Eight @CanesFootball Graduates, One Bond
By David Villavicencio
Seniors AJ Highsmith, Jimmy Gaines, Kacy Rodgers II, Maurice Hagens, Asante Cleveland and Tyrone Cornileus, as well as redshirt juniors Jon Feliciano and Sean Harvey, will receive degrees from the University of Miami this weekend.
The eight members of the Hurricanes football program have each had a unique experience at Miami, but all of them are proud to be part of The U family.
Rodgers II, who earned his bachelor’s degree in economics, hopes to own his own business once he is done with football. The Southlake, Texas, native believes his time in Coral Gables helped prepare him for a successful life after college.
“My experience was good,” Rodgers II said. “ I feel like we all have grown through the experience and that’s all you can ask for. Miami is full of a lot of different kind of people. It was good to interact with so many different people. It helps you grow and network with people who you may work with one day. On the field, Miami speaks for itself. Every Pro Day, we have all the scouts there. As far as football, Miami speaks for itself.”
Cleveland, who is one of three Canes receiving a bachelor’s degree in management this weekend, is interested in coaching once his playing career ends. The Sacramento, Calif., native is also interested in owning a restaurant and feels Miami has prepared him to be a successful business owner when that time comes.
“I was fortunate to meet a lot of good people and play football while attending a great school,” Cleveland said. “This school is one of the most diverse schools in the nation. It got me prepared for a more progressive workplace because we interact with people of different nationalities and different backgrounds. I feel like I am very well prepared and ready for the workplace.”
Highsmith had a unique bond to the University of Miami. The son of Hurricanes legend Alonzo Highsmith, AJ knew how beneficial attending “The U” would be.
“I had a lot of fun and did a lot of learning on and off the field,” Highsmith said. “Playing different positions on different sides of the ball helps you learn a lot about football. Meeting a lot of people in a city like Miami is great for your development. Being from Texas, it’s a lot different here. I think I learned a lot in my five years here.”
A native of Missouri City, Texas, Highsmith will receive his master’s degree in liberal arts this weekend after earning his bachelor’s degree in sport administration last December.
“The biggest thing you learn when you’re on your own is that people don’t give you things,” Highsmith said. “You have to work for everything you want, whether it’s academics or athletics. Both areas are very competitive here at Miami and experiencing that taught me to fight for everything I want to accomplish.”
Harvey and Feliciano will be back for the 2014 football season, but both players will receive their bachelor’s degree this weekend. Harvey, who earned his degree in sport administration, originally enrolled at UCF before deciding Miami was best for him.
“I originally was supposed to play for UCF,” Harvey said. “I decided to transfer and was looking at FAU and USF, but a big school wasn’t a great option for me. I figured Miami was a smaller school as far as enrollment so I came and visited and loved the campus and the weather. I fell in love the moment I first saw it.”
“It was probably the best college I could have chosen,” Harvey said. “It’s such a unique place. The atmosphere, we have a great football program and it’s a great school. The city of Miami itself is a great place and the whole experience has been tremendous for me.”
A native of Largo, Fla., Harvey is grateful for how the coaches, professors, administrators, staff and fellow students at Miami have helped him develop as a person.
“I’ve grown tremendously since I’ve been here,” Harvey said. “The experiences playing football and the lessons I’ve learned with everybody else have been great. I’ve grown tremendously as a man. It’s cliché but I came here as a boy and I have become a man.”
While life will likely separate the eight graduating Canes, they are confident their bond as Hurricanes will remain strong and their friendships will last a lifetime.
“I’m definitely going to miss the people I’ve grown close to the past four years,” Cleveland said. “They are people I will always remember and hopefully keep in touch with for the rest of my life.”
“It’s almost like you’re closer than family,” Highsmith said of the bond he and his teammates share. “I talk to my teammates here more than I talk to my own brother. You see them every day and build relationships. You talk to them almost more than you talk to your parents. No matter what happens, those are the guys that are consistently with you.”
Rodgers II, who is one of Highsmith’s best friends on the team, agrees that Miami players have a unique connection.
“The bond is special,” Rodgers II said. “The relationship we have in the locker room is like family. The players when I got here as a freshman are people I still talk to and consider as big brothers to this day. My class as seniors are the big brothers to those who are younger than us. We all look out for each other and want the best for everyone. It’s definitely a special family bond.”
After sharing so much success on and off the field with his teammates, Harvey is confident the bond the Canes have fortified over their time in Coral Gables will keep their friendships alive for decades to come.
“I have met guys I will be friends with 20 and 30 years down the road,” Harvey said. “I know they’re going to be lifelong friends.”
