Big day upon us: Saturday to include more than 60 Athletics grads

By Rob Schabert, Sports Information Director

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- They are used to the rigors of preparing for an event, pulling on their uniform, absorbing the excitement and emotion of what's to come, and stepping onto the field, court or track in front of all sizes of cheering crowds.

So, slipping into their cap and gown and lining up for the proeccsion into a packed Eblen Center Saturday for their long-anticipated graduation ceremony should be easy for the student-athletes at Tennessee Tech University. The 2013 Spring Commencements -- one at 9:30 a.m. and a second ceremony at 2 p.m. -- will include more than 60 student-athletes and team managers who will accept their degrees from President Philip Oldham and advance on to the next chapters of their lives.

On Thursday, the Athletics Dept. hosted its annual graduation reception for student-athletes, in the Eagles Nest of Eblen Center following the afternoon graduation rehearsal. It was a large gathering of faces that have become familiar through their playing careers as Golden Eagles.

The list of students from Athletics who are scheduled to graduate on Saturday:

Student-Athletes:
Abdukhalikov, Syrym (Tennis)
Maxwell, Lee (Golf)
Abraham, James (Baseball)
McBride, Tommie (Football)
Andrzejewski, Kolbe (Cross Country)
McLeod, Adam (Cross Country)
Barker, Katherine (Basketball)
Meloff, Andrea (Soccer)
Barnes, Terrell (Basketball)
Bell, Katherine (Golf)
Miller, Elizabeth (Cross Country/Track)
Bilbrey, Wade (Baseball/)MBA
Randolph, Amanda (GOlf)
Burgess, Benjamin (Baseball/MBA)
Reid, Kerri (Soccer)
Bush, Zach (Football)
Santa Ruiz, Arturo (Tennis)
Cambron, Christina (Soccer)
Spalding, Brittney (Softball)
Chen, Aleksandr (Tennis)
Spalding, Chanelle (Softball)
Christian, Melody (Softball)
Stevenson, Alex (Soccer)
Cook, Kellie (Basketball)
Thompson, Julie (Soccer)
Cook, Kylie (Basketball)
Vann, Justin (Football)
Crutchfield, Carter (Football)
Watkins, Jacqueline (Soccer)
Davis, Lashay (Basketball)
Wennerstrom, Haley (Track)
Dickerson, Christopher (Football)
Williams, Andrew (Baseball)
Dillard, Jud (Basketball)
Wilson, Tyler (Baseball)
Fields, Ty (Football)
Fletcher, Nicholas (Football)
Forbes, Kathryn (Cross Country/Track)
Gray, Kelsey (Volleyball)
Guyear, Jacob (Baseball)
Harke, Claudia (Softball)
Harris, Jala (Basketball)
Henry, Lee (Baseball)
Hoot, Jacob (Football)
Hunter, Adam (Football)
Jones, Trac (Cross Country/Track)
Jones, Martin (Football)
Polk, Megan (Soccer)
Kitts, Gregory (Golf)
Rogers, Zane (Football)
Livesey, Nathan (Cross Country)
Tilghman, Ryan (Football)
Lowery, Katherine (Track)
Towles, Kedrick (Football)

Managers:
Albertson, John (Manager)
Bruton, Seth (Manager)
Carver, Corey (Manager)
Collett, Kristopher (Manager)
Gatts, Lee (Manager)
Housley, William (Manager)
Jones, Brandon (Manager)
Uptain, Cody (Manager)

In photos --

Top right: The women's basketball team will supply five graduates Saturday. From left, Lashay Davis, Katherine Barker, assistant coach Allison Clark, Kylie Cook, Kellie Cook, Jala Harris and assistsant coach Bart Walker.

Around the table, clockwise from bottom left: Traci Jones, Haley Wennerstrom, Kathryn Forbes, Kelsey Gray, Elizabeeth Miller and Katie Lowery. All are from the cross country/track & field teams except volleyball standout Kelsey Gray.

Handshake for Jud: Director of Athletics Mark Wilson offers a handshake of congratulations to basketball standout Jud Dillard.

Bottom: A smiling Amanda Randolph from the women's golf team is congratulated for her career and pending graduation by Director of Athletics Mark Wilson at Thursday's reception.

Click here for the Commencement web page on tntech.edu