DeKALB, Ill. – Fifty-seven student-athletes from across all 16 Northern Illinois University sports programs are among the thousands of NIU students who will earn their Huskie degrees and enter the ranks of alumni this weekend, while another five 2020 seniors will join them following completion of summer coursework.
"We are so proud of these 57 Huskie student-athletes who are officially 'NIU graduates' as of this weekend," said NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier. "I will miss congratulating them in person during the ceremonies this weekend, but that in no way diminishes this accomplishment for the Class of 2020. To see every team represented on this list of grads illustrates the commitment of every member of our department – especially our coaches and staff of the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services – to getting to this point for each of our student-athletes."
While the university is unable to hold formal graduation ceremonies at this time due to the stay at home directive, NIU Athletics has sent each graduate a "student-athlete graduate" stole and the university has put together a "Virtual Celebration Package" with downloadable graphics for social media or for print. Those graphics are available here.
Of the 62 graduates, 15 are current or former members of the Huskie football team. Women's track and field will graduate eight student-athletes, with four of those also participating in cross country who boast six grads. Five members of both the women's basketball and gymnastics teams are also among the spring and summer 2020 NIU grads.
The 62 grads are in 28 different majors across the entire spectrum of the university with no major represented by more than five graduates.Three student-athletes – Jehvania Whyte of track and field, Scott Dunsire of men's golf and Dylan Thurston of wrestling – are earning their master's in business administration. Women's basketball senior Ally May is picking up her second major in health sciences after earning her nursing degree last spring, while volleyball's Amanda Krahl is completing a double major in leadership and management and marketing.
The complete list of 2020 spring and summer NIU student-athlete graduates is below.
VOLLEYBALL (2)
Amanda Krahl - Leadership and Management and Marketing (B.S.) Double Major
Brinley Milbrath - Kinesiology
TRACK & FIELD (8)
Remy Amarteifio - Biological Sciences (B.S.)
NeShay Curtis – Communications/Media Studies (B.A.)
Nora Finegan - Electrical Engineering
Britney Hew - Advocacy/Public Communications (B.A.)
Mercer Mack - Electrical Engineering
Vivian Overbeck - Economics (B.A.)
Sarah Virgo – Health Sciences, Pre-Physical Therapy
Jehvania Whyte - Business Administration (MBA)
WOMEN'S TENNIS (1)
Brodie Walker - International Politics (B.A.)
WOMEN'S SOCCER (2)
Jennie Nailor – Health Sciences, Pre-Physical Therapy
Lauren Neslund - Organizational and Corporate Communications (B.A.)
SOFTBALL (3)
Anne Allen - Human Resources Management
Kayla Scaperrotta - Rehabilitation and Disability Services
Bailey Whalen - Child Development
GYMNASTICS (5)
Amanda Bartemio- Kinesiology
Lauren Gomes - Accountancy
Cinny Lamberti – Journalism (B.A.)
Nina Martucci - Hospitality & Tourism Management
Allison Richardson - Nursing
WOMEN'S GOLF (1)
Isabella Samudio - Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility
CROSS COUNTRY (6)
• Meagan Biddle - General Studies
Nora Finegan - Electrical Engineering
Mercer Mack - Electrical Engineering
Vivian Overbeck - Economics (B.A.)
• Melissa Ricci - General Studies
Sarah Virgo – Health Sciences, Pre-Physical Therapy
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (5)
Ally May - Health Sciences (Second major)
Janae Poisson – Psychology (B.A.)
Ninni Salmi - Sport Management
Myia Starks - Marketing (B.S.)
Abby Woollacott - Rehabilitation & Disability Services
WRESTLING (4)
McCoy Kent - Organizational and Corporate Communications (B.A.)
Caden McWhirter - Organizational and Corporate Communications (B.S.)
Kenny Moore - Health Sciences, General
Dylan Thurston - Business Administration (MBA)
MEN'S TENNIS (1)
Bor Schweiger Muzar - Marketing (B.S.)
MEN'S SOCCER (4)
Aidan Dunne - Biological Sciences (B.S.)
Christoph Koninger - Leadership and Management
Jan Maertins - Leadership and Management
Christian Molina - Organizational and Corporate Communications (B.A.)
MEN'S GOLF (3)
Scott Dunsire - Business Administration (MBA)
Jordan Less - Leadership and Management
Michael Mattas - Marketing (B.S.)
MEN'S BASKETBALL (3)
Lacey James - Communications/Media Studies (B.A.)
Noah McCarty - Communications/Media Studies (B.A.)
• Alize Travis - General Studies
BASEBALL (3)
Eric Hammer - Nutrition, Dietetics, & Wellness
Parker Kirkpatrick - Accountancy
• Tommy Szczasny – Kinesiology
FOOTBALL (15)
Mitchell Brinkman - Leadership and Management
Marcus Childers - Communications/Media Studies (B.A.)
Matt Ference- Marketing (B.S.)
Ryan Gibbons - Finance (B.S.)
Andrew Gregory - Accountancy
Ezekiel Gueths - Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics & Robotics
Jack Heflin - Kinesiology
Marcus Kelly - Kinesiology
Corey Lersch - Health Sciences, General
• Shaquan Oliver - General Studies
Brayden Patton - Communications/Media Studies (B.A.)
Christopher Perez, Jr. - Organizational and Corporate Communications (B.A.)
Anthony Thompson - Political Science-Public Law (B.S.)
Maximillian Thrower - Advocacy/Public Communications (B.A.)
Austin Warner - Marketing (B.S.)
• Summer Graduate
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