Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner shakes hands with UC President Neville Pinto on stage during commencement Friday at Fifth Third Arena. Andrew Higley/UC

Michael Miller

www.uc.edu/news

NFL defensive rookie of the year Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and NBA All-Star Nick Van Exel celebrated commencement Friday, Aug. 4, at Fifth Third Arena as members of the University of Cincinnati’s summer graduating class of 2023.

Sauce led the UC Bearcats to the College Football Playoff before becoming the highest draft pick in UC history, going fourth overall to the New York Jets in 2022.

Van Exel led the Bearcats to the 1992 Final Four and the 1993 Elite Eight of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament before taking the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs and earning a spot on the 1998 NBA All-Star Team.

Both are now graduates of UC’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Other photos on this page from the commencement are also by Andrew Higley/UC.

University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
University of Cincinnati celebrates its Summer 2023 Commencement Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC
NBA All-Star Nick Van Exel exits the stage after receiving his diploma during UC’s 2023 Spring Graduation Ceremony. Andrew Higley/UC

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