Among the more than 11,000 graduating from the University of Florida this spring are more than 40 Gator student-athletes.
Commencement Weekend for Gator Student-Athletes
Thursday, April 30, 2026 | General, Otis Hawkins Center
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Among the more than 11,000 graduates receiving their University of Florida degrees over six days in late April and early May are more than 40 Gator student-athletes.
Spring commencement ceremonies begin Wednesday, April 29 and run through Monday, May 5.
In addition, 10 Gators finished undergraduate or graduate certificates.
Three were part of national title teams during their careers:
2017 Baseball – Michael Byrne
2023 Men's Golf – Parker Bell
2023 Men's Outdoor – Emmanuel Bamidele
Four graduates won NCAA Individual titles:
More Spring Gator Grad Notables:
Spring commencement ceremonies begin Wednesday, April 29 and run through Monday, May 5.
In addition, 10 Gators finished undergraduate or graduate certificates.
Three were part of national title teams during their careers:
2017 Baseball – Michael Byrne
2023 Men's Golf – Parker Bell
2023 Men's Outdoor – Emmanuel Bamidele
Four graduates won NCAA Individual titles:
- Emmanuel Bamidele – 2023 NCAA Outdoor 400-meters and 4x400m relay
- Micayla Cronk – 2024 NCAA 800 Freestyle Relay
- Riley McCusker – 2026 NCAA Uneven Bars
- Leanne Wong – 2024 NCAA Uneven Bars
More Spring Gator Grad Notables:
- 10 graduates earned All-America honors – Emmanuel Bamidele (track & field), Theresa Bragg (lacrosse), Michael Byrne (baseball), Micayla Cronk (swimming), Kaitlyn Davies (lacrosse), Kendra Falby (softball), Gio Linscheer (swimming), Riley McCusker (gymnastics), Gianna Monaco (lacrosse), Leanne Wong (gymnastics)
- Eric Brown (swimming) receives a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship as H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete award nominee
- Gio Linscheer (swimming) receives a $7,500 post-graduate scholarships as a Brad Davis Southeastern Conference Community Service Leader nominee
- Kendra Falby (softball) received the 2024 and 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field
- Eric Brown (2026 swimming), Xaivian Lee (2026 basketball) and Leanne Wong (2024 & 2025 gymnastics) earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors
- Kaitlyn Davies (lacrosse) earned the 2025 Big 12 conference midfielder of the year honor
- Fred Johnson (football), a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LIX champion team in 2025, finished his UF degree. He played for the Gators for the 2015-18 seasons.
- Leanne Wong (gymnastics) not only becomes a double Gator grad this weekend when she receives a master's degree, but also is UF's Health & Human Performance graduation speaker at this Sunday's ceremony. Wong was a replacement athlete for the U.S.'s 2020 and 2024 Olympic teams. She represented the U.S. on her fourth World Championship team in October 2025, winning all-around silver.
- Tori Bindi (swimming), who used a NCAA post-graduate scholarship to help her become Dr. Tori Bindi this weekend, was a UF Spring Outstanding Leader in 2020.
- 22 graduate with honors.
