Commencement Weekend for Gator Student-Athletes
Thursday, May 2, 2024 | General, Otis Hawkins Center
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida Athletic Association celebrates the accomplishments of 79 Gator student-athletes who will walk across commencement stages this weekend.
Spring commencement ceremonies begin Thursday, May 1 and run through Monday, May 6.
In addition, 20 finished undergraduate or graduate certificates.
Eight were part of national title teams during their careers:
Six won NCAA Individual titles:
More Spring Gator Grad Notables:
Spring commencement ceremonies begin Thursday, May 1 and run through Monday, May 6.
In addition, 20 finished undergraduate or graduate certificates.
Eight were part of national title teams during their careers:
- 2017 Baseball – Mike Rivera
- 1996 Football - Fred Taylor
- 2006 & 2008 Football – Brandon Spikes
- 2023 Men's Golf – John DuBois
- 2017 & 2019 Men's Outdoor, 2018 Indoor Track & Field- Grant Holloway
- 2022 Women's Indoor Track & Field - Claire Bryant and Grace Stark
- 2022 Women's Outdoor Track & Field – Alissa Braxton, Claire Bryant and Parker Valby
Six won NCAA Individual titles:
- Eric Friese – 2022 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; 2023 200 free relay
- Isabel Ivey – 800 freestyle relay
- Grant Holloway – 2017, '18, '19 – NCAA 60-meter hurdles and 110 hurdles; 2019 60m dash and 2019 4x100 relay
- Grace Stark – 2022 60-meter hurdles
- Trinity Thomas – 2022 NCAA all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise
- Parker Valby – 2023 NCAA Outdoor 5,000 run, 2023 Cross Country; 2024 NCAA Indoor 3,000 & 5,000 runs
More Spring Gator Grad Notables:
- Twenty-two earned All-America honors – Maha Amer (diving), Flomena Asekol (cross country, track & field), Claire Bryant (track & field), Kai Change (track), John DuBois (golf), Kelly Fertel (swimming), Maisie Filler (golf), Eric Friese (swimming), Dudley Hart (golf), Grant Holloway (swimming), Isabel Ivey (swimming), Ellie Lazzari (gymnastics), Tylor Mathieu (swimming), Danielle Pavinelli (lacrosse), Amanda Ray (swimming), Brandon Spikes (football), Grace Stark (track & field), Anton Svirskyi (diving), Fred Taylor (football), Trinity Thomas (gymnastics), Elise Thorner (track & field), Parker Valby (cross country, track), Vanessa Watson (track & field)
- Three Gators Athletics Hall of Fame members finished their degrees this spring – Dudley Hart (inducted 2003), Brandon Spikes (2020), Fred Taylor (2010)
- Joshua King (track) and Emily Lortz (lacrosse) receive $10,000 post-graduate scholarships as H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete award nominees
- Skip Donald (diving) receives a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship as a Brad Davis SEC Community Service Award nominee
- Autumn Finke (swimming) received a 2021-22 NCAA post-graduate scholarship
- Leilani Correa, the SEC 6th Woman of 2024 season, was selected by the Indiana Fever in April's WNBA Draft
- Taylor Roberts (golf) received UF Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Leader award on May 1
- Grant Holloway (2019 The Bowerman, USTFCCCA 2019 indoor & outdoor track), Trinity Thomas (2022 & 2023 Honda Award), Parker Valby (2023 Honda Award, 2023 USTFCCCA cross country, 2024 USTFCCCA indoor runner) named national athlete of year for their sport
- Two named Roy Kramer SEC Athlete of the Year – Grant Holloway (2019) and Trinity Thomas (2023)
- Five named conference athlete of the year for their sport – Maha Amer (2022 SEC diving), Maggi Hall (2024 AAC attack), Grant Holloway (Track – 2018 (SEC in & out runner) & 2019 (indoor), Trinity Thomas (2020, 2022, 2023 SEC gymnastics) and Parker Valby (2022 & 2023 SEC cross country, 2024 indoor runner)
- 34 graduate with honors.
