Rebels Walk Across The Stage On Saturday

On Saturday, Ole Miss student athletes earned the ultimate prize as they were among members of the Ole Miss Class of 2017. Seventy-eight current and former student-athletes walk across the stage to earn their degrees.
In Ole Miss athletics department tradition, student-athletes along with their families, friends, coaches and athletics department staff gathered for a special breakfast at The Pavilion at Ole Miss before heading to The Grove for the morning convocation followed by individual school ceremonies.
During the morning breakfast Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics, Ross Bjork, congratulated the students on their achievements and reminded them that they always had a home at Ole Miss, as they are forever Rebels.
The Ole Miss soccer team, who earned the Chancellors Cup for the second consecutive season, had six players walk across the stage on Saturday. Taylor medalist Danielle Gray was included in that group as was 2016-17 Who’s Who selection Addie Forbus.
Football had 27 graduates, including 11 players who earned their degrees in December, graduate on Saturday, including recent NFL draft picks, Chad Kelly and Derrick Jones.
Between the men’s and women’s basketball programs there were six graduates including Rebel big man Sebastian Saiz, who concluded his career as just the seventh player in SEC history to score 1,0000 points and block 100 shots. He leaves Ole Miss as the No. 2 rebounder and fifth in blocked shots and double-doubles. On the women’s side a trio walked across the stage, highlighted by Oxford native, Erika Sisk, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark this season and earned her degree in December.
The softball squad is enjoying a stellar 2017 campaign, with the programs first-ever series win over Alabama, a win over the No. 1 team in the country in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals and a program-best No. 18 ranking. The diamond Rebels had four players graduate while the baseball team was represented by Colby Bortles.
Ole Miss H. Boyd McWhorter award nominee, NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipient and 2017 Taylor Medalist Aubrey Edie from the Ole Miss volleyball team also earned her degree on Saturday. Edie is Ole Miss’ career assists leader and a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree.
The Ole Miss track and field team, who, is competing at the SEC Track and Field Championship in Columbia, South Carolina this weekend will see 20 members graduate including H.Boyd McWhorter nominee, Craig Engels.
Maria Tonnessen from the Ole Miss women’s golf team, two-time All-American Alison Weisz from rifle and Zalina Khairudinova from women’s tennis also graduated on Saturday.
The Rebels also had several former players come back and earn degrees. Ole Miss football players who graduated on Saturday included Andre Rone and Antonio Sanders. Baseball also had Josh Laxer and Jeremy Zick come back and graduate.
A special ceremony for those student-athletes who were competing for the Rebels during Saturday’s commencement will be held Monday at 4 p.m. at the team meeting room in the Manning Center. It will include members of the women’s tennis team, track and field teams, softball and football.
Additionally, the men’s golf team will have a special ceremony on May 19 at 11 am at the Lyceum for Noah West and Ben Wolcott. The men’s golf team opens NCAA Regional action in Austin, Texas on Monday, May 15.
Full Listing of 2017 Graduates
Football
Quincy Adeboyejo
Trey Bledsoe
Daronte Bouldin
Eugene Brazley
Tony Bridges
Robert Conyers
Carlos Davis
Drew Davis
Luke Davis
Jacob Feeley
Issac Gross
Martin Johnson
Derrick Jones
Akeem Judd
Chad Kelly
Jeremy Liggins
Cale Luke
Elliot Markuson
Herbert Moore
Kailo Moore
Christian Morris
Tyler Pittman
Taylor Polk
Ty Quick
Ray Ray Smith
Temario Strong
Hunter Thurley
Taz Zettergren
Track and Field
Lyndsey Acree
Saga Barzowski
Ian Carter
Kevin Conway
McKenna Coughlin
Craig Engels
MJ Erb
Scarlett Fox
Elisabeth Gaillet
Wesley Gallagher
Branden Greene
Tavyn Lovitt
D’Lacia McKinley
Peyton Moss
Kacy Smith
Breanna Tate
Deanna Tate
Arielle Wallace
Haley Ward
Callie Watson
Soccer
Addie Forbus
Danielle Gray
Gretchen Harknett
Madi Killeen
Marnie Merritt
Mackenze Parma
Volleyball
Taylor Alexander
Aubrey Edie
Men’s Tennis
Vinod Gowda
Stefan Lindmark
Women’s Tennis
Zalina Khairudinova
Baseball
Colby Bortles
Rifle
Alison Weisz
Softball
Raven Campos
Dakota Matiko
Miranda Strother
Courtney Syrett
Men’s Basketball
Rasheed Brooks
Sebastian Saiz
Women’s Basketball
Bretta Hart
Shequila Joseph
Erika Sisk
Women’s Golf
Maria Toennessen
Men’s Golf
Noah West
Ben Wolcott
For further academic accolades, follow @UMTrueRebel on Twitter.
Ole Miss Student-Athlete Development Mission
The mission of Ole Miss’ Student-Athlete Development program is to challenge student-athletes to be lifelong learners while pursuing continuous improvement academically, relationally, socially, personally, and professionally during and beyond their careers as student-athletes.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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