- Summa Cum Laude: Kaitlyn Davies (lacrosse)
- Magna Cum Laude: Riley McCusker (gymnastics
- Cum Laude: Parker Bell (golf), Cali Bishop (lacrosse), Eric Brown (swimming), Lori Brubach (gymnastics), Elisha Dees (diving), Kate Drummond (track & field), Daniel Gordon (swimming), Casey Greenberg (diving), Knijeah Harris (football), Cade Kurland (baseball), Xaivian Lee (basketball), Anna Loehle (track & field), Gianna Monaco (lacrosse), Anna Moore (swimming), Brayden Slade (football), Matt Stratton (track & field), Ava Tighe (lacrosse), Aaron Williams (football), Ashton Wilson (baseball), Carly Wilson (lacrosse
- Seven receive master's or advanced degrees this weekend – Tori Bindi (swimming), AC Fitzpatrick (volleyball), Alexa Goldberg (soccer), Daniel Gordon (swimming), Emilee Hauser (soccer), Cahron Rackley (football), Leanne Wong (gymnastics)
| 2026 University of Florida Student-Athlete Spring Graduates | ||
| Name | Sport | Degree |
| Michael Byrne | Baseball | Education Sciences |
| Cade Kurland | Baseball | Finance |
| Ashton Wilson | Baseball | Psychology |
| Hayden Yost | Baseball | Business Administration |
| Xaivian Lee | Men's Basketball | Economics |
| Tyrie Cleveland | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Knijeah Harris | Football | Education Sciences |
| Fred Johnson | Football | Family, Youth & Community Sciences |
| Cahron Rackley | Football | Masters, Sport Management |
| Brayden Slade | Football | Sport Management |
| Trey Smack | Football | Sport Management |
| Aaron Williams | Football | History |
| Quincy Wilson | Football | Sociology |
| Parker Bell | Men's Golf | Sport Management |
| Lori Brubach | Gymnastics | Sport Management |
| Riley McCusker | Gymnastics | Applied Physiology and Kinesiology |
| Leanne Wong | Gymnastics | Masters, Health Education Behavior |
| Cali Bishop | Lacrosse | Criminology |
| Theresa Bragg | Lacrosse | Economics |
| Kaitlyn Davies | Lacrosse | Advertising |
| Gianna Monaco | Lacrosse | Criminology |
| Ava Tighe | Lacrosse | Advertising |
| Carly Wilson | Lacrosse | Marketing |
| Sydney Wilson | Lacrosse | Finance |
| Jennifer Woodings | Lacrosse | Business Administration |
| Njeri Butts | Soccer | Sport Management |
| Alexa Goldberg | Soccer | Masters, Environmental Engineering Science |
| Emilee Hauser | Soccer | Masters, Public Health |
| Eric Brown | Men's Swimming | Computer Science |
| Elisha Dees | Men's Diving | Health Education & Behavior |
| Daniel Gordon | Men's Swimming | BS/MS, Mechanical Engineering (Combined) |
| Gio Linscheer | Men's Swimming | Finance |
| Tori Bindi | Women's Swimming | Doctor of Medicine |
| Chloe Bishop | Women's Diving | Psychology |
| Casey Greenberg | Women's Diving | Health Education & Behavior |
| Anna Moore | Women's Swimming | Political Science |
| Emmanuel Bamidele | Men's Track & Field | Sport Management |
| Ryan Maseman | Men's Track & Field | Finance |
| Matt Stratton | Men's Track & Field | Sport Management |
| Joseph Wester | Men's Track & Field | Journalism |
| Kate Drummond | Women's Track & Field | Tourism, Hosp & Event Mgt |
| Anna Loehle | Women's Track & Field | Applied Physiology and Kinesiology |
| Bethan Morley | Women's Track & Field | International Business |
| Emily Canaan | Volleyball | Health Education & Behavior |
| Anne "AC" Fitzpatrick | Volleyball | Masters, Applied Physiology & Kinesiology |
| Amaya Thomas | Volleyball | Biomedical Engineering |
| Certificates | ||
| Billy Barlow | Baseball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Ernesto Lugo-Canchola | Baseball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Ricky Reeth | Baseball | AI Fundamentals and Applications UG Certificate |
| Cole Stanford | Baseball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Dylan Stubbs IV | Football | Sport and Health Leaders UG Certificate |
| Paige Crowther | Lacrosse | Public Health Grad Certificate |
| Guilia Desiderio | Softball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Kendra Falby | Softball | Sport Management UG Certificate |
| Micayla Cronk | Women's Swimming | Sports & Health Leaders UG Certificate |
| Tia Wilson | Women's Track & Field | Sport Management UG Certificate |
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