Feb. 24, 2006
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Thirty-six Atlantic Coast Conference scholar-athletes have been named recipients of postgraduate scholarships, as announced by Commissioner John D. Swofford. The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker 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 those receiving scholarship funds, eight student-athletes will receive Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Awards. These students will be recognized for their outstanding performance in both athletic competition and the classroom throughout their collegiate careers and intend to compete at the Olympic or professional level.
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, 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 Thacker award, which originated in 2005, is awarded 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.
Recipients of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Awards are as follows: Boston College – Kristen E. Madden (field hockey), Brooke C. Queenan (basketball); Clemson – Ashlee M. Brown (rowing), Nichole M. Carlton (swimming & diving), Bradley L. Gibson (soccer); Duke – Brendan Dewan (football), Nicole Dudek (field hockey); Florida State – Jose David Castillo (football), Andrew Joseph Diakos (track & field), Lakendra McColumn (track & field); Georgia Tech – Steven Eric Blackwood (baseball), Ashley Annette Kracke (swimming), Shanta Smith (track & field); Maryland – Kimberly Marie Francis (soccer), Brendan Michael Healy (lacrosse), Mandy Miguela Pascual (gymnastics); Miami – Rachel Joy Clausing (rowing), Kaitlin Day Kozak (volleyball), Melanie Gail Marie Schultz (cross country/indoor & outdoor track); North Carolina – Courtney J. Bumpers (gymnastics), Katy Beth Tran (field hockey); NC State – Molly A. Culberson (swimming & diving), Stefani Tramaine Eddins (volleyball), Adeola Adekunbi Kosoko (volleyball); Virginia – Katherine Avery Gordon (swimming), Jane Tyler Leachman (lacrosse), Matthew Blair Ward (lacrosse); Virginia Tech – Anat Elazari (tennis), Melissa Marie Markowski (volleyball), Carrie Ann Mason (basketball); Wake Forest – Anne Golden Bersagel (cross country/track & field); Sarah Lynne Kozey (soccer), Ariel Clare Meyers (field hockey).
Recipients of the Jim and Pat Thacker Awards are as follows: Boston College – Daniel C. Berglund (football); Duke – Kathryn Diane Ness (swimming); North Carolina – Laura Lynn Gerraughty (track & field).
Recipients of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Awards are as follows: Clemson – Lida Ledford (soccer); Duke – Ludovic Walter (tennis); Florida State – Garrett W. Johnson (track & field); Maryland – Jason Robert Garey (soccer); North Carolina – Lindsay A. Tarpley (soccer); NC State – Ilian Iliev Evtimov (basketball); Virginia – Connor Raymond Hughes (football); Virginia Tech – James Nathaniel Anderson (football).
The 44 student-athletes will be honored April 13, 2006, in Greensboro, N.C., at a luncheon hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club. The luncheon will be held at the Koury Convention Center.
Ashlee Brown, Rowing Rowed with Clemson’s varsity 8+ from 2002-05 … Also raced with the second varsity 8+ and the varsity 4+ during that time … Named to CRCA All-America team in 2005 as a senior … Two-time CRCA National Scholar Athlete … 2005 All-Region and All-ACC selection … Four-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection … Earned four rowing letters at Clemson … Member of Clemson’s Student-Athlete Academic Advisory Board.
Nichole Carlton, Swimming & Diving Has been named to the ACC Honor Roll in each of her first three years at Clemson … Was a member of the honorable mention Academic All-American Honor Roll … Member of the Presidents list in 2003-04, and 2004-05 … Holds the ninth fastest time in Clemson history in the 1650 freestyle (16:49.16) … Recorded season fastest times in the 500 freestyle (4:59.30), 1650 freestyle (17:01.62), and 200 freestyle (1:54.36) at the ACC Championships … Scored in the 1650 freestyle for the fourth straight year at the ACC Championship meet.
Bradley Gibson, Soccer Played in 18 matches this season and has started 16 … Recorded two assists this past season, both of which in the NCAA Championship … Played in 79 matches, recording 62 career starts … Named to four All-Tournament teams throughout his career … Two-time NSCAA South Region All-Scholar Team selection … Four-time ACC Honor Roll recipient.
Paige Ledford, Soccer 2004 First-Team All-ACC … 2001 and 2002 Second-Team All-ACC … NSCAA Scholar All-America Team (third-team) … NSCAA All-Region in 2001, 2003 and 2004 … Played in 83 career matches … Scored 17 career goals and had 23 career assists for 57 points … Had nine game-winning goals during her career … ACC Player of the Week twice during her career … Named to the ACC Honor Roll four times.
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