BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech student-athletes Laura Simon (swimmer), Alexander Ziegler (track and field) and Matthias Treff (track and field) were three of 41 ACC student-athletes who were selected for the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, including three who will receive the Thacker Award, as announced Thursday by ACC Commissioner John Swofford.
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 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.
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 given 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.
The 41 student-athletes will be honored at the annual ACC Postgraduate Luncheon presented by ESPN on April 17 in the Guilford Ballroom at the Sheraton Greensboro at the Four Seasons.
Here is the list of award winners, with their accomplishments:
John Martin Long; Boston College; Business/Finance & Hispanic Studies; Swimming; Marietta, Ga.
Marty Long, captain of the Boston College swimming and diving team, will finish his career as the only diver in school history to finish in the top ten all-time in wins and points. He is the first diver in BC history to record 100 wins and the first to reach 1000 points. Earlier this year he broke the BC records in the one meter dive (329.45) and three meter dive (351.90) in the same meet. Long has been named to the All-ACC Academic Honor Roll three times, received the James J. Kane Academic Award, earned the 2009-10 Athletic Director’s Award for Academic Achievement and is a Presidential Scholar.
Jillian King; Boston College; Theology; Cross Country and Track and Field; Scotia, N.Y.
The Scotia, N.Y. native is a five-time All-ACC honoree (three times for XC, two for T&F) and a two-time All-Northeast Region selection. She currently holds the school record in the mile (4:34.19) which was broken on Feb. 14 and in the DMR (11:12.41). King also boasts USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors in 2010 and 2011 as well as being a three-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree. King is an active leader in the community as an officer for Boston College’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee. In her tenure at BC, she has taken time to volunteer at the HEAR Program (Helping Educate through Athletic Responsibility), the Perkins School for the Blind, and the Boys and Girls Club after school program.
Ina Kauppila; Boston College; International Studies; Tennis; Espoo, Finland
Kauppila, a two-year team captain, has earned ACC Academic Honor Roll honors all three seasons and has appeared in over 80 matches for the Eagles in her career. Also a three-year recipient of BC’s Athletics Director’s Award for Academic Achievement, Kauppila is serving as a board member on BC’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2012-13. Entering the spring of 2013 she held a 21-17 career mark in tournament-style matches. A native of Espoo, Finland, she speaks six languages and has involved herself in BC’s International Club and Model UN in addition to numerous community service outreaches.
Rashard Hall; Clemson; Marketing; Football; St. Augustine, Fla. (Thacker Award)
Hall started 40-of-53 games from 2009-12, compiling 302 career tackles and 14 interceptions to help the Tigers reach 36 wins and three Atlantic Division Championships or co-championships. Ranked third in program history in takeaways with 17 and fourth in career interceptions with 14, Hall had 85 tackles as a senior to rank third on the team that finished at 11-2 and ranked in the top 10. Hall led Clemson’s 2011 ACC Championship team in tackles with 89. A 2009 freshman All-American, Hall completed his undergraduate degree in just three years and was one of 30 semifinalists for the 2012 Senior CLASS Award. He was also named to the All-ACC Second Team and was recognized as Academic All-ACC three times. The Clemson nominee for the 2012 Allstate Goodworks team, he spent countless hours on community service projects the last four years.
Natalie Patzin; Clemson; Bioengineering; Volleyball; Naperville, Ill.
Patzin, a four-year starter for the volleyball team, was one of the most consistently excellent performers in the classroom and on the court, on her way to three Academic All-ACC honors. She moved from outside hitter to libero as a junior, and finished her career third in school history in digs (1,460) and fourth in career digs per set (3.17). In 2012, she ranked fourth in the conference with 4.49 per set, and was successful in serve receive in more than 97 percent of her serve receives. The bioengineering major has maintained a high GPA, and has been involved in many academic initiatives as she prepares to attend medical school.
Alexa Rand; Clemson; Special Education; Volleyball; Mentor, Ohio
The two-time Academic All-ACC selection and 2011 All-ACC honoree is one of the most prolific middle blockers in ACC history. Rand closed her career second in the top ten in ACC history in career blocks per set, and 614 totals blocks and 517 block assists, the 2nd-best mark in school history in both categories. Her career .334 hitting ranks third in Clemson history, and she finished with 822 career kills. She twice finished in the top ten nationally in blocking, and once in hitting percentage. Rand is currently student-teaching and has completed numerous community service efforts, including the scheduling of student-athlete mentors with local children.
