MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nineteen West Virginia University student-athletes will graduate with undergraduate or graduate degrees when the University holds its winter commencement ceremony on Friday, December 16, at 1:30 p.m., inside the WVU Coliseum.
“I want to congratulate all the graduates and thank them for their contributions to West Virginia athletics,” Director of Athletics Shane Lyons said. “This is a special time for families and especially our student-athletes. They have gone through all the hard work it takes to be a student-athlete on the highest level, and today is a well-earned accomplishment.”
The student-athletes and their families gathered for a luncheon with coaches and athletic department staff late Friday morning prior to commencement. There, they were presented with their WVU student-athlete stoles.
Among the graduates is Carly Black (exercise physiology), a defender and team captain for the National Runner-Up women’s soccer team.
“West Virginia University has offered me everything I need to go out into the world and be successful,” Black said. “I’m so fortunate to have earned my degree from the top-notch exercise physiology department and worked with the dedicated people of West Virginia. I also am excited to join one of the best alumni networks in the nation. Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer!”
Men’s soccer midfielder Griffin Libhart (marketing) echoed Black’s thoughts.
“I’m going to miss this University and certainly the WVU soccer family,” he said. “I am proud, honored and fortunate to have represented this University as a student-athlete. Pulling a WVU jersey over my head was an unbelievable feeling. I will be forever grateful to (coach) Marlon LeBlanc and the coaching staff for that opportunity. I want to give thanks to my family, and most especially my dad for all the support. I would not have achieved success without him. While I’m excited for what the future has in store for me, I am definitely saddened to say goodbye to such a great institution. Thank you, West Virginia!”
Below is a list of the graduating Mountaineers, as well as a few of their career accomplishments.
Justin Arndt - Football
Exercise Physiology
Four-Year Letterman
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
Carly Black – Women’s Soccer
Exercise Physiology
Four-Year Letterwinner
2016 Team Captain and led Mountaineers to NCAA College Cup Final
Two-Time CoSIDA Academic All-America
Three-Time Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Kyle Bosch – Football
Communication Studies
Two-Year Letterman
2016 All-Big 12
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
Christian Brown – Football
Regents Bachelor of Arts
Four-Year Letterman
Three-Year Starter
Ivo Cabral - Men's Soccer
Industrial Engineering
Hodari Christian II – Football
Multidisciplinary Studies
2016 Letterman
Antonio Crawford – Football
Sociology & Anthropology
2016 Letterman
2016 Starter
Shelton Gibson – Football
Multidisciplinary Studies
Three-Year letterman
2016 All-Big 12
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
Brittany James – Rowing
Sport & Exercise Psychology
Four-Year Letterwinner
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Griffin Libhart – Men’s Soccer
Marketing
Three-Year Letterman
2014 Academic All-MAC
2014 Academic All-Big 12 At-Large Frist Team
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll, Dean’s List
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Grant Lingafelter – Football
Business
Two-Year Letterman
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
Academic All-Big 12
Devonte Mathis – Football
Criminology
Three-year Letterman
Jamie Merriam – Men’s Soccer
Biometric Systems
Four-Year Letterman
2015 Senior CLASS Award Finalist
2014 All-MAC First Team
2014 NSCAA Scholar All-East Region Second Team
2014 MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
2014 Academic All-MAC Team
Academic All-Big 12 At-Large First Team
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll, Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Noble Nwachukwu – Football
Multidisciplinary Studies
Four-Year Letterman
2015 All-Big 12 Second Team (Associated Press)
Four-year letterman
Adam Pankey – Football
Multidisciplinary Studies
Four-Year Letterman
2016 All-Big 12
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
Easton Renwick - Golf
International Studies
Rushel Shell III – Football
Sociology & Anthropology
Three-Year Letterman
Ranked Among Big 12 Rushing Leaders For Three Years
Garrett Spurgeon – Rifle
Accounting
Four-Year Letterman
Led WVU To Four Straight NCAA Championships
11-Time All-American
2016 Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Shooter and Senior of the Year
Stone Underwood – Football
2015 Letterman
Integrated Marketing Communications
Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
