Athletics

Record 114 Penn State student-athletes approved to graduate this weekend

Credit: Penn State AthleticsAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A school-record 114 Penn State student-athletes are scheduled to graduate during commencement exercises this weekend (May 5-7) on the University Park campus. Nittany Lion students from 30 programs have been approved to receive their diplomas.

The 114 Lions on the approved-to-graduate list breaks the previous mark of 109, set during the 2013 spring semester and tied last year. Including the 2016 fall semester, a total of 142 student-athletes have earned their diplomas thus far in 2016-17, with additional graduates in August.

Thanks to the efforts of the student-athletes, the Morgan Academic Center staff, faculty, coaches and staff, the 142 Nittany Lion graduates through the spring semester are pacing ahead of the totals from the past two years. In 2015-16, 140 Nittany Lion students had graduated by May, and two years ago the total was 128 through the spring semester.

A total of 17 Penn State student-athletes who have helped lead teams to NCAA championships since 2013-14 are listed among those approved to graduate, including members of the men’s and women’s fencing, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and wrestling teams.

Five Penn State teams have seven students on the approved-to-graduate list: baseball, football, men’s lacrosse, women’s swimming and diving, and women’s track and field. Six members of the women’s lacrosse and men’s track and field teams are scheduled to receive their diplomas, as are five members of the men’s gymnastics, men’s hockey, women’s hockey and women’s tennis squads.

In addition, former Penn State women’s basketball student-athlete Lisa Salters is giving the commencement address at Saturday’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications ceremony. Salters is an award-winning reporter with ESPN and was on the sidelines for Thursday night’s NBA playoff game hosted by the Golden State Warriors.

Graduation ceremonies for all Penn State students will take place this weekend, May 5-7, at The Bryce Jordan Center, Eisenhower Auditorium and Pegula Ice Arena. For a full schedule of this spring’s graduation ceremonies, go to www.commencement.psu.edu/spring.html.

Last Updated May 8, 2017