Thirty-nine Henderson State University student-athletes and support staff will participate in commencement ceremonies at the Duke Wells Center on Friday. These student-athletes have succeeded in both academics and athletics during their college years.
Among those graduating include football student-athletes Andrew Cannon, Ben Chandler, Kevin Lloyd, Sean McGrath, Nathan Nall, Aaron Plante, Kevin Rodriguez, Marquis Russell, Taylor Stone, and Michael Wightman.
Cannon, Lloyd, Plante, Rodriguez, Russell, and Wightman will earn their bachelors in general studies, with Chandler earning a bachelors of arts in history. Stone will obtain his bachelors of science in education, with McGrath getting his bachelors of fine arts, while Nall is receiving a bachelors of arts in psychology with a minor in Spanish, cum laude.
Seven Reddie baseball players will walk Friday including Brittain Diamond, Anthony Gilliland, Charlie Hillman, Tyler Martin, Josh Ritter, Bobby Tatum, and Josh Wesson.
Diamond, Hillman, and Tatum will earn their bachelors in general studies, with Gilliland and Martin receiving their bachelors of business administration in management.
Wesson earns his bachelors of science in education while Ritter will receive his bachelors of science in biology with a minor in chemistry.
Red Wave swimmers Ryan Dugal, Terrance Fogle, Zachary Hoffman, and Jacob Wright will also take part in Friday's ceremony.
Dugal earns his bachelors of business administration in management, with Fogle getting his bachelors of arts in political science.
Hoffman earns a bachelors of arts in history, magna cum laude, and Wright a bachelors in general studies, cum laude.
Former Reddie basketball player Lucas Whisenhunt will receive his bachelors of science in chemistry with a minor in physics.
A pair of Lady Reddie basketball players will earn their degrees including Jaz Ellis and Jocelyn Taylor. Ellis earns her bachelors of science in recreation with Taylor getting her bachelors in general studies.
Among those from the Lady Reddie cross country team to earn their degrees will be Jeannette Weir obtaining her bachelors in general studies, with Tori Morehead earning a bachelors of science in family consumer sciences, magna cum laude.
Lucia Andrade of the Lady Reddie tennis team will earn her bachelors of arts in psychology with a minor in French, summa cum laude, with Lady Reddie golfer Julie Robinson earning a bachelors of arts in mass media.
Lady Red Wave swimmers Rebeka Norman and Natalie Gallant will earn degrees as will softball players Melissa Decker and Sumer Johnson. Norman earns her bachelors of science in biology with a minor in chemistry, cum laude.
Gallant will receive her bachelors of business administration in management with a minor in French. Decker also earns her bachelors of science in biology, while Johnson earns her bachelors of arts in political science with a minor in military science, summa cum laude.
Six students among the athletic support staff will also earn degrees. Jerrica Boykins, Michael Hefta, Ethan Synder, and Maloris Akin earn bachelors of science degrees in athletic training with Akin graduating with cum laude honors.
Zack Wuichet, who has helped coach the Lady Reddie softball team, will earn his bachelors of science in education. Chris Harris, who has spent the past three years as part of the sports information staff, earns his bachelors in general studies.
“This is the best day for an Athletic Director I can tell you that,” said HSU AD Kale Gober. “Seeing these students reach a goal that, to be perfectly honest, probably wasn't as high of a priority initially as their athletic performance, is quite amazing. This is why we come to work every day.”
