Amid Unique Circumstances, 65 Vols & Lady Vols Graduate

University of Tennessee / Credit: UT Athletics

Though circumstances related to the global coronavirus pandemic prevent standard commencement gatherings from taking place, Tennessee Athletics salutes its 65 spring/summer graduates who have completed their degree requirements.

On Thursday, May 7, the university is hosting a redesigned commencement celebration virtually starting at 9 a.m. ET. The link to participate will be available at www.UTK.edu as well as on the school’s official Twitter and Facebook channels.

Tennessee’s graduates include student-athletes from coast to coast—California to Connecticut—who chose to chase their dreams on Rocky Top. The list also includes multiple international student-athletes from nations such as Australia, Greece and Jamaica.

The list of degree programs is equally as varied, with Vols and Lady Vols earning diplomas in Accounting, Aerospace Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Electrical Engineering, Plant Sciences, Retail & Consumer Sciences, Mechanical Engineering and many other disciplines.

In addition to their academic achievements, this collection of new grads set school records, earned All-America honors and captured SEC and NCAA championships.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our many graduates,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer said. “We certainly regret that they are unable to celebrate commencement with their coaches, teammates and families here on campus, but we also understand that sacrifices for the greater good are necessary right now. Throughout their time here at the University of Tennessee, these young men and women have developed the strength and resilience to overcome most any challenge they could encounter. And they’re now uniquely positioned to lead the way as society bounces back from this pandemic. We’ll be watching proudly.”

Among the newest crop of UT student-athletes grads are four former standout performers who put their degree progress on hold to pursue careers in professionals sports. They recently re-enrolled in UT’s Renewing Academic Commitment (RAC) Program to complete their degree requirements. This semester’s RAC graduates are baseball players Zach Osborne (2009-12) and Benito Santiago (2015-18), men’s basketball player Steve Hamer (1992-96) and football player Peerless Price (1995-98). All four were drafted out of UT. Price played nine seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL.

Seven of Tennessee’s spring/summer graduates did participate in commencement activities back in December, in anticipation that they would be unable to be present at ceremonies originally scheduled for this weekend.

BASEBALL (4)
Pete Derkay, Supply Chain Management
Landon Gray, Management
Zach Osborne, Political Science (RAC)
Benito Santiago, Communication Studies (RAC)

MEN’S BASKETBALL (5)
Jordan Bone, Recreation & Sport Management
Jordan Bowden, Africana Studies
Jacob Fleschman, Finance
John Fulkerson, Recreation & Sport Management
Steve Hamer, Journalism & Electronic Media (RAC)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (4)
Lou Brown, Communication & Information (Master’s)
Rennia Davis, Hospitality & Tourism Management
Kamera Harris, Communication & Information (Master’s)
Kasiyahna Kushkituah, Hospitality & Tourism Management

FOOTBALL (8)
Ja’Quain Blakely, Sociology
Devante Brooks, Communication Studies
Carlin Fils-aime, Communication Studies
Kenneth George Jr., Communication Studies
Brandon Johnson, Communication Studies
Chip Omer, Communication Studies
Peerless Price, Psychology (RAC)
Jake Yelich, Finance

MEN’S GOLF (4)
Brayden Garrison, Business Analytics
Rhys Nevin, Political Science
Sean Wilcox, Kinesiology
Hunter Wolcott, Finance

WOMEN’S GOLF (1)
Micheala Williams, Electrical Engineering

ROWING (5)
Channing Bearden, Kinesiology
Abigail Craine, Accounting
Jessica Magnoli, Recreation & Sport Management
Brookmyer McIntyre, Recreation & Sport Management
Amalia Tsiavou, Psychology

SOCCER (2)
McKinley Burkett, Recreation & Sport Management
Claire Franks, Communication Studies

SOFTBALL (5)
Tianna Batts, Recreation & Sport Management
Cailin Hannon, Audiology & Speech Pathology
Jenna Holcomb, Public Relations
Aubrey Leach, Political Science
Treasuary Poindexter, Recreation & Sport Management

SWIMMING & DIVING (12)
Taylor Abbott, Marketing
Mary Cayten Brakefield, Retail & Consumer Sciences
Erika Brown, Kinesiology
Kyle DeCoursey, Plant Sciences
Matthew Dunphy, Psychology
Matthew Garcia, Accounting
Madison Graham, Anthropology
Hannah Holman, Audiology & Speech Pathology
Carrie Johnson, Management & Human Resources (Master’s)
Stanzi Moseley, Psychology
Nathan Murray, Food & Agricultural Business
Tim Raab, Mechanical Engineering

MEN’S TENNIS (1)
Scott Jones, Recreation & Sport Management

WOMEN’S TENNIS (2)
Ariadna Riley, Political Science
Gabby Schuck, Industrial Engineering

TRACK & FIELD (9)
Nicole Adams, Biological Sciences
Brooklynn Broadwater, Kinesiology
Saqukine Cameron, Sociology
Gashaw Duhamel, Accounting
Darryl Harris, Aerospace Engineering
Nate Harper, Psychology
Megan Murray, Neuroscience
Tristan Slater, Recreation & Sport Management
Darryl Sullivan, Recreation & Sport Management