Aug. 15, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - Another 11 student-athletes make the move to alums on Sunday with commencement ceremonies scheduled for two celebrations at the Cannon Center (255 North Main Street) in downtown Memphis. Graduates in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Herff College of Engineering, the Loewenberg School of Nursing, the College of Education and the Cecil C. Humphrey's School of Law will graduate in the 1 p.m. ceremonies, while graduates in Communication and Fine Arts, University College, Fogelman College of Business and the School of Audiology and Speech Language will graduate in the 4 p.m. services. The 1 p.m. ceremony is at capacity, and guests will need to have tickets.

The Tiger football team will have six graduates on Sunday. Baseball, softball, women's basketball and women's tennis will have the remaining five graduates. A complete list of graduates is below:

Philip Beliles, Football: A four-year letterwinner with the football team, Beliles started his last 26 games at center, playing in 77 percent of the Tigers' offensive plays through his last three seasons...Missed just 37 total offensive plays as a senior...Part of a line that ranked in the top 25 nationally the last four seasons in sacks allowed...Was one of three C-USA centers on the Rimington Trophy Watch List heading into his junior season...Snapped to four different quarterbacks as well as to multiple receivers and running backs throughout his career...Selected as an honorable mention All-C-USA pick in 2008...Named co-Offensive Lineman of the Year at team banquet as a senior and also received the Glenn Jones Award at the 2008 spring game...Graduating with a degree in sports management....Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS.

Tony Bell, Football: Lettered two seasons for the Tigers after transferring from Auburn...Started the final six games of the 2007 season at safety...Logged 54 total tackles for his career, along with 4.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions for 12 return yards...Graduating with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in adult education and business...Alabaster, Ala./Thompson HS/Auburn University.

Kristin Chamberlain, Women's Tennis: The daughter of former Memphis men's tennis head coach Phil Chamberlain arrived at the U of M after spending her first two collegiate seasons at Cleveland State University...Chamberlain won 11 singles matches in her two year stint on Coach Lee Taylor Walker's squad...She competed at the No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No.5 and No. 6 slots...In doubles, Chamberlain went 8-13 in 2009 while partnering with both Dara Toulch and Sarah Irvin at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles spots...During her junior season, Chamberlain teamed with Ekin Zafir, Lindsey Wiseman, Dara Toulch and Ashley Murdock...Zafir and Chamberlain were 6-7 at the No. 2 position in 2008...Named to the ITA All-Academic team in 2009...Graduating with a degree in Advertising...Memphis, Tenn./St. Agnes Academy/Cleveland State

Brittany Gooch, Softball: Graduating with a degree in exercise and sport science...A four-year letterwinner who made an immediate contribution as a freshman on the Tigers' first-ever season in softball in 2006...Hit .265 during her career with 50 runs scored and 36 stolen bases...Ranks second all-time at Memphis in stolen bases...Hit .313 as a senior in 2009 with 14 runs scored and a team high 16 stolen bases...Nashville, Tenn./Wilson Central HS.

Michael Grandberry, Football: Holds school records in career kickoff returns (112) and kickoff return yards (2,401)...Only the 4th Tiger in school history to amass more than 1,000 career return yards, and is the only Tiger to ever log 1,000 yards in a single season...Holds UofM record with nine games of 100-plus yards of returns...Returned kicks in 31 of his 47 career games...Ranked 2nd in C-USA in career returns and 3rd in yardage...Posted first 100-yd return game against UCF in 2006...Owns Memphis season records with 59 returns in 2007 and with 1,286 yards that same season...Finished career with 78 tackles and eight PBUs after making transition from wide receiver to defensive back in October 2006...Graduating with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in sport and social/cultural studies...Covington, Tenn./Covington HS.

John (Tyler) Griffin, Football: Came to the Tigers as a walk-on, but earned a scholarship prior to the start of the 2008 season...Played in 39 career games, primarily as a member of special teams...Tallied 13 tackles and forced one fumble during his four-year career...Was one of six true freshmen to play in 2005, missing just one game that season due to injury...Battled a shoulder injury throughout his senior season, playing in just eight games...Graduating with a degree in management....Nashville, Tenn./Brentwood Academy.

Leandra Hines, Softball: Graduating with a degree in exercise and sport science...Played in 214 games with 207 starts in her four-year career at Memphis...Made an immediate impact in the Tigers' first-ever season of softball in 2006, starting as a freshman...Hit .252 in her career with 85 runs scored, 57 stolen bases, 46 sacrifice hits and 12 RBI...Ranks first all-time in school history in career sac hits, career stolen bases; ranks second all-time in most career games, most career starts and most career hits; and third-all time in career runs scored...Hit .244 as a senior with 19 runs scored, five RBI and 14 stolen bases in 2008...McDonough, Ga./Union Grove HS.

Jessica Jackson, Women's Basketball: Jackson transferred to Memphis from the University of Florida and played in 39 career games with the Tigers after sitting out the fall semester of 2007-08...With 15 career starts, Jackson scored 179 career points, adding 47 blocked shots and 25 steals...She shot 35.1 percent from the field and 76.1 percent from the free-throw line and had 144 career rebounds...The daughter of Sharon and Larry Jackson, she is graduating with a degree in communications and sociology...Memphis, Tenn./Craigmont HS/Univ. of Florida.

Maurice Jones, Football: A four-year letterwinner, played in 44 career games as a receiver....Ranks 11th all-time at Memphis in receiving yards (1,356) and 14th in career receptions (95)...Had 17-game receiving streak snapped in the 2008 St.Petersburg Bowl, which he left early due to injury...Posted nine career catches of more than 40 yards...Saw action in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2005....Caught his first career TD pass on a 27-yard throw from Will Hudgens against Chattanooga...Graduating with a degree in sports management....Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS.

Kyle Norrid, Baseball:A two-year letterwinner for head coach Daron Schoenrock, Kyle Norrid helped Memphis to 68 wins from 2006 to 2007. Norrid transferred to Memphis from the University of Tennessee following the 2005 season and immediately solidified his role as the Tiger's everyday third baseman. The Germantown, Tenn., native etched his name in the Tiger baseball record books in 2006, hitting .324 with 80 hits. He hit .275 with 15 doubles to help Memphis to its first NCAA Regional appearance since 1994. A .300 hitter at Memphis, Norrid started in 118 of the 119 games he appeared in. In two seasons at Memphis, he collected 145 hits, scored 85 runs, 73 RBI, 29 doubles and nine home runs.

Earnest Williams, Football: Is the only Tiger senior in his class to play in all 50 games for Memphis over the past four years...Made 35 career starts....Is tied for 9th all-time at Memphis with 105 receptions and 19th in receiving yards with 1,061...Ranks sixth all-time in career receiving touchdowns with 14...Also totaled four career rushing TDs...Scored first career touchdown on a 2-yard run against UAB...One of just four Tigers to have multiple rushing touchdowns in 2005...Had first career receiving touchdown against Chattanooga on a 14-yard pass from Martin Hankins...Played in all 13 games as a senior, starting 12 at wide receiver...Tied for 3rd on the team in scoring with 36 points and fifth in receiving yards with 249...Led the squad in receiving touchdowns (6)...Received one of two True Tiger awards in 2007 and 2008...Honorable mention C-USA as a junior...Graduating with a degree in sports management....Bells, Tenn./Crockett County HS.