ACC to Honor 51 Student-Athletes with Postgraduate Scholarship Recognition
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference is set to recognize 51 student-athletes, highlighted by 26 who were selected as 2024 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Award recipients and three student-athletes who will receive the Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award.
In addition to those chosen as scholarship award recipients, 22 other student-athletes who plan to pursue professional careers in their chosen sports or career field of study, were named to the 2024 ACC Excellence Award list (formerly called Honorary Scholarship nominees).
For Miami, Benjamin Chestnutt (baseball) and Isabella Pfennig (women’s tennis) were 2024 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award recipients, while Russell Robinson (men’s track and field) and Sara Byrne (golf) were 2024 ACC Excellence Award recipients.
“Once again, this year’s class of ACC Postgraduate Scholarship recipients represents all that is right in collegiate athletics,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “The student-athletes in the ACC continue to set the bar when it comes to academics and athletics, which is no more evident than with this group of incredible 51 student-athletes. The dedication and commitment to excellence both in competition and in the classroom is remarkable. The future is extremely bright for all of these incredible student-athletes, and we look forward to continuing to support them.”
The Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford and Jim & 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.
The ACC has selected postgraduate scholarship recipients annually since 1971. Over that time, the league has provided nearly $4.7 million to more than 1,000 ACC student-athletes.
Each member institution may nominate a maximum of two candidates to be eligible for the postgraduate scholarship awards. Institutions are recommended to nominate a student-athlete from one men’s and one women’s sport.
Student-athletes nominated for the ACC Excellence Award are also eligible for the ACC Postgraduate Scholarship.
This year’s class of postgraduate scholarship recipients will be highlighted in a one-hour show on ACC Network that will air in May.
The following student-athletes will be recognized as 2024 ACC Postgraduate Scholars:
Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award Recipients
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Michael Tomlin, Boston College, Football, Finance
Sophia Edwards, Boston College, Women’s Tennis, Global Public Health and the Common Good
Megan Bornkamp, Clemson, Women’s Soccer, Management
William Putnam, Clemson, Football, Management
Brianna Smith, Duke, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Biology
Jake Naso, Duke, Men’s Lacrosse, Political Science
James Tibbs, Florida State, Baseball, Political Science
Ben King, Georgia Tech, Baseball, Biology
Camille Trotman, Georgia Tech, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Literature, Media, Communication
Julie Kouijzer, Louisville, Field Hockey, Marketing
Synclair Savage, Louisville, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Health and Human Performance-Exercise Science
Benjamin Chestnutt, Miami, Baseball, Criminology
Isabella Pfennig, Miami, Women’s Tennis, Economics
Ahmad Al-Qaq, North Carolina, Men’s Soccer, Neuroscience
Reilly Tran, North Carolina, Women’s Tennis, Neuroscience
Abigail Arens, NC State, Women’s Swimming & Diving, Environmental Sciences
Jarrett Trombley, NC State, Wrestling, Physiology
Philip Dority, Notre Dame, Men’s Fencing, Political Science
Jerry Chen, Pitt, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Computer Science
James Eagan, Syracuse, Rowing, Accounting
Jack Eliason, Virginia, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field, American Studies
Rebecca Skoler, Virginia, Women’s Golf, Public Policy and Leadership
Kaitlyn Andreini, Virginia Tech, Women’s Tennis, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
Ryan Fishback, Virginia Tech, Men’s Tennis, Biochemistry
Brooke Elizabeth Killingsworth, Wake Forest, Women’s Tennis, Health and Exercise Science
Garrison Isaiah Tubbs, Wake Forest, Men’s Soccer, Finance
Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award Recipients
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Lauren Flynn, Florida State, Women’s Soccer, Public Administration
Amanda Pirkowski, Notre Dame, Women’s Fencing, Marketing & Film, Television, and Theatre
Tatum White, Syracuse, Women’s Ice Hockey, Chemistry (Medicinal)
2024 ACC Excellence Award List (Formerly Honorary Postgraduate Scholarship Nominees)
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Isabelle Smith, Boston College, Women’s Lacrosse, Applied Psychology and Human Development
Mason Madsen, Boston College, Men’s Basketball, Applied Psychology and Human Development
Halle Mackiewicz, Clemson, Women’s Soccer, Civil Engineering
Ousmane Sylla, Clemson, Men’s Soccer, Sociology
Graham Barton, Duke, Football, Public Policy
Hannah Gracie Johnson, Duke, Women’s Volleyball, Italian Studies/Sociology
Cristina Roque, Florida State, Women’s Soccer, MBA
Carol Lee, Georgia Tech, Women’s Tennis, Business Administration
Christo Lamprecht, Georgia Tech, Men’s Golf, Business Administration, concentration in Finance
Bryan Hudson, Louisville, Football, Finance
Gabby Holloway, Louisville, Softball, Finance
Russell Robinson, Miami, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Liberal Studies
Sara Byrne, Miami, Women’s Golf, Accounting
Fiona Crawley, North Carolina, Women’s Tennis, English and Comparative Literature
RJ Davis, North Carolina, Men’s Basketball, Exercise and Sport Science
Jarrett Trombley, NC State, Wrestling, Physiology *
Kelsey Chmiel, NC State, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Animal Science – Veterinary Bioscience
Colin Hagstrom, Notre Dame, Men’s Lacrosse, Finance
Jadin O’Brien, Notre Dame, Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field, American Studies
Aysia Cobb, Syracuse, Women’s Soccer, Environmental Geoscience
Anneloes Knol, Virginia, Field Hockey, Business – Marketing, Management, and Business Analytics
Jared Rayman, Virginia, Football, Public Policy and Leadership
Kaitlyn Andreini, Virginia Tech, Women’s Tennis, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise *
Ryan Fishback, Virginia Tech, Men’s Tennis, Biochemistry *
Brooke Elizabeth Killingsworth, Wake Forest, Women’s Tennis, Health and Exercise Science *
Michael Robert Jurgens, Wake Forest, Football, Management
*also a recipient of the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford-Award
About the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford-Award
The Weaver-James-Corrigan Award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver, Bob James, and Gene Corrigan, the first three ACC commissioners. 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.
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 Thacker Award
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. Recipients of the award must demonstrate outstanding performance both in athletic competition and in the classroom and intend to further their education through postgraduate studies at an ACC institution.
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.
