SAN FRANCISCO – Providing the final punctuation on the 2014-15 academic year, Academy of Art University had its largest collection of artist-athletes complete their collegiate careers at last week's commencement ceremonies held at the Cow Palace. A total of 43 Urban Knights graced the stage, receiving their respective degrees from the only art school in the NCAA.

"Graduation is special every single year because the artist-athletes finished their journey in the field that they love and will be pursuing as a professional," said director of athletics Colin Preston. "This year, however, was extra special because of the amount of artist-athletes who finished at the top of their class and were showcased in the Spring Show. I can't wait to see these individuals blossom in their careers and am even more excited to see the next class come through!"

Men's soccer led the way with 11 graduates, baseball followed with six, women's soccer had five, and there were four apiece from women's basketball and volleyball. Women's tennis, track & field/cross country, and women's golf each had three representatives to go with a pair from men's basketball.

There were six Multimedia Communications majors, five graduates from the School of Fashion, and quartets from Graphic Design, Game Development, Animation & Visual Effects, and Web Design & New Media. A trio of trios came from Interior Architecture & Design, Photography, and Illustration while pairs from Acting and Motion Pictures & Television combined with solo individuals from Architecture, Advertising, and Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media.

Two former women's cross country runners, Jenny Bergren (Interior Architecture & Design) and Zoë Meyers (Photography), earned their Master's degrees in the Thursday evening ceremony to start things off. Both were guiding forces for 2012 ART U squad that pioneered the department's first NCAA postseason appearance. It was Bergren, that season's PacWest Runner of the Year, who became the program's first-ever NCAA All-American after finishing 15th at Nationals and later contributed to two NCAA National Championships in track & field.

Teammate to both Bergren and Meyers and a pioneer himself, Temarius Walker was among those receiving their undergraduate degrees from the School of Illustration. Walker was one of the program's first two male cross country runners to reach NCAA Regionals in 2013.

From baseball, it was a pitcher-heavy graduating class that included Aaron Garabedian (Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media), Samm McAlear (Graphic Design) as well as seniors from this past year in Nate Gercken (Multimedia Communications) and Nick Giotta (Web Design & New Media). Outfielder Michael Reyes (Animation & Visual Effects) along with decorated infielder Zach Babitt (Multimedia Communications) both walked the stage as well. In the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Babitt added to his 2011 All-PacWest First Team honor by being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round, making him the department's first athlete ever to be selected by a professional sports organization.

Softball celebrated two of its most consistent athletes to date in Andrea Hanchey (Fashion Design) Elyse Cordova (Acting). Over the course of their careers, that tandem combined to play in a grand total of 388 games, starting all but two. Hanchey still holds the program's career walks record while Cordova maintains her hold on career total bases, hits, and runs scored.

A little beyond a year removed from their Senior Day game in which they combined to score 20 points, both Rodrigo Maza (Multimedia Communications) and Garland Vinson (Animation & Visual Effects) represented men's basketball in the ceremony last Friday. A quartet from women's basketball were among the attendees including Alisa Griggs (Illustration), Amanda Encelan (Acting), Nicol Biesek (Photography), and Madeline Martin (Fashion Merchandising). Those four athletes were all contributing members of the Urban Knights' first Pacific West Conference Championship Tournament team who reached the NCAA postseason in 2013.

Women's tennis had two standouts from the School of Interior Architecture & Design, Daniela Amelunge Antelo and Courtney DeWalt, among the honorees while Jenny Johansson (Fashion Design) went out as the program's all-time winningest player at both singles and doubles. Johansson finished her career in style this past season, helping lead ART U to its best PacWest Championship Tournament finish to date after a thrilling victory over Hawaii Pacific and the department's first time ever hosting NCAA Regionals.

There were four individuals receiving their diplomas from the volleyball program including Meg Williams (Photography), Kanoe Irvine (Graphic Design), as well as both Midori Le and Caitlin Boring from the School of Animation & Visual Effects). An accomplished group of Urban Knights, Williams has already enjoyed a fruitful career photographing professional sports teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Irvine set multiple program digs records this past year after spending a summer interning with NFL Network, and Boring was contributing member of the Athletics' fifth year design team that handled the 2014-15 marketing posters.

"The whole college experience has been like approaching a new project," said Boring. "You have an idea of what you want the end product to be, but you don't really know how it will really turn out in the end. You don't really know what you're doing in the process, but the missteps and corrections lead up to more knowledge and confidence going into the next project."

Representing women's soccer was Hannah Emmett (Illustration), Beth Barker (Game Development), Rebecca Mandell (Fashion), Jacquie Wallace (Graphic Design), and most recent senior Sophie Meneses (Motion Pictures & Television). Both Emmett and Barker, 2012 All-PacWest Team Honorable Mentions, still hold places among the program's top four in points and goals scored. 

From the men's side, the graduates included Miquel Amezquita (Web Design & New Media), Luis Barrera (Web Design & New Media), Leonardo Bartelle (Advertising), Jacob Baumann (Game Development), Brazer Bozlak (Architecture), Sylvester Gyan (Multimedia Communications), Tyler Radcliffe (Game Development), and Garret Spenst (Game Development). Contributors to a strong midfield on the Urban Knights' team this past year, Carlos Hernandez (Multimedia Communications) and team co-captain Thorvaldur "Thobbi" Sveinsson (Web Design & New Media), both received their diploma as well, adding to a class that saw graduates spanning all seven seasons of Academy of Art men's soccer.

"I moved to San Francisco four years ago, not knowing what to expect at all, both from academic and soccer standpoint," said Sveinsson. "I admit I was a little stressed if I was taking the right decision, but today I don't see how I could be happier. I've gained so much life experience by living here, studying at one of the best art schools in the world, and I've learned so many skills in my field. World-class teachers have made it possible for me to go out in the real world and be able to compete for some seriously cool jobs that a guy from Iceland could only have dreamed of. To get all this, and at the same time have the opportunity to play soccer at a very competitive level with some great players and coaches, has been amazing. Not only on the field, but outside it, I have made some lifelong relationships with so many amazing people."

Fellow team co-captain Brady Fiero (Motion Pictures & Television) was also among the large group of men's soccer artist-athletes to finish. Recipient of the inaugural Dr. Jamie Williams Male Servant Leadership Award at this year's ARTYs celebration, Fiero comes off a four-plus-year career in which he was recognized for embracing his responsibility to serve as a positive role model for others in all aspects of life.

"It was a great feeling to be there with all my other fellow Knights," said Fiero. "It was a proud moment not only for my family, but I'm sure for my coaches and staff that helped me through the whole journey. It's been a great four and a half years. I'm sad to leave, but happy for what the future holds. Thanks Urban Knights!"

Sierra Sanchez, recipient of the Meghan Bushnell Female Servant Leadership Award at the ARTYs and standout in the School of Multimedia Communications, also walked across the stage, graduating with a highly accomplished trio of women's golfers including 2014 All-PacWest Second Team selections Mariana Pazos (Fashion Merchandising) and Melissa Genao (Graphic Design). Pazos had the honor of being featured on the runway in this spring's Undergraduate Fashion Show and Genao was selected as the Fifth Year of the Year at the ARTYs after her dedicated work on Athletics' marketing posters and numerous other responsibilities.

With its graduating classes growing every year, Academy of Art University Athletics continues to place emphasis on value of academics and the opportunity for post-graduate artist-athletes in their respective industries.