GRADUATION RECEPTION PHOTO GALLERY
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (May 10, 2019) – A total of 38 student-athletes will be among the more than 5,000 Northern Arizona University graduates who will take part in this weekend's Spring 2019 Commencement Ceremonies in the Walkup Skydome.
On Thursday night, the NAU Athletics Department held their annual student-athlete reception at Ashurst Auditorium where each graduate was presented their student-athlete stole. Two commencement ceremonies will be held on Friday with the last two following on Saturday in the Dome.
This spring's graduation class is another stellar all-around group starting with their accomplishments in competition. They have contributed to 32 conference championships (28 Big Sky, four WAC) over the last four years. They have also lifted NAU into the national spotlight with a total of 20 of them competing in either an NCAA Championship in their respective sport or in an FCS football playoff game.
Their success extends far greater than their athletic achievements as this class has excelled in the classroom (collective 3.10 cumulative GPA) and in the community (541 combined service hours).
The 2018-19 academic year was yet another to celebrate for NAU Athletics with six teams combining for a total of nine conference championships. In the fall, the Men's Cross Country team took home the Big Sky title before proceeding to claim their third consecutive Division I National Championship. The volleyball team followed up by sweeping the Big Sky regular season and tournament championships for the second time in four years.
The men's indoor track & field team and swimming & diving team extended their championship streaks with their eighth straight Big Sky and sixth straight Western Athletic Conference titles in a row respectively. Last month, the men's and women's tennis proved to be the class of the Big Sky with both programs laying claim to the regular season and tournament championships.
The men's and women's outdoor track & field teams will look to end the year with a bang this weekend in Missoula, Mont. where they aim to defend their Big Sky titles from a year ago.
NAU Athletics' graduation count for the entire 2018-19 year stands at 52 when including the 14 student-athletes who participated in the fall commencement ceremonies.
Spring 2019 NAU Student-Athlete Graduates:
Jordan Anderson – Volleyball – Strategic Communication
Justin Bac – Men's Tennis – Finance & Accounting
Josh Clarke – Football – Criminology & Criminal Justice
Case Cookus – Football – University Studies
Lauren Cooper – Soccer – Chemistry
Victoria Cooper – Soccer – Information Systems
Maurice Davison – Football – Criminology & Criminal Justice
Victoria Ewalefo – Volleyball – Strategic Communication
Carly Gamble – Soccer – Biomedical Science
Harrison Goebel – Football – Finance
Ari Gonzalez – Soccer – Information Systems
Cole Habib – Football – Criminology & Criminal Justice
Tim Handel – Men's Tennis – Management & Marketing
Karl Harris – Men's Basketball – University Studies
Kaylie Jorgenson – Special & Elementary Education
Tatiana Kurach – Swimming & Diving – Criminology & Criminal Justice
Hanneke Lodewijks – Women's Tennis – Exercise Science
Alexis Moest – Soccer – Biomedical Science
Ruben Montano – Men's Tennis – Electrical Engineering
William Morehand – Football – Health Sciences-Public Health
Omar N'diaye – Men's Basketball – Finance
Kaleigh Paplow – Women's Basketball – Criminology & Criminal Justice
Jamison Pruitt – Football – Management
Molly Rohrer – Women's Basketball – Management
Andrea Schmidt – Swimming & Diving – Biomedical Science
Travis Seideman – Football – Exercise Science
Marquise Simmons – Football – Strategic Communication
Josh Sparks – Football – Communication Studies
Sarah Takach – Swimming & Diving – Biomedical Science
Sione Talakai – Football – University Studies
Kossi Tchenawou – Men's Track & Field – Communication Studies
Isaiah Thomas – Men's Basketball – Communication Studies
Christina Torrente – Swimming & Diving - Marketing
Haleigh Van Allen – Soccer – Finance
Zoe Wall – Women's Track & Field – Environmental Science
James Walton – Football – University Studies
Madeline Waszak – Soccer – Biomedical Science
DJ Young – Football – Criminology & Criminal Justice
