Missouri State Student-Athletes Set Commencement Record
May 13, 2015 | General
MSU Graduation Central | Live Streaming. | #BearGrads
SPRINGFIELD -- A group of 73 current and former Missouri State University student-athletes will receive their degrees at three spring commencement ceremonies scheduled for Friday, May 15 at JQH Arena on the Springfield campus. This year's graduation total represents the highest student-athlete graduation class total on record at MSU.
 Friday's ceremonies will be conducted at 10 a.m. (Arts and Letters, Education, Humanities and Public Affairs, and Global Studies majors), 1:30 p.m. (Health and Human Services, Natural and Applied Sciences, and the William H. Darr School of Agriculture), and 5 p.m. (College of Business).
 Including August and December 2014 ceremonies, a total of 117 Missouri State student-athletes have earned their degrees during the 2014-15 academic year. Over the last 10 years, MSU commencement exercises have seen 940 student-athletes complete their degrees, while 291 former Bears have graduated in all ceremonies over the past three years.Â
 The top graduating classes on record for Missouri State athletics are: May 2015 (73), May 2006 (64), May 2004 (61), May 2009 (61), May 2014 (60), May 2005 (59), May 2002 (57), May 2007 (57), May 2008 (57) and May 2012 (57). A year ago, 60 student-athletes earned undergraduate or graduate degrees in the May ceremonies.Â
 Football (21) and women's track and field/cross country (9) led all sports in terms of individuals graduating this spring, while the baseball (7), volleyball (6) and men's swimming and diving (6) squads also were well represented. All of the University's 17 intercollegiate programs, with the exception of the recently-reinstated women's tennis program, have at least one student-athlete crossing the stage on Friday.
 The 2015 spring commencement list includes 20 MSU student-athletes graduating with academic honors. Three student-athletes earned the top academic honor of summa cum laude with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.90 or higher, including golf Mark Karlsen, trackster Lisa Imgrund Slusher and volleyball standout Andrea Beaty. Six student-athletes compiled GPAs in the 3.75-3.89 range to earn magna cum laude distinction: Dylan Becker (baseball), Max Pratt (men's swimming), Claire Troll (field hockey), Erin Edwards (track and field), Haley Scott (track and field), and Mackenzie Weis (track and field). Eleven additional student-athletes finished with GPAs in the 3.50 to 3.74 range to garner cum laude laurels, including: Will Creekmore (men's basketball), Andrew Beisel (football), Hunter Hays (football), Isaac McKnight (men's swimming), Laura Tavares (field hockey), Rachel Brisker (softball), Amber Dreher (softball), Chelsea Jones (softball), Ali Trickey (softball), Megan Holthoff (women's swimming), and Olivia Brand (volleyball).
 Four MSU student-athletes -- McKnight, Imgrund Slusher, Edwards and Weis -- completed their undergraduate degrees with additional scrutiny in the Honors College.
 Football All-American and Academic All-American Caleb Schaffitzel (Fair Grove, Mo.) was also named as the winner of the 61st Annual Virgil Cheek Athletic Achievement Award.
Schaffitzel logged a team-high 96 tackles, including 42 solo stops, this season to rank sixth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference during the regular season. He also ranked sixth in the MVFC in passes defended (12), starting all 12 games this fall and 41 in a row to end his MSU career.
A two-time consensus All-America choice, Schaffitzel finished his career with 385 stops and 10 interceptions, both of which rank among MSU's all-time leaders. Schaffitzel, a first-team All-MVFC pick the last three seasons, finished his senior campaign with four double-digit tackle totals this season, including three in Valley play. Additionally, the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award finalist and National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award-winner, Schaffitzel was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American for the third consecutive year in December. He was also named MSU Team MVP for the third straight year and completed his undergraduate degree at Missouri State with a 3.93 GPA in Wildlife and Conservation Management. He is currently participating in rookie minicamp with the NFL's Cleveland Browns.
 The Virgil Cheek Award has been given annually since 1955 to the graduating senior male student-athlete best demonstrating high qualities in scholarship, character, attendance, leadership and athletic performance. The award is named in honor of the long-time Missouri State faculty athletics representative and business faculty member and selected by the six men's intercollegiate athletics head coaches.Â
 The two remaining year-end Athletics awards to be selected for the 2014-15 academic year will be named at the conclusion of all Missouri State athletics competition for the year when the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar Athlete Award for the graduating senior with the highest GPA, and the Missouri State Outstanding Female Athlete Award will be announced.
 A total of 1,885 bachelor's degrees, 485 master's degrees, five specialist degrees and 41 doctorate degrees will be conferred on Friday at Missouri State University. Beyond the standard expectations, 184 students will be recognized for their work with a more rigorous curriculum in Missouri State's Honors College. Scholastic honors will be given to 107 students who will graduate summa cum laude, 150 who will graduate magna cum laude, and 288 who will graduate cum laude.
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SPRING 2015 GRADUATING MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT-ATHLETES
Baseball (7): Adam Anawalt (Communication Studies); Dylan Becker (Finance); Eric Cheray (Psychology); Patrick Drake (Communication Studies); Matt Lawson (Psychology); Derek Mattea (M.S. Sports Management); Matt Palmer (Crop Science).
Men's Basketball (1): Will Creekmore (Finance).
Field Hockey (3): Abigail Heller (International Business Administration); Laura Tavares (Fashion Merchandising and Management / Fashion Design & Product Development); Claire Troll (Interior Design).
