Afternoon ceremony graduates and other VIPs
 

Front Row (left to right):

Rechelle Bessard (track and field), Tatiana Larina (women's tennis), Brittany McConathy (marketing student assistant), Tori Thompson (marketing student assistant)

 

Back Row (left to right):

Jay Thomas (football head coach), Vice President for Student Experience Dr. Chris Maggio, Betsy Nohavitza (assistant academic coordinator), Kelee Roddy (academic coordinator), Carrie Greene (Assistant AD/Student-Athlete Development), Cody Jones (football), Jonathan Lewis (football), Joseph Biscoe (Faculty Athletics Representative), Greg Burke (athletics director), commencement speaker Nicole Vasquez (commencement speaker), NSU president Dr. Jim Henderson

NATCHITOCHES – All-America football player Chris Moore and All-America long jumper Emmanuel Williams were among 46 Northwestern State student-athletes and staff receiving degrees Friday at fall commencement exercises in Prather Coliseum.
 
The 34 student-athletes graduating Friday also included seven who helped NSU teams make six NCAA Tournament appearances in men's (Marvin Frazier, Matt Killian) and women's basketball (Keisha Lee), women's tennis (Polina Konop, Tatiana Larina) and volleyball (Caiti O'Connell, Glynna Johnson).
 
Williams finished fourth at the long jump at the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships and will compete in his senior season indoors and outdoors in 2016.
The distinguished graduates contributed to seven regular-season or postseason Southland Conference championships. Konop, Larina and Lee each played in two NCAA Tournaments, with Lee hoping to help the Lady Demon basketball team to a third straight trip to March Madness this season.
 
All-America javelin thrower Jessica Talley, who graduated in May, took part in the morning commencement ceremony since she was competing in Hammond at the Southland Outdoor Championships on her graduation day in the spring.
 
Ten received their undergraduate degrees Friday with high academic honors, led by summa cum laude graduates Larina and Lady Demon soccer player Joanna McFarling. They posted cumulative grade point averages between 3.9 and 4.0.
 
Larina had the distinction of receiving degrees in both the morning and afternoon ceremonies. The captain of the Lady Demons' 2015 NCAA Tournament team earned undergraduate degrees in hospitality and tourism management, and family and consumer science.
 
Athletics had six magna cum laude (3.7-3.89 GPAs) recipients: Killian, track and field competitor Ashley Adams, football linebacker Paxton Cook, soccer's Kim Pimentel, athletic marketing student assistant Tori Thompson and women's basketball student manager Amber Lamers. Killian, part of the Demon basketball team's 2013 NCAA Tournament team, is hoping for a return to the Big Dance in his senior season.
 
O'Connell and baseball's Edward Ruggers graded cum laude with GPAs of 3.5 to 3.69. O'Connell earned All-Southland Conference Tournament honors as a junior when the Lady Demons won the event and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and was Louisiana Freshman of the Year in 2012.
 
Along with Moore, who earlier this week became the first Demon kicker to earn All-America honors, former honorable mention All-Southland players Garrett Atzenweiler and Cody Jones were among 11 football players who graduated Friday. The track and field program produced six graduates while the Demon basketball team had four.
 
Williams is a two-time Southland Conference Field Events Athlete of the Year who has won four conference long and triple jump titles. Another Southland event champion and NCAA Championships qualifier, Rechelle Bessard, graduated Friday and will return this spring for her senior year aiming for her third Southland discus crown.
 
Volleyball's Johnson was a second-team All-Louisiana performer as a junior, and an honorable mention All-Southland pick this fall. Lee was a third-team All-Southland pick in basketball as a sophomore and honorable mention last season, and has 1,147 career points, 26th in school history.

The fall graduates list for NSU Athletics, as compiled by assistant athletics director Dustin Eubanks:"


Summer Grads List (participating in Fall 2015 commencement)
 
Football
 

1. Paxton Cook: Bachelor of Science; College: Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Exercise Science; Concentration:  Pre-Physical Therapy; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
2. Wa'Derrious Sellers (former student-athlete): Bachelor of Science; College: Science, Technology & Business; Major: Business Administration

Administration
 

1. Brandon Banks (Former Student Manager): Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Social Science; Minor:  P.E., Sport & Leisure Management

 
 
Fall 2015 Athletic Graduation List 
 
Baseball
 

1. Edward Ruggers:  Bachelor of Arts; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Criminal Justice; Honors:  Cum Laude

Men's Basketball
 

1. Lawrence Brown IV (Former Junior Varsity Student-Athlete): Bachelor of Science; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Psychology
2. Marvin Frazier, Jr.: Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Social Science, Arts & Communications; Minor:  Social Science
3. Matt Killian:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major:  Health & Physical Education Grades K-12; Honors:  Magna Cum Laude
4. Ryan King:  Bachelor of Arts; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Communication; Concentration: Organizational Communication; Minor:  Social Science

