Meet the 60 Bobcat Student-Athlete Graduates
5/18/2010 9:21:02 AM
A total of 60 Bobcat student-athletes received their diplomas this spring during graduation ceremonies with 18 receiving honors. Honors indicates a GPA of 3.25-3.69. Highest honors is a GPA of 3.7 and above.
| Matt Atkinson-Adams | XC,MTF | Highest Honors | 3.94 |
| Nick Atwood | XC, MTF | Highest Honors | 3.9 |
| Courtney Austin | WTF | Highest Honors | 3.94 |
| Lisa Clark | WTN | Highest Honors | 3.86 |
| Ashley Kropp | WTF | Highest Honors | 3.71 |
| Amy Plummer | WTF | Highest Honors | 3.85 |
| Toni Qunell | WTF | Highest Honors | 3.75 |
| Claire Rennie | SKI | Highest Honors | 3.89 |
| Jamie Thornton | WBB | Highest Honors | 3.96 |
| Autumn Domitrovich | WTF | Honors | 3.55 |
| Morgan Dunley | WTF | Honors | 3.44 |
| Eric Fisher | FB | Honors | 3.54 |
| Nubia Garcia | WBB | Honors | 3.38 |
| Ali Griffin | WTN | Honors | 3.31 |
| Nicole Grypiuk | VB | Honors | 3.54 |
| Jeff Hansen | FB | Honors | 3.48 |
| Myles Perkins | MTN | Honors | 3.39 |
| Joe Schreibeis | FB | Honors | 3.25 |
Health and Human Development majors Eric Fisher and Allison Jones were honored in the top ten Oustanding Graduating Seniors.
Below is a list of graduates by sport. Those who graduated but did not compete in 2009-10 are listed in each sport as well.
Meet our 2010 Graduates:
Track and Field/Cross Country
Matt Atkinson-Adams:
Matt graduated with highest honors in Environmental Science and was a President's List honoree every semester while at MSU. He was also a multiple Big Sky Conference All-Academic selection. Adams was an all-conference selection in outdoor track and field in the men's steeple chase and a top five finisher in the men's 5000. He ran in the top five consistently in men's cross country.
Nick Atwood:
Nick will continue to compete in track and field and cross country for one more year as a graduate student. His undergrad degree is in Earth Sciences. Atwood is a multiple all-conference selection in track and field and cross country, and also is a multiple Big Sky Conference All-Academic selection.
Dustin Cichosz:
Dustin graduated with a degree in English. He is a multiple Big Sky Conference All-Academic selection. In addition, he was the 2010 BSC indoor men's triple jump champ and an all-conference in the outdoor event as a senior.
Casey Clausen:
Casey graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies and Environmental Studies. He was an all-conference performer in the men's indoor shot as a senior and both outdoor and indoor as a junior in the same event.
Graydon Curry:
Graydon graduated with a degree in history with a goal of teaching. He was a President's List honoree and a multiple BSC All-Academic selection. He was a Big Sky Conference Championship participant in track and cross country.
Pat Eckerson:
Pat graduated with a degree in English and a goal of teaching. He was an all-conference performer in the men's weight throw and outdoor hammer, and was a multiple BSC All-Academic performer.
Scott Peterson:
Scott graduated with a degree in Construction Engineering Technology. He was a multiple participant in the Big Sky Conference Championships in the hurdle events.
Courtney Austin:
Courtney graduated with highest honors GPA in Elementary Education and was a President's List honoree. She is a multiple BSC All-Academic selection, and was also a multiple participant in the Big Sky Conference Championships in track and field, specializing in the jumps.
Morgan Dunley:
Morgan graduated with onors and a degree in Business Marketing. She is a letter winner in cross country and track and field and was a multiple BSC All-Academic selection.
Allison Jones:
Allison graduated with high honors in Health & Human Development. She is a multiple all-conference Big Sky Conference performer in indoor and outdoor track and field in the throws, and also a multiple BSC All-Academic selection. She has coordinated Little Bobcat Track and Field, a free weekly clinic for area youngsters, for the last three years.
Ashley Kropp:
Ashley graduated with highest honors in Business Marketing. She was a Big Sky Conference Championship participant in the jumps and a multiple BSC All-Academic selection.
