It’s always great to hear about athletes receiving their degrees and later today in Cincinnati, some new athletes will be walking the stage.
Former Bearcats stars Nick Van Exel and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner are among the fifteen current and former student-athletes who will be recognized at the University of Cincinnati’s commencement later today.
Van Exel and Gardner are two of the greatest athletes in school history.
Nick Van Exel played for the Bearcats for two seasons, averaging 15.2 ppg. He led the team to the Final Four in 1992 and the Elite Eight in 1993 and was inducted into the University of Cincinnati James P. Kelly Athletics Hall Of Fame in 2018. Van Exel was drafted by the Lakers with the 37th overall pick in the second round of the 1993 NBA Draft and averaged 14.4 ppg and 6.6 apg over his thirteen years in the league.
30 years later, he returns to campus to receive his degree.
Sauce Gardner was a shutdown corner for the Bearcats. The two-time All-American was Cincinnati’s highest-ever draft pick (4th overall by the New York Jets in 2022) and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season.
