NEW ORLEANS — One year after a record-setting graduating class, Xavier University of Louisiana Athletics nearly matched those numbers Saturday at the 2018 commencement.Twenty-three current and former student-athletes received degrees, and the total number of athletic-related degrees was 33. A year ago those numbers were 29 and 35, the largest since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
It was Xavier's 91st annual commencement and its sixth in a row on campus at the Convocation Center.
"We are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication of each of our graduates," Director of Athletics & Recreation Jason Horn said. "They have all shown growth during their time here at Xavier, and we are excited for what the future brings for each of them."
Student-athletes graduating (with high schools in parentheses where available) were:
• Adam Albrecht, Ladna, Czech Republic (Gymnasium Breclav), men's tennis, bachelor of arts.
• Clarke Allen, Mendenhall, Miss. (Mendenhall), women's track and field/cross country, bachelor of science.
• Rondell Best, Boston, Mass. (Brockton), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
• Drew Chatters, Lake Charles, La. (St. Louis Catholic), women's track and field, bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude.
• Vincenzo Ciccone, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Aspirations), men's tennis, bachelor of arts . . . honors in theology.
• Brittany Everett, Baltimore, Md. (Western), women's cross country, bachelor of arts.
• Dasia Harris, Sugar Land, Texas (Elkins), women's tennis, bachelor of science.
• Trana Hopkins, Marietta, Ga. (Marietta), women's basketball, bachelor of science.
• Faith Hyacinthe, Rockford, Ill. (Auburn), women's basketball, doctor of pharmacy, Warren P. McKenna Service Award.
• Chelsea James, Gadsden, Ala. (Gadsden, City), women's track and field, doctor of pharmacy.
• Ireyon Keith, Tickfaw, La. (Independence), women's basketball/track and field, bachelor of science.
• Christopher Kennie, New Orleans, La. (Holy Cross), men's track and field, doctor of pharmacy.
• Emma Kranendonk, Heemskerk, The Netherlands (Kennemer College), women's tennis, bachelor of science.
• Tushar Mandlekar, Bhilai, India (Deepak Nagar), men's tennis, bachelor of science.
• Lucas Martin-Julien, Reserve, La. (Riverside Academy), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
• Amara Person-Hampton, Long Beach, Calif. (Troy), women's basketball, bachelor of science.
• Tylor Row, Baton Rouge, La. (St. Michael), women's track and field, bachelor of science.
• Tramaine Shannon, Baton Rouge, La. (McKinley), women's track and field, bachelor of science.
• Kaelan Temple, Houston, Texas (Lamar), women's volleyball, bachelor of science . . . cum laude, honors in biology.
• Simone White, Hot Springs, Ark. (Hot Springs), women's volleyball and spirit group (cheerleader) . . . honors in English, honors in philosophy.
• Ammiel Williams, Los Angeles, Calif. (Hamilton), men's track and field/cross country, bachelor of arts . . . cum laude, honors in theology.
• Aliyah Wilson, Florissant, Mo. (Crossroads College Prep), women's volleyball, bachelor of science . . . honors in philosophy.
• Morris Wright, Zachary, La. (Zachary), men's basketball, bachelor of science.
"Our responsibility is to provide every student-athlete who chooses Xavier with the support they need to achieve their most important goal — earning a college degree," Horn said. "That will always be our number one priority."Also graduating were:
• Reginald Alex, New Orleans, La., women's basketball student manager, bachelor of science . . . Warren J. Barker Sr. Award.
• Kyla Baron, Marietta, Ga., spirit group (Gold Star dance), bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude, university service key award.
• Monte Bingley, Houston, Texas, men's basketball student manager, bachelor of science.
• Algeria Brisbon, Philadelphia, Pa., spirit group (Golden Girls pom), bachelor of science.
• Jessica Carmon, Humble, Texas, spirit group (cheerleader), bachelor of science . . . summa cum laude, honors in biology, honors in chemistry.
• Tatiana Collins, New Orleans, La., spirit group (cheerleader), bachelor of science . . . cum laude, honors in public health sciences.
• Minesha Estell, Terrytown, La., men's basketball student manager, master of arts in teaching.
• D'Lauren Falkner, Collierville, Tenn., spirit group (Golden Girls pom), bachelor of science . . . cum laude, honors in theology.
• Sarah Hale, Bolingbrook, Ill., spirit group (Gold Star dance), bachelor of science . . . cum laude, honors in chemistry, university service key award.
• Shalani Taylor, Sparks, Nev., spirit group (Gold Star dance), bachelor of science . . . magna cum laude, honors in public health sciences, university service key award.
XULA is one of 38 colleges listed as a "Best Buy School" in the 2018 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. XULA's intercollegiate teams compete in the NAIA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. Eight of XULA's nine sports programs qualified teams or individuals for NAIA National Championship competition in 2017-18.
NOTES: Allen will study at Howard University's College of Dentistry in the fall . . . Chatters will attend University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry in the fall . . . Williams will attend the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies, where he will study international security. Williams also has won a Rangel Fellowship to attend graduate study toward a degree in international affairs.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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