Verron Haynes among UGA athletes graduating Friday
Former Georgia running back Verron Haynes returned to school and has finished his degree.
Haynes, who attended Georgia from 1998-2001 after spending his first year in college in 1997 at Western Kentucky, will formally graduate on Friday with a degree in finance. Following his college football career, Haynes spent seven seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2001-07), which included being a part of the franchise's Super Bowl XL championship. He also spent the 2009 season with the Atlanta Falcons.
In his senior year at Georgia in 2001, Haynes ran for 697 yards and seven touchdowns, and also totaled 242 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Haynes is most famous for his game-winning touchdown reception against Tennessee in 2001, which came on the play "P44 Haynes." The play went down in Georgia lore with the help of radio broadcaster Larry Munson, who famously called, "We just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot and crushed their nose" following the score.
Including Haynes, Georgia will graduate 35 athletes Friday, with 15 representing the football team.
Among the current group of football players graduating are quarterback Greyson Lambert (masters in sport management), offensive lineman Greg Pyke (human development and family science), safety Quincy Mauger (consumer economics), nose tackle John Atkins (sociology), safety Aaron Davis (finance), cornerback Shattle Fenteng (sociology), safety Jonah Guinn (human development and family science), receiver Charlie Hegedus (management), outside linebacker Tommy Long (economics and finance), place-kicker Thomas Pritchard (biological science) and inside linebacker Ridge Underwood (communication studies).
Of those, Atkins and Davis still have a year of college football eligibility.
Like Haynes, three other former football players completed their degree programs. Former punter Collin Barber (communication studies), defensive lineman Josh Dawson (communication studies) and defensive lineman James DeLoach (sociology) are set to graduate. Those three players were on Georgia's football team a year ago.
UGA athletes graduating Friday
Baseball: David Gonzalez (Communication Studies), Daniel Nichols (Communication Studies)
Football: John Atkins (Sociology), Collin Barber, (Communication Studies), Aaron Davis (Finance), Josh Dawson (Communication Studies), James DeLoach (Sociology) Shattle Fenteng (Sociology), Jonah Guinn (Human Development and Family Science), Verron Haynes (Finance), Charles Hegedus (Management), Greyson Lambert (Masters in Sport Management), Tommy Long (Economics and Finance), Quincy Mauger (Consumer Economics), Thomas Pritchard (Biological Science), Greg Pyke (Human Development and Family Science), Ridge Underwood (Communication Studies)
Gymnastics: Chelsea Davis (Masters in Kinesiology)
Soccer: Alexa Antetomaso (Communications Studies), Taylor Donohue (Psychology), Cara Smith (Exercise and Sport Science), Bria Washington (Consumer Economics)
Softball: Kate Browne (Early Childhood Education)
Men’s Swimming: Crawford Berry (Sociology), Spencer Madanay (Management), Nick Salyers (Marketing), Tynan Stewart (Cognitive Science and English), Michael Trice (Finance)
Women’s Tennis: Silvia Garcia (Psychology)
Men’s Track: James Hicks (Economics), Morgan Malanoski (Management and Marketing), Ashinia Miller (Financial Planning)
Women’s Track: Leontia Kallenou (Consumer Economics), Xenia Rahn (Masters in Sport Management)
Volleyball: Desiree McCray (Sociology)
This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 11:05 AM with the headline "Verron Haynes among UGA athletes graduating Friday."