Gators graduating this weekend

A total of 33 University of Florida student-athletes will be earning their degrees in commencement ceremonies being held Friday afternoon and Saturday throughout the day at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on the UF campus.

Gator student-athletes earning their degrees following the completion of the fall semester were honored at a graduation dinner Thursday evening prior to ceremonies Friday and Saturday.

The Florida football team leads the way in quantity of December graduates, with 12 players set to receive degrees from UF. The Florida women’s swimming team will see six Gators graduate, while three soccer players will walk in graduation ceremonies. Two gymnasts, men’s swimmers, women’s basketball players and two track and field student-athletes will each receive their degrees, while baseball, men’s tennis, women’s golf and volleyball will see one student-athlete graduate apiece this fall.

Among the December graduates are two Gator female student-athletes who UF has recognized as Outstanding Female Leaders; Gator gymnast Ashley Kerr and swimmer Gemma Spofforth. Kerr and Spofforth were distinguished by the University as Outstanding Female Leaders for the quality and scope of their leadership activities at UF during their academic and athletic careers, for their university-wide leadership, experience, awards, recognition and by recommendation of University of Florida faculty, staff and students.

Kerr, a member of UF’s 2007 and 2010 gymnastics SEC Championship teams was the 2009-10 president of UF’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, spent a semester as a teacher’s assistant in the UF marketing department and was on the Warrington College of Business Administration Dean’s List in 2008 and 2009, while also excelling in the classroom herself as a four-time member of both the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches Scholastic All-America team and the SEC Honor Roll. A team captain, Spofforth led the Gator swimming and diving team to the 2010 NCAA National Championship last spring, while balancing her work with the Alachua County Crisis Center since fall 2009. Spofforth is a seven-time NCAA Champion, the 2009 SEC Swimmer of the Year and received the Ben Hill Griffin Award from the UAA for her success in academics, athletics and leadership. A British Olympian and World Record Holder, Spofforth is also a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.

2010 Fall Graduates

GATOR GRADUATE SPORT

Jeffrey Corsaletti Baseball

Troy Epps Football

Chas Henry Football

Jarvis Herring Football

Maurice Hurt Football

Carl Johnson Football

AJ Jones Football

Lawrence Marsh Football

Clint Mitchell Football

Emmanuel Moody Football

Carl Moore Football

Mike Pouncey Football

Justin Williams Football

Ryan Crete Men’s Swimming

Shaune Fraser Men’s Swimming

Daniel Kristiansen Men’s Tennis

Adam Montague Men’s Track & Field

Ebonie Crawford Women’s Basketball

Sharielle Smith Women’s Basketball

Lauren Uzelatz Women’s Golf

Courtney Gladys Gymnastics

Ashley Kerr Gymnastics

Ashlee Elliott Soccer

Katie Fraine Soccer

Nicky Kit Soccer

Kristen Beales Women’s Swimming

Elizabeth Kemp Women’s Swimming

Coral Lopez Women’s Swimming

Sarah Peterson Women’s Swimming

Stephanie Proud Women’s Swimming

Gemma Spofforth Women’s Swimming

Shara Proctor Women’s Track & Field

Erin Fleming Volleyball