Tara Campbell; Duke; Civil Engineering; Soccer; Cincinnati, Ohio
Tara Campbell was a two-time All-ACC Second Team selection for the Blue Devil women’s soccer team. She closed her Duke career as one of the top goalkeepers in school history with 30 shutouts, a 0.91 goals against average and 302 saves. Campbell, who was a two-time team captain, led Duke to the NCAA College Cup in 2011, which marked the Blue Devils’ first appearance in the Final Four since 1992. She totaled a school-record 13 shutouts as a junior and helped lead Duke to 54 career wins in the net. Campbell was a finalist for the 2011 Shutout Central Women’s NCAA Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Abby Johnston; Duke; Psychology; Diving; Upper Arlington, Ohio
An Olympic silver medalist and three time All-American, Abby Johnston has been a standout on the collegiate, national and international diving circuits. She claimed the first national title for the Duke Women’s Swimming and Diving program in 2011 on the 3-meter springboard and has won five ACC titles during her career. Equally as dedicated in the classroom, Johnston is also a three-year member of the ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll, a participant in the Collegiate Athlete Premedical Experience program and will graduate from Duke in May with a degree in psychology.
Ryan Kelly; Duke; Public Policy Studies; Basketball; Raleigh, N.C. (Honorary)
A two-time team captain, Kelly is one of the winningest players in Duke basketball history with a career record of 105-13 (.890) that ranks third all-time at Duke in winning percentage. A two-time member of the All-ACC Academic Basketball Team and three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection, Kelly is a career .393 shooter from three-point range and in 2012-13 started Duke’s first 15 games before suffering a foot injury, leading Duke to a 15-0 record while averaging career highs in points (13.4), rebounds (5.4), assists (1.5), and blocks per game (1.7), while shooting a career-best .521 (25-of-48) from three-point range. The MVP of the 2011 Maui Invitational, Kelly is active in community service efforts in Read with the Blue Devils, the Duke Children’s Hospital and The Monday Life.
Cydney Ross; Duke; Public Policy; Cross Country and Track & Field; St. Louis, Mo.
Ross, a two-time All-America honoree, serves as a Duke track and field team captain and is a three-time NCAA championship qualifier. The St. Louis, Mo., native was also a member of the 2011 Penn Relays 4x800 Championship team. A four-time Academic All-ACC honoree, Ross has earned her B.A. in public policy and a minor in African American Studies. She is currently pursuing a Master of Management Studies and has served as a First Year A.C.T.I.O.N. mentor, a Read with the Blue Devils volunteer and in a variety of other community service activities during her tenure at Duke.
Tiana Brockway; Florida State; Pyschology; Soccer; Tacoma, Wash.
A four-year starter at Florida State, Tiana Brockway finished her Seminole career ranked among the school leaders in appearances (95) and game starts (94). She played a key role in leading FSU to back-to-back College Cup appearances in 2011 and 2012, the school’s first ACC Championship in 2011 and a pair of conference regular season titles in 2009 and 2012. Brockway was a member of the 2011 ACC All-Academic Team and was a two-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. The Tacoma, Wash., native was honored on the NSCAA South Scholar All-Region Third Team in 2011 and 2012. Brockway earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in child development in the fall of 2012.
Kristine Polley; Florida State; Exercise Science/Pre-Med; Swimming; Marietta, Ga.
A team captain for the 2012-13 season, Kristine Polley is a two-time Olympic Trial qualifier in the 200 breast. Polley swam in her second career championship final in the 200 breast at the ACC Championships in 2012, placing sixth. She also took 15th in the 100 breast and swam in the bonus heat of the 200 IM. Polley has contributed to three team third place finishes at the ACC Championships, scoring points in the 100 and 200 breast in addition to the 200 IM at each meet. The Marietta, Ga. native has made the Dean’s List at Florida State for three years, while earning All ACC Academic team and ACC honor roll accolades.
Andres Bucaro; Florida State; Business Management; Tennis; Guatemala City, Guatemala
Last season Andres Bucaro, a two-year team captain, entered the top 10 record books for most wins in a season at Florida State with 28 singles wins. With his strong play on the court, the three-time letterwinner strives even harder in the classroom and has been named to the 2012 All-ACC Academic Team. The Guatemala City, Guatemala native was named to the three past ACC Honor Roll lists and was a 2010 ITA All-Academic Scholar-Athlete. In 2012, he won Florida State’s Golden Nole award for men’s tennis while also winning the 2011 Golden Torch award.
