Nine Georgia football players set to graduate in fall commencement
The University of Georgia hosts graduation on Friday, and a total of 24 Bulldog student-athletes are expected to receive their degrees. Among those are nine members (current or former) members of the football team including four starters from this year’s team.
Robert Beal, Warren McClendon, Brett Seither, Christopher Smith and Tramel Walthour make up the scholarship players that will receive their respective degrees. Combined, the group of five has played in 213 games over the course of their careers at Georgia with each accounting for at least 25 appearances. Their accomplishments include appearances in a Sugar Bowl, a pair of Peach Bowls, an Orange Bowl and a College Football Playoff National Championship Game so far. The second of those Peach bowls, plus the previous Orange Bowl, will act as a College Football Playoff semifinal. Last season the Bulldogs won 34-11 in Miami over Michigan to advance to Indianapolis and the championship game where they defeated Alabama 33-18, bringing the title back to Athens for the first time in 41 years. Georgia has also appeared in a trio of SEC Championship Games over the course of the last four years – Beal and Smith have each been around for longer and could add to that total – the most recent of which UGA won over LSU.
Beal and Smith have exhausted their eligibility after the conclusion of this season while the other three have the option to play at least one more season if they choose to do so.
Also included in the graduating student-athlete count is former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm. The Warner Robins, Ga. native started three seasons at quarterback for the Bulldogs, leading them to an SEC Championship Game victory in 2017 before two more appearances in 2018 and 2019. The 2017 season also saw a trip to the College Football Playoffs, a win in the Rose Bowl over Oklahoma and an appearance in the National Championship Game. After leaving UGA following the 2019 season, Fromm has bounced around the NFL some – most recently landing with the Washington Commanders on their practice squad.
Full List of Georgia Student-Athlete Graduates
Men’s Cross Country
Tyler Fox (Suwanee, Ga.; Economics)
Baseball
Ben Anderson (LaGrange, Ga.; Masters in Comparative Biomedical Science)
Women’s Basketball
Jordan Isaacs (Alpharetta, Ga.; Communications Studies)
Equestrian
Morgan Tabler (Dumfries, Va.; Dietetics)
Football
Robert Beal (Duluth, Ga.; Religion), Payton Bowles (Athens, Ga.; Political Science), Davis Day (Hamilton, Ga.; Management), Jake Fromm (Warner Robins, Ga.; Finance), Warren McClendon (Brunswick, Ga.; Sport Management), Nathan Priestley (Los Angeles, Ca.; Sport Management), Brett Seither (Clearwater, Fla.; Sport Management), Christopher Smith (Atlanta, Ga.; Sport Management), Tramel Walthour (Hinesville, Ga.; Sport Management)
Men’s Golf
Eli Scott (Hartwell, Ga.; Sport Management)
Soccer
Mallie McKenzie (Roswell, Ga.; Management and Insurance), Morgan Smith (Buford, Ga.; Human Development and Family Science)
Softball
Lacey Fincher (Tanner Williams, Ala.; Human Development and Family Science)
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Talley Brown (State College, Pa.; Dietetics), Madison Homovich (Pittsboro, N.C.; Risk Management and Insurance), Eva Merrell (Newport Beach, Calif.; Sport Management)
Men’s Track and Field
Ahmed Magour (Doha, Qatar; Risk Management and Insurance), Karel Tilga (Tartu, Estonia; Economics)
Volleyball
Alexa Fortin (Johns Creek, Ga.; Sport Management), Meghan Froemming (Marietta, Ga.; Risk Management and Insurance)
