Swimmers Shine Among Husker May Grads

Lincoln - The Nebraska women’s swimming and diving team produced a strong contingent of seven graduates, led by All-American Lauren Bailey, along with Kate Wheeler, Amie Buoy, Becky Johnson, Casey Schnack, Diana Torres and Katie Bowden. during commencement ceremonies at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday, May 5.

The seven swimmers from Coach Pablo Morales' Husker squad were part of a 53-member graduating class of student-athletes from 20 U.S. states and five foreign countries, including Austria, Canada, Colombia, Poland and Serbia. All 23 of Nebraska’s varsity sports were represented by at least one student-athlete in the graduating class, while the Huskers graduated with nearly 30 different majors in their fields of study. While the class was strikingly diverse, 16 native Nebraskans made up nearly a third of the class.

Nebraska’s graduating class included nine student-athletes who combined for 16 All-America awards, including 2006 NCAA air rifle champion Kristina Fehlings.

Nebraska Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services Dennis Leblanc said the May 2007 graduating class consists of strong examples of student-athletes who have the ability to excel in the classroom, in the community and in competition.

"I congratulate all of these Nebraska student-athletes for the way they have balanced classwork, community involvement and competition," Leblanc said. "These 53 graduates come from a diverse background from around the country and the world and have represented Nebraska at the highest level in academics and athletics. The athletic department, the University and the state of Nebraska are proud of their accomplishments."

Coach Gary Pepin’s track and field program led the group with 12 student-athletes completing their degrees during the spring semester. The group of track and field student-athletes was led by 2005-06 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year Aaron Plas, a three-time NCAA All-American in the high jump. Aaron Nasers and Oliver Williams Jr., added All-America careers before graduating from Nebraska, while Kayte Tranel added All-America honors for Coach Jay Dirksen’s cross country team.

Coach Bill Callahan’s Nebraska football team added four graduates to the class, including Greg Austin, Jordan Adams, Titus Brothers and Brandon Koch.

Omaha native Dani Mancuso represented the 2006 NCAA champion Nebraska volleyball team as a graduate for Coach John Cook, while All-American Stephanie Carter earned her undergraduate degree as a member of Coach Dan Kendig’s Big 12 champion and NCAA Super Six-qualifying women’s gymnastics team.

Coach Connie Yori added a trio of graduates for the Husker women’s basketball program, headed by three-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and 2007 WNBA Draft pick Kiera Hardy, along with Elena Diaz and Ivana Drmanac. Coach Doc Sadler’s men’s basketball team pitched in a pair of graduates as well, with Marcus Perry and Choul Laam earning their diplomas.

Coach Rhonda Revelle’s Nebraska softball team also contributed three graduates, headlined by Academic All-American and 2006-07 Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President KoKo Tacha, and Lincoln natives Katie Linke and Jaime Borg. Senior pitcher Matt Foust earned his degree for Coach Mike Anderson’s Nebraska baseball team, along with former Husker Andy Lomax.

The Nebraska wrestling team added three Huskers to the list of graduates under Coach Mark Manning, including 2004 NCAA All-American and two-time Academic All-American Matt Murray, Dominick Moyer and Chad Johnson. The Husker soccer team added three more graduates to the group for Coach John Walker, including Lincoln native Vern Fitzgerald, Katie Bunkers and Nikki (Baker) Lyons.

NU Coach Bill Spangler’s men’s golf program also pitched in three graduates with Ryan Lenahan, Judd Cornell and Drew Reynolds earning their degrees.

Nebraska natives Tony Burtle and Nic Matthews claimed their degrees for Coach Francis Allen and the Husker men’s gymnastics program, while 2006 NCAA champion and six-time All-American Kristina Fehlings and Stacy Underwood earned their degrees as members of the NU rifle team.

Jennifer Schultz, who helped Coach Bill Straub’s Nebraska bowling team win back-to-back NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005, earned her degree, while Andrea (Dunagan) Carlson (women’s golf), Ewelina Skaza (women’s tennis) and Gerry Posch (men’s tennis) also completed their undergraduate educations.

The spring graduating class of 53 is added to the December class of 31 graduates to bring the total number of Husker student-athletes graduating during the 2006-07 academic year to 84 before summer commencement exercises in August. Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 94 percent.