USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, APRIL 30, 2014 – USF Athletics has a large group of Bulls ready to cross the finish line after successfully completing the pursuit of a college degree.
A total of 55 USF student-athletes, present and past, are set to graduate this weekend during USF spring commencement ceremonies at the Sun Dome. Twelve of those student-athletes will graduate with honors. The list includes many standout Bulls that have played a big hand in the success of their respective programs.
“Our mission in the Academic Enrichment Center is to provide an opportunity for our student-athletes to holistically develop with comprehensive support services that are committed to their total development,” Associate Athletic Director for Academics
Jason Linders said. “Graduation represents the culmination of a lot of hard work by the student-athletes, academic services, coaches and administrators. It is our goal to empower and prepare them for a successful transition to the professional world, and it's nice to see so many Bulls leave USF ready for life after sport.”
Friday afternoon's graduation group will include women's basketball standout
Inga Orekhova, who is taking time out from her pro career to attend the unforgettable event at the Sun Dome. Orekhova became USF's highest drafted women's basketball player in the history of the program when she was selected 18th overall by the WNBA Atlanta Dream earlier in April.
A native of Sevastapol, Ukraine, Orekhova became the 20th women's player to record 1,000 points in a USF uniform and helped the Bulls win their first-ever NCAA tournament game in the 2012-13 season before playing a pivotal role in USF's WNIT semifinal run this season.
Akila McDonald also stepped up for USF women's basketball the past two postseasons and head coach
Jose Fernandez will be proud to see the 6-foot-4 center graduate with a degree in interdisciplinary social sciences this weekend. McDonald, from Decatur, Ga., ranks second all-time in USF history in games played (130) and blocks (194), and 11th in rebounds (694).
High-flying men's hoops star
Victor Rudd has NBA dreams he'll chase as a college graduate after completing a degree in general studies. The 6-foot-9 forward from Los Angeles will be remembered by USF fans for thunderous dunks that made regular appearances on ESPN's SportsCenter. Rudd also provided the Bulls with tons of production, finishing his career ranked 10th on the Bulls' all-time scoring list with 1,216 points in three seasons.
Martino Brock also has been important part of USF men's basketball's starting lineup the past two seasons and the fan favorite should get a lot of cheers this weekend when he graduates with a degree in interdisciplinary social sciences. The 6-foot-5 guard from Memphis, Tenn., scored in double figures 12 times this past season and his high-energy approach on the court helped him grab a team-leading 42 steals.
Ace left-hander
Sara Nevins has plenty of USF softball records to her credit and she can now add a degree in interdisciplinary social sciences to her eye-catching college resume. The Pinellas Park, Fla., native ranks in USF's top 10 in 14 different pitching categories and owns program records for wins (95), strikeouts (1,042), appearances (181), saves (20) and single-season strikeouts (336) among others.
Nevins led the Bulls to their first-ever Women's College World Series in 2012 and her list of accolades includes the 2013 Big East Pitcher of the Year award and 2012-13 NFCA All-America honors. She is currently a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
Former NFL linebacker Kawika Mitchell registered a program-record 367 tackles for the Bulls from 1999-2002 and returned to campus this semester to complete his bachelor 's degree in interdisciplinary social sciences. Mitchell played in the NFL for eight seasons and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants during an impressive career that also included stops in Kansas City, Buffalo and New Orleans.
“It's important to me being one of first ones to graduate college on my side of the family,” Mitchell said. “It's important to continue to set an example for my kids and there are some other things I want to continue to do with school that requires a bachelor's degree. There are a lot of different things I'm taking care of.”
The USF track and field program has a long history of academic success and it continues with 13 Bulls walking across the stage in caps and gowns this weekend. Among the group of graduates is
Courtney Anderson, a Cape Coral, Fla., native, who became the first USF female to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by placing second in the high jump last spring.
USF women's tennis will be well represented at graduation with three student-athletes in caps and gowns after the Bulls captured the inaugural American Athletic Conference championship earlier in April.
A key ingredient to the winning formula has been
Loreto Alonso-Martinez, who was named the most outstanding player at the conference tournament and is 18-5 in singles play this season heading into the Bulls' NCAA tournament appearance against Oklahoma State on Friday, May 9 in Gainesville. Alonso-Martinez, from Asturias, Spain, will graduate with degrees in physical education and exercise science.
Federico Sabogal will be representing the USF men's tennis team at graduation after helping the Bulls win the first American Athletic Conference Tennis Championship two weeks ago. The Bogota, Colombia native will graduate with a degree in international studies and his tennis career as a Bull will continue in the NCAA tournament against Florida State on Saturday, May 10 in Gainesville.
Check out the complete list of spring graduates below:
