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GREENSBORO, NC A total of four student-athletes from Virginia are among 42 individuals recognized by the Atlantic Coast Conference as recipients of postgraduate scholarships, as announced by commissioner John D. Swofford.
Women’s track and field athlete Billie-Jo Grant and men’s swimmers Ryan Hurley and Pat Mellors were among the 36 ACC student-athletes to earn the Weaver-James-Corrigan scholarships. The scholarships are given to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate-level degree following graduation. Each recipient will receive $5,000 to use towards his or her graduate education. Student-athletes receiving the award have performed with distinction in both the classroom and in their respective sports, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
In addition to receiving the postgraduate scholarship, Virginia baseball pitcher Andrew Carraway was one of six honorary recipients of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Awards. Each recipient was chosen based on his or her distinction in the classroom and sport, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
Grant is one of three student-athletes to receive The Thacker award, which originated in 2005, in honor of the late Jim and Pat Thacker of Charlotte, N.C. Jim Thacker was the primary play-by-play announcer for the ACC’s first television network. Recipients of the award must demonstrate outstanding performance both in athletic competition and in the classroom and intend to further their education through post-graduate studies at an ACC institution.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James as well as Gene Corrigan, all former ACC commissioners. The league’s first commissioner, James H. Weaver, served the conference from 1954 to 1970 after a stint as the Director of Athletics at Wake Forest University. His early leadership and uncompromising integrity are largely responsible for the excellent reputation enjoyed by the ACC today.
Robert C. James, a former University of Maryland football player, was named commissioner in 1971 and served for 16 years. During his tenure, the league continued to grow in stature and became recognized as a national leader in athletics and academics, winning 23 national championships and maintaining standards of excellence in the classroom.
Eugene F. Corrigan assumed his role as the third full-time commissioner on September 1, 1987, and served until August of 1997. During Corrigan’s tenure, ACC schools captured 30 NCAA championships and two national football titles.
Prior to 1994, the Weaver-James postgraduate scholarships were given as separate honors. The Jim Weaver award, which originated in 1970, recognized exceptional achievement on the playing field and in the classroom, while the Bob James award, established in 1987, also honored outstanding student-athletes.
The 42 student-athletes will be honored April 15, 2009, in Greensboro, N.C., at a luncheon hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club. The luncheon will be held at the Koury Convention Center.
Weaver-James-Corrigan Award Recipients are as follows: Boston College Caroline Byron (women’s swimming and diving); Bob Dirks (field hockey); Emily Hannigan (women’s lacrosse); Clemson Megan Bendik (rowing); Jimmy Maners (football); Rachel Regone (women’s swimming and diving); Duke Kim Imbesi (women’s lacrosse); Melissa Mang, (women’s tennis); Peter Truszkowski (fencing); Florida State Ania Rynarzewska (women’s tennis); Keyla Smith (women’s track and field); Matt Wernke (men’s track and field); Georgia Tech David Dragoo (men’s golf); Whitney Haller (softball); Jason Haniger (baseball), Maryland Dean Muhtadi (football); Sarah Scholl (field hockey); Christen Vagts (water polo); Miami Britta Boesing (women’s swimming and diving); Corynn Carino (women’s soccer); Nene Kamate, (women’s track and field); North Carolina Brock Baker (men’s cross country); Kelly Davies (women’s volleyball); Kelly Taylor (women’s lacrosse); NC State Aiwane Iboaya (volleyball); Tami Krzeszewski (women’s soccer); Ashley Shepard (gymnastics); Virginia Billie-Jo Grant (women’s track and field); Ryan Hurley (men’s swimming and diving); Pat Mellors (men’s swimming and diving); Virginia Tech Tasmin Fanning (women’s track and field); Kim Hickey (women’s soccer); Taylor Walsh (men’s soccer); Wake Forest Sam Cronin (men’s soccer); Camelyn Dillon (women’s soccer); Natalie Mullikin (volleyball).
Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award Recipients are as follows: Duke Amanda Blumenherst (women’s golf); Maryland Dan Gronkowski (football); Miami Jack McClinton (men’s basketball); North Carolina Yael Averbuch (women’s soccer); NC State Ben McCauley (men’s basketball); Virginia Andrew Carraway (baseball).
Jim Thacker Award Recipients are as follows: Maryland Dean Muhtadi (football) and Christen Lee Vagts (women’s water polo); Virginia Billie-Jo Grant (track and field).