Perron Jones; Georgia Tech; Computer Science; Track & Field; Augusta, Ga. (Thacker Award)
An honoree for the Peach of an Athlete Award in 2013, Perron Jones was named to the 2012 All-ACC Academic Team and is a three-time member of the ACC honor roll. The Augusta, Ga. native, placed second in the 60-meter dash in 2012 with a time of 6.77 – a time that ranks in the top five in Georgia Tech history. For the last four years, Jones assisted with the GTAA Annual Michael Isenhour Toy Drive, and he helped organize and run weekly study session for students in the College of Computing. In addition, Jones helped develop and implement the GTAA Leadership Academy, and has been involved with the academy for three years.
Elizabeth Kilborn; Georgia Tech; Biology; Tennis; Marietta, Ga.
Elizabeth Kilborn, the 2013 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team captain, has helped the Yellow Jackets win an ACC Tournament title and advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 twice during her first three years in the Gold and White. Kilborn enters her final season at Tech just outside the Yellow Jackets’ career top 10 in singles and doubles wins. The Marietta, Ga., native posted a perfect 4-0 singles record at the 2010 ACC Tournament, including the clinching win over No. 8 Clemson in the semifinals, as the Jackets won their fourth ACC Tournament title. Kilborn has been equally successful in the classroom as she is a two-time selection to the ACC All-Academic team, has been selected to the Dean’s List five times and earned Faculty Honors for a 4.0 GPA twice. She serves on the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board and helped organize the women’s tennis teams trip to City of Refuge to serve dinner to some of Atlanta’s homeless.
Kate Riley; Georgia Tech; International Affairs; Swimming & Diving; Oak Ridge, N.C.
A senior captain, Kate Riley is a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll for the Georgia Tech women’s swimming & diving team. She was part of the Yellow Jackets’ 200 free relay that broke the school record last season, and also swam on the 200 medley relay that ranks second in Tech history and the 400 free relay that ranks third. On individual lists, the sprinter ranks fourth in the 100 free, fifth in the 50 free and seventh in the 100 back. She is a member of the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board, and has participated in a number of community service activities including the Michael Isenhour Toy Drive and the Georgia Special Olympics.
Owen Blye; Maryland; Operations Management; Lacrosse; Chester Springs, Pa.
Blye is a three-time selection to the All-ACC Academic Team. The senior from Chester Springs, Pa., is a two-time team captain for the Terrapins and helped Maryland reach the NCAA championship game in each of the past two seasons. He also helped Maryland win the 2011 ACC Championship. A preseason honorable mention All-American, Blye is on pace to become just the 39th player in the 88-year history of Maryland men's lacrosse to reach the 100-point mark for his career.
A.J. Francis; Maryland; Government & Policy; Football; Severn, Md.
Francis started all 12 games at defensive end, helping anchor a defense which finished ranked second in the ACC and 20th in the nation. He finished second in the conference with three fumble recoveries and was named Honorable Mention All-ACC by both the coaches and media. He totaled 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, four passes broken up and one forced fumble. Francis completed his Bachelors of Science in Government and Politics with a minor in Leadership Studies in the fall of 2011 and began work on his Masters of Public Policy in the spring of 2012. During the summer of 2012, Francis interned on Capitol Hill for Congressman Steny Hoyer. He is a three-time ACC All-Academic selection.
Katie Schwarzmann; Maryland; Business Management and Marketing; Lacrosse; Sykesville, Md.
The 2012 Tewaaraton Award winner, Katie Schwarzmann is a two-time IWLCA First Team All-American and two-time National Midfielder of the Year. The senior from Sykesville, Md., was named ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year and led the Terps to their unprecedented fourth-straight ACC championship while racking up ACC Championship Most Valuable Player honors. She is a three-time All-ACC honoree and was tabbed to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team as a freshman while helping guide the Terps to the national championship in 2010.
Brandon McGee; Miami; Sports Administration; Football; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
A two-year starter for the Hurricanes, he started 24 straight games to end his career. He was known as the Canes' shut-down corner and had 3 career interceptions. His 54 tackles last season ranked sixth on the team while his two interceptions tied for the team lead. He was selected to play in the 2013 East-West Shrine Game and has been invited to the 2013 NFL Combine later this month in Indianapolis. His community service activities include MDC City Cleanup, UM's Bone Marrow Drive and Deserve Victory Tour. A 3.1 GPA student, McGee graduated with his bachelor's degree in sports management with a minor in entrepreneurship in December 2012.
