MOBILE, Ala. – Forty-five current and former University of South Alabama student-athletes received their degrees at the school’s annual spring graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.
That group included 14 members of the football team — the highest number among the school’s 17 sport programs — and five from men’s tennis, as well as three men’s basketball players who helped the Jaguars earn a national postseason berth for the first time since 2008 and two members of the school’s Sun Belt Conference tournament champion softball squad.
Each program had at least one individual pick up their degree at the event.
In addition to first- and second- team all-Sun Belt Conference selections Jake Johnson and Alex Page, members of the football program graduating following the spring semester included Cori Barnett, Ryne Baxter, Johnathan Cameron, Scott Garber, Kennedy Helms, Ellis Hill, Bryson James, Bryant Lavender, Chris Rivers, Brandon Ross, Tremain Smith and Anthony Taylor. Meghan Collins and Jessica Dobson were honored on a day when the Jag softball program picked up its second straight league tournament title, as was former teammate Christin Crocker, while men’s basketball student-athletes receiving their degree included Trey Anderson, Javier Carter and Wendell Wright.
Women’s basketball graduates featured Mansa El, Mary Nixon and Lauren Walker, with Hanno Bartsch, Alex Bernard, Romain Bocaert, Cody Hall and Dauw Kruger honored from men’s tennis. Seven track and field student-athletes — four male and three female — were in the group, including Briana Aiken, Daniel Cooper, William Henley, Latifah Johnson, Jarrod Kedzior, Erica Saxton and Joey Torres; Aiken earned all-Sun Belt accolades Friday night at the league’s outdoor championships, while Johnson accomplished the same at the indoor championships in February. The soccer program also saw multiple members earn their degrees with Kayla Conrad, Rylle Pannell, Jasmine Sanders and Brandi Smith taking part in the ceremony, as did women’s tennis with the participation of Chane Hines and Alina Volman.
Other spring graduates included Brad Hook (baseball), Tyler Brown (men’s golf), Kristen Golightly (women’s golf) and Valerie Podczasy (volleyball).
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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