Aug. 17, 2005
WACO, Texas - Baylor University conferred degrees on more than 500 graduates during summer commencement exercises on Saturday, Aug. 13, in the Ferrell Center and among those graduating were 13 student-athletes. During the 2005 academic year, 81 Baylor student-athletes walked across the commencement stage, the fourth-best total since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.
Baylor's Interim President William D. Underwood gave the traditional commencement charge to the graduates. John Wilkerson, a member of Baylor's Board of Regents, brought greetings to the graduates. Dr. C.W. Christian, professor emeritus of religion, acted as bearer of the mace.
Baylor prides itself on its student-athlete graduation rate. Since the beginning of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, Baylor has led the Big 12 in graduation rates five times and ranked second on three other occasions. According to a recent NCAA study, 88 percent of Baylor student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility and entered school from 1988-89 through 1997-98 have left with degree in hand.
The Bears' most-recent graduation rates, for the freshman class of 1997-98, is 78 percent, a school record by 4 points over the previous high of 74 percent in 2000. That figure is also 8 points higher than Baylor's general student population and 16 points better than the NCAA Division I national average of 62 percent.
According to that same study, Baylor also graduated a Big 12-best 76 percent of its male student-athletes and a league-high 82 percent of its female student-athletes. Five Baylor programs recorded 100 percent graduation rates and another five teams recorded a mark of at least 75 percent for the survey period. The Baylor football program produced a Big 12-leading 88 percent graduation rate, marking the fifth time in the league's history it has set the standard for classroom excellence.
August 2005 Graduates
Baseball (1)
Trevor Mote
Men's Basketball (1)
Maurice Callis
Football (5)
Justin Crooks
Lee Griffin
Quintin Outland
Dillon Trankina
Bryce Williams
Soccer (1)
Candace Reilly
Men's Tennis (1)
Barry McLaren
Men's Track (2)
Matt Chance
Weston Cooper
Women's Track (2)
Jessa Chance
Jasmine Opusunju
