UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Twenty-four Penn State student-athletes are scheduled to graduate during Commencement exercises Saturday on the University Park campus.
Student-athletes representing 12 different Penn State squads are on the approved to graduate list, including seven members of the football team and three members of the women’s lacrosse team.
Lauren Alloway (field hockey), Dennis Del Valle (men’s volleyball), Maggie Dunbar and Jen Steadman (women’s lacrosse), Bobby Jacobs (baseball) and Katie Kabbes (women’s volleyball) are among the student-athletes scheduled to graduate this weekend.
All-America defensive tackle Devon Still is among the seven football student-athletes scheduled to receive their diplomas on Saturday. Tackle Chima Okoli will receive his second undergraduate degree. Tailback Stephfon Green, defensive end Pete Massaro, linebacker Michael Mauti, wide receiver Derek Moye and kick snapper Jon Rohrbaugh also are approved to graduate.
A total of 15 squad members will have graduated prior to the Jan. 2 Ticket City Bowl vs. No. 19 Houston in Dallas. Massaro and Mauti are graduating in 3 ½ years and will be fifth-year seniors in 2012.
Penn State student-athletes continue to graduate well above their peers nationwide, earning consistently outstanding academic performances.
– A total of 68 Penn State student-athletes from seven fall sports earned 2011 Academic All-Big Ten accolades;
– The NCAA’s annual study of institutions nationwide revealed in October, 2011 that Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 88 percent compared to a 80 percent average for all Division I institutions for students entering from 2001-02 through 2004-05;
– The NCAA data also showed the four-year federal graduation rate average for Penn State student-athletes was 79 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 64 percent, and second to Northwestern (88) among Big Ten Conference institutions.