MOBILE, Ala. — Twenty-eight current and former South Alabama student-athletes received undergraduate degrees Saturday at the university’s fall commencement ceremony at the Mitchell Center. The South Alabama student-athletes represented eight of the university’s sports programs.
The graduates include football players preparing for the program’s first bowl game, members of the 2013 soccer team that won the school’s first Sun Belt Conference soccer championship, and an all-conference selection from the 2013 baseball team.
Football Graduates Headed to Camellia Bowl
The football graduates will take the field one week after commencement when South Alabama meets Bowling Green on Saturday, Dec. 20, in the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl. The game is the first bowl appearance in program history.
Three of the graduates were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference teams this week. Terrell Brigham and Ucambre Williams earned second-team honors, and Melvin Meggs received honorable mention. The Jaguars went 5-3 in conference play and won six games overall this season.
Other football players who graduated and are scheduled to play in the bowl game are:
- Drew Dearman
- Brandon Bridge
- Shane Doty
- Trey Fetner
- Qudarius Ford
- Anthony Harris
- Kendall Houston
- Ridge James
- Nathan Sassaman
Running back Jay Jones also received his degree. Jones was the team’s leading rusher when he sustained a season-ending injury in October.
Soccer Champions Among Graduates
Five graduates played on the 2013 soccer team that won South Alabama’s first Sun Belt Conference championship and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. That team finished 14-6-3.
Morgan Motes and Tatum Perry each appeared in at least 20 matches as seniors in 2013. Carlaine Myers, Tina Schaar and Linsey Snavely also played on that team.
Baseball and Other Honorees
Matt Bell, a second-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2013, also graduated. The 2013 Jaguars baseball team finished 43-20 and was the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Starkville Regional.
Other all-conference honorees who completed their degrees are Tyler Agee, Meghan Dunn and Sayann Vaezzadeh.
Former student-athletes Brandon Hallford, Jennifer Johnson, Anna Lasher, Natalie Parsons, Devin Robinson and Corey Waldon also received degrees.