Stefanie Yderstrom; Miami; Sports Administration; Basketball; Ostertalje, Sweden
A two-time All-ACC Academic team member, Stefanie Yderstrom became the 23rd woman in program history to surpass the 1,000-point scoring plateau. She helped lead the Hurricanes to their first-ever ACC regular season title in 2011. The Ostertalje, Sweden native has started 100 consecutive games for the Hurricanes and ranks second in program history in made three-point field goals. The guard also boasts the Canes’ all-time record for free throw percentage. The 2012 All-ACC performer has worked with the Miami Coalition for the Homeless and the Austen Everett Foundation, connecting area youth with the women’s basketball team.
Nrithya Sundararaman; Miami; Neuroscience/Neurobiology; Volleyball; Naperville, Ill.
Sundararaman started 30 contests this season and led the ACC with 10.72 assists per match. The setter finished her career third in program history with 2,358 assists in 93 matches. Earning honorable mention AVCA All-America, All-ACC and AVCA All-Region honors, she effectively distributed the ball around with five UM players racking up at least 250 kills. The Naperville, Ill. native has earned accolades off the court, too. She was selected to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Volleyball Second Team, becoming the first player in program history to earn the prestigious honor. Sundararaman was also named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar in the May 24, 2012, issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education. The award recognizes "undergraduate students of color who have made academic and athletic achievement a winning combination." She maintains a 3.90 GPA and plans to attend medical school at the University of Southern California after graduation.
Jonathan Cooper; North Carolina; Communications; Football; Wilmington, N.C. (Honorary)
A consensus first-team All-America as a senior, Jonathan Cooper is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in UNC history. He won the 2012 ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, became Carolina's first Outland Trophy finalist, and will have his jersey honored in Kenan Stadium. A two-time first-team All-ACC selection, Cooper graded out over 90 percent and had double-digit knockdown blocks in nine of the Tar Heels' 12 games in 2012. A native of Wilmington, N.C., Cooper helped pave the way for tailback Giovani Bernard to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 2011 and 2012. Cooper served as a team captain on offense, helping lead the Tar Heels to an 8-4 mark and a tie for first in the Coastal Division. Carolina's offense set 20 single-season records, including total yards per game and passing yards per game.
Scott Goodwin; North Carolina; Biology; Soccer; Raleigh, N.C.
Goodwin helped lead the Tar Heels to four-straight NCAA Quarterfinal appearances, including the 2011 NCAA title. The Raleigh, N.C., native earned All-America honors as a senior after posting the lowest goals against average in school history. For his effort on the field and in the classroom, Goodwin was named the Capital One Academic All-America Player of the Year in 2012. Goodwin was a second team All-ACC selection as a senior after earning first team honors during his junior campaign. Goodwin reached Veteran Leader status in the Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy. He also was named the top biology student as a junior and was a member of the Dean's List every semester on campus. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Rebecca Brooks; North Carolina; Business Administration; Swimming; Rochester Hills, Mich.
Brooks has been a championship/consolation finalist in nine individual events over her first three years at the ACC Championships. She was named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Team in both 2011 and 2012. Brooks was named to the 2012 All-ACC Academic Team and has three times been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. She has been named to the Dean's List four times at Carolina.
Pete Mangum; North Carolina; Applied Sciences & Physics; Football; Raleigh, N.C.
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Pete Mangum came to Carolina as a walk-on in 2008 and earned a scholarship for his final two seasons in 2011 and 2012. He served as the special teams captain in 2012, was the special teams MVP in 2010 and earned the coaches' special teams player of the week honor seven times in his career. A three-time Academic All-District selection and a two-time Academic All-ACC honoree, Mangum posted 30 tackles as a senior and added 2.5 tackles for losses, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick.
Patrick Campbell, NC State; Biological Sciences; Cross Country and Track & Field; Mooresville, N.C.
As a member of NC State’s 2009 and 2011 ACC Cross Country Championship teams, Campbell earned All-NCAA Southeast Region honors those same seasons. He was named to the 2009 All-ACC team following his eighth-place finish at the 2009 ACC Cross Country Championship with a time of 23:35.1, while helping NC State to the ACC Championship. In 2011, Campbell finished 15th at the ACC Championship with a time of 23:56.5 to help the Wolfpack to its second ACC crown in three years. On the track, Campbell posted a top 10 finish in five different ACC Indoor and Outdoor Championship races. He placed sixth in the 5,000-meter run at the 2012 ACC Indoor Championships. He qualified for the 2012 NCAA East Regional Championships in the 10,000-meter during the outdoor season after a fifth-place finish in that event at the ACC Championships with a 29:43.56 time.
