Lincoln – An impressive class of 46 current and former Husker student-athletes across all sports will earn their undergraduate degrees from the University of Nebraska during commencement exercises on Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

A total of 11 current members of the Nebraska football program will claim their degrees, led by All-American and three-time Academic All-Big Ten I-back Ameer Abdullah and All-Big Ten wide receiver Kenny Bell. Other Huskers who will receive their degrees before heading to the Holiday Bowl are Joey Felici, Derek Foster, Josh Mitchell, Mike Moudy, Mark Pelini, Trevor Roach, Jamal Turner, Austin Williams. Former Husker Tyler Wullenwaber rounds out the football team’s graduating class.

A strong group of 13 Nebraska track and field student-athletes filled the list of December graduates, led by 2014 NCAA champion Miles Ukaoma. The All-American hurdler will earn his bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations. He will be joined by Isabel Andrade, Mila Andric, Jodi-Rae Blackwood, Ellie Grooters, Mark Hilderbrand, Devandrew Johnson, Carlie Pinkelman, Patrick Raedler, Jillanna Scanlan, Jordan Stiens, Tim Thompson and Mara Weekes among the track and field graduates for Coach Gary Pepin’s teams.

Six members of the Nebraska baseball program will earn their degrees, including Christian DeLeon, Caleb Hawkins, Michael Hoppes, Tyler King, Brandon Pierce and Logan Thune.

Coach Pablo Morales’ swimming and diving program and Coach Bill Spangler’s men’s golf program each contributed three graduates, while Coach Robin Krapfl’s women’s golf team and Coach Chuck Chmelka’s men’s gymnastics team both pitched in a pair of graduates.

The Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball programs, soccer, women’s gymnastics, rifle, cross country and men’s tennis teams each added one graduate.

Nebraska’s diverse group of 46 December graduates came to Lincoln from 19 states and five foreign countries, including Barbados, Germany, Jamaica, Mexico and Serbia. The Cornhusker State was also well represented with 12 Nebraska natives among the list of graduates.

Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation, while leading the nation in the number of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (314) and NCAA Top Ten Award winners (17) across all sports.

December 2014 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (46)

• Ameer Abdullah, Football – Homewood, Ala. – History
• Isabel Andrade, Track & Field/Cross Country – Petaluma, Calif. (Elementary Education)
• Mila Andric, Track & Field – Novi Beograd, Serbia (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Kenny Bell, Football – Boulder, Colo. (Ethnic Studies)
• Tom Blackwell, Men’s Tennis – Ponte Vedra, Fla. (Communication Studies)
• Jodi-Rae Blackwood, Track & Field – St. Elizabeth, Jamaica (Psychology)
• Christian DeLeon, Baseball – Richmond, Texas (Marketing)
• Joey Felici, Football – Omaha, Neb. (Business Administration/Management)
• Derek Foster, Football – Elm Creek, Neb. (Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science)
• Ashleigh Grammar, Swimming & Diving – St. Louis, Mo. (Biological Sciences)
• Ryan Grassel, Football – Chesterton, Ind. (Economics/Political Science)
• Ellie Grooters, Track & Field – Fargo, N.D. (Speech-Language Pathologist)
• Shannon Guy, Swimming & Diving – Omaha, Neb. (Psychology)
• Caleb Hawkins, Baseball – Queen City, Texas (Management)
• Kailyn Hawkins, Women’s Gymnastics – Charlotte, N.C. (Advertising & Public Relations)
• Maritza Hayes, Soccer – O’Fallon, Mo. (Advertising & Public Relations/Psychology)
• Mark Hilderbrand, Track & Field – Gothenburg, Neb. (Agricultural Engineering)
• Michael Hoppes, Baseball – Scottsbluff, Neb. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Devandrew Johnson, Track & Field – Evanston, Ill. (History)
• Tyler King, Baseball – Republic, Mo. (Nutrition Science)
• Louis Klein, Men’s Gymnastics – Utica, Mich. (Psychology)
• Kye Kurkowski, Men’s Basketball – Grant, Neb. (Agricultural Engineering)
• Manuel Lavin, Men’s Golf – Aguascalientes, Mexico (Finance)
• Adrianna Maurer, Women’s Basketball – Shawnee Mission, Kan. (Nutrition Science/Dietetics/Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science)
• Payton Michaud, Swimming & Diving – Lincoln, Neb. (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Josh Mitchell, Football – Corona, Calif. (Communication Studies)
• Mike Moudy, Football – Castle Rock, Colo. (English)
• Steffi Neisen, Women’s Golf – New Prague, Minn. (Social Science Education)
• Mark Pelini, Football – Youngstown, Ohio (History/Mathematics)
• Brandon Pierce, Baseball – Gunter, Texas (Communication Studies)
• Carlie Pinkelman, Track & Field – Cozad, Neb. (Elementary Education)
• Patrick Raedler, Track & Field – Baiersbronn-Obertal, Germany (Biochemistry)
• Matt Record, Men’s Golf – Scottsdale, Ariz. (Sociology)
• Trevor Roach, Football – Elkhorn, Neb. (Finance/Management)
• Jillanna Scanlan, Track & Field – Plattsmouth, Neb. (Communication Studies)
• CJ Schaaf, Men’s Gymnastics – Houston, Texas (Art)
• Jordan Stiens, Track & Field – Maryville, Mo. (Communication Studies)
• Tim Thompson, Track & Field – Charlotte, N.C./Boys Town, Neb. (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Logan Thune, Baseball – Sioux Falls, S.D. (Accounting)
• Jamal Turner, Football – Arlington, Texas (Criminology & Criminal Justice)
• Miles Ukaoma, Track & Field – Maize, Kan. (Advertising & Public Relations)
• Mara Weekes, Track & Field – Bridgetown, Barbados (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Austin Williams, Football – Omaha, Neb. (Finance)
• ReAnn Wilson, Rifle – Bozeman, Mont. (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
• Katelyn Wright, Women’s Golf – Incline Village, Nev. (Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design)
• Tyler Wullenwaber, Football – Utica, Neb. (Business Administration)