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March 1, 2000
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Virginia student-athletes Austin Ramirez(swimming) and Michelle Vizzuso (field hockey) are two of 16 Atlantic CoastConference scholar-athletes named as recipients of the 2000Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Awards. The scholarships are given tothose student-athletes who intend to continue their academic work asfull-time graduate students. Award winners will receive $5,000 to be usedtoward their graduate education. Students receiving the award performedwith distinction both in the classroom and in their respective sports, anddemonstrated exemplary conduct in the community.
Fourth-year swimmer Austin Ramirez (Brookfield, Wisc./BrookfieldCentral H.S.) was selected as the 2000 Men’s ACC Championship Most ValuableSwimmer. Ramirez won 2000 ACC titles in three freestyle events, the 200(1:37.12), 500 (4:18.61), and 1650 (15:00.98), and was a member ofVirginia’s winning 800 free relay (6:33.95). With wins in the 500 free and1650 free, he became only the second men’s swimmer to win four consecutiveACC titles in two events. Ramirez set the ACC Meet record with his time of15:00.98 in the 1650 free.
Ramirez is an 11-time ACC Champion and eight-time All-American. Hehas been a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll pick, and a three-timeNational Swimming Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Academicselection. He is a two-time captain of the UVa swimming team, and wasnamed the team MVP in 1997-98. Ramirez also serves as the Vice Presidentof the Captain’s Council (1999-00), is a member of Golden Key HonorSociety, and Tau Beta Pi engineering Honor Society. He was the recipientof Virginia’s Ralph Sampson Award in 1998-99 for excellence in athletics,academics, and leadership.
Former Cavalier great Michelle Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex)was named to the United States Field Hockey team that will compete in the2000 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in March in England. Vizzuso is theVirginia record holder in assists with 60, which ranks second all-time inthe ACC and 17th in Division I history. She holds the two top seasonalrecords, and her 25 assists in 1998 led the ACC. Vizzuso is the firstplayer in ACC history to reach 50 goals and 60 assists.
Vizzuso has been a member of the USA National teams since 1995 anda member of the USA Senior Team since 1997. In 1999 she won a silver medalat the Pan Am games. Vizzuso is Virginia’s first-ever selection to the USAOlympic Qualifying team.