Four Blue Devils Receive ACC Postgraduate Scholarships

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Four Blue Devils were recipients of postgraduate scholarships given by the Atlantic Coast Conference, as announced by Commissioner John D. Swofford Tuesday. The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker scholarships are given to 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.

Leigh Jester (women's lacrosse), Cara-Lynn Lopresti (field hockey) and Shannon Rowbury (cross country and track & field) were all named recipients of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award while Anna Grzebien (women's golf) was a recipient of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award.

In all, 45 Atlantic Coast Conference scholar-athletes were named recipients of postgraduate scholarships. 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, nine 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.

The 45 student-athletes will be honored April 12, 2007, in Greensboro, N.C., at a luncheon hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club. The luncheon will be held at the Koury Convention Center.

Weaver-James-Corrigan Award Recipients are as follows: Boston College – Allison Amanda Anderson (volleyball), Robert G. Dittrich (baseball); Clemson – Sarah Irene Cefalu (swimming & diving), Brittany Gamble (rowing), J. Thomas Hunter (football); Duke – Leigh Jester (lacrosse), Cara-Lynn Lopresti (field hockey), Shannon Rowbury (cross country/track & field); Florida State – Sarah Reyne Griffin (volleyball), Alex W. Kennon (swimming), Kelly A. Rowland (soccer); Georgia Tech – Ofer Finkler (swimming & diving), Kristina Kaye Hull (softball), Alison Jo Silverio (tennis); Maryland – Paula Infante (field hockey), Kristina Keegan (track & field), Adam B. Podlesh (football); Miami – Heather Nicole Bounds (diving), Valerie Anne Webb (rowing), Karen Louise Wiley (rowing); North Carolina – Anna Victoria Evans (softball), Courtney Allison Krolokoski (fencing), Kathryn Louise Miller (golf); NC State – Shaina M. Ervin (softball), William Morgan Lee (football); Virginia – Ryan M. Burke (soccer), Andrew Spencer Dumm (cross country); Virginia Tech – Coleman Alexander Collins (basketball), Lindsay Parks Pieper (lacrosse), Mallory Jo Soldner (soccer); Wake Forest – Lauren Elizabeth Crandall (field hockey), Michelle Marie Sikes (cross country/track & field), Jamie Glynn Whitten (field hockey).

Jim and Pat Thacker Award Recipients are as follows: Boston College – Jennifer Elizabeth Maurer (soccer); NC State – Georgia Kay Davis (cross country); Virginia – Meredith Lee Lazarus (lacrosse).

Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award Recipients are as follows: Clemson – Rebecca B. Myer (soccer); Duke – Anna Grzebien (golf); Florida State – Thomas Lancashire (cross country/track & field); Georgia Tech – Roberto Mario Castro (golf); Maryland – Joshua Matthew Wilson (football); North Carolina – Heather Ann O'Reilly (soccer); NC State – Jemissa Leanne Hess (cross country/track & field); Virginia – Adam Whipp Cristman (soccer); Virginia Tech – Brandon Kyle Pace (football).

Biographical Sketches of Award Winners

Leigh Jester, Lacrosse, Duke
A preseason Inside Lacrosse All-America selection and Tewaarton Trophy watch list pick in 2007 … A first team IWLCA All-Region and All-ACC pick and second team IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse All-America selection as a junior … Was named to the Academic All-ACC team in 2006 … Selected to the 2005 NCAA All-Tournament team … A two-time ACC All-Tournament choice … an ACC Honor Roll selection in 2005 ... Was named to the WomensLacrosse.com All-America Rookie team … A member of the U.S. Elite team.

Cara-Lynn Lopresti, Field Hockey, Duke
Member of the U.S. Under-20 and Under-21 national teams ... A two-time All-South Region pick … Received All-ACC recognition as a junior… Competed on USA team that earned the country's best performance with a seventh-place finish at the Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile, in Sept. 2005 … Started 81 of 82 games while at Duke … A two-time member of the NFHCA National Academic team … An All-ACC Academic team selection as a junior and senior.

Shannon Rowbury, Cross Country/Track and Field, Duke
Ran the fastest indoor mile in the NCAA in 2007 (4:34.94), which qualified her for the NCAA Championships … A two-time ACC indoor champion in the mile and 3,000 meters … 2005 ACC Cross Country Champion … 2005 Southeast Region Cross Country Champion … 2005 NACAC Outdoor Track and Field 1,500 meter Champion and mile runner-up ... 2005 ACC Outdoor 1,500 meter champion … 2004 ECAC indoor mile and outdoor 4x800 meter relay champion … 2005 NCAA Southeast Region Indoor Athlete of the Year … Holds school records in the indoor 800 meters, mile, 1,500 meters, 4x800 meter relay and the DMR and outdoor 1,500 meters steeplechase, 4x800 meter relay, DMR and 4x1,500 meter relay ... A four-time All-American … Three-time Duke indoor team MVP.

Other Winners:
Allison Anderson, Volleyball, Boston College
Robert Dittrich, Baseball, Boston College
Jennifer Maurer, Soccer, Boston College
Sarah Cefalu, Swimming, Clemson
Brittney Gamble, Rowing, Clemson
Thomas Hunter, Football, Clemson
Sarah Griffin, Volleyball, Florida State
Alex Kennon, Swimming, Florida State
Tom Lancashire, Track and Field, Florida State
Kelly Rowland, Soccer, Florida State
Ofer Finkler, Swimming, Georgia Tech
Kristina Hull, Softball, Georgia Tech
Alison Silverio, Tennis, Georgia Tech
Paula Infante, Field Hockey, Maryland
Kristina Keegan, Track and Field, Maryland
Adam Podlesh, Football, Maryland
Heather Bounds, Diving, Miami
Valerie Webb, Rowing, Miami
Karen Wiley, Rowing, Miami
Anna Evans, Softball, North Carolina
Courtney Krolikoski, Fencing, North Carolina
Katie Miller, Golf, North Carolina
Georgia Davis, Track & Field, NC State
Shaina Ervin, Softball, NC State
William Lee, Football, NC State
Ryan Burke, Soccer, Virginia
Andrew Spencer Dumm, Cross Country/Track and Field, Virginia
Meredith Lee Lazarus, Lacrosse, Virginia
Coleman Collins, Basketball, Virginia Tech
Lindsay Pieper, Lacrosse, Virginia Tech
Mallory Soldner, Soccer, Virginia Tech
Lauren Crandall, Field Hockey, Wake Forest
Michelle Sikes, Cross Country/Track and Field, Wake Forest
Jamie Whitten, Field Hockey, Wake Forest

Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award Recipients

Anna Grzebien, Golf, Duke
2005 NCAA Individual Champion and East Regional Champion ... 2005 Honda Award winner as the National Player of the Year ... 2005 & 2006 NGCA first team All-American ... Words Unlimited Rhode Island Female Athlete of the Year in 2004 ... A three-time All-ACC selection ... Collected 10 top five, 16 top 10 and 27 top 20 finishes over her career ... A 2004 NGCA Honorable Mention All-American ... Led Duke to back-to back NCAA Championships in 2005 and 2006 ... Guided the Blue Devils to three straight ACC titles ... Led Duke to 27 team victories over her career with the Blue Devils.

Other Honorary Recipients:
Britten Meyer, Soccer, Clemson
Roberto Castro, Golf, Georgia Tech
Josh Wilson, Football, Maryland
Heather O'Reilly, Women's Soccer, North Carolina
Jemissa Hess, Cross Country/Track & Field, NC State
Adam Cristman, Soccer, Virginia
Brandon Pace, Football, Virginia Tech