Dec. 12, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - The graduating class of 2008 will feature 11 University of Memphis student-athletes tomorrow at FedExForum. There will be two separate ceremonies for the Tigers, one at 10 a.m. and one at 2 p.m. The 10 a.m. ceremony will feature the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Communication and Fine Arts, University College, Law, and the Doctoral Hoodings for those Colleges and Schools.

The afternoon ceremony will be for graduates in the School of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, the Fogelman College of Business and Economics, the College of Education, Herff College of Engineering, the Loewenberg School of Nursing and the Doctoral Hoodings for thoses Colleges and Schools.

The list of Athletic Department graduates is below:

Alex Fennell, Baseball: Fennell was four-year letterman as a catcher on the Tiger baseball team from 2005-08. Primarily serving in a backup role, the Southaven, Miss., native made 45 career starts, including a career-high 20 in the Memphis's 2007 NCAA Tournament run. He was instrumental in the Tigers fight for an NCAA Tournament appearance making starts in each of the seven games leading into the 64-team field. In his career, Fennell played in 82 games, collected 32 hits, scored 19 runs and legged out four doubles. Back problems limited his senior campaign 11 games and just two starts. However, he hit a career-best .238 and added a career day against Murray State in which he went 4-for-6 with a double and two RBI. His career highlights came in 2006 when he hit his first and only collegiate home run--a three-run blast to center--to help Memphis to a series-clinching 15-6 win over No. 20 Southern Miss on April 2. He then produced game-winning hits in consecutive extra-inning games versus UT-Martin and Marshall as Memphis finished 32-28--the program's first 30-win season since 1995....Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS.

Freddie Barnett, Football: Set to graduate in December 2008 with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in sport management and African-American studies ...Has appeared in 24 games in two seasons for the Tigers, including 16 starts after transferring from Trinity Valley CC in Texas ...Was the starter at defensive tackle in nine of 11 games in 2008 ...Logged a season-high six tackles last week versus UCF ...Has racked up 12 TFL over two seasons and 3.5 sacks ...Ranked second on the team in 2007 with 8.5 TFL ...In 2007, set a U of M fumble return record with an 88-yard return for a touchdown against Arkansas State. Texarkansas, Ark./Trinity Valley CC/Arkansas HS.

Heath Grant, Football: Lettered four seasons for the Tigers, seeing action in 45 career contests...Closed out his career with 157 total tackles, including 6.5 TFL for minus 20 yards...Logged 11 pass breakups at linebacker and registered four fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his career...Had his most productive season as a junior, totaling 81 tackles, including 37 solo stops...Logged fumble recoveries against Marshall and UTEP in both 2005 and 2006...Credited with 10 or more tackles in three career games... Logged his first career interception against East Carolina in 2006 when he picked off James Pinkney at the Memphis 45-yard line and returned the ball five yards...Picked off his second pass of the year against ASU...Intercepted Corey Leonard on 3rd-and-14 at the Memphis 15-yard line to halt the Indians' drive...Logged a 13-yard return on the pick... Starkville, Miss./Starkville HS.

Carlton Robinzine, Football: Graduating with a degree in marketing management ... Has appeared in 33 games at wide receiver over the past four seasons, including seven starts ... Posted a career-high in receiving yards with 80 against East Carolina during the 2007 season ... Has 45 receptions for 495 yards in his career ... Caught his first and only career touchdown catch on a 48-yard pass from Martin Hankins against Jacksonville State in 2007 ... The reception was also a career-long ... Had career-high six receptions on two occasions, including against Louisville in 2008 ... Caught a pass in eight games in 2007 and had multiple receptions in four contests ... Hauled in a 19-yard reception in the 2008 Southern Miss game that resulted in a Tiger TD two plays later ... Has logged 16 catches for 127 yards this season...Memphis, Tenn./Bolton HS.

Jimmy Khougassian, Men's Tennis: Was a member of the U of M men's tennis team from 2006-2008, after transferring to Memphis from the University of Arkansas...Posted a 2-4 dual singles record for the Tigers while competing at the No. 1 and No. 3 singles positions during his senior season while battling chronic back injuries in 2008...Posted a 8-5 mark in doubles play in the spring of 2008, while teaming with Benedikt Fischer and Leon Nasemann...Racked up seven singles wins in his first season with the Tigers in 2007 while playing at the top three singles spots, including a 5-4 record at the No. 2 position...Teamed with Charlie Ramsay for a team-best 17-16 overall mark in doubles in the spring of 2007...Duo posted a 10-10 record at the No. 2 doubles position...While at Arkansas, spent time playing the No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions for the Razorbacks...Paris, France /Lycee Notre Dame de Boulogme.

