News

Last Thursday evening, as the calendar flipped to May 1, our athletics staff and coaches convened in the Cougar Pavilion to celebrate the 62 student-athletes that are graduating from SIUE in 2024-25. Our inaugural Student-Athlete Graduation Ceremony provided an opportunity to celebrate both our legacy of student-athlete graduation success and the individual and collective accomplishments of the Class of 2025.

At SIUE, we are exceptionally proud of our commitment to the academic success and graduation of our student-athletes. Our student-athletes have combined for a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in 37 consecutive semesters. Since becoming a Division I institution, we have been among the nation's best at graduation success rate of student-athletes. In fact, based on the most recent metrics released by the NCAA tracking student-athlete graduation rates, SIUE currently ranks second nationally and first in Illinois among public institutions.

The Class of 2025 adds to this legacy, with 62 student-athletes earning 73 total bachelor's and master's degrees. The group brought diversity in their backgrounds and their experiences, representing 14 different states and six different countries.

They are an accomplished group of young men and women – individually and collectively, and athletically and academically.

As individual student-athletes, this group includes record breakers, champions, and future Hall of Famers. Their athletic accolades are impressive, and they are subject to change as baseball, softball, and track and field continue their strong seasons. The accomplishments include but are not limited to:

• 16 conference champions
• 4 OVC Tournament MVPs – Ignacio Abeal (MSOC), Sidney Christopher (WSOC), Nic Muench (MSOC), Ray'Sean Taylor (MBB)
• 3 OVC Athletes of the Year – Matea Diekema (WSOC), Steph Moreira (MBB), Ray'Sean Taylor (MBB)
• 15 OVC Players/Athletes of the Week
• 9 All-Conference selections 
• 1 Two-Time national wrestling qualifier – Caleb Tyus (Wrestling)

In the classroom, the numbers are even more eye-catching. The group combined for a cumulative GPA of 3.362, with 44% earning a spot on the SIUE Dean's List. Additionally, eight of the graduates earned the OVC Medal of Honor, an annual honor recognizing the student-athlete(s) who achieve the highest GPA in a Conference-sponsored sport.

There are members of this class (listed below) that will pursue professional careers playing their respective sport. Others are headed to postgraduate schools to continue their education. Others are ready to begin their careers and their first full-time job. A few others have eligibility and will continue to compete as college athletes.

We invited this exceptional group to stay engaged with SIUE – by staying in touch, by coming back to see us, by giving back to their alma mater, and most importantly, by staying engaged with each other.

Please join me in wishing them our best and thanking them for all that they have given us in and out of competition during their time as Cougars. 

Once A Cougar, Always A Cougar!

Andrew

SIUE Graduating Student-Athletes

FALL 2024

Men's Soccer:

Nacho Abeal, Business Administration Management 

Jacob Bilyeu, Master of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology 

Pavel Dashin, Masters of Business Administration 

Nic Muench, Business Administration Management 

Women's Soccer:

Sidney Christopher, Business Administration Management 

Baseball:

Kyle Ratliff, Integrative Studies 

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Sade Oladipupo, Speech and Language Pathology 

Women's Volleyball: 

Gabi Andrade, Masters of Public Administration 

Sydney Hummert, Psychology 

Ainsley Ranstead, Business Administration Finance 

Women's Basketball:

Sophie Lowis, Exercise Science 

Molly Sheehan, Psychology 

SPRING 2025 

Men's Soccer:

Jacobo Sanfeliu, Business Administration Management 

Stephan Moreira, Business Administration Management 

Softball:

Piper Montgomery, Exercise Science 

Lauryn Yslava, Accountancy 

Danielle Shuey, Exercise Science 

Kaylynn Salyars, Sociology 

Madison Kearns, Psychology 

Wrestling:

Caine Tyus, Exercise Science 

Caleb Tyus, Exercise Science 

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Courtney Anthonies, Exercise Science 

Sheena Cumberbatch, Environmental Science Toxicology 

Allison Sanders, Pharmeceutical Chemistry 

Gabby Yaccino, Applied Communication Studies 

Jazmyn Zurita, Computer Science 

Men's Cross Country/ Track & Field: 

Taylor Lehman, Business Administration Management 

Women's Soccer:

Savannah DeFini, Business Administration Management 

Matea Diekema, Masters of Business Administration & Masters of Public Health 

Mary Fetter, Business Administration Marketing 

Kasey Neidhart, Construction Management 

Kaitlyn Nichols, Integrative Biology 

Baseball: 

Kyle Athmer, Civil Engineering 

Tyler Davis, Business Administration 

Liam McKillop, Applied Communication Studies 

Gabe Nutter, Business Administration Marketing 

Alex Rodriguez, Integrative Studies 

John Stallcup, Masters of Business Administration Management 

Golf: 

Alex Eickhoff, Exercise Science 

Women's Volleyball:

Corinna Jones, Integrative Studies 

Kyndia Smith, Accountancy 

Women's Basketball:

KK Rodriguez, Masters of Business Administration Management 

Halle Smith, Applied Communication Studies 

Men's Basketball:

Eddie Tirado, Integrative Studies 

Declan Dillion, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Physical Education and Coaching Pedagogy 

Des Polk, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology 

Ray Taylor, Masters of Science in Kinesiology - Exercise and Sport Psychology 

Cheer and Dance:

Kendyll Chigi, Civil Engineering 

Mackenzie Conrad, Accountancy 

Ava Oetjen, Elementary Education 

Ella Stump, Business Administration Marketing 

SUMMER 2025 

Wrestling:

Deron Pulliam, Criminal Justice Studies 

Men's Track & Field: 

Chase Burston, Mass Communications 

Baseball: 

Lane Crowden, Integrative Studies 

Gage Franck, Business Administration 

Matthew Gist, Business Administration 

Josh Heyder, Criminal Justice Studies 

Duncan McLaughlin, Exercise Science 

Mack Mitchell, Business Administration Management 

Kyle Rossy, Exercise Science 

Women's Cross Country/ Track & Field:

Sophia Harrison, Masters of Business Administration Business Analytics 

Golf: 

Brent Reintjes, Business Administration Marketing 

Photo: Caleb Tyus