Graduates who did not compete in 2009-10:
Dustin Degan (Business/Javelin) , Autumn Domitrovich (Elementary Education/Sprints), Toni Qunell (Elementary Education/Sprints)
Spirit Squad:
Kelsey Edinger:
Kelsey graduated with a degree in Exercise Science. She was a four-year Spirit Squad member and a captain her senior year.
Erica Killham:
Erica was a four-year member of the Cat Dancers and was a co-captain her senior year. She graduated with a degree in English with a goal of teaching.
Jennifer Lower:
Jennifer was a co-captain of the Cat Dancers her senior year. She graduated with a degree in Global Studies.
Men's Basketball:
Will Bynum:
Will graduated with a degree in Psychology/Applied Psychology. The two-time Big Sky steals champion, he proved to be a highlight-reel-in-sneakers during his two seasons at Montana State. Bynum was a slick defender and an explosive offensive player, finishing with 112 career steals and 564 career points.
Cameron Henderson:
Cameron graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies. He gave the Bobcats a physical, inside presence during his two seasons in the MSU program. While he'll be long remembered as a player not afraid to use his fouls, his value came as a diligent rebounder and a crafty scorer around the basket.
Marquis Navarre:
Marquis graduated with a degree in Libersal Studies. He was probably the most improved player in the Big Sky Conference in 2010, averaging 10.7 points and finished among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio. Navarre shot 47% as a senior, when he finished third on the squad in scoring.
Women's Basketball
Erica Perry
During her stellar four-year career in the Blue and Gold, Perry she played in 122 games so far, which includes 120 career starts. Perry's name is listed as one of the all-time best to ever play at the point guard spot in Bobcat history. She became the 12th Bobcat to reach 1000 points. In addition, she is second all-time in steals in both MSU and Big Sky Conference history. Perry also became just one of five players to hit 400 assists in a career at MSU. Off the court, she has been the face of Bobcat women's basketball- serving with Big Brother and Big Sisters, Special Olympics and the Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter. A business major.
Jamie Thornton
A four-year letterwinner, Thornton has been the Bobcats' leader both on and off the floor. Following an early season injury, she bounced back to help MSU during their run to the Big Sky Conference championship game. Thornton served as President of the MSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee and has been the head of the women's basketball recycling program. In addition, she went to Orlando, Fla., to participate in the NCAA's National Student-Athlete Development Conference. She was one of 600 student-athletes to participate. Thornton is a four-time all-Big Sky Conference Academic honoree; a Bobcat Pride recipient; and an MSU Student of Excellence award winner. A mathematics major.
Volleyball
Taylor Faught - Two years ago she transferred from MSU Billings and assumed the starting role as Montana State's setter for two seasons. In her two short years, she placed her name among the top setters in Bobcat history. This fall, she passed Christi Ryan for seventh on MSU's all-time career assists chart with over 1,500 assists. A liberal studies major.
Nicole Grypiuk - A five-year member of the Montana State volleyball team, she was a consistent player at the outside hitting position for the Bobcats. A versatile performer, she also saw time at the middle blocking position, as well. During her tenure with Montana State, she tallied over 500 kills, 150 digs and 150 blocks. She became a four-time All-Big Sky Conference Academic selection this season. A secondary education, biological sciences and chemistry major.
Kyla Hendry - Two years ago many didn't think she would ever play again, yet she persevered to become one of the top middle blockers in the Big Sky Conference this season. She ranked among the top ten in the Big Sky in blocks and hitting percentage, and became a two-time All-Big Sky Academic honoree. She posted over 150 total blocks in her career. An animal science-science option and secondary education major.
Women's Tennis
Ali Griffin – A four-year letterwinner, Griffin earned All Big Sky Conference honorable mention honors, after leading the Bobcats at the No. 1 singles position. She recorded seven wins in singles action and combined for six doubles win as MSU advance to the Big Sky Conference tournament semifinals. A business major.
Skiing:
Amy Lattimer – A four-year letterwinner, Lattimer competed in the 2010 NCAA Skiing Championships, placing 26th in slalom and 28th in giant slalom. She recorded a season-best 13th place show in the slalom at the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association/NCAA Western Regional championship. A health and human development major.
