BATON ROUGE — All-American women’s basketball standout Marie Ferdinand, men’s basketball co-captain Brian Beshara, former All-American men’s tennis player Michal Chmela and former softball All-American Ashlee Ducote are among 43 LSU student-athletes that will participate in the spring commencement exercises at the Maravich Assembly Center and other venues on the LSU campus.
Ferdinand was recently the eighth overall selection in the WNBA draft by the Utah Starzz and helped the Lady Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in each of her four seasons in an LSU uniform. Ferdinand will receive an Education degree in kinesiology.
Beshara was a three-year starter for the LSU men’s basketball team and served as co-captain for the 2000-01 season. Beshara was the starting small forward during the 1999-2000 season when the Tigers won the Southeastern Conference regular season title and ultimately advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Beshara will receive his Business degree in finance.
Chmela was the 1998 SEC Player of the Year in his sophomore season after helping the Tigers to the SEC Championship and later the Final Four. In 1999, he helped the Tigers make a return visit the Final Four, once again helping LSU to the conference crown. Chemla will receive a Business degree in marketing.
Ducote was an All-American in 1999 and 2000 and helped the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in each of her final three seasons. The former third baseman will graduate with an Education degree in kinesiology as well.
Three current members of the LSU football team will walk on Friday morning, as starting defensive tackle Muskingum Barnes will receive a Business degree in management information systems, while tight end Joe Domingeaux and defensive end Charles Thomas will graduation with an Education degrees in kinesiology.
A pair student athletes will graduate summa cum laude, while two will graduate cum laude. Former gymnast Jenny Conrad and current LSU women’s golfer Lesley McClurg will graduate summa cum laude, while McClurg’s teammate Katy Harris and former soccer player Bryna Warnock will graduate cum laude.
Other notable graduates include former baseball standout Trey McClure and former All-SEC women’s volleyball player Kelly Thompson.
A complete list of LSU Student-Athletes Graduating at the 2001 spring commencement exercises:
Agriculture
Kelly Thompson, volleyball (family and consumer science)
Arts & Sciences
Jennifer Conrad, gymnastics (mathematics); Tricia Corbello, gymnastics (mathematics); Bridget Cusack, track and field (psychology); Carly Farrell, swimming (psychology); Mike Golbioski, track and field (history); Kristen Gutierrez, track and field (communications disorders); Chirs Hill, football (general studies); Jean Joplin, swimming (general studies); Trey McClure, baseball (general studies); Lauren O’Connor, volleyball (communications disorders); Neal Satterly, swimming (English); Bryan Scott, football (general studies); Oliver Smith, football (political science); Allison Wiener, basketball (political science).
Basic Sciences
Frank Ensley, track and field (biochemistry); Kelli Klein, swimming (zoology); Neal Satterly, swimming (microbiology); Miriam Tyndall, track and field (zoology).
Business
Muskingum Barnes, football (management information systems); Brian Beshara, basketball (finance); Michal Chmela, tennis (marketing); William Dressler, golf (general business); Nicole Driscoll, track and field (accounting); Paul Gardner, track and field (finance); Katy Harris, golf (management information systems); Jill Lytle, volleyball (general business); Kathleen McBride, swimming (management information systems); Tommy Starkweather, swimming (management information systems).
Design
Katie Thomas, soccer (landscape architecture)
Education
Christy Carr, volleyball (kinesiology); John Compton, football (kinesiology); Joe Domingeaux, football (kinesiology); Ashlee Ducote, softball (kinesiology); Marie Ferdinand, basketball (kinesiology); Sarah Gilbert, soccer (elementary education); Stephanie Hyett, gymnastics (kinesiology); Melissa Knox, swimming (kinesilogy); Charles Thomas, football (kinesiology); Kim Traina, softball (kinesiology); David Waddleton, track and field (kinesiology); Bryna Warnock, soccer (kinesiology).
Engineering
Roger Williams, football (electrical engineering).
Mass Communication
Lesley McClurg, golf (advertising).