Commencement Weekend for Gator Student-Athletes

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida Athletic Association celebrates the accomplishments of 79 Gator student-athletes who will walk across commencement stages this weekend.

48 members of the 2024 spring graduation class were part of a national and/or conference championship team during their Gator careers.

75 earned Academic All-Southeastern Conference honors.

Spring commencement ceremonies begin Thursday, May 1 and run through Monday, May 6.

In addition, 20 finished undergraduate or graduate certificates.

Nine were part of national title teams during their careers:
2017 Baseball – Mike Rivera
1996 Football – Fred Taylor

2006 & 2008 Football – Brandon Spikes

2023 Men’s Golf – John DuBois

2017 & 2019 Men’s Outdoor, 2018 Indoor Track & Field- Grant Holloway

2022 Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Claire Bryant and Grace Stark

2022 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Alissa Braxton, Claire Bryant and Parker Valby

Six won NCAA Individual titles:

  *   Eric Friese – 2022 200 medley relay, 200 free relay; 2023 200 free relay
  *   Isabel Ivey – 2024 800 freestyle relay
  *   Grant Holloway – 2017, ’18, ’19 – NCAA 60-meter hurdles and 110 hurdles; 2019 60m dash and 2019 4×100 relay
  *   Grace Stark – 2022 60-meter hurdles
  *   Trinity Thomas – 2022 NCAA all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise
  *   Parker Valby – 2023 NCAA Outdoor 5,000 run, 2023 Cross Country; 2024 NCAA Indoor 3,000 & 5,000 runs

More Spring Gator Grad Notables:

  *   Twenty-two earned All-America honors – Maha Amer (diving), Flomena Asekol (cross country, track & field), Claire Bryant (track & field), Kai Change (track), John DuBois (golf), Kelly Fertel (swimming), Maisie Filler (golf), Eric Friese (swimming), Dudley Hart (golf), Grant Holloway (swimming), Isabel Ivey (swimming), Ellie Lazzari (gymnastics), Tylor Mathieu (swimming), Danielle Pavinelli (lacrosse), Amanda Ray (swimming), Brandon Spikes (football), Grace Stark (track & field), Anton Svirskyi (diving), Fred Taylor (football), Trinity Thomas (gymnastics), Elise Thorner (track & field), Parker Valby (cross country, track), Vanessa Watson (track & field)
  *   Three Gators Athletics Hall of Fame members<https://gatorfclub.org/hall-of-fame/greats> finished their degrees this spring – Dudley Hart (inducted 2003), Brandon Spikes (2020), Fred Taylor (2010)
  *   Joshua King (track) and Emily Lortz (lacrosse) receive $10,000 post-graduate scholarships as H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete award nominees
