%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Nebraska_N'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20163%20152'%20style='enable-background:new%200%200%20163%20152;'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23FFFFFF;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M159.1,144c-2.3,0-4.1,1.8-4.1,4s1.8,4,4,4s4-1.8,4-4S161.2,144,159.1,144z%20M159,151.2c-1.8,0-3.2-1.4-3.2-3.2%20s1.4-3.2,3.2-3.2c1.7,0,3.2,1.5,3.2,3.2C162.2,149.8,160.8,151.2,159,151.2z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M157.4,145.6h1.4c0.6,0,0.8,0,1.1,0.2c0.4,0.2,0.6,0.6,0.6,1.1c0,0.4-0.1,0.7-0.3,1c-0.1,0.2-0.3,0.2-0.6,0.4%20h-0.1l1.1,2.1h-0.8l-1-2h-0.6v2h-0.8L157.4,145.6L157.4,145.6z%20M158.6,147.7c0,0,0.3,0,0.4,0c0.4-0.1,0.6-0.3,0.6-0.8%20c0-0.3-0.1-0.5-0.4-0.6c-0.1,0-0.1,0-0.6,0h-0.4v1.4L158.6,147.7L158.6,147.7z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M147,0H93h-5v5v35v5h5h5v24.8L55.2,2.3L53.7,0H51H5H0v5v35v5h5h5v62H5H0v5v35v5h5h54h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V82.2%20l42.8,67.5l1.5,2.3h2.7h46h5v-5v-35v-5h-5h-5V45h5h5v-5V5V0H147z%20M150,5v35v3h-3h-7v66h7h3v3v35v3h-3h-46h-1.6l-0.9-1.4L52,75.3%20V109h7h3v3v35v3h-3H5H2v-3v-35v-3h3h7V43H5H2v-3V5V2h3h46h1.7l0.9,1.4L100,76.7V43h-7h-3v-3V5V2h3h54h3V5z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M103,87L103,87L51,5H5v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0c0,3.3,0,68.7,0,72l0,0c-2.2,0-10,0-10,0v35h54v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0%20c0-2.6,0-47,0-47l52,82h46v-35c0,0-7.8,0-10,0l0,0c0-3.3,0-68.7,0-72c2.2,0,10,0,10,0V5H93v35c0,0,7.8,0,10,0%20C103,42.6,103,87,103,87z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Lincoln ? Former Husker soccer players Vern Fitzgerald, Katie Bunkers and Nikki (Baker) Lyons were among 53 Nebraska student-athletes who received their diplomas during spring commencement on Saturday, May 5 at the BobDevaneySportsCenter.
All three players completed their eligibility with the Huskers in 2005, helping Nebraska to its 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with a record of 14-8-1.
Fitzgerald, a Lincoln native, received her degree in special education on Saturday. A 5-7 midfielder for Nebraska, Fitzgerald earned letters at NU from 2003 to 2005, starting in 56 games and helping the Huskers to three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. During that time, she earned 17 points on five goals and seven assists.
A native of Sioux Falls, S.D., Bunkers was a defensive leader for the Huskers from 2002 to 2005. A member of the 2002 Big 12 All-Newcomer and All-Tournament teams, Bunkers started in 75 games in her career, including 61 straight games leading through her senior season in 2005. A two-time first-team academic All-Big 12 selection and eight-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Bunkers graduated from the College of Journalism and Mass Communications with a degree in advertising.
Lyons (formerly Baker) helped lead the Nebraska offensive effort from 2002 to 2005 with 30 goals and 5 assists. The Bixby, Okla., native is currently ranked seventh in goals (30), fifth in game-winning goals (10) and seventh in multiple-goal games (6) all-time for the Huskers. Lyons’ work on the field gained her both conference and national attention, as she was a member of the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team (2002), as well as being named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (2004), First-Team All-Central (2004) and playing on the U.S. Under-21 National Team. Lyons graduated with her degree in family and consumer science.
The 53 Husker graduates this May represent all 23 of Nebraska’s varsity sports and nearly 30 different majors. The graduating class also includes nine student-athletes who combined for 16 All-America awards.