MONROE, La.-Twenty-one current and former ULM student-athletes saw their academic efforts rewarded on Saturday afternoon after accepting their diplomas in the 2009 Fall Commencement proceeding at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on ULM's campus.
"This is an exciting time for our graduating student-athletes and we are very proud of their accomplishments," ULM Director of Athletics Bobby Staub said. "This is the culmination of their hard work and dedication in the classroom. We value the academic careers of all our athletes and their graduation is the primary mission of our department."
Five Warhawk football players completed their undergraduate educations during the 2009 season as Thomas Robinson, Otis Stamps (Dean's List), Brett Thompson, James Truxillo (Dean's List) and Justin Waller all received their degrees from ULM President Dr. James Cofer.
In a special ceremony held last week, men's basketball's Tony Hooper and women's basketball's Jesse Carrier were awarded their degrees. Both were on the road on Saturday for competition.
Bucky Chandler (baseball), Ryan McMillan (baseball), Eddy Koracevic (golf), David McKendrick (golf), Angela Drane (golf), Malcolm Bosworth (track & field), Andrew Opata (track & field), Kathleen Gancayco (track & field), Destiny Montemayor (track & field), LaJeanna Howard (basketball), Megan Miller (softball) and Sharon Makhanya (tennis) also earned their degrees on Saturday.
Both Carrier and Drane graduated magna cum laude for finishing with a grade point average of 3.75 or higher. Truxillo graduated cum laude for maintaining an grade point average between 3.5 and 3.749, while Chandler and Bosworth were both named to the President's List for the fall.
Former Warhawk student-athletes Harry Bradley (football) and Darci Mika (volleyball) both returned to ULM for their post-graduate work and earned their master's degrees on Saturday.