  *   Skip Donald (diving) receives a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship as a Brad Davis SEC Community Service Award nominee
  *   Autumn Finke (swimming) received a 2021-22 NCAA post-graduate scholarship<https://floridagators.com/news/2022/8/3/womens-swimming-diving-autumn-finke-and-tori-bindi-receive-ncaa-postgraduate-scholarships.aspx>
  *   Leilani Correa, the SEC 6th Woman of 2024 season, was selected by the Indiana Fever in April’s WNBA Draft<https://floridagators.com/news/2024/4/15/womens-basketball-leilani-correa-drafted-26th-overall-in-2024-wnba-draft.aspx>
  *   Taylor Roberts (golf) received UF Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Leader award on May 1
  *   Grant Holloway (2019 The Bowerman, USTFCCCA 2019 indoor & outdoor track), Trinity Thomas (2022 & 2023 Honda Award), Parker Valby (2023 Honda Award, 2023 USTFCCCA cross country, 2024 USTFCCCA indoor runner) named national athlete of year for their sport
  *   Two named Roy Kramer SEC Athlete of the Year – Grant Holloway (2019) and Trinity Thomas (2023)
  *   Five named conference athlete of the year for their sport – Maha Amer (2022 SEC diving), Maggi Hall (2024 AAC attack), Grant Holloway (Track – 2018 (SEC in & out runner) & 2019 (indoor), Trinity Thomas (2020, 2022, 2023 SEC gymnastics) and Parker Valby (2022 & 2023 SEC cross country, 2024 indoor runner)
  *   34 graduate with honors.
     *   Summa Cum Laude: Taylor Roberts (golf)
     *   Magna Cum Laude: Claire Bryant (track & field), Sara Dahlstrom (tennis), Emily Lortz (lacrosse), Jackie Norsworthy (lacrosse
     *   Cum Laude: Kenny Anyaehie (football), Anna Auld (swimming), Elise Bauer (swimming), Kenady Beil (swimming), Nate Bonetto (tennis), Alissa Braxton (track & field), Leah DeGeorge (swimming), Skip Donald (diving), Mateusz Dubas (swimming), Brianna Edwards (gymnastics), Zach Godbold (track & field), Liz Harrison (lacrosse), Madison Kolessar (swimming), Ellie Lazzari (gymnastics), Carina Lumia (diving), Tylor Mathieu (swimming), Graham Mertz (football), Jadon Maddux (track & field), Caroline Pagac (diving), Advait Page (swimming), Bella Palagonia (lacrosse), Danielle Pavinelli (lacrosse), Rylee Pustilnik (track & field), Amanda Ray (swimming), Carley Schwab (swimming), Jordan Shapiro (track & field), Taylor Spierto (football), Parker Valby (track & field), Tyler Wilkes (golf)
  *   Nine receive master’s or doctorate degrees this weekend – Maha Amer (diving), Bettina Boszormenyi (swimming), Imani Carothers (track), Kelly Fertel (swimming), Autumn Finke (swimming), Isabel Ivey (swimming), Kathryn Nohilly (track), Trinity Thomas (gymnastics), Emily Yaple (soccer)

