Cady, Jeffery, Sample Earn Diplomas

Lincoln - A total of 55 Husker student-athletes who combined for 29 All-America awards in competition during their Husker careers received their diplomas over the weekend at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's commencement exercises at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Saturday morning's undergraduate commencement featured 54 Huskers.

Three of the four members of Coach Connie Yori’s most successful women’s basketball senior class in school history earned their diplomas on Saturday. Emily Cady (Seward, Neb.), Brandi Jeffery (Vacherie, La.) and Hailie Sample (Flower Mound, Texas) along with expected August graduate Tear’a Laudermill became the first seniors to lead the Huskers to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, four consecutive 20-win seasons and a school-record 96 wins.

On the men’s side, Coach Tim Miles’ program contributed Terran Petteway (Galveston, Texas) and David Rivers (Little Rock, Ark.) to Nebraska’s group of basketball graduates.

Coach Gary Pepin’s men’s and women’s track and field program made up nearly a quarter of Nebraska’s graduating class of successful student-athletes. A total of 13 members of the track and field program earned diplomas, including 2015 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year and Big Ten Medal of Honor winner John Welk (Bismarck, N.D.). A two-time All-American in the 4x100-meter relay, Welk is also a two-time NCAA Elite 89 award winner. 

Other standout men’s track and field graduates included Dexter McKenzie (Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica) who joined Welk on a pair of All-America relay teams, Christian Sanderfer (Lincoln, Neb.) who was a two-time All-American in the 4x400 relay and James White (Grandview, Mo.) who earned All-America honors in the high jump in 2013. Grant (Gus) Gehlen (Eagan, Minn.), Jarren Heng (Norfolk, Neb.), Sarah Larson (Lincoln, Neb.), Will Lohman (Chewelah, Wash.), Megan Lush (Plymouth, Minn.), Alney Tobias (Troy, N.Y.), Shawnice Williams (Paramount, Calif.), Corey Winston (Long Beach, Calif.) and Jessica Wright (Bellevue, Neb.) round out the track and field program’s representatives at graduation.

Coach Dan Kendig’s women’s gymnastics program added to the All-America flavor of this May’s graduates, headlined by 2014 Nebraska Female Student-Athlete of the Year and Big Ten Medal of Honor winner Emily Wong (Grand Forks, N.D.). The 11-time All-American and 2014 AAI Award winner was joined by two-time All-American Jamie Schleppenbach (Lincoln, Neb.) and twin sisters Amanda and Jennifer Lauer (Sioux City, Iowa) to give the women’s gymnastics program four May graduates.

Coach Rhonda Revelle’s softball program added a set of twins to the Husker graduates, as All-Americans Tatum and Taylor Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.) earned their degrees. Tatum, a two-time All-America pitcher (2013, 2014), and Taylor, a two-time All-America catcher (2011, 2014) was joined by current Huskers Mattie Fowler (Tucson, Ariz.) and Kylee Muir (Portland, Ore.) in giving the softball program four graduates. Fowler and Muir represented the Huskers on the field over the weekend at the Big Ten Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

Three-time first-team NTCA All-American and 2015 National Bowler of the Year Liz Kuhlkin (Schenectady, N.Y.) joined Andrea Ruiz (Bogota, Colombia) in representing Coach Bill Straub’s 2015 NCAA championship team during Saturday’s commencement. Kuhlkin, who was also the Most Valuable Bowler in powering the Huskers to the 2013 NCAA title, graduated from Nebraska as one of the most decorated and accomplished bowlers in school history. Kuhlkin and Ruiz led the Huskers to a pair of NCAA titles and an NCAA runner-up finish during their distinguished careers.

Mary Pollmiller, an AVCA All-America setter in 2014, represented Coach John Cook’s Husker volleyball program, while 1999 All-American and 2004 Kansas City Royals All-Star Ken Harvey headlined a group of four baseball players claiming their degrees for Coach Darin Erstad’s program. Adam Bailey (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Corey Stringer (Omaha, Neb.) and current Husker Steven Reveles (Santa Barbara, Calif.) also claimed their diplomas before the Huskers defeated Purdue on Saturday afternoon at Hawks Field.

Coach Mark Manning’s wrestling program added a strong group of seven graduates with Luis DeAnda (South Sioux City, Neb.), Spencer Johnson (Mountain Lake, Minn.), Adam Joseph (Hastings, Neb.), Shawn Nagel (Kimball, Neb.), Ian Ousley (Saginaw, Mich.), John Svoboda (Schuyler, Neb.) and Brandon Wilbourn (O’Fallon, Mo.). The swimming and diving program contributed five graduates from five states with Alexandra Bilunas (Omaha, Neb.), Morgan Flannigan (Lawrence, Kan.), Ciara Jenkins (Mesa, Ariz.), Rebekah Land (Hannibal, Mo.) and Megan Ziemann (Round Rock, Texas) representing Coach Pablo Morales’ program.

Five members of the Nebraska football program, including Taariq Allen (Weston, Mass.), Tyler Evans (Waverly, Neb.), Matt Finnin (Crete, Ill.), Givens Price (Houston, Texas) and Patrick Smith (Quincy, Ill.) added to the list of May graduates. Smith earned his master’s of business administration degree.

