum Track & Field Wahoo, Neb. Forensic Science
Nolan Border Track & Field Lincoln, Neb. Nutrition Science
Dusty Boyer Men’s Tennis Ham Lake, Minn. Communication Studies
Marusa Cernjul Track & Field Celje, Slovenia Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Taryn Collura Swimming & Diving Phoenix, Ariz. Psychology/Film Studies
Eric Coufal Wrestling Howells, Neb. Agribusiness
Michaela Cunningham Swimming & Diving Severna Park, Md. Biological Sciences/Mathematics
Cassie Deeg Women’s Golf Hugo, Minn. Marketing
Jessie DeZiel Women’s Gymnastics Rogers, Minn. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Craig Driver Track & Field Minden, Neb. Nutrition Science
Chantal Duncan Track & Field Kingston, Jamaica Ethnic Studies
Kelly Dunn Swimming & Diving Winfield, Ill. Marketing
Andrew Dzulynsky Men’s Tennis Miramar, Fla. Criminology & Criminal Justice
Guy Fenske Track & Field Sargent, Neb. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Taylor Fish Baseball Kearney, Neb. Mathematics
Sam Foltz Football Greeley, Neb. Agronomy
Calvin Freeman Men’s Golf Table Rock, Neb. History
Tyrell Galloway Wrestling Omaha, Neb. Electrical Engineering
James Green Wrestling Willingboro, N.J. Sociology
Ricco Hall Track & Field Kentwood, Mich. Psychology
Lane Hovey Football Adel, Iowa Finance
Ryan Irick Men’s Gymnastics Wichita, Kan. Nutrition Science
Charles Jackson Football Spring, Texas Ethnic Studies
Jacqueline Juffer Swimming & Diving Wagner, S.D. Economics
Paul Kelly Football Davie, Fla. Applied Science - Science for Educators
Maggy Lehmicke Women’s Tennis Kirkland, Wash. Journalism
Emily Lockman Softball Corona, Calif. Psychology
Chris Long Football Blair, Neb. Child, Youth & Family Studies
Alexandrea Lorentz Rifle Anchorage, Alaska Political Science/Sociology
Ethan Lottman Men’s Gymnastics Gretna, Neb. Art
Marissa Major Rifle Arvada, Colo. Global Studies
Denise Martin Rifle Chewelah, Wash. Business Administration
Eric Martin Football Moreno Valley, Calif. Sociology
Breunna McCarty Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Criminology & Criminal Justice
Greg McMullen Football Akron, Ohio Criminology & Criminal Justice
Tess Merrill Track & Field Grand Island, Neb. Finance/Management
Jaylyn Odermann Soccer Gretna, Neb. Communication Studies
Madelyn Osmundson Track & Field Overland Park, Kan. Speech-Language Pathology
Cameron Palmer Men’s Golf Gilbert, Ariz. Finance
Jake Pinion Track & Field Blair, Neb. Marketing
Siera Rohde Track & Field Ansley, Neb. Animal Science
Cody Rush Track & Field Grand Island, Neb. Nutrition Science
Sam Shaw Track & Field Aurora, Neb. Communication Studies
Shavon Shields Men’s Basketball Olathe, Kan. Biological Sciences
Katt Sikle Swimming & Diving Grain Valley, Mo. Elementary Education
Beau Simmons Track & Field Aurora, Neb., Agronomy
Rachel Theriot Women’s Basketball Middleburg Heights, Ohio Child, Youth & Family Studies
Paul Thurston Football Arvada, Colo. Broadcasting
Krista Van Wie Swimming & Diving Grand Island, Neb. Psychology
Lauren Wagner Women’s Tennis Roslyn Heights, N.Y. Marketing
Mitchell Westberry Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science
Austin Wilson Wrestling Hastings, Neb. Biological Sciences
Morgan Woitzel Track & Field Omaha, Neb. Child, Youth & Family Studies
Chad Wright Track & Field Kingston, Jamaica Mathematics
Advanced Degrees (Friday)
Givens Price Football Houston, Texas Accountancy (MPAC)
Kevin Williams Football Holland, Ohio Construction Engineering & Management (CEMT-MS)
