11 Huskers to Earn Degrees

Lincoln - A talented collection of 11 University of Nebraska student-athletes earned their degrees during summer commencement ceremonies on Saturday at the BobDevaneySportsCenter.

 

The Nebraska track and field program was represented by three graduates, including All-American Nate Probasco (Scribner, Neb.) and All-Big 12 performer Lee Martin (Waverly, Neb.). Academic All-Big 12 performer Adam Evans (LaVista, Neb.) also represented Coach Gary Pepin’s track and field program as a Nebraska native.

 

The Nebraska soccer and wrestling teams each contributed a pair of graduates to summer commencement exercises. Coach John Walker’s soccer team celebrated the graduations of Brooke Bredenberg (Dayton, Minn.) and Aly Scace (Talala, Okla.), while Coach Mark Manning’s wrestling team was represented by Joey Malia (Billings, Mont.) and James Pummel (Spearfish, S.D.).

 

Milena Schulz-Gaertner (Kiel, Germany), who helped Coach Scott Jacobson’s women’s tennis team to the school’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearances in 2005 and 2006, earned her degree from Nebraska, while former men’s tennis player Joel Reckewey (Lincoln, Neb.) was the only Lincoln native of the Huskers’ group of graduates.

 

Former NU men’s gymnast Mace Patterson (Beggs, Okla.) claimed his bachelor’s degree, while Rachel Schlatter (Middleton, Wis.) represented Coach Pablo Morales’ women’s swimming and diving program during commencement exercises.           

 

Overall, Nebraska’s class of 11 August graduates came to the University from six states and one foreign country.

 

“I admire each of these student-athletes for the way they balanced school with competition,” Nebraska Associate Athletic Director for Academic Programs and Student Services Dennis Leblanc said.  “These graduates add to Nebraska’s great tradition of academic and athletic excellence. These student-athletes have come from different parts of the country and the world to receive the highest quality of education while competing in athletics at the highest level. The athletic department, the University and the entire state of Nebraska are proud of them.”        

 

Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 93 percent.

 

The Chronicle of Higher Education also recently recognized Nebraska as the nation’s leader in encouraging former student-athletes to return to school to earn their degrees, according to the National Consortium for Academics and Sports.

 

Over the past three academic years (2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05), a nation-leading 45 Husker student-athletes returned to Lincoln to complete their degrees. Only one other school in the country (Tennessee, 33) had more than 30 former student-athletes return to finish their undergraduate education.

 

Current graduate Joey Malia was one of the former Huskers to benefit from Nebraska’s consortium program. Other recent graduates have included volleyball player Greichaly Cepero, and soccer players Christine Latham and Breanna Boyd. Some of Nebraska’s most notable graduates from the consortium program have included Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers and men’s basketball player Clifford Moller.

 

August 2006 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (11)

Brooke Bredenberg (Soccer) - Dayton, Minn. - Art Education

Adam Evans (Track & Field) - LaVista, Neb. - Business Management

Joey Malia (Wrestling) - Billings, Mont. - Sociology

Lee Martin (Track & Field) - Waverly, Neb. - Business Administration

Mace Patterson (Men’s Gymnastics) - Beggs, Okla. - Communication Studies             

Nate Probasco (Track & Field) - Scribner, Neb. - History

James Pummel (Wrestling) - Spearfish, S.D. - Diversified Agricultural Studies

Joel Reckewey (Men’s Tennis) - Lincoln, Neb. - Marketing

Aly Scace (Soccer) - Talala, Okla. - Family and Consumer Science

Rachel Schlatter (Swimming & Diving) - Middleton, Wis.- Advertising

Milena Schulz-Gaertner  (Women’s Tennis) - Kiel, Germany - International Business