Football (21): Andrew Beisel (Logistics & Supply Chain Management); Sybhrian Berry (Technology Management); Patrick Blanar (Communication Studies); Julian Burton (Sport & Park Administration); Zack Cooley (General Business); Greg Coopwood (Criminology); Mike Crutcher (Criminology); Cadarrius Dotson (Fashion Design and Product Development); John Edwards (Psychology); Richard Galbierz (Psychology); Hunter Hays (Cell & Molecular Biology); Mahamadou Kantao (International Business Administration); Alex Kostas (Hospitality and Restaurant Administration); Josh Mattes (Sport & Park Administration); Caleb Medley (Hospitality and Restaurant Administration); Harrison Menke (M.S. Defense & Strategic Studies); Tim Piccarreto (Exercise & Movement Science); Jordan Rainey (Sport & Park Administration); C.J. Randall (Sociology); Evan Williams (Construction Management); Bryan Young (Criminology).
Men's Golf (2): Mark Karlsen (General Business); Adam Welch (Master of Accountancy).
Men's Soccer (5): Matt Bray (Marketing Management); Pedro Cardenas (Operations Management); James Fawke (Administrative Management); Matt Pickens (Criminology); Chris Roth (Finance).
Men's Swimming & Diving (6): Vitalii Baryshok (Cultural & Regional Geography); Yuri Garanito (International Business Administration); Isaac McKnight (Finance); Max Pratt (Digital Film Production); Eli Swaim (Media Studies); Nicolas Villarroel (Respiratory Therapy).
Softball (5): Rachel Brisker (Elementary Education); Amber Dreher (Advertising & Promotion); Chelsea Jones (Religious Studies); Stevie Pierce (M.A. Communication); Ali Trickey (Exercise & Movement Science).
Volleyball (6): Christina Buckner Freeman (Doctor of Physical Therapy); Andrea Beaty (Psychology); Olivia Brand (Speech-Language Pathology); Maddy Hogan (Risk Management & Insurance); MaryJo Kolze (Grad Certificate - Individualized Studies); Carly Thomas (Sport & Park Administration).
Women's Basketball (2): NiJay Gaines (Criminology); Hannah Wilkerson (Sport & Park Administration).
Women's Golf (1): Emma Clegg (M.S. Physical Geography).
Women's Soccer (3): Maggie Dickson (Health Services); Shelby Stewart (Psychology); Lauren Wendt (Marketing Management).
Women's Swimming & Diving (2): Megan Holthoff (Speech-Language Pathology); Renata Sander (Exercise & Movement Science).
Women's Track & Field/Cross Country (9): Lisa Imgrund Slusher (Art and Design Education); Chelsey Borders (Criminology); Erin Edwards (Nursing); Mareneika Goffe (M.S. Health Promotion & Wellness Management); Zaleika Goffe (Master of Public Health); Merica Moncherry (Health Communication); Haley Scott (Exercise & Movement Science); Jamie Vest (M.N.A.S. Natural & Applied Sciences); Mackenzie Weis (Speech-Language Pathology).
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Past Virgil Cheek Award Recipients
1955Â Â Â Jerry Anderson, basketball, track
1956Â Â Â Ron Whitaker, football
1957Â Â Â George Simpson, track
1958Â Â Â Max Oldham, basketball
1959Â Â Â Russ Robinson, basketball
1960Â Â Â Charlie Finley, football, track
1961Â Â Â Jerry Stockard, basketball
1962Â Â Â Carl Wilks, basketball
1963Â Â Â Edsel Matthews, basketball
1964Â Â Â Rich Johanningmeier, football
1965Â Â Â Jerry Boyer, football
1966Â Â Â Dan Young, football
1967Â Â Â Bill Douglass, football, track
1968Â Â Â Dennis Scott, football
1969Â Â Â Danny Cook, baseball
1970Â Â Â Bill Lamberson, track
1971Â Â Â Chuck Williams, basketball
1972Â Â Â Bob Curl, basketball-track
1973Â Â Â Eric Thompson, basketball
1974Â Â Â Randy Magers, basketball, baseball
1975Â Â Â Bob Grana, football
1976Â Â Â Kent Stringer, football
1977Â Â Â John Prasuhn, track, cross country
1978Â Â Â Terry Kasper, football, baseball
1979Â Â Â Ron Snider, baseball
1980Â Â Â Mitch Ware, football
1981Â Â Â Bobby Biser, golf
1982Â Â Â Mark Daniels, football
1983Â Â Â Darrin Newbold, football
1984Â Â Â Anthony Boggs, basketball
1985Â Â Â Brian Smith, basketball
1986Â Â Â Phil Schlegel, basketball
1987Â Â Â Scott Hickox, basketball
1988Â Â Â Preston Estes, football
1989Â Â Â Scott Hartwig, football
1990Â Â Â Chris Stange, basketball
1991Â Â Â Jeff Eiserman, golf
1992Â Â Â Tim McDuffey, football
1993Â Â Â Chad Lakin, baseball
1994Â Â Â Jim Prendergast, wrestling
1995Â Â Â Chad Gardner, cross country, track
1996Â Â Â Dan Kneeshaw, football, baseball
1997Â Â Â Brad Barnes, soccer
1998Â Â Â Neal McNamara, tennis
1999Â Â Â Derek Jensen, football
2000Â Â Â Brad St. Louis, football
2001Â Â Â Matt White, football
2002Â Â Â Jason Ringena, football
2003Â Â Â Blake Boldon, cross country, track
2004Â Â Â Rishi Garbharran, tennis
2005Â Â Â Brad Durham, football
2006Â Â Â Nathan Platz, soccer
2007Â Â Â Mike Radon, football
2008Â Â Â David Tillman, football
2009Â Â Â Chris Playter, baseball
2010Â Â Â Justin Fuehrmeyer, basketball
2011Â Â Â David Arkin, football
2012Â Â Â Heath Melugin, soccer
2013 Â Â Daily Young, golf
2014 Â Â Trevor Spangenberg, soccer
2015 Â Â Caleb Schaffitzel, football
