Football Players Earn December Degrees
December 21, 1999 | Football
Dec. 21, 1999
LUBBOCK, Texas - Thirteen Texas Tech football players, including five starters from the 1999 team, earned their undergraduate degrees at December commencement exercises. Twenty-two more Red Raiders are expected to earn their degrees before next fall.
According to statistics released by Texas Tech Athletic Student Services, 79-percent of Red Raider football players who entered Texas Tech in 1995 are on schedule to earn a degree.
Tech quarterback Rob Peters will finish this spring with a Master of Science in Accounting and linebacker Kyle Shipley will finish requirements for a Master of Business Administration in May. Outside linebacker Keith Cockrum is on schedule to finish his work in a triple major of Finance, Economics and Management Information Systems with a perfect 4.0 grade point average this spring.
?To say we are proud of those young men is an understatement,? Athletic Director Gerald Myers said. ?Too many times we get caught up in the negative aspects of college football, but what these young men are accomplishing is positively something to be proud of.
?Steve Uryasz and his staff at Student Services don?t get enough credit for the job they do every day with not only the football players, but all Texas Tech student-athletes,? Myers said. ?Athletics is important, but we can never lose sight of what is really important and that?s taking care of business in the classroom.?
Ten of the 13 who received December degrees were active members of the 1999 football team. Three players had already exhausted their eligibility before the season just concluded.
The starters who graduated this semester were outside linebacker Reagan Bownds, defensive end Taurus Rucker, tight end Tim Winn, cornerback Oscar Solis and fullback Sammy Morris.
Rounding out the December graduating class from this year?s Red Raider team were receiver David Nichol, center Anthony Patricio, punter Brian Roberson, and defensive linemen Shane Roberts and Duane Toliver. Players who had already exhausted their eligibility were Jaret Greaser, Justin Collingsworth and Duane Price.