Carmel McElroy – A four-year letterwinner and a National Ski Coaches Association All-Academic honoree, she had five top 30 finishes on the 2010 ski circuit, including a season-best 24th place showing in the giant slalom in the first qualifier of the season. A pre physical therapy major.
Alex van Roon – A four-year letterwinner, van Roon notched five top 30 finishes this season, including a winter best 21st place showing in the slalom at the RMISA/NCAA Western Region championship. A business major.
Graduates who did not compete in 2009-10:
Anders Folleraas, Gina Gassman, Andre Hokholt, Sonja Jennings, Gunnar Kristiansen, Ali Phillips, Claire Rennie
Football:
Ryan Cerise
Ryan graduated with degrees in business and finance. A productive defensive lineman who battled injuries throughout his career, Ryan Cerise recorded 35 tackles during his final two seasons. He was an outstanding student, pursing two degrees at Montana State.
Eric Fisher
Capped an amazing career at Montana State by averaging 42.6 yards per punt, but much of Eric Fisher's story was written away from the football field. He was named MSU's Homecoming King in 2008, was an ASMSU Student Senator, participated in a wide range of on- and off-campus activities and organizations, and serves as the MSU Student Body President in 2010-11. A health & human development major.
Dane Fletcher
An all-time Bobcat, Dane Fletcher capped an incredible journey down 11th street from Bozeman High to Bobcat Stadium by earning All-America honors and posting stats that pushed him into the conversation as the best and most productive players in all of the Football Championship Subdivision. Fletcher became MSU's third Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in the past eight seasons, finishing his career with 51 tackles-for-loss. A business major
Derek Green
A member of MSU's regular receiver rotation during his final three seasons, Derek Green caught 46 passes in that time, including 27 as a sophomore. He matched his career high of six catches in his final game against Montana. An English major.
Jeff Hansen
Jeff Hansen was a rare player who served as a Bobcat team captain twice, earning consensus All-America honors as a senior. He started his final 33 consecutive games as an MSU offensive lineman, earning MSU's Dennis Erickson Offensive Coaches Choice Award as a senior. A mechanical engineering tech major.
Matt Harris
Matt Harris played an important role for the Bobcats during the stretch run of his senior season, filling in when injuries decimated the team's linebacker corps while continuing to excel in a special teams capacity. He led the team in tackles in two of MSU's final four games in 2009. A sociology major.
Mark Iddins
A part-time starter at quarterback during his two seasons at Montana State, Mark Iddins threw for over 1,200 yards as a senior, including 305 yards in the win over Dixie State. A history major.
Josiah Lusby
An outstanding special teams player who played as a walk-on throughout his career. Earned his degree in four years. A biological sciences major.
Aaron Mason
MSU's freshman rushing record-breaker, Aaron Mason finished his career with 1,715 career rushing yards, 11th-most in school history. He rushed for 19 touchdowns in his career. A liberal studies major.
Cory Nicol
Cory Nicol transferred to MSU from Washington, and was a dynamic playmaker when healthy during his two seasons as a Bobcat. Nicol's five interceptions in the past two seasons, compiled in just 16 games, matches Kevin Retoriano for team honors in that period. A liberal studies major.
Jeff Price
A former walk-on, Jeff Price became a linchpin of MSU's league-leading defense during his final two seasons. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Sky honors as a junior. An electrical engineering major.
Kevin Retoriano
The co-winner of MSU's Joe Tiller Defensive Coaches Choice Award last fall, Kevin Retoriano was Second Team All-Big Sky at cornerback as a senior and First Team All-Big Sky at safety as a junior. He earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors once in 2008. He was voted the Most Inspirational Athlete of 2009-10 by Bobcat Athletics. a sociology major.
Joe Schreibeis
A talented tight end who served as a team captain in 2009 and earned the team's Don Hass Most Inspirational Player award. He earned Academic All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-Big Sky honors as a senior. Schreibeis caught 32 passes in his final two seasons. A civil engineering major.
Graduates who did not compete in 2009-10: Arnold Briggs, Ramon Lewis, Jeff Price, Mike McCracken, Chase Gazzerro, Jesse Anderson, Anthony Patterson, David Siataga
Men's Tennis (bios coming)
Myles Perkins
Cory Smith
Joseph Staszcuk