2024 University of Florida Student-Athlete Spring Graduates

Name

Sport

Degree

Mike Rivera

Baseball

Anthropology

Michael Robertson

Baseball

Business Administration

Ryan Slater

Baseball

Sport Management

Leilani Correa

Women’s Basketball

Education Sciences

Kenny Anyaehie

Football

Education Sciences

Carlson Joseph

Football

Education Sciences

Jalen Kimber

Football

Education Sciences

Graham Mertz

Football

Education Sciences

Mannie Nunnery

Football

Education Sciences

Dameon Pierce

Football

Education Sciences

Ethan Pouncey

Football

Sport Management

Taylor Spierto

Football

Economics

Brandon Spikes

Football

Anthropology

Fred Taylor

Football

Sociology

Ethan Wilson

Football

Business Administration

Derek Wingo

Football

Education Sciences

Dudley Hart

Men’s Golf

History

Tyler Wilkes

Men’s Golf

Education Sciences

Maisie Filler

Women’s Golf

Political Science

Jackie Lucena

Women’s Golf

Sociology

Taylor Roberts

Women’s Golf

Education Sciences

Chloi Clark

Gymnastics

Sport Management

Brianna Edwards

Gymnastics

Psychology

Ellie Lazzari

Gymnastics

Psychology

Michala Magee

Gymnastics

Journalism – Sports & Media

Trinity Thomas

Gymnastics

Master’s – Entrepreneurship

Ashley Gonzalez

Lacrosse

Advertising

Maggi Hall

Lacrosse

Sociology

Liz Harrison

Lacrosse

Marketing

Emily Lortz

Lacrosse

Applied Physiology & Kinesiology

Jackie Norsworthy

Lacrosse

Telecommunication

Bella Palagonia

Lacrosse

Advertising

Emma Panciocco

Lacrosse

Public Health

Danielle Pavinelli

Lacrosse

Health Education & Behavior

Kelly Schluederberg

Lacrosse

Political Science

Madison Waters

Lacrosse

Economics

Anna DeLeon

Soccer

Marketing

Julianne Leskauskas

Soccer

Education Sciences

Emily Yaple

Soccer

Master’s – Sport Management

Amro Al-Wir

Men’s Swimming

Astrophysics

Skip Donald

Men’s Diving

Education Sciences

Mateusz Dubas

Men’s Swimming

Architecture

Eric Friese

Men’s Swimming

Management

Advait Page

Men’s Swimming

Sport Management

Brendan Peacock

Men’s Swimming

Criminology

Anton Svirskyi

Men’s Diving

Biomedical Engineering

Maha Amer

Women’s Diving

Master’s – Medical Science

Anna Auld

Women’s Swimming

Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management

Elise Bauer

Women’s Swimming

Health Education & Behavior

Kenady Beil

Women’s Swimming

Landscape Architecture

Bettina Boszormenyi

Women’s Swimming

Master’s – Sport Management

Leah DeGeorge

Women’s Swimming

Biology

Kelly Fertel

Women’s Swimming

Master’s – Health Education and Behavior

Autumn Finke

Women’s Swimming

Juris Doctorate

Isabel Ivey

Women’s Swimming

Master’s – Management

Madison Kolessar

Women’s Swimming

Nature Resource Conservation

Carina Lumia

Women’s Diving

Health Sciences

Tylor Mathieu

Women’s Swimming

Psychology

Chade Nersicio

Women’s Swimming

Media Production, Management, & Tech

Caroline Pagac

Women’s Diving

English and Psychology

Amanda Ray

Women’s Swimming

Biology

Carly Schwab

Women’s Swimming

Health Education & Behavior

Nate Bonetto

Men’s Tennis

Economics

Sara Dahlstrom

Women’s Tennis

Public Relations

Zach Godbold

Men’s Track & Field

Criminology

Grant Holloway

Men’s Track & Field

Education Sciences

Joshua King

Men’s Track & Field

Applied Physiology & Kinesiology

Jadon Maddux

Men’s Track & Field

Applied Physiology & Kinesiology

Alissa Braxton

Women’s Track & Field

Graphic Design

Claire Bryant

Women’s Track & Field

Advertising

Imani Carothers

Women’s Track & Field

Master’s – Criminology

Ashley Klingenberg

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management

Kathryn Nohilly

Women’s Track & Field

Master’s – Mass Communication

Rylee Pustilnik

Women’s Track & Field

Animal Sciences

Jordan Shapiro

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management

Emma Solis

Women’s Track & Field

Applied Physiology & Kinesiology

Parker Valby

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management

Elli McKissock

Volleyball

Telecommunication

Sofia Victoria

Volleyball

Education Sciences

Certificates

Albert Armando

Baseball

Sport Management UG Certificate

Tanner Garrison

Baseball

Nonprofit Leadership GR Certificate

Jaylen Guy

Baseball

Sport Management UG Certificate

Blake Purnell

Baseball

Sport Event Management GR Certificate

Dale Thomas

Baseball

Nonprofit Leadership GR Certificate

Alex Klastsky

Men’s Basketball

Artificial Intelligence UG Certificate

Julian Rishwain

Men’s Basketball

Sport Management UG Certificate

Tyreik Norwood

Football

Family, Youth & Sciences GR Certificate

John DuBois

Men’s Golf

Sport Management UG Certificate

Paisley Eagan

Lacrosse

Sports & Entertainment Law UG Certificate

Baylee Goddard

Softball

Sport Management UG Certificate

Avery Goelz

Softball

Sport Management UG Certificate

Kai Chang

Men’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Oliver Thorner

Men’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Flomena Asekol

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Amelia Mazza-Downie

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Grace Stark

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Elise Thorner

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Vanessa Watson

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate

Melanie Welsing

Women’s Track & Field

Sport Management UG Certificate