Commencement Awaits 49 Canes

May 11, 2011

CORAL GABLES, Fla.— Forty-nine current and former student-athletes are scheduled to take part in University of Miami Commencement ceremonies from May 12-14 at the Bank United Center. Among the student-athletes set to graduate are four recent National Football League draftees, seven All-America performers and nine who currently have eligibility of the 2011-12 school year.

Just two weeks after officially joining the NFL, former Canes Leonard Hankerson, Colin McCarthy, Allen Bailey and DeMarcus Van Dyke will receive their diploma from UM. They will be joined on stage by former teammates Cory Nelms, Pat Hill, Jared Campbell and current Canes Lee Chambers and JoJo Nicolas.

Brittany Viola, a two-time NCAA champion and the most decorated diver in UM history, will also walk across the stage this weekend. Viola won the 2011 USA Diving Winter National Championships, was the team captain for the USA Diving Team at the 2009 FINA World Championships and served as the president of the University of Miami’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee the last three years.

Another one of the athletic department’s all-time greats, women’s tennis student-athlete Bianca Eichkorn will receive her diploma on Thursday night, a day before she will lead her team in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Coral Gables Regional. Eichkorn is a two-time All-America performer, was recently named ACC Player of the Year and owns the school record for career singles victories. In the classroom, Eichkorn has earned academic All-America honors and was named the 2010 ACC Women’s Tennis Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Tierra Brown will graduate from Miami as a five-time All-America honoree in hurdles events. She also became the first ever Miami student-athlete to win a U.S. National Championship when she won the 400m hurdles in the summer of 2010. Brown owns school records in the 60 (8.00), 100 (12.84) and 400m hurdles (54.74). This summer, she will strive for her first NCAA Championship in the 100 and 400m hurdles.

In addition to Brown, Eichkorn and Viola, several other All-America honorees will take part in the ceremonies this weekend. Soccer star Brittany Steinbruch – Miami’s all-time goal scorer – will be walking, as will track sisters Takecia and Tameka Jameson.

Three men’s basketball student-athletes will also be taking to the stage. Adrian Thomas will walk on Thursday night as he receives his Masters in Sport Management, while Julian Gamble and All-ACC performer Malcolm Grant – both of whom will be back next year for the Canes – will also be recognized this weekend.

Senior Maria Ronderos recently wrapped up her memorable career on the golf course for the Canes. This past season, she recorded the seventh-lowest stroke average (74.68) in school history, qualifying her for the NCAA Regionals. Ronderos will be joined by teammate Christina Hirano.

The track/cross country team has the highest number of graduates, as a group of 11 will make up nearly one-fourth of the total number of former student-athletes walking. In addition to Brown and the Jameson sisters, Ashley Dukes, Caitlin Knapp, Megan Novinger, Emma Steppe, Miranda Wilson, Katherine Woodard, Patrick Blackie and Charles Michel will all be representing their team this weekend.

Swimming & diving will have six recognized, as Alicia Casillas, Lauren Jacoby, Ryann Labreche, Deidre Novotny and Liz Torres will join Viola on the stage. The women’s soccer program will have five of its student-athletes represented – Steinbruch, Barbara Blocker, Katie Oddo, Lauren Singer and Brittany Bucknor – while the rowers Danielle Smith, Heather Durkee, Emily Wingrove and Christina Crocco will also receive their diplomas.

Rising senior Christine Williamson and former student-athletes Maria Andersson and Tatiana Alvarez will be representing the volleyball program this weekend at the BankUnited Center.

Chris Pelaez is the lone representative from the baseball program who is graduating, while men’s tennis has two – Carl Sundberg and Keith Crowley – earning their degrees.

Hankerson – UM’s record-holder for most receiving yards in a single season – was a third round draft pick of the Washington Redskins. Van Dyke and Bailey, a two-time All-ACC performer, were also third round picks by the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively. McCarthy, UM’s leading tackler in 2010, was taken in the fifth round by Tennessee.

Former student-athletes Chad Wilson (football) and Zully Pascual (track) are also returning to campus to receive their diplomas.

For more information on UM’s commencement ceremonies, click here.

Check Back This Weekend for Pictures of 2011 Graduates