Three Former Huskers Earn Degrees

Lincoln - Three former Husker softball players will be among 60 University of Nebraska student-athletes scheduled to graduate during spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. Peaches James (Sociology), Nicole Trimboli (Family and Consumer Science) and Brittney Yolo (Diversified Agricultural Studies) will each receive their degrees on Saturday after completing their athletic eligibility in 2004.

 

James will add a degree to an impressive list of accomplishments at Nebraska. A native of Papillion, Neb., James was a four-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and a three-time All-Midwest Region selection as one of the most dominating pitchers in school history. She owns five school records and ranks in the top 10 in 13 other categories. A two-time academic All-Big 12 selection, James was a 2004 NFCA second-team All-American, as well as the Big 12 Player of the Year.

 

Trimboli also left her mark at Nebraska, earning three All-Big 12 honors. Trimboli, who has been the Huskers’ fifth year undergraduate assistant coach this season, etched her name in the top 10 of 12 NU record lists, including career RBIs, where she ranks second. Off the field, she was a first-team academic All-Big 12 selection in 2002. A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Trimboli has served as the Huskers’ fifth-year undergraduate coach this season.

 

Yolo transferred to the University of Nebraska from Palomar JC and made a lasting impact in only two years in Lincoln. She started 46 games as a senior in 2004 and was a co-recipient of the Nebraska Defensive Player-of-the-Year award. Yolo, a native of Sebastapol, Calif., developed tremendous chemistry with James and the battery mates teamed up for a memorable run last season. With Yolo’s guidance, James posted career numbers across the board in 2004, including setting three single-season school records.

 

NU Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services Dennis Leblanc said the May 2005 graduating class consists of strong examples of student-athletes who have the ability to excel in the classroom, in the community and in competition.

 

“I truly admire each one of these Nebraska student-athletes for the way they have balanced school with competition,” Leblanc said. “These 60 graduates add to Nebraska’s tradition of student-athletes performing at the highest level in academics and athletics. This is a special group of people who came from all across the globe to get an education and represent the University of Nebraska in their sport. The athletic department, the University and the entire state of Nebraska should be proud.”

 

The spring graduating class of 60 is added to the December class of 28 graduates to bring the total number of Husker student-athletes graduating during the 2004-05 academic year to 88. Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 91 percent.