The idea was hatched before Dane Bradshaw bought his first college textbook or shot his first basket at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Mike Bradshaw proposed that if basketball is going to keep his son on campus all summer anyway, why not take enough extra classes to graduate in three years?

"Give my dad all the credit,'' Bradshaw said. "He says things like that, like they're so easy to do.''

It wasn't easy, but that's never stopped Dane from doing anything else.

Bradshaw joined elite company Friday when he received his degree in communications from the University of Tennessee in three years.

He'll play his final season of basketball while working on a master's degree in sports management, with an eye toward a career in the broadcast field.

Peyton Manning, Jason Allen and Kevin Burnett, all of football, were three-year men, according to Eric Brey, director of the Thornton Center, UT's state-of-the-art academic complex for athletes.

Bradshaw maintained a regular course load throughout his three years. That and the 27 hours he compiled in summer school were enough to put him in a cap and gown Friday.

"Dane is the definition of student/athlete,'' said Lauren Mackey, who advises basketball players at Thornton Center.

"When he needs to get it done, he gets it done.''

He got it done slightly above the 3.0 grade average his dad suggested, and said it wouldn't have been possible without the resources at the Thornton Center and scrutiny from the basketball office.

Among his most enjoyable classes was a sales class that required him to raise $1,000 for the campus radio station.

"I'm worried about scouting reports for Kentucky and some guy's calling me about radio ads,'' Bradshaw said.

"It was fun, though. My competitiveness came out in it.''

This summer, his competitiveness will be channeled into preparing for the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), the entry hurdle to work on his master's degree.

As for basketball, patience is required. He underwent surgery on his right wrist as soon as UT's season ended.

The cast comes off May 23. The pins will be removed, but six more weeks of rehab stand between a return to the court.

"The frustrating thing,'' he said, "is when I get the cast off, it's the same situation without a cast.

"There are no classes for me to take. I'll just be up here all summer rehabbing and still keeping my priorities straight.''

New Alums: Billy Ratliff, a link to the 1998 national championship team, graduated Friday, taking advantage of UT's Renewing Academic Commitment program. Another RAC graduate was Jabari Greer of the Buffalo Bills.

Omar Gaither, Chris Hannon and Jason Hall each take degrees into the transition to pro football. Jim Bob Cooter and David Ligon were among grads with eligibility remaining.

Joining Bradshaw from the basketball world were Stanley Asumnu, Shanna Zolman and Tye'sha Fluker.