Nov. 21, 2011

RUSTON - Fifteen Louisiana Tech student-athletes participated in fall commencement exercises Saturday at the Thomas Assembly Center as they received their diplomas from University President Dan Reneau.

The graduates represented six separate athletic programs at Louisiana Tech. Earning their diplomas during the commencement exercise were Cody Blankenship (golf), Kris Cavitt (football), Heather Doiron (softball), DeMarcion Evans (football), Justin Goodman (football), Kendra Harmon (softball), Ray Holley (football), Adam Hymel (football), Taulib Ikharo (football), Jesseka Jones (women's track and field), Rob McGill (football), Ahmad Paige (football), Kassia Pinto (volleyball), Clinton Shepard (golf) and Justin Terry (men's track and field).

Louisiana Tech's student-athletes continue to shine in the classroom. In the most recent Federal Graduation Rate Report released this fall, Tech's student-athletes recorded a four-year graduation success rate of 72 percent which ranks as the second highest in the state among Division I football-playing public institutions and among the best in the nation.

LA Tech's graduation success rate - which is two percentage points better than last year's previous record-high of 70 - easily outdistances the state average of 66 percent among the other nine Division I football-playing public institutions in the state of Louisiana.

Tech also recorded the second highest federal graduation rate of any state school at 56 percent, trailing only Tulane.

Louisiana Tech also saw eight of its 16 NCAA sanctioned programs record their highest multi-year APR rates ever while four of the programs registered their highest single year APR score ever. Three of the programs also earned a perfect 1,000 score on the single year rate.

All 16 of Louisiana Tech's NCAA sanctioned programs will be penalty free in 2011-12.