19 Husker Athletes Earn Degrees

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced Friday afternoon that 19 current or former Husker student-athletes across nine sports will be participating in graduation ceremonies tomorrow. The summer commencement will take place Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Bob Devaney Sports Center beginning at 9:30 a.m.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The list of summer graduates is headlined by a quartet of football players who will be seniors this season. Will linebacker Chad Buller (business administration), quarterback Jammal Lord (communications), free safety Jerrell Pippens (communications) and cornerback Pat Ricketts (business administration) will receive their degrees, as a total of nine current football seniors will have their degrees before the start of the 2003 season. Under Coach Frank Solich, 89 percent of Husker seniors have received their degrees, including 25 of 29 seniors from last season, as Matt Behrends will receive his degree in finance on Saturday.

 

In addition to the student-athletes who are either still competing, such as basketball player Margaret Richards, who will receive her degree in communications, and athletes who recently completed their athletic eligibility, two football players who played in the 1980s will also participate in the commencement exercises.  Eugene Chealey, who played in 1986 and 1987, returned to UNL to complete his degree requirements in criminal justice, while Ray Valladao, who lettered from 1987 to 1989, will receive his degree in family science. Both former players received assistance through the NCAA Degree Completion Program.  A complete list of the summer graduates is listed below.

Student Name

Major

Sport

Jennifer Baccarani

Community Health Education

Women's Tennis

Matt Behrends

Finance

Football

Rob Blomeier

Communications

Football

Chad Buller

Business Adminstation

Football

Amber Burgess

Communications

Softball

Eugene Chealey

Criminal Justice

Football

Mike Demps

Communications

Football

Bree Dority O'Callaghan

Economics

Women's Gym

Jammal Lord Communications Football

Jerrell Pippens

Communications

Football/Track

Margaret Richards

Communications

Women's Basketball

Pat Ricketts

Business Adminstation

Football

Justin Seely

History

Baseball

Jelena Stanisavljevic

Economics

Women's Track

Jamie Stevens

Sociology

Swimming

Fungai Tongoona

Marketing

Tennis

Raymond Valladao

Family Science

Football

Lisa Wangler

Sociology

Softball

Chad Wiles

Construction Management

Baseball