Student-athlete graduates honored at annual banquet

PROVO, Utah – The BYU Student Athlete Life and Learning Center hosted its annual Student-Athlete Graduation Banquet on Wednesday in the Hinckley Center Assembly Hall, recognizing 87 graduating athletes for academic achievement.

Coaches and family joined the BYU administration in recognizing athletes for their accomplishments in the classroom.

Trevor Wilson, director of the Student Athlete Life and Learning Center, opened by discussing the BYU mission statement and how it impacted the education and experience of the graduates.

“The BYU mission statement says ‘BYU should provide a period of intensive learning in a stimulating setting’ and ‘All instruction, including extracurricular experiences, should make their own contribution toward the balanced development of the total person.’ The unique experience about BYU is that these student-athletes really did have an intensive, learning experience and then when you add the component of athletics to that, they really did receive a balanced education. Everyone one these young men and young women are leaving BYU as a better person. What a blessing it’s been for us to be a part of their lives.” 

Three students then performed a musical number, ‘You can believe in Christ,’ accompanied by graduating senior Butch Pau’u on the piano.

Following the musical performance, graduating seniors Caitlyn Alldredge (women’s basketball and softball), Preston Jenkins (men’s swim and dive), Christina Hedgepeth (women’s track and field) and Alani Fua (football) spoke as part of the program. 

“I quickly realized that my one chance to do something great wasn’t just in my accomplishments on the softball field or the basketball court,” Alldredge said. “My chance to do something great was in coming to BYU and giving everything I had physically and mentally so that BYU could give me all the experiences it had to offer in return. All of the things that BYU gave me are what made my career great.”

“Since stepping on campus I’ve had countless amazing experiences,” Jenkins said. “I’ve been introduced to so many incredible people who work hard, who are genuine and my life has been changed. It speaks to me – the level of commitment to the student-athletes and to all the students – how much effort and time is put into every single individual. I’m leaving here ready to go forth and serve.”

“As I reflect on my doubtful self, the greatness that sits within me is undeniable.” Hedgepeth said. “So, I have to ask myself, ‘if you know what you’re capable of, why don’t you just enter into greatness?’ Self-doubt is fear, fear that we are inadequate. This fear is irrational because the potential to do amazing things is in all of us. During my journey hear at BYU, I have doubted myself countless times, but I have been growing, growing into the fulness of self-confidence.”

“In Bronco Mendenhall’s world we were expected to give 110 percent effort,” Fua said. “Every day I would strap on my cleats and I would give my 100 percent. I didn’t realize what it meant to give 110 percent until I struggled to pass a conditioning test. Once I finally passed, I learned that the extra 10 percent is not running any faster than you can. The extra 10 percent is the preparation, getting your mind right and doing those things physically and mentally that you need to do to succeed.”

After the student-athlete speakers, the academic advisors presented the graduation awards. Tom Holmoe, BYU director of athletics, gave the closing remarks.

“There’s a lot of gratitude owed to the student-athletes,” Holmoe said. “I’m so grateful for your heart. It takes so much heart to be successful at a university like BYU. I’m so proud of you. I just want to tell you tonight that as you leave from here, this is not the height of what you will accomplish in your life. All of you have the capacity and the potential to accomplish such great things.”

Below is a list of graduates by sport:

Baseball: Riley Gates, Blake Inouye, Keaton Kringlen

Men’s Basketball: McKay Cannon, Jahshire Hardnett, Luke Worthington

Women’s Basketball: Caitlyn Alldredge, MaCayla Longson, Jasmine Moody

Football: Rhett Almond, Isaiah Armstrong, Riley Burt, Squally Canada, Akile Davis, Trey Dye, Brayden El-Bakri, Matt Foley, Alani Fua, Trevion Greene, Matt Hadley, Mitch Harris, Beau Hoge, Tristen Hoge, Austin Hoyt, Jacob Jimenez, Corbin Kaufusi, Uona Kaveinga, Ului Lapuaho, Hiva Lee, Tanner Mangum, Andrew Mikkelsen, Butch Pau'u, Riggs Powell, Sawyer Powell, Adam Pulsipher (MPA), Nate Sampson, Rhett Sandlin, Micah Simon, Michael Shelton

Gymnastics: Jill Linkletter, Natasha Marsh

Soccer: Madie Gates

Softball: Caitlyn Alldredge, Briielle Breland, Madison Merrell

Men’s Swimming and Diving: Matt Denkers, Preston Jenkins, Ryan Krause, Cameron Lindsay, Nathan Rogers, Payton Sorenson

Women’s Swimming and Diving: Natalie Bennion, Vanessa Moffatt, Emily To'o, Ellie Brinton

Men’s Tennis: Sean Hill, John Pearce

Women’s Tennis: Mayci Jones 

Men’s Track and Field: Danny Carney, Dennis Christensen, Marcus Dickson, Kraymer Eppich, Dallin Farnsworth, Jacob Foutz, Trevor Fuhriman, Jefferson Jarvis, Rory Linkletter, Connor McMillan, Scott Mecham, Connor Ross, Clayton Young

Women’s Track and Field: Kristi Briggs, Kaitlyn Burrup, Madeline Cannon, Elyse Cuthbertson, Madelyn Dickson, Christina Hedgepeth, Shyandrea Jackson, Brenna Porter

Men’s Volleyball: Taylor Richards 

Women’s Volleyball: Lyndie Eppich, Madeline Graham, Lacy Haddock, Roni Jones-Perry, Sydnie Martindale, Danelle Stetler