Ekin Zafir, Women's Tennis: Was a member of the Lady Tiger tennis team from 2005-2008...Graduated from the University of Memphis in three-and-a-half years...Posted a 3-3 singles record in the spring of 2008 while competing at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles position...Posted a 7-12 overall doubles record in the spring of 2008 while competing at all three doubles slots...Played all over the Lady Tiger line-up during her sophomore season in 2007 due to injuries, playing five matches at the No. 1 spot, one at No. 2 and 11 matches at the No. 3 position...Posted a 3-7 mark while teaming with Dara Toulch at doubles...Also paired with Christina Wieser for a 4-9 record...Played at the No. 3 and No. 4 positions for the Lady Tigers as a freshman...Was 5-3 in singles and 3-4 in doubles in her first fall with the U of M...Teamed with Brooke Cowie in doubles play, winning three of their first four doubles matches together while advancing to the semifinals at Alabama...Bradenton, Fla./Pendleton.

Michael Coburn, Men's Soccer: Coburn caps a run with the Memphis men's soccer program that has lasted from 2004-08...He stepped into the lineup right away for the Tigers in 2004 as a true freshman, Coburn has found himself as a staple in Richie Grant's starting line-up throughout his career...Filled the role of team captain in 2008, while helping Thomas Hyland anchor the back of the U of M defense...Finished his run in the Blue and Gray with eight goals, including two game-winners in his senior season... Against No. 15 SMU, the senior defender secured the Tigers' first win over the Conference USA powerhouse Mustangs on a header in overtime...Selected to First Team All-C-USA team, which marked the first time a Tiger men's soccer player has been selected to the first team since Dayton O'Brien garnered the honor in 2005...Was a Second Team All-C-USA selection in 2007...Other honors include NSCAA All-Midwest Second Team in 2007, C-USA All-Tournament team in 2005 and individual weekly honors such as C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, C-USA Defensive Player of the Week and College Soccer News' Team of the Week...Voted to the All-Midwest Region Third Team following the 2008 season...Earned a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies....Dundalk, Ireland/Colaiste Ide.

Robbie Greenwell, Men's Golf: A native of Georgetown, Ontario, Greenwell was a four-year letterwinner for the Tiger golf squad, appearing in 33 events for the Tigers. Greenwell earned 10 top-20 finishes during his four-year career. During his senior campaign, Greenwell posted his first tournament victory, winning the Linger Longer Invitational with a three-round total of 208. Greenwell also finished fifth at the 2008 Conference USA Tournament, helping the Tigers to a third-place finish and their first berth in an NCAA Regional in two decades. During his four years, Greenwell carried a career scoring average of 75.5, which is one of the 20 lowest in Tiger history...Georgetown, Ontario/ Georgetown District High School.

Ian Rochester, Men's Golf: A four-year letterwinner, Rochester leaves the U of M with the fourth-lowest career scoring average at 74.3 strokes per round. His 36-hole total of 132 at the 2008 CSU Spring Kick Off stands as the lowest in Tiger golf history. Rochester also holds the third-lowest 18-hole round, having shot 65 at the Billy Hitchcock in 2005. Entering the 2007-08 season, Rochester had 14 top-20 finishes. He added seven more to that total during the season, giving him a total of 21. Rochester was the medalist in two events while playing for the Tigers, winning the Billy Hitchcock Intercollegiate in 2005 and the CSU Spring Kick Off in 2008. This past summer, Rochester was one of only 64 amateurs in the nation to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Cordova, Tenn./Cordova High School.

Andre Hicks, Men's Track and Field: Hicks was a member of the University of Memphis track and field team from 2006-2008...As a transfer from Barton Community College, Hicks immediately made an impact, helping the Memphis men's track team to a 2006-2007 C-USA Outdoor Championship...At the Gladstein Invitational in 2007, he recorded a personal-best high jump leap of 2.01m (6-07.25)...At the 2007 C-USA Indoor Championships, he set a personal-best long jump distance of 6.88m (22-07.00)...At the 2007 C-USA Outdoor Championships, he recorded two personal bests for the outdoor season with a high jump mark of 2.00m (6-06.75) and a long jump distance of 6.73m (22-01.00)...Hicks is graduating with a bachelors of liberal studies in Individual Studies with a concentration in Construction Management...Harrisburg, Penn./John Harris HS/Barton CC.

Sam James III, Men's Track and Field: James was a member of the University of Memphis Cross Country and Track and Field teams from 2004-2008...He helped Memphis to a 2006-2007 C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship and set a personal best 8k cross country time of 26:34.5 at the University of Evansville Invitational ... James has personal records of 49.97 in the indoor 400m dash and 48.35 in the outdoor 400m dash...He also holds personal records in the 800m run with times of 1:55.55 indoor and 1:54.16 outdoor...James will graduate from the University of Memphis with a bachelors degree in Communications with a concentration in Communications, and will complete his eligibility during the spring 2009 outdoor season....Memphis, Tenn./Whitehaven HS.