- Summa Cum Laude: Taylor Roberts (golf)
- Magna Cum Laude: Claire Bryant (track & field), Sara Dahlstrom (tennis), Emily Lortz (lacrosse), Jackie Norsworthy (lacrosse
- Cum Laude: Kenny Anyaehie (football), Anna Auld (swimming), Elise Bauer (swimming), Kenady Beil (swimming), Nate Bonetto (tennis), Alissa Braxton (track & field), Leah DeGeorge (swimming), Skip Donald (diving), Mateusz Dubas (swimming), Brianna Edwards (gymnastics), Zach Godbold (track & field), Liz Harrison (lacrosse), Madison Kolessar (swimming), Ellie Lazzari (gymnastics), Carina Lumia (diving), Tylor Mathieu (swimming), Graham Mertz (football), Jadon Maddux (track & field), Caroline Pagac (diving), Advait Page (swimming), Bella Palagonia (lacrosse), Danielle Pavinelli (lacrosse), Rylee Pustilnik (track & field), Amanda Ray (swimming), Carley Schwab (swimming), Jordan Shapiro (track & field), Taylor Spierto (football), Parker Valby (track & field), Tyler Wilkes (golf)
- Nine receive master's or doctorate degrees this weekend – Maha Amer (diving), Bettina Boszormenyi (swimming), Imani Carothers (track), Kelly Fertel (swimming), Autumn Finke (swimming), Isabel Ivey (swimming), Kathryn Nohilly (track), Trinity Thomas (gymnastics), Emily Yaple (soccer)
| 2024 University of Florida Student-Athlete Spring Graduates | ||
| Name | Sport | Degree |
| Mike Rivera | Baseball | Anthropology |
| Michael Robertson | Baseball | Business Administration |
| Ryan Slater | Baseball | Sport Management |
| Leilani Correa | Women's Basketball | Education Sciences |
| Kenny Anyaehie | Football | Education Sciences |
| Carlson Joseph | Football | Education Sciences |
| Jalen Kimber | Football | Education Sciences |
| Graham Mertz | Football | Education Sciences |
| Mannie Nunnery | Football | Education Sciences |
| Dameon Pierce | Football | Education Sciences |
| Ethan Pouncey | Football | Sport Management |
| Taylor Spierto | Football | Economics |
| Brandon Spikes | Football | Anthropology |
| Fred Taylor | Football | Sociology |
| Ethan Wilson | Football | Business Administration |
| Derek Wingo | Football | Education Sciences |
| Dudley Hart | Men's Golf | History |
| Tyler Wilkes | Men's Golf | Education Sciences |
| Maisie Filler | Women's Golf | Political Science |
| Jackie Lucena | Women's Golf | Sociology |
| Taylor Roberts | Women's Golf | Education Sciences |
| Chloi Clark | Gymnastics | Sport Management |
| Brianna Edwards | Gymnastics | Psychology |
| Ellie Lazzari | Gymnastics | Psychology |
| Michala Magee | Gymnastics | Journalism - Sports & Media |
| Trinity Thomas | Gymnastics | Master's - Entrepreneurship |
| Ashley Gonzalez | Lacrosse | Advertising |
| Maggi Hall | Lacrosse | Sociology |
| Liz Harrison | Lacrosse | Marketing |
| Emily Lortz | Lacrosse | Applied Physiology & Kinesiology |
| Jackie Norsworthy | Lacrosse | Telecommunication |
| Bella Palagonia | Lacrosse | Advertising |
| Emma Panciocco | Lacrosse | Public Health |
| Danielle Pavinelli | Lacrosse | Health Education & Behavior |
| Kelly Schluederberg | Lacrosse | Political Science |
| Madison Waters | Lacrosse | Economics |
| Anna DeLeon | Soccer | Marketing |
| Julianne Leskauskas | Soccer | Education Sciences |
| Emily Yaple | Soccer | Master's - Sport Management |
| Amro Al-Wir | Men's Swimming | Astrophysics |
| Skip Donald | Men's Diving | Education Sciences |
| Mateusz Dubas | Men's Swimming | Architecture |
| Eric Friese | Men's Swimming | Management |
| Advait Page | Men's Swimming | Sport Management |
| Brendan Peacock | Men's Swimming | Criminology |
| Anton Svirskyi | Men's Diving | Biomedical Engineering |
| Maha Amer | Women's Diving | Master's - Medical Science |
| Anna Auld | Women's Swimming | Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management |
| Elise Bauer | Women's Swimming | Health Education & Behavior |
| Kenady Beil | Women's Swimming | Landscape Architecture |
| Bettina Boszormenyi | Women's Swimming | Master's - Sport Management |
| Leah DeGeorge | Women's Swimming | Biology |
| Kelly Fertel | Women's Swimming | Master's - Health Education and Behavior |
| Autumn Finke | Women's Swimming | Juris Doctorate |
| Isabel Ivey | Women's Swimming | Master's - Management |
| Madison Kolessar | Women's Swimming | Nature Resource Conservation |
| Carina Lumia | Women's Diving | Health Sciences |
| Tylor Mathieu | Women's Swimming | Psychology |
| Chade Nersicio | Women's Swimming | Media Production, Management, & Tech |
| Caroline Pagac | Women's Diving | English and Psychology |
| Amanda Ray | Women's Swimming | Biology |
| Carly Schwab | Women's Swimming | Health Education & Behavior |
| Nate Bonetto | Men's Tennis | Economics |
| Sara Dahlstrom | Women's Tennis | Public Relations |
| Zach Godbold | Men's Track & Field | Criminology |
| Grant Holloway | Men's Track & Field | Education Sciences |
| Joshua King | Men's Track & Field | Applied Physiology & Kinesiology |
| Jadon Maddux | Men's Track & Field | Applied Physiology & Kinesiology |
| Alissa Braxton | Women's Track & Field | Graphic Design |
| Claire Bryant | Women's Track & Field | Advertising |
| Imani Carothers | Women's Track & Field | Master's - Criminology |
| Ashley Klingenberg | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management |
| Kathryn Nohilly | Women's Track & Field | Master's - Mass Communication |
| Rylee Pustilnik | Women's Track & Field | Animal Sciences |
| Jordan Shapiro | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management |
| Emma Solis | Women's Track & Field | Applied Physiology & Kinesiology |
| Parker Valby | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management |
| Elli McKissock | Volleyball | Telecommunication |
| Sofia Victoria | Volleyball | Education Sciences |
| Certificates | ||
| Armando Albert | Baseball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Tanner Garrison | Baseball | Nonprofit Leadership GR Certificate |
| Jaylen Guy | Baseball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Blake Purnell | Baseball | Sport Event Management GR Certificate |
| Dale Thomas | Baseball | Nonprofit Leadership GR Certificate |
| Alex Klastsky | Men's Basketball | Artificial Intelligence UG Certificate |
| Julian Rishwain | Men's Basketball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Tyreik Norwood | Football | Family, Youth & Sciences GR Certificate |
| John DuBois | Men's Golf | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Paisley Eagan | Lacrosse | Sports & Entertainment Law UG Certificate |
| Baylee Goddard | Softball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Avery Goelz | Softball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Kai Chang | Men's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Oliver Thorner | Men's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Flomena Asekol | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Amelia Mazza-Downie | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Grace Stark | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Elise Thorner | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Vanessa Watson | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Melanie Welsing | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
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