GREENSBORO, N.C. – Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today a list of 36 student-athletes who have been selected for the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, including three student-athletes who will receive the Thacker Award. Additionally, five student-athletes who plan to enter a professional career in their chosen sport were named honorary recipients.

Among the 36 student-athletes selected are three Virginia Tech athletes, including redshirt-senior men’s tennis standout Pedro Graber as one of the three recipients of the Thacker award. The other two recipients of the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award are redshirt-senior Kelly Phillips (track and field) and senior Jennifer Harvey (women’s soccer).

The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes – three from each league institution – who intend to pursue a graduate degree following completion of their undergraduate requirements. 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.

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 postgraduate studies at an ACC institution.

Pedro Graber has been outstanding both in classroom and on the court throughout his career. He was the recipient of the 2009 Skelton Award which is given to the top Virginia Tech male scholar-athlete. Graber was also a member of the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America District III At-Large University Division team. He has been named to the ACC Men’s Tennis All-Academic team and the ACC Academic Honor Roll three times. Graber has also been named an ITA Scholar-Athlete on three occasions. He missed the entire 2009-10 season due to an injured wrist after earning a national ranking the previous season. Graber currently serves as Vice President of the Virginia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has been a member of the Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll every semester.

Kelly Phillips earned All-America status in the pole vault during the 2008 outdoor season on the heels of an ACC Championship during the 2008 indoor season, and currently holds the school record at 14-1.25 (4.30m). After redshirting the 2007 season, Phillips has earned ACC All-Academic honors every season since, as well as three VT Scholar Athlete of the Year honors. She has also been named to the NCAA All-Academic women’s track and field team three times. She currently serves as the co-president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, volunteering for numerous charities, including Soles 4 Souls with the track team.

Jennifer Harvey, an ESPN Academic All-American, is tied for first all-time at Tech after seeing time in 86 games as a four-year starter, and ranks second all-time with 84 career starts. Her 44 points and 18 goals are good for tenth and eighth, respectively, all-time at Tech. The Roanoke, Va., native was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District III team in each of the past three season, being named to the first team as a junior and senior. A two-time ACC All-Academic team selection, Harvey received the 2009 Chemistry Department Academic Excellence Award, while also making Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll seven times.

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.

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