Feb. 13, 2012
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Georgia Tech’s Heidi Hatteberg (swimming), Kate Kuzma (softball) and Viet Ha Ngo (tennis) were three of 36 Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes selected Monday to receive the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award.
Each recipient will receive $5,000 to contribute to their graduate education. Those honored have performed with distinction in both the classroom and his/her respective sports, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford also announced that Hatteberg is one of three ACC student-athletes who will receive the Thacker Award. 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.
Yellow Jacket golfer James White was also honored by the league office Monday. White was one of six ACC student-athletes selected as Honorary Weaver-James-Corrigan Award winners, which goes annually to those who excel on and off the field, but will pursue a career in professional sports. White was joined by two men’s basketball players – Clemson’s Tanner Smith and North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller – along with Duke football player Matt Daniels, NC State baseball player Phillip Williams, and Virginia women’s tennis player Lindsey Hardenbergh.
Hatteberg, an aerospace engineering major from Louisville (Ky.), is one of the most-decorated athletes in the brief history of the Tech women’s swimming program. She’ll compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200 backstroke.
Kuzma, a management/marketing major from Sharpsburg (Ga.), started all 57 games as a junior last season and was named second team All-ACC.
Ngo, an economics & international affairs major from Hanoi, Vietnam, went 11-3 in singles last fall and helped lead Georgia Tech to an ACC title in 2010.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan Award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James, as well as Gene Corrigan, all of whom are former 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 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 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 of 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, which 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.
The 42 student-athletes will be honored at the annual ACC Postgraduate Luncheon presented by ESPN on April 11, 2012, in the Guilford Ballroom at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at the Four Seasons.
2012 Weaver-James-Corrigan Award Recipients
Katarina Gajic Boston College W-Tennis Major – Economics; Minor – Film Studies Toronto, Ontario
Brian Like Boston College M-Fencing Biology Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
Kevin Melnick Boston College M-Golf Biology Blue Bell, Pa.
Becca Brown Clemson Rowing Bioengineering Greenville, SC
Alyssa Kulik Clemson W-Cross Country Modern Languages/Psychology Simpsonville, SC
Dawson Zimmerman Clemson Football Major – English; Minor – Creative Writing Lawrenceville, GA
Sophia Dunworth Duke Volleyball Major – Biology; Minor – Chemistry Pleasanton, Calif.
Rory Erickson-Kulas Duke Rowing Major – Public Policy; Minor – History & Economics Naugatuck, Conn.
Becca Ward Duke W-Fencing Public Policy Portland, Ore.
Deividas Dulkys Florida State M-Basketball Management Silute, Lithuania
Katie Rybakova Florida State W-Tennis English Education Coral Springs, Fla.
Kimberly Williams Florida State W-Track & Field Sport Management Kingston, Jamaica
Heidi Hatteberg (Thacker Award) Georgia Tech W-Swimming/Diving Aerospace Engineering Louisville, Ky.
Kate Kuzma Georgia Tech Softball Management/Marketing Sharpsburg, Ga.
Viet Ha Ngo Georgia Tech W-Tennis Economics & International Affairs Hanoi, Vietnam
Kyle John Maryland Wrestling Civil Engineering Coopersburg, Pa.
Corey Peltier Maryland Wrestling Elementary Education Exeter, R.I.
Shelby Reyes Maryland W-Water Polo Major – Psychology; Minor – Human Development Miami, Fla.
Ali Becker Miami Volleyball Elementary Education & Psychology Katy, Texas
John Calhoun Miami Football Major – Political Science; Minor – Sociology Micco, Fla.
Lane Carico Miami Volleyball Major – Exercise Physiology; Minor – Psychology Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Taylor Brown North Carolina Gymnastics Major – Psychology; Minor – Chemistry Durham, N.C.
Shinann Featherston North Carolina W-Tennis Major – Exercise & Sport Science and Political Science Rockaway Park, N.Y.
Blair Meiggs North Carolina Rowing Major – Exercise & Sport Science; Minor – Coaching Education Camden, N.C.
Tanya Cain (Thacker Award) NC State W-Soccer Accounting Pinebluff, N.C.
Akash Gujarati NC State M-Tennis Electrical Engineering Pune, India
Jess Panza NC State Gymnastics Business Administration New York, N.Y.
Kelly Flynn Virginia W-Swimming Biology The Woodlands, Tex.
Rachel Jennings Virginia Field Hockey English Macungie, Pa.
Maggie Kistner Virginia W-Soccer Major – Psychology; Minor – Biology St. Louis, Mo.
Martha Blakely Virginia Tech W-Tennis Major – Biochemistry; Minor – Chemistry Reading, Pa.
Corrado Degl’lncerti Tocci Virginia Tech M-Tennis Major – Aerospace Engineering; Minor – Mathematics Reggio Emilia, Italy
Blake Trabuchi-Downey Virginia Tech M-Swimming Biological Sciences Vineland, N.J.
Faith Adams Wake Forest Field Hockey Major – Business & Enterprise Management; Minor – Spanish Great Falls, Va.
Sarah Brobeck (Thacker Award) Wake Forest W-Track & Field Chemistry Salem, Ohio
Michael Hoag Wake Forest Football Major – Communications; Minor – Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprise Journalism Knoxville, Tenn.
2012 ACC Postgraduate Honorary Nominees
Tanner Smith Clemson M-Basketball Marketing Alpharetta, Ga.
Matt Daniels Duke Football Public Policy Fayetteville, Ga.
James White Georgia Tech M-Golf Management Acworth, Ga.
Tyler Zeller North Carolina M-Basketball Business Administration Washington, Ind.
Vance Williams NC State Baseball Mechanical Engineering Cary, N.C.
Lindsey Hardenbergh Virginia W-Tennis Major – Spanish & English; Minor – Leadership Fairfax Station, Va.
