The Seattle University athletics department was well-represented at KeyArena at Seattle Center Sunday, as 62 students who competed within the Redhawk athletics program during the 2013-14 academic year were eligible to participate in the 95th Seattle University Commencement.
Several student-athletes graduated with either magna cum laude or cum laude honors. Distance runner Lauren Hammerle (B.A. – French and B.A. – Humanities for Teaching) earned two degrees with magna cum laude honors, and she was joined in receiving the high academic honor by track and field teammates Cali Cull (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), Rosalyn DiLillo (B.A. – English/Creative Writing with Departmental Honors), and Graham Kinzel-Grubbs (B.S. – Chemistry).
Others earning magna cum laude recognition included soccer player Julia Besagno (B.S. – Nursing), Sarah Petosa (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science) and Karina Smyth (B.A. – International Studies) of the softball team, and swimmers Ali Abadi (B.S. – Biology), Whitney Dean (B.S. – Nursing), and Douglas Pizac (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science).
Samuel Engle (B.A. – Economics and B.S. – Mathematics) also earned two degrees, graduating with cum laude honors while participating in the Core Honors Program. Fellow track and field athletes Hannah Mittelstaedt (B.S. – Environmental Science), Bethany Richards (B.S. – Biology), and Katie Tougas (B.S. – General Science) also graduated with cum laude honors.
Other cum laude graduates included basketball player Kacie Sowell (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), golfer Nicole Gaddie (B.A. – Journalism), rower Hana Wilder (B.A. – Finance), softball player Jennifer Sweet (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), swimmers Nicole Doi (B.A. – English with Departmental Honors) and Nicolas Morrell (Bachelor of Criminal Justice with Departmental Honors), tennis player Corinne Wurden (B.S. – Nursing), and volleyball player Sarah Jaeckel (B.A. – Accounting).
Basketball players Emerson Murray (B.A. – Sociology), D’Vonne Pickett Jr. (B.A. – Communication Studies), Sylvia Shephard (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), Clarence Trent (B.A. – Interdisciplinary Arts), and Ashley Ward (B.A. – Business Management) all received their degrees, although Murray will return to the Redhawk basketball program for his final year of athletic eligibility. Baseball players Cullen Hendrickson (B.A. – Marketing) and Andrew Olson (B.A. – Psychology), as well as golfer Justin Haase (B.A. – International Studies), also completed their degree requirements.
Other members of the WAC champion men’s and women’s soccer teams that finished their college careers included Ava Ames (B.A. – Marketing), Brady Ballew (B.A. – Strategic Communications), Renato Bandeira (B.A. – Marketing), Monique Escalera (B.A. – Liberal Studies), Jake Feener (B.A. – Film Studies), Miguel Gonzalez (B.A. – Liberal Studies), Mary Hill (B.A. – Marketing), Kat Prati (B.A. – Environmental Studies), Race Sciabica (B.A. – Sociology), and Bobby Segal (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science).
Dylan Burnett (B.A. – Environmental Studies), the WAC champion in the javelin throw and a two-time NCAA qualifier, received his bachelor’s degree, as did track and field teammates Jeff Baklund (B.A. – Theology and Religious Studies), Nick Bever (B.A. – Accounting), Stephen Squatrito (B.A. – Finance), Jennifer Stolle (B.A. – Psychology), Peter VanNuland (B.A. – Business Administration), and Trayvon Webster (B.A. – Sociology).
Dominic Ortiz (B.A. - Strategic Communications) of the Seattle U spirit squad earned his degree, along with rowers Darian Borst (B.A. – Finance) and Audrey Shaw (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), softball players Richelle Ashburn (B.A. – Liberal Studies) and Brianna Guerrero (B.S. – Biology), and volleyball players Allison Farley (B.S. – Biology) and Karli Pedone (B.A. – Communication Studies).
Melanie Frey (B.S. – Environmental Science), Tomas Mendez-Beck (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), and Kieran Schaefer (B.A. – Psychology) also represented the swim program, while Jason Bediones (B.S. – Electrical Engineering), Anna Lambert (B.A. – Finance), Sarah Lucas (B.S. – Sport and Exercise Science), Kevin Lynch (B.A. – Business Administration), and Gabriella Weissmann (B.A. – Political Science) also represented the tennis program.
DiLillo and VanNuland participated in the undergraduate commencement ceremony as part of the 14-person group representing the Seattle University Choir that sang the United States National Anthem. For the eighth straight year, the graduating student-athletes gathered for a group photo, once again joining Bill Hogan, Director of Athletics, and other athletic staff members as well as several coaches at the International Fountain within Seattle Center.
In 2014-15, 19 of Seattle U’s 20 sports will be housed within the Western Athletic Conference. Seattle U remains in the WAC along with Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Kansas City, New Mexico State, UT Pan American, and Utah Valley in the next academic year.