DES MOINES, Iowa – A total of 47 Drake University student-athletes from 11 different sports will receive their diploma at Drake University's 140th commencement ceremonies this weekend at the Knapp Center.
This group of distinct and successful student-athletes include four Missouri Valley Conference Elite 18 Award winners, two who earned first team all-conference academic honors this past season and multiple MVC Scholar of the Week winners. Nine of the graduates are MVC Presidents Council Award honorees that have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.80 or better and nine will graduate either summa cum laude or magna cum laude.
Athletically, eight of the graduates have earned all-conference honors this season.
Saturday's commencement puts the finishing touches on another outstanding academic year for the Bulldogs. During the fall semester, 69 percent of the student-athletes earned a 3.0 or higher grade point average. A total of 17 Drake student-athletes currently maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Additionally, for the second year in a row, Drake was presented with the Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic Award, given to the school with the highest overall GPA in the conference during the 2014-15 season.
Below are the student-athletes scheduled to receive their diplomas this weekend. During the year's earlier fall commencement, 21 student-athletes received their degrees. Here are those recipients.
Men's Soccer
Austin Reutzel – Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology
Alex Troester – Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology – Mortar Board, Summa Cum Laude
Brandon Welter – Mathematics
Women's Soccer
Mariah Boncek – Biology – Cum Laude
Kylie DeHaven – Marketing – Cum Laude
Rhian Pritchard – Accounting, International Business – Magna Cum Laude
Tricia White – Marketing, International Business
Rowing
Ashley Beall – English
Kelsey Leahy – Advertising, Account Management
Alex Lueck – Actuarial Science, Finance
Tristina Meister – Graphic Design
Bri Varela – Elementary Teacher Education – Summa Cum Laude
Women's Tennis
Mariel Ante – Biology – Biology Honor Society
Jordan Eggleston – Advertising – Creative
Maddie Johnson – Psychology
Lea Kozulic – International Business
Men's Tennis
Ben Lott – Management
Football
Phil Hespen – Sociology
Jordan Siebert – Mathematics
Al Wegener – Chemistry
Mason Massei - Marketing
Bryan Pisklo – Accounting/Finance – Cum Laude
Women's Golf
Katie Clausen – Marketing – Summa Cum Laude
Men's Golf
Blake Huser – Management
Will McDonald – Marketing
Men's Track & Field/XC
Ryan Cook – Secondary Teacher Education
Sean Buczek – Physics, Mathematics
Zach Elkins – Psychology, Computer Science
Ali Jandal – Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, Chemistry – Summa Cum Laude
Robert McCann – Mathematics, Actuarial Science – Summa Cum Laude
James Saxton – Biology – Summa Cum Laude
David Silkman – Health Sciences – Cum Laude
Pierce Vincent - Psychology
Women's Track & Field/XC
Cassie Aerts – Elementary Teacher Education – Summa Cum Laude
Kathryn Ambrose – Psychology – Magna Cum Laude
Celeste Arteaga – Health Sciences
Kayla Bell – Psychology - Summa Cum Laude
Laura Gann – Psychology, Sociology
Virginia Hill – English, Law, Politics & Society
Emma Huston – Biology, Environmental Science – Summa Cum Laude
Taylor Scholl – International Business/Marketing
Destani Welch – Psychology
Volleyball
Katie Allen – Marketing
Shelby Daum – Marketing, Entrepreneurial Management
Rebecca Brown – Public Relations
Scarlett Howerter – Health Sciences
