Gators celebrate more than 30 student-athletes earning degrees or certificates this weekend at UF Commencement ceremonies.
Commencement Weekend for Gator Student-Athletes
Friday, December 13, 2024 | General, Otis Hawkins Center
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Among the almost 4,000 graduates celebrating their accomplishments in the University of Florida's fall commencement ceremonies this weekend are 37 current and former Gator student-athletes. Twenty-one earn undergraduate degrees and eight claim master's doctor's degrees. In addition, eight receive graduate or undergrad certificates.
Graduate Notes:
Graduate Notes:
- Florida's fall graduates includes 12 who were part of national or conference championship teams.
- Talitha Diggs won 2022 World Championships gold as a member of the U.S. 4x400 relay team. She also swept the 2022 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor 400-meter run titles.
- Malcolm Clemons competed in the long jump for the U.S. at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Two were part of NCAA Championship teams – Talitha Diggs (2022 NCAA Indoor & Outdoor) and Malcolm Clemons (2023 & 2024 NCAA Outdoor)
- The 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association National Player of the Year was Skylar Wallace
- Three were conference athletes of the year for their sport – Talitha Diggs (2023 SEC Indoor Runner), Emily Heller (2023 AAC Midfielder) and Skylar Wallace (2023 Softball Player)
- Four earned All-America honors – Malcolm Clemons (track & field), Talitha Diggs (track & field), Isabel Martin (volleyball), Skylar Wallace (softball)
- Talitha Diggs claimed track & field's 2023 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and College Sports Communications Academic All-American of the Year honors
- Eight completed master's degrees – Josie Curtis (soccer), Emily Heller (lacrosse), Jalen Hudson (men's basketball), Isabel Martin (volleyball), Mark Pitts (football), Riley Simonds (football), Skylar Wallace (softball), Daviana Vaka (soccer)
- Three compete for the Gators in spring 2025 – Paige Clausen (women's basketball), Malcolm Clemons (track & field) and Joey Stravato (track & field)
- Five graduate cum laude –Trinity Adams (volleyball), Cahron Rackley (football), Paige Clausen (women's basketball), Talitha Diggs (track), Emily Wilkie (softball)
- Florida's fall graduates earned 21 All-America honors.
- Thirty earned Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll accolades.
| University of Florida Fall 2024 Graduating Student-Athletes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Sport | Major |
| Tommy Mace | Baseball | Education Sciences |
| Jalen Hudson | Men's Basketball | Master's - Sport Management |
| Paige Clausen | Women's Basketball | Finance |
| Austin Barber | Football | Education Sciences |
| Damieon George Jr. | Football | Education Sciences |
| CamRon Jackson | Football | Education Sciences |
| Ja'Kobi Jackson | Football | Education Sciences |
| Kahleil Jackson | Football | Education Sciences |
| Montrell Johnson Jr. | Football | Education Sciences |
| Jason Marshall Jr. | Football | Education Sciences |
| R.J. Moten | Football | Sociology |
| Mark Pitts | Football | Master's - Management |
| Cahron Rackley | Football | Education Sciences |
| Riley Simonds | Football | Master's - Entrepreneurship |
| Emily Heller | Lacrosse | Master's - Mass Communication |
| Josie Curtis | Soccer | Master's - Health Education & Behavior |
| Lauren Donovan | Soccer | Education Sciences |
| Daviana Vaka | Soccer | Master's - Sport Management |
| Katie Kistler | Softball | Education Sciences |
| Skylar Wallace | Softball | Master's - Sport Management |
| Emily Wilkie | Softball | Health Education & Behavior |
| Billy Jones | Men's Swimming | Electrical Engineering |
| Jack VanDeusen | Men's Swimming | Natural Resource Conservation |
| Malcolm Clemons | Men's Track & Field | International Studies |
| Joey Stravato | Men's Track & Field | Wildlife Ecology Conservation |
| Talitha Diggs | Women's Track & Field | International Studies and Political Science |
| Trinity Adams | Volleyball | Marine Sciences |
| Gabbi Essix | Volleyball | Education Sciences |
| Isabel Martin | Volleyball | Master's - Sport Management |
| Certificates | ||
| Trikweze Bridges | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| Cam Carroll | Football | Integrative Strength & Conditioning Grad Certificate |
| Chimere Dike | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| DJ Douglas | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| Ja'Quavion Fraziars | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| Graham Mertz | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| Justin Pelic | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
| Keon Zipperer | Football | Sport Management Undergrad Certificate |
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