Beste, Sackett Earn Degrees

Lincoln - Former Husker women's golfers Jackie Beste and Sara Sackett received their bachelor's degrees from the University of Nebraska during commencement ceremonies at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Saturday morning.

Beste was a four-time NGCA Scholastic All-American for the Huskers and was one of Nebraska's top golfers in each of her four seasons with the Huskers. A native of Sauk Centre, Minn., Beste posted a near-perfect 3.9 GPA during her collegiate career.

Sackett, a Cambridge, Neb., native, added a degree in elementary education as a three-time academic All-Big 12 Conference performer.

Both Beste and Sackett helped the Huskers to one of the best seasons in school history in 2006. Nebraska advanced to the 24-team NCAA Championship in Ohio, where the Huskers finished in 20th place. Individually, Sackett tied for 79th at the NCAA Championships.

Earlier in the season, Beste and Sackett finished took the top two spots at Nebraska's Chip-N Club Invitational. Beste won her only career title, while Sackett added runner-up honors.

A talented collection of 31 University of Nebraska student-athletes, including 12 current and former members of the Nebraska football team, earned their degrees during winter commencement ceremonies.

Nebraska’s 31 December graduates come from 18 states across America, in addition to three foreign countries.

Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation with an exhausted eligibility graduation rate of 94 percent.

December 2006 <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (31)
Chase Andersen - Football - Lincoln, Neb. - Accounting
Sara Jane Baker - Track & Field - Kalamazoo, Mich. - Marketing
Jackie Beste - Women’s Golf - Sauk Centre, Minn. - Accounting
Stewart Bradley - Football - Salt Lake City, Utah - Accounting
Chris Bryant - Football - Aurora, Colo. - Business Education/Cooperative Education
Adam Carriker - Football - Kennewick, Wash. - Business Administration
Pamela Castillejos - Women’s Tennis - Puebla, Mexico - Industrial Engineering
Chris Chandler - Track & Field - Starke, Fla. - Sociology
MacKenzie Clark - Swimming & Diving - Colorado Springs, Colo. - Advertising
Ola Dagunduro - Football - Inglewood, Calif. - Sociology
Karla Engh - Bowling - Sioux Falls, S.D. - Elementary Education
Abby Fitzpatrick - Swimming & Diving - Lakeville, Minn. - Criminal Justice
Ray Hacker - Men’s Gymnastics - Fairfax, Va. - Finance
Matt Herian - Football - Pierce, Neb. - History
Kari Hogan - Soccer - Lakewood, Colo. - Family and Consumer Science
Brett Jensen - Baseball - Eagle Grove, Iowa - Communication Studies
Newt Lingenfelter - Football - Plainview, Neb. - Mechanized Systems Management
Priscilla Lopes - Track & Field - Whitby, Ontario, Canada - Sociology
Shamus McKoy - Football - Raleigh, N.C. - Sociology
Dmitrijs Milkevics - Track & Field - Riga, Latvia - Business Administration
Nick Moore - Men’s Gymnastics - Indianapolis, Ind. - History
Andy Nelson - Track & Field - Greenwood, Mo. - Electrical Engineering
Will Otto - Football - Fullerton, Calif. - Sociology
Nic Petersen - Track & Field - Omaha, Neb. - Economics
J.B. Phillips - Football - Colleyville, Texas - Marketing
Brandon Rigoni - Football - Lincoln, Neb. - Psychology
Sara Sackett - Women’s Golf - Cambridge, Neb. - Elementary Education
Jen Saleaumua - Volleyball - National City, Calif. - Sociology
Kent Schreiner - Men’s Golf - Ogallala, Neb. - Business Administration
Zac Taylor - Football - Norman, Okla. - Communication Studies
Jason Thompson - Track & Field - Belton, Mo. - Sociology<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>