LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – More than 50 Little Rock student-athletes will participate in graduation ceremonies in the next few days. A group of Trojans will graduate Saturday during a morning and afternoon session at the Jack Stephens Center. Athletes that are competing in the Ohio Valley Conference Track and Field meet in Cape Girardeau, Mo., and the baseball series at SEMO, also in Cape Girardeau, will be honored in a separate ceremony Monday morning at the Jack Stephens Center.
"I could not be prouder of this year's graduating class of Trojan student-athletes," said Little Rock Director of Athletics
Frank M. Cuervo. "They have consistently demonstrated remarkable dedication, resilience, and integrity — both in competition and in the classroom. Their accomplishments reflect the power of hard work and teamwork, and I have every confidence that they will carry these values into all their future endeavors. As they begin the next chapter of their lives, we will continue to cheer them on. They will always be a cherished part of the Trojan Family."
The Athletics Department played host to a graduate reception Friday night for student-athletes and their families.
Standout women's golfer Anna Dawson attended with her parents, who made the trip all the way from her native Ireland.
"[Graduating] is amazing," said Dawson, who completed a degree in International Business. "All of the hard work on the golf course and the classroom has paid off. My four years here in Little Rock has been amazing. I have enjoyed every minute of it."
Dawson said winning the OVC championship and advancing to the NCAA Regionals last season is a memory she will take with her back home. She plans to earn a master's degree in marketing and continue golfing collegiately in Ireland.
Nine swim and dive athletes are graduating this weekend. All of them are graduating with honors and none of them earned less than a 3.6 GPA.
"The girls went above and beyond to study," said Kyra Apodaca, who majored in Mathematics. "We wanted to be our best, and we wanted everyone else to be there best. Everyone was really positive and encouraging.
"It's easy for academics get lost being a student-athlete and be on the back burner. It was nice being on a team that prioritized academics.
See a complete list of all Trojan student-athlete spring graduates below.
BASEBALL
Seth Adams
Robert Bavon
Joshua Beezley
Marshall Brown
Preston Davis
Zach Henry
Trey Hill
Trent Jordan
Brenden Katz
Andrew Pickering
Luke Rolland
Hunter Royal
Jackson Wells
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jordan Jefferson
MEN'S GOLF
Matteo Cristoni
Kenneth Phillips
Archie Smith
MEN'S TRACK
Joel Allen
Matthew Fox
Cameron Jackson
Nicholas Newby
Dominic Ward
WOMEN'S TRACK
Zoa Adams
Marcie Cudworth
Ragen Hodge
Panagiota Lazarou
Brooklyn Marcee
Ludovica Polini
Crystal Towers
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Annemarie Batista
Jordan Holman
Mesi Triplett
Lamarivee Williams
WOMEN'S GOLF
Anna Dawson
Katja Mueller
SOCCER
Jaeda Centeno
Abbie Smith
Mykena Turner
SWIM & DIVE
Lara Alsader
Kyra Apodaca
Gillian Boggs
Jaelle Carlson
Olivia Henderson
Lucy Jahn
Lauren Pieniazkiewicz
Caitlin Romprey
Devin Tramell
VOLLEYBALL
Makaila Harris
WRESTLING
Brendon Abdon
Jacob Adams
Branson Britten
Brock Delsignore
Michael Gasper
Josiah Hill
Warren Hoyt
Reid Nelson
Jeremiah Reno
