Lonnika Thompson to Participate In Fall Commencement
Friday, December 16, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Among the University of Florida graduates receiving their diplomas this weekend are 38 current and former Gator student-athletes, including women's basketball letterwinner Lonnika Thompson (New Orleans, La.). UF's fall commencement ceremonies will take place Friday, Dec. 16 through Saturday, Dec. 17, according to college assignment.
A 5-foot-4 point guard for the Gators from 2007-10, Thompson made an immediate impact in 2007-08, her first season with the Gators, and followed that two more solid years when she was named the team's Most Improved Player in 2008-09 and was the recipient of the Miss Elliott Unsung Hero Award in 2009-10 by the coaching staff. She never let outside distractions alter her focus in the classroom or the court, having dealt with difficulties prior to her arrival in Gainesville. Her family was forced to evacuate New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina and Thompson began her senior year at Jonesboro High School near Atlanta, Ga., before returning to McDonogh 35 High to complete her studies and receive her diploma.
Upon the end of her eligibility, Thompson tied for most steals in a game (7 vs. Ohio, Dec. 28, 2009) by a senior, tied for third-most steals in a home game (7), tied for eighth-most steals in a game (7) and contributed 10 double-figure scoring games during her career.
Kelsey Bruder will be honored as the Outstanding Female Leader at this weekend's ceremonies. Bruder, the 2011 Honda Award recipient as the nation's top softball player, also appeared on the Capital One Academic All-America teams as a junior and senior. She will be recognized in January at the NCAA Convention as a NCAA Today Top XIII award recipient, joining Tim Tebow, Stephanie Nickitas, Danny Wuerffel, Megan Neyer and Tracy Caulkins as Gators to receive this prestigious honor.
Among the Gator graduates is Charlotte Browning, who claimed both the mile and 1,500-meter NCAA titles in 2010. She shared the high-point Cliff Harper Trophy after winning both the mile and 3,000-meter run at the 2010 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. Of the fall graduates, 68 percent were part of national or SEC championship teams during their Gator careers. The percentage includes members of Florida's 2008 BCS title football team and the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Indoor championship track & field squads.
| University of Florida | ||
| Fall 2011 Graduating Student-Athletes | ||
| Name | Sport | Major |
| Bryson Smith | Baseball | Criminology |
| Phillip Bellino | Football | Food & Resource Economics |
| John Brantley | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| William Green | Football | Criminology |
| Jaye Howard | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Moses Jenkins | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| David Lerner | Football | Sport Management |
| Eugene Minchin | Football | Journalism |
| T.J. Pridemore | Football | Political Science |
| Chris Rainey | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Solomon Schoonover | Football | Political Science |
| Billy Steinmann | Football | Political Science |
| Deonte Thompson | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Steven Wilks | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| James Wilson | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Balazs Gercsak | Men's Swimming | Telecommunication |
| Michael Joyce | Men's Swimming | Recreation , Parks & Tourism |
| Grayson Patten | Men's Diving | Sport Management |
| Joey Pedraza | Men's Swimming | Anthropology |
| Jonathan Speed | Men's Diving | Psychology |
| Logan Storie | Men's Swimming | Recreation , Parks & Tourism |
| Bobby Walsh | Men's Swimming | Business Administration - Management |
| Antoine Benneteau | Men's Tennis | Business Administration - Management |
| Geoffrey Anderson | Men's Track & Field | Health Education and Behavior |
| Sean Blaney | Men's Track & Field | Food and Resource Economics |
| Jarius Cooper | Men's Track & Field | Criminology |
| Lonnika Thompson | Women's Basketball | Sociology |
| Alicia Goodwin | Gymnastics | Sports Management |
| Stephanie Brombacher | Softball | Health Education & Behavior |
| Kelsey Bruder | Softball | Health Education & Behavior |
| Megan Bush | Softball | Health Education & Behavior |
| Tiffany DeFelice | Softball | Criminology |
| Jazmyne Avant | Soccer | Psychology |
| Brooke Chancey | Soccer | Psychology |
| Rachel Sowers | Diving | Mathematics |
| Charlotte Browning | Women's Track & Field | Sociology |
| Daniela Griffin | Women's Track & Field | Sociology |
| Lauren Bledsoe | Volleyball | Advertising |
