32 Wildcats Graduating at Winter Commencement

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A total of 32 current and former University of Kentucky student-athletes are set to receive their bachelor’s degrees at the December Commencement ceremony on Friday at 3:00 inside Rupp Arena.

The graduating student-athletes represent 14 different sports, including athletes in football, gymnastics, men’s track and field, men’s soccer, softball, swimming, rifle, volleyball, women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and women’s track and field.

Included in the 32 graduating students are six post-eligibility graduates. Among the athletes who have returned to finish their degrees are baseball standouts Ryan Strieby (played at UK in 2006) and Austin Cousino (UK 2012-14); men’s track star Rondel Sorrillo (UK 2009-10); and a pair of football players, Terry Samuels (UK 1990-93) and CoShik Williams (UK 2009-12).

Strieby led the Wildcats to the 2006 Southeastern Conference championship. Cousino continues to play minor-league baseball, advancing to Class AAA in 2016. Sorrillo was the 2010 NCAA champion in the 200-meter dash and also has competed in two Olympic games for Trinidad and Tobago. Williams is remembered for scoring UK’s decisive touchdown in the 10-7 win over Tennessee in 2011.

Samuels helped lead the Wildcats to the 1993 Peach Bowl and went on to play two years with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. He returned to Louisville and has become a successful businessman and community service leader.  For more about Samuels’ post-athletic achievements, see this story.

http://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/former-wildcat-standout-and-nfl-player-earns-social-work-degree-after-23-years-away

The graduates are listed here:

• Football: Will Collins, Tanner Fink, Dylan Greenberg, JD Harmon, Blake McClain, Jon Toth, Zane Williams
• Gymnastics: Marissa Beucler, Shelby Hilton
• Men’s Soccer: Kaelon Fox
• Men’s Track and Field: Zachary Beavin, EJ Floreal (also played men’s basketball)
• Softball: Nikki Sagermann, Maisie Steed, Christian Stokes
• Swimming: Scott Crosthwaite, Matt Roman
• Rifle: Andrew Miller
• Volleyball: Morgan Bergren
• Women’s Golf: Cylia Damerau
• Women’s Soccer: Danielle Fitzgerald, Allie Gorgol, Courtney Raetzman, Chloe Watson
• Women’s Tennis: Nadia Ravita
• Women’s Track and Field: Kaitlyn Taylor
• Post-Eligibility Graduates: Austin Cousino (Baseball), Cameron Flynn (Baseball), Terry Samuels (Football), Rondel Sorrillo (Men’s Track), Ryan Strieby (Baseball), CoShik Williams (Football)