CLEMSON, S.C. – Isabella Rawl (golf, health science) and Paris Masaracchia (lacrosse, business administration) have been named recipients of the 2026 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Award, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced. In addition, Aidan Knaak (baseball, management) and Brie Clark (gymnastics, sports business and analytics) 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 60 individuals in the conference were honored, with 32 receiving the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford scholarship. Clark, Knaak and Masarcchia earned the second honor for their respective programs, giving each a recipient in back-to-back years. Rawl became the fourth recipient of a postgraduate honor for women’s golf, and the first since 2020.
Rawl, a senior from Lexington, S.C. is a four-year starter for the women’s golf program and a WGCA Academic All-American. She won the clinching match to give Clemson its first ACC Championship in 2023 as a freshman and then in 2024 finished second with a 209 score, the highest finish ever by a Clemson women’s golfer at the conference tournament.
Masaracchia, who hails from Enola, Pa., is a second-team All-American, All-ACC selection and a two-time team captain. Masaracchia was a member of the inaugural Lacrosse team and has started all 61 games in which she’s played, causing 70 turnovers and collecting 97 ground balls in her four seasons.
Knaak is a three-year starting pitcher who has compiled a 14-2 record and 3.72 ERA so far in his career, and serving as a co-captain in 2026. A Fort Myers, Fla. native, Knaak is a two-time First-Team All-ACC selection and became the first Tiger pitcher in history to earn First-Team All-ACC honors in each of his first two seasons.
Clark, from Daphne, Ala. has been a mainstay for Clemson’s Gymnastics team on beam and floor. The graduate student is a two-time All-ACC selection on floor, and is currently third in the nation in the event. She has won 25 event titles in her career, including 19 on floor and six on beam, and has won floor in all seven meets so far in 2026. \
About the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford-Award
The Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award is named in honor of former ACC commissioners Jim Weaver, Bob James, Gene Corrigan, and John Swofford. The league’s first commissioner, James H. Weaver, served the conference from 1954-70 after a stint as the Director of Athletics at Wake Forest. His early leadership and uncompromising integrity are largely responsible for the excellent reputation enjoyed by the ACC today.
Robert C. James, a former Maryland football player, was named commissioner in 1971 and served in that capacity 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.
John Swofford was named the fourth commissioner of the ACC on July 1, 1997, and served until June 2021. He was instrumental in the launch of the ACC Network and the addition of seven new members. ACC programs won 92 national titles in 19 sports while he was commissioner.
Before 1994, the Weaver-James postgraduate scholarships were awarded as separate honors, including the Jim Weaver Award, the Marie James Award, and the Bob James Award.
About the ACC Excellence Award
The ACC Excellence Award recognizes outstanding graduates from our ACC member institutions. The goal of the award is to highlight the students embodying the student-athlete ideal. The brand of the ACC is our strong history of providing world-class education and competition. The awardees are exemplary students, athletes, and contributors to the community and society and serve as an example to their fellow students.
Clemson’s All-Time Recipients
