Fifty-two student-athletes to be honored with ACC postgraduate scholarships and awards
GREENSBORO, N.C. (
theACC.com) – University of North Carolina and Atlantic Coast Conference basketball legend Phil Ford will be the keynote speaker at the annual Cone Health ACC Postgraduate Luncheon presented by ESPN and hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club.
The luncheon is set for 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 11, at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel in Greensboro.
Fifty-two student-athletes have been selected as 2018 Weaver-James-Corrigan Award recipients. This year’s list includes three student-athletes who will receive the Thacker Award and nine student-athletes who plan to pursue professional careers in their chosen sports and were named honorary recipients.
In addition to recognizing each postgrad scholar honoree, the ACC will present its annual Game Changers Award, an initiative to recognize league teams’ and student-athletes’ involvement in their local communities. This year’s award will be presented to Clemson Athletics in honor of its ongoing partnership with ClemsonLIFE:
https://theacc.co/ACCgc2018
Born in Kannapolis and raised in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Ford was a four-year starter at UNC and is remembered for his skilled execution of head coach Dean Smith’s famed “Four Corners” offense. He became the first freshman to earn ACC Tournament MVP honors in 1975 and led the Tar Heels to a pair of ACC titles. His college years also included a gold medal as point guard on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team and National Player of the Year honors as a senior in 1978.
Ford finished his collegiate career as UNC’s all-time leading scorer with 2,290 points – a mark that stood for 31 years until broken by Tyler Hansbrough in 2009. He still ranks second on the program’s all-time scoring list and is third in assists with 753.
Ford went on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1979 with the Kansas City Kings. Following his retirement from professional basketball, Ford spent 12 seasons as a UNC assistant coach under Smith and Bill Guthridge, and has also worked as an NBA assistant coach and as a fundraiser for the Rams Club.
Ford was named one of the 10 top male athletes in ACC history during the league’s 50-year anniversary celebration in 2003 and was inducted into the NABC College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate degree following completion of their undergraduate requirements. Each recipient will receive $6,000 toward his or her graduate education. Those honored have performed with distinction in both the classroom and their respective sport, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
In addition to those receiving scholarship funds, nine student-athletes will receive the Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan Award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James, as well as Gene Corrigan, the first three ACC commissioners.
The Thacker Award, which originated in 2005, is awarded in honor of the late Jim and Pat Thacker of Charlotte, North Carolina. Jim Thacker was the primary play-by-play announcer for the ACC’s first television network.
The following student-athletes will be honored as 2018 ACC Postgraduate Scholars:
Daniel Creighton, Boston College, Men's Swimming and Diving
Jacqueline McDonnell*, Boston College, Rowing
Daniela Ruiz, Clemson, Women's Tennis
Marisa Messana, Clemson, Women's Golf
Grace Barnett, Clemson, Women's Cross Country /Track
Madison Heath, Duke, Women's Cross Country /Track
Schuyler DeBree, Duke, Women's Soccer
Gabe Brandner, Duke, Football
Vanessa Freire, Florida State, Women's Beach Volleyball
Morgan Klaevemann, Florida State, Softball
Dylan Grisell, Florida State, Men's Swimming and Diving
Angelica Henderson, Georgia Tech, Women’s Track & Field
Alex Grady, Georgia Tech, Men's Cross Country/Track
Michael Kay, Georgia Tech, Men's Tennis
Gabbie Wiley, Louisville, Women's Volleyball
Nicole Woods, Louisville, Field Hockey
Kristi Harrison, Louisville, Rowing
Wallace Layland, Miami, Women's Swimming and Diving
Sinead Lohan, Miami, Women's Tennis
Ronnie Johnson, Miami, Women's Soccer
David October, North Carolina, Men's Soccer
Emily Godwin, North Carolina, Women's Track & Field
Morgan Lane, North Carolina, Women's Gymnastics
Kaitlyn Kearney, NC State, Women's Volleyball
Erika Kemp, NC State, Women's Cross Country/Track
Soren Dahl, NC State, Men's Swimming and Diving
Monica Flores, Notre Dame, Women's Soccer
Katie Uhler, Notre Dame, Women's Soccer
Greer Martini*, Notre Dame, Football
Ryan Winslow, Pittsburgh, Football
Andin Fosam, Pittsburgh, Women's Cross County/Track
Meme Sharp, Pittsburgh, Women's Swimming and Diving
Laura Hurff, Syracuse, Field Hockey
Stephanie Grossi, Syracuse, Women's Ice Hockey
Pat Castle, Syracuse, Men's Soccer
Holly Sullivan, Virginia, Women's Cross Country/Track
Corey Johnson, Virginia, Women's Swimming and Diving
Veronica Latsko*, Virginia, Women's Soccer
Vincent Ciattei, Virginia Tech, Men's Cross Country/Track
Alani Johnson, Virginia Tech, Women's Soccer
Christian Seraphim, Wake Forest, Men's Tennis
Kevin Politz, Wake Forest, Men's Soccer
Maddie Huster, Wake Forest, Women's Soccer
Honorary Postgraduate Scholarship Nominees
Oliver Shannon, Clemson, Men's Soccer
Leona Maguire, Duke, Women's Golf
Natalie Pierce, Florida State, Women's Swimming and Diving
Kel Johnson, Georgia Tech, Baseball
Inger Katrine Bjerke, Louisville, Women's Soccer
Ben Griffin, North Carolina, Men's Golf
Pete Renda, NC State, Wrestling
John Sexton, Notre Dame, Men's Lacrosse
Cam Serigne, Wake Forest, Football
*-Thacker Award recipient