Bornkamp, Mackiewicz, Putnam and Sylla Earn ACC Postgraduate Recognition

CLEMSON, S.C. – Megan Bornkamp (women’s soccer, management) and Will Putnam (football, management) have been named 2024 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Award recipients, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Monday. In addition, Halle Mackiewicz (women’s soccer, civil engineering) and Ousmane Sylla (men’s soccer, sociology) have earned ACC Excellence Award recognition, which goes to those who meet the criteria for postgraduate awards but intend to pursue their respective sports professionally. 

A total of 51 individuals in the conference were honored, with 26 receiving the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford scholarship. 

Putnam, from Tampa, Fla., is one of just two ACC football players to earn the award this season. Putnam was a two-time All-ACC selection and four-year starter along the offensive line and played 3,564 snaps from scrimmage, the second-most in Clemson history. He earned his undergraduate degree in Management, graduating with honors in December 2022. He is enrolled in MBA program and will graduate in August of 2024. 

Bornkamp, a Mooresville, N.C. native,  is a four-time All-ACC honoree and a two-time All-American and team captain. She led the Tigers to their first College Cup appearance in school history in 2023, and will return for a fifth season in 2024. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Management in May of 2023 and is pursuing her MBA while completing her eligibility and will graduate following her senior season.

Sylla adds this recognition to his memorable season, which saw him win team ACC and NCAA Championships, as well as MAC Hermann Trophy honors as the national player of the year while earning his degree. Sylla was drafted 55th overall by the Houston Dynamo FC in the MLS. Native of Senegal graduated with honors in just 3 years earning a degree in Sociology with a minor in French Studies. 

Mackiewicz was the first goalkeeper to be picked up in the 2024 draft as the Kansas City Current selected the Broomfield, Co. native as their 32nd pick in the third round. Finishing the 2023 season with 13 clean sheets, Mackiewicz set the new single-season record for shutouts and was the ACC Goalkeeper of the Year. He is a civil engineering major set to graduate in May. Of her seven enrolled semesters, she has been on the Dean’s list (3.5+) 5 times, and President’s list (4.0) twice.

The women’s soccer program has now claimed postgraduate honors for five consecutive seasons. 

ABOUT THE WEAVER-JAMES-CORRIGAN-SWOFFORD AWARD

The Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford and Jim and Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate degree after completing their undergraduate requirements. Each recipient will receive $9,000 toward his or her graduate education, an increase from $6,000 in previous years following a vote of the league’s Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs). Those honored have performed with distinction in both the classroom and their respective sport while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community and were chosen by a vote of the league’s FARs at the ACC Winter Meetings.

 To be eligible for ACC Postgraduate Scholarships, nominees must have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically with an overall minimum accumulative grade point average of 3.0 or its equivalent. The student-athlete must have completed at least seven semesters and complete their baccalaureate degree, at an ACC institution, prior to receiving the postgraduate scholarship, and performed with distinction as a member of a varsity team specifically represented by local, conference, regional and/or national athletic recognition. The nominees also must have conducted themselves, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to themselves, their institution, intercollegiate athletics, and the ideals and objectives of higher education.