Fifty years ago, a student-athlete named Nicholas Lou Saban, Jr. participated in graduation at Kent State University. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1973 with a major in business.
On Saturday, Saban attended graduation with 15 of his football players who are getting degrees from the University of Alabama.
A total of 34 scholarship student-athletes are receiving their UA degrees:
Sarah Ashlee Barker – Women’s Basketball
Aaliyah Nye – Women’s Basketball
James Brockermeyer - Football
Justin Eboigbe - Football
Thomas Fletcher - Football
Kyle Flood Jr. - Football
Kneeland Hibbett - Football
Thaiu Jones-Bell - Football
Jah-Maien Latham - Football
Trezmen Marshall - Football
Kool-Aid McKinstry - Football
Seth McLaughin - Football
Jalen Milroe - Football
Will Reichard - Football
Tim Smith - Football
Kristian Story - Football
Bennett Whisenhunt - Football
Canon Claycomb - Men’s Golf
Hannah Alexander - Soccer
Kate Henderson - Soccer
Felicia Knox - Soccer
Sasha Pickard - Soccer
Dylan Pixton - Soccer
Bella Scaturro Bright - Soccer
Gessica Skorka - Soccer
Jaala Torrence - Softball
Jake Marcum - Swimming
Eliud Kipsang - Men’s Track & Field, Cross Country
Matt Weaver - Men’s Track & Field
Bianca Carroccio - Women’s Track & Field
Amara Obi - Women’s Track & Field
Riley White - Women’s Track & Field
Sami Jacobs – Volleyball
Victoria Schmer - Volleyball
Notable graduates include six members of the soccer program who won the SEC in 2022 and made the Final Four.
Fifteen of the graduates are from this year’s Southeastern Conference Championship team and College Football Playoff team. Three earned Master’s degrees: Seth McLaughlin (offensive lineman), Will Reichard (kicker) and Justin Eboigbe (defensive lineman).
Thomas Fletcher, a former Crimson Tide long snapper, returned to school to finish his Master’s degree. Fletcher, a member of Alabama’s 2017 recruiting class, has two CFP National Championship rings. He was selected in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
The football players are now out of class but will return to practice as they prepare to meet the University of Michigan in the Rose Bowl on January 1 in the College Football Playoffs semi-final. The winner goes to the national championship game on January 8 in Houston to face the winner of No. 2 Washington versus No. 3 Texas.
Some excellent quotes from Saban in his book "How Good Do You Want to Be?: A Champion's Tips on How to Lead and Succeed at Work and in Life":
“No matter what your chosen profession, be prepared for opportunity and be willing to take it—your destiny may depend on it.”
“Talent is putting skills into productive use.”
“Don’t wait to see, you must decide if the battle is worth your time and effort. In your life, only you can decide what is worth going to battle for, keeping in mind what may be sacrificed in the process.”
Jim Zeigler is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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