FROM THE AD: Celebrating a Graduation Legacy and the Class of 2025

FROM THE AD: Celebrating a Graduation Legacy and the Class of 2025

May 7, 2025, 10:15 AM

Last Thursday evening, as the calendar flipped to May 1, our athletics staff and coaches convened in the Cougar Pavilion to celebrate the 62 student-athletes that are graduating from SIUE in 2024-25. Our inaugural Student-Athlete Graduation Ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate both our legacy of student-athlete graduation success and the individual and collective accomplishments of the Class of 2025.

At SIUE, we are exceptionally proud of our commitment to the academic success and graduation of our student-athletes. Our student-athletes have combined for a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in 37 consecutive semesters. Since becoming a Division I institution, we have been among the nation's best at graduation success rate of student-athletes. In fact, based on the most recent metrics released by the NCAA tracking student-athlete graduation rates, SIUE currently ranks second nationally and first in Illinois among public institutions.

The Class of 2025 adds to this legacy, with 62 student-athletes earning 73 total bachelor's and master's degrees. The group brought diversity in their backgrounds and their experiences, representing 14 different states and six different countries.

They are an accomplished group of young men and women - individually and collectively, and athletically and academically.

As individual student-athletes, this group includes record breakers, champions, and future Hall of Famers. Their athletic accolades are impressive, and they are subject to change as baseball, softball, and track and field continue their strong seasons. The accomplishments include but are not limited to:

• 16 conference champions
• 4 OVC Tournament MVPs - Ignacio Abeal (MSOC), Sidney Christopher (WSOC), Nic Muench (MSOC), Ray'Sean Taylor (MBB)
• 3 OVC Athletes of the Year - Matea Diekema (WSOC), Steph Moreira (MBB), Ray'Sean Taylor (MBB)
• 15 OVC Players/Athletes of the Week
• 9 All-Conference selections
• 1 Two-Time national wrestling qualifier - Caleb Tyus (Wrestling)

In the classroom, the numbers are even more eye-catching. The group combined for a cumulative GPA of 3.362, with 44% earning a spot on the SIUE Dean's List. Additionally, eight of the graduates earned the OVC Medal of Honor, an annual honor recognizing the student-athlete(s) who achieve the highest GPA in a Conference-sponsored sport.

There are members of this class (listed below) that will pursue professional careers playing their respective sport. Others are headed to postgraduate schools to continue their education. Others are ready to begin their careers and their first full-time job. A few others have eligibility and will continue to compete as college athletes.

We invited this exceptional group to stay engaged with SIUE - by staying in touch, by coming back to see us, by giving back to their alma mater, and most importantly, by staying engaged with each other.

Please join me in wishing them our best and thanking them for all that they have given us in and out of competition during their time as Cougars.

Once A Cougar, Always A Cougar!

Andrew

SIUE Graduating Student-Athletes

FALL 2024

Men's Soccer:

Nacho Abeal, Business Administration Management

Jacob Bilyeu, Master of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology

Pavel Dashin, Masters of Business Administration

Nic Muench, Business Administration Management

Women's Soccer:

Sidney Christopher, Business Administration Management

Baseball:

Kyle Ratliff, Integrative Studies

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Sade Oladipupo, Speech and Language Pathology

Women's Volleyball:

Gabi Andrade, Masters of Public Administration

Sydney Hummert, Psychology

Ainsley Ranstead, Business Administration Finance

Women's Basketball:

Sophie Lowis, Exercise Science

Molly Sheehan, Psychology

SPRING 2025

Men's Soccer:

Jacobo Sanfeliu, Business Administration Management

Stephan Moreira, Business Administration Management

Softball:

Piper Montgomery, Exercise Science

Lauryn Yslava, Accountancy

Danielle Shuey, Exercise Science

Kaylynn Salyars, Sociology

Madison Kearns, Psychology

Wrestling:

Caine Tyus, Exercise Science

Caleb Tyus, Exercise Science

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Courtney Anthonies, Exercise Science

Sheena Cumberbatch, Environmental Science Toxicology

Allison Sanders, Pharmeceutical Chemistry

Gabby Yaccino, Applied Communication Studies

Jazmyn Zurita, Computer Science

Men's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Taylor Lehman, Business Administration Management

Women's Soccer:

Savannah DeFini, Business Administration Management

Matea Diekema, Masters of Business Administration & Masters of Public Health

Mary Fetter, Business Administration Marketing

Kasey Neidhart, Construction Management

Kaitlyn Nichols, Integrative Biology

Baseball:

Kyle Athmer, Civil Engineering

Tyler Davis, Business Administration

Liam McKillop, Applied Communication Studies

Gabe Nutter, Business Administration Marketing

Alex Rodriguez, Integrative Studies

John Stallcup, Masters of Business Administration Management

Golf:

Alex Eickhoff, Exercise Science

Women's Volleyball:

Corinna Jones, Integrative Studies

Kyndia Smith, Accountancy

Women's Basketball:

KK Rodriguez, Masters of Business Administration Management

Halle Smith, Applied Communication Studies

Men's Basketball:

Eddie Tirado, Integrative Studies

Declan Dillion, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Physical Education and Coaching Pedagogy

Des Polk, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology

Ray Taylor, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology

Cheer and Dance:

Kendyll Chigi, Civil Engineering

Mackenzie Conrad, Accountancy

Ava Oetjen, Elementary Education

Ella Stump, Business Administration Marketing

SUMMER 2025

Wrestling:

Deron Pulliam, Criminal Justice Studies

Men's Track & Field:

Chase Burston, Mass Communications

Baseball:

Lane Crowden, Integrative Studies

Gage Franck, Business Administration

Matthew Gist, Business Administration

Josh Heyder, Criminal Justice Studies

Duncan McLaughlin, Exercise Science

Mack Mitchell, Business Administration Management

Kyle Rossy, Exercise Science

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Sophia Harrison, Masters of Business Administration Business Analytics

Golf:

Brent Reintjes, Business Administration Marketing

Photo: Caleb Tyus