Women's Basketball
 

1. Keisha Lee:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major:  Health & Exercise Science; Honors:  Honor Roll

 
Football
 

1. Garrett Atzenweiler:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Psychology
2. Chase Collins:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Biology; Concentration:  Biomedical
3. Chris Cryer (Former Student-Athlete):  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Social Science; Minor:  Social Science
4. Robert Fabrizio, Jr.:  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Social Science, Arts & Communication; Minor:  Social Science
5. Benjamin Hesser (Former Student-Athlete):  Bachelor of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major:  Health & Exercise Science; Concentration:  Pre-Physical Therapy; Minor:  Biology; Honors:  Honor Roll
6. Cody Jones: Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Business Administration; Honors:  Honor Roll
7. Brian Joseph:  Bachelor of Arts; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Communication; Concentration: Mass Communications; Minor:  Psychology
8. Jonathan Lewis:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology, Business; Major:  Industrial Engineering Technology
9. Chris Moore:  Bachelor of Arts; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Communication; Concentration: Mass Communications; Minor:  Business Administration; Honors:  Honor Roll
10. Zach Schumann:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Psychology
11. Zach White:  Bachelor of Science; College: Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major: Criminal Justice; Honors:  Honor Roll
12. Andy Wickman:  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Social Science; Minor:  Social Science

Soccer
 

1. Brooke Bourbonais:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Psychology; Honors:  Honor Roll
2. Joanna McFarling: Bachelor of Science; College: Louisiana Scholar's College; Major: Psychology; Minor: Spanish; Honors:  Summa Cum Laude; Thesis:  Animal-Assisted Therapy and Its Use with Children
3. Kim Pimentel (Former Student-Athlete):  Bachelor of Science; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  Psychology; Minor:  Criminal Justice; Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Tennis
 

1. Polina Konop (Former Student-Athlete):  Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
2. Tatiana Larina:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Majors:  Hospitality, Management & Tourism; Family & Consumer Science; Concentrations:  Travel & Tourism; Consumer Services; Minor:  Psychology; Honors:  Summa Cum Laude

Men's Track
 

1. John Broughton (Former Student-Athletes):  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Biology; Concentration:  Biomedical
2. Kaymin Carter:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Biology; Concentration:  Biomedical; Minor: Criminal Justice; Honors:  Honor Roll
3. Emmanuel Williams:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major:  Health & Exercise Science

Women's Track
 

1. Rechelle Bessard:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Hospitality, Management & Tourism; Concentration:  Hospitality Services; Minor:  P.E., Sport & Leisure Management
2. Lanaisha Dugas (Former Student-Athlete):  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Biology; Concentration:  Biomedical; Minor: Business Administration; Honors:  Honor Roll
3. Samantha Flowers (Former Student-Athlete):  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Computer & Natural Science; Minor:  Biology

 
Volleyball
 

1. Glynna Johnson:  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major:  General Studies; Concentration:  Social Science; Minor:  Social Science
2. Caitlin O'Connell:  Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Biology; Concentration:  Biomedical; Honors:  Cum Laude

 
Administration
 

1. Alexi (Lexi) Beeson (Former Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach): Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
2. Hunter Bower (Former Sports Information Student Assistant):  Bachelor of General Studies; College:  Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major: General Studies; Concentration: Arts & Communication; Minor:  Communication; Honors: Honor Roll
3. Theophylieus (Tree) Burks (Former Men's Basketball Graduate Manager):  Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
4. Andrew Clausen (Former Marketing Graduate Assistant):  Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
5. Victoria Khanevskaya (Current administration/former Asst. Tennis Coach): Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration
6. Amber Lamers (Student Manager/Women's Basketball):  Bachelor of Science; College: Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major: Addiction Studies and Psychology; Honors: Magna Cum Laude
7. Brittany McConathy (Student Worker/Ath. Dept.): Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Business Administration; Concentration:  Marketing; Honors:  Honor Roll
8. Joseph (Joe) Schreck (Former Marketing Student Assistant):  Bachelor of Science; College: Arts, Letters, Graduate Studies; Major: Criminal Justice
9. Paige Tassin (Former Student Trainer):  Bachelor of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major:  Health & Exercise Science; Concentration:  Health Science; Honors:  Honor Roll
10. Dana (Tori) Thompson (Student Worker/Ath. Dept.): Bachelor of Science; College:  Science, Technology & Business; Major:  Business Administration; Honors:  Magna Cum Laude
11. Zachary Weinberg (Asst. Volleyball Coach): Master of Science; College:  Education & Human Development; Major: Health & Human Performance; Concentration: Sport Administration