Coach Chuck Chmelka’s men’s gymnastics team pitched in Andrew House (Houston, Texas) and Robbie Kocks (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to Nebraska’s group of graduates, while Caroline Gray (Soccer, Kansas City, Mo.), Josh Reinertson (Men’s Golf, Gibbon, Neb.) and Beau Treyz (Men’s Tennis, Jacksonville, Fla.) rounded out NU’s list of May grads.

NU’s May 2015 graduates came from near and far to call Nebraska home during their careers. The group came to Lincoln from 20 states, including 14 native Nebraskans. Members of the graduating class also came from Colombia 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 (315) and NCAA Top 10 Award winners (17) across all sports.

May 2015 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (55)

• Taariq Allen (Football) Weston, Mass. (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Adam Bailey (Baseball) Scottsdale, Ariz. (Psychology)
• Alexandra Bilunas (Swimming & Diving) Omaha, Neb. (Biological Sciences)
• Emily Cady (Women’s Basketball) Seward, Neb. (Business Administration)
• Luis DeAnda (Wrestling) South Sioux City, Neb. (Sociology)
• Tatum Edwards (Softball) Murrieta, Calif. (Elementary Education & Special Education K-6)
• Taylor Edwards (Softball) Murrieta, Calif. (Sociology)
• Tyler Evans (Football) Waverly, Neb. (Biological Sciences/Psychology)
• Matt Finnin (Football) Crete, Ill. (History)
• Morgan Flannigan (Swimming & Diving) Lawrence, Kan. (Biological Sciences)
• Mattie Fowler (Softball) Tucson, Ariz. (Finance)
• Grant (Gus) Gehlen (Track & Field) Eagan, Minn. (Business Administration)
• Caroline Gray (Soccer) Kansas City, Mo. (Marketing)
• Ken Harvey (Baseball) Los Angeles, Calif. (Communication Studies)
• Jarren Heng (Cross Country/Track & Field) Norfolk, Neb. (Spanish)
• Andrew House (Men’s Gymnastics) Houston, Texas (Physics)
• Brandi Jeffery (Women’s Basketball) Vacherie, La. (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Ciara Jenkins (Swimming & Diving) Mesa, Ariz. (Elementary Education & Special Education K-6)
• Spencer Johnson (Wrestling) Mountain Lake, Minn. (Civil Engineering/Mathematics)
• Adam Joseph (Wrestling) Hastings, Neb. (Mechanical Engineering)
• Robbie Kocks (Men’s Gymnastics) Lawrenceville, Ga. (Ciminology & Criminal Justice)
• Liz Kuhlkin (Bowling) Schenectady, N.Y. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Rebekah Land (Swimming & Diving) Hannibal, Mo. (Communication Studies)
• Sarah Larson (Cross Country/Track & Field) Lincoln, Neb. (Business Administration)
• Amanda Lauer (Women’s Gymnastics) Sioux City, Iowa (Nutrition Science)
• Jennifer Lauer (Women’s Gymnastics) Sioux City, Iowa (Nutrition Science)
• Will Lohman (Track & Field) Chewelah, Wash. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Megan Lush (Cross Country/Track & Field) Plymouth, Minn. (Biological Systems Engineering)
• Dexter McKenzie (Track & Field) Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica (Advertising & Public Relations)
• Kylee Muir (Softball) Portland, Ore. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Shawn Nagel (Wrestling) Kimball, Neb. (Biological Sciences)
• Ian Ousley (Wrestling) Saginaw, Mich. (Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science)
• Terran Petteway (Men’s Basketball) Galveston, Texas (Ethnic Studies)
• Mary Pollmiller (Volleyball) Littleton, Colo. (Nutrition Science)
• Givens Price (Football) Houston, Texas (Accounting/Management)
• Josh Reinertson (Men’s Golf) Gibbon, Neb. (Business Administration)
• Steven Reveles (Baseball) Santa Barbara, Calif. (Psychology)
• David Rivers (Men’s Basketball) Little Rock, Ark. (Ethnic Studies)
• Andrea Ruiz (Bowling) Bogota, Colombia (History)
• Hailie Sample (Women’s Basketball) Flower Mound, Texas (Marketing)
• Christian Sanderfer (Track & Field) Lincoln, Neb. (Nutrition Science)
• Jamie Schleppenbach (Women’s Gymnastics) Lincoln, Neb. (Advertising & Public Relations/Psychology)
• Patrick Smith (Football) Quincy, Ill. (Business Administration (MBA)
• Corey Stringer (Baseball) Omaha, Neb. (Biological Sciences)
• John Svoboda (Wrestling) Schuyler, Neb. (Animal Science)
• Alney Tobias (Cross Country/Track & Field) Troy, N.Y. (Civil Engineering)
• Beau Treyz (Men’s Tennis) Jacksonville, Fla. (English)
• John Welk (Track & Field) Bismarck, N.D. (Nutrition Science)
• James White (Track & Field) Grandview, Mo. (Art)
• Brandon Wilbourn (Wrestling) O’Fallon, Mo. (Sociology)
• Shawnice Williams (Cross Country/Track & Field) Paramount, Calif. (Psychology)
• Corey Winston (Track & Field) Long Beach, Calif. (Economics)
• Emily Wong (Women’s Gymnastics) Grand Forks, N.D. (Nutrition Science)
• Jessica Wright (Cross Country/Track & Field) Bellevue, Neb. (Psychology)
• Megan Ziemann (Swimming & Diving) Round Rock, Texas (Interior Design)