Photo by Chandler Prude of Texas State Marketing
STAFF REPORTS
The Texas State Athletics Department awarded 13 student-athletes with a Bobcat Club Academic Ring along with maroon and gold cords to wear during graduation commencement exercises at a breakfast ceremony on Friday morning at the Sac N’ Pac room inside the End Zone Complex.
University president Denise Trauth, athletic director Larry Teis, Bobcat Club representative and former Bobcat softball player Amy Keel along with each student-athlete’s coach presented the rings and cords to four football players, four soccer players, three men’s track and field athletes, one men’s basketball player, a women’s track and field athlete and a women’s golfer.
Head football coach Dennis Franchione helped present a ring and cords to Joe Chaisson, Marcus Clark, Steven Kenney and Joshua Minde.
Head soccer coach Kat Conner helped award a ring and cords to Britney Curry, Jessica Elting, Anna Fagan and Ashley Gowda.
Head men’s basketball Doug Davalos helped give a ring and cords to Cameron Johnson, while head track and field coach Dana Boone assisted in bestowing men’s track and field athletes Collins Ekeocha, Matt Novak and Goldstein Okafor along with women’s track and field athlete Cailey Olson with their rings and cords.
In addition, women’s golfer Caitlin Bliss received a ring and cords from academic development specialist Matt Phelps.
To receive the Texas State Bobcat Club Ring, each of the student-athletes must have completed their eligibility in good standing, graduate within one year after their NCAA eligibility has been completed and earned a “T” letter from the Athletics Department.
Along with their rings, all graduating student-athletes also received a maroon and gold cord to wear at graduation. Initiated by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in December 2008, the cords serve to recognize student-athletes as a unique group on campus.
This ring and the graduation cords are dedicated to the student-athletes who have made contributions on the field of play and balanced those efforts with a commitment to achieving excellence in the classroom.
Since the inception of the program in 1986, over 900 student-athletes have received the Texas State Bobcat Club academic ring.
