CHICAGO – Earlier this month, eleven University of Illinois Chicago student-athletes from seven different sport programs graduated upon completing the fall semester during ceremonies held on Dec. 10-11 at Credit Union 1 Arena.

The fall class of 2021, and newest UIC alumni, are:
 

Sport	Name	UIC College	Major
Men's Basketball	Michael Diggins	LAS	Psychology
Men's Soccer	Bukola Abdulwahab	LAS	Political Science
Men's Soccer	Manny Cerritos	AHS	Kinesiology – Exercise Science & Health Promotion
Men's Soccer	Jacob Graiber	CBA	M.S. Finance
Men's Soccer	Jonathan Sanchez	CBA	Finance
Men's Soccer	Nkusuwila Zulu	LAS	Earth & Environmental Science
Men's Track & Field	Chris Purdy	LAS	Integrated Health Sciences
Softball	Marley Hanlon	LAS	Teaching of English
Women's Soccer	Lena Kurz	EDU	M.Ed. Measurement Evaluation, Statistics, & Assessment
Women's Track & Field	Lexi Weltin	LAS	Biological Sciences
Volleyball	Morgan Kull	CUPPA	M.P.P. Public Policy

 
Two of the recent graduates did so with honors. Bukola Abdulwahab of the men's soccer program graduated Cum Laude from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, while mid-distance runner Lexi Weltin graduated Summa Cum Laude, also from LAS.

Another two Flames, men's soccer's Jacob Graiber and women's soccer's Lena Kurz, earned CoSIDA Academic All-America status this fall. Graiber was a First Team selection, while Kurz, also the 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award recipient, collected Second Team plaudits.

Eight of the 11 graduates competed in postseason competition with their respective teams. The five men's soccer student-athletes combined for six NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018. Softball's Marley Hanlon was a member of NCAA Regional squads in 2018 and 2021. Morgan Kull helped pilot the volleyball team to a Horizon League championship and its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth earlier this month. Michael Diggins was a member of the 2017-18 men's basketball team that finished as runners-up at the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).

For the 14^th consecutive semester, UIC student-athletes collectively registered a grade-point average above 3.0 as the 300 Flames posted a mark of 3.22 during the fall semester.

The highest GPA for a men's team belonged to head coach Hans Neufeld's tennis program with a mark of 3.7. The top female, and overall, team was head coach Shannon Tully's women's tennis squad at 3.87.

Additionally, 189 student-athletes earned a GPA of 3.0 or better; 105 earned UIC Dean's List honors with a mark of at least 3.5; and 54 Flames turned in a spotless 4.0 average.