Megan Cyr; NC State; Interpersonal Communication; Volleyball; St. Andrews, Manitoba, Canada
In her three seasons at NC State, setter Megan Cyr was a constant contributor to the Wolfpack’s volleyball team. She played in every point for 96 matches and 357 sets, posting at least 1,000 assists each year. She finished her career with 3,660 assists, which ranks as the third most in school history. The 6-foot-1 setter from St. Andrews, Manitoba, Canada, also had a three-year attack average of .358, which ranks as the second best in school history. A transfer from Colorado who arrived as part of head coach Bryan Bunn’s first recruiting class, Cyr helped transform a Wolfpack program that was perennially near the bottom of the ACC standings to back-to-back 20-win seasons and its first berth into the NCAA Championships in 25 years. As a senior, she earned All-ACC honors and was an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American. In addition, she was a stellar performer in the class room, earning a grade-point average above 3.5 in interpersonal communication with a minor in journalism. She was also one of four Wolfpack players selected for the 2012 volleyball All-Academic ACC squad.
Mike Glennon, NC State; Liberal Arts; Football; Centreville, Va. (Honorary)
Glennon, in 26 career starts, became the first player in NC State history to throw for 30 or more touchdowns in two different seasons. He has 63 TD passes for his career ranking him third in school history, trailing only Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson, and 10th in ACC history. Passing for 4,031 yards in 2012, Glennon reached the second-highest mark in school history behind Rivers’ 4,491 and the fourth-highest mark in ACC history. In his career, Glennon ranked fourth in school history in passing yards with 7,411, third in completions with 646 and fourth in attempts with 1,069. He led the league in passing with 310 yards per game, ranking him 11th nationally. His career completion percentage of .604 is the second-best mark in Wolfpack history while his career passing efficiency mark of 132.31 ranks fourth. In the classroom, Glennon earned his master’s degree in liberal arts in December at NC State.
Marissa Kastanek; NC State; Psychology; Basketball; Lincoln, Neb.
Four-year starter Marissa Kastanek, a 2012 Academic All-American and the ACC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, will finish her career ranked among the top-10 scorers in Wolfpack program history, and one of the most accomplished three-point shooters in league history. Kastanek was a Freshman All-American and the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2010 after leading the Wolfpack to the NCAA Tournament. Kastanek is involved with Camp Pack, a leadership mentoring program at AB Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, and is a regular speaker and volunteer at other local schools.
Ari Dimas; Virginia; Philosophy and Sociology; Soccer; Chesapeake, Va.
Dimas made the Virginia soccer team in 2009 after walking on and soon became a starter as the Cavaliers won the national championship in ’09. He was a three-year starter at midfielder for UVa. At UVa’s 2012 valediction ceremony, Dimas received UVa’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for character and service (goes to two graduating students). He served on UVa’s Student Council and his Class Council, and was a student-athlete mentor. Dimas worked with first-year students through a program that orients them to college life. He also spent a semester as an intern in the office of University President Teresa Sullivan.
Matt Snyder; Virginia; Kinesiology; Wrestling; Lewistown, Pa.
A four-year starter for UVa, Snyder is a two-time NCAA qualifier and the 2012 ACC champion at 125 pounds. He ranks in the top 10 in career wins at Virginia and is third in career falls. A 2012 Academic All-American and the 2012 ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year, Snyder graduated last year with a degree in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise physiology and is currently working on his master’s degree in that field as well. He plans to enter the medical field upon graduation. During his senior year in 2011-12, Snyder lived on The Lawn at Virginia, one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon students at the University.
Lauren Perdue; Virginia; Anthropology; Swimming; Greenville, N.C. (Honorary)
Perdue, a native of Greenville, N.C., won an Olympic gold medal with the United States women’s 4x200-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Games. A UVa team captain, Perdue was the 2010 and 2011 ACC Swimmer of the Championships, 2011 ACC Swimmer of the Year and the 2010 ACC Freshman of the Year. A 12-time All-American and 17-time ACC Champion, Perdue has broken the ACC and Virginia record in the 100 free (47.88) and 200 free (1:42.51) and is the school record holder in the 50 free (22.01). The 2011 NCAA runner-up in the 200 free has also been selected to the ACC All-Academic squad twice.
Simone Egwu; Virginia; Government; Basketball; Odenton, Md.
Egwu has been a four-year starting center for the Cavalier women’s basketball team, averaging 6.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during her senior season. Egwu is simultaneously finishing her bachelor’s degree while already pursuing a master’s degree at UVa’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She is an Echols Scholar, an extremely prestigious honor at the University of Virginia, and earned the athletic department’s Bob Williams’ Award for best exemplifying a partnership of academics and athletics her freshman year. Egwu, who served as the 2012 president of Virginia’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee, is very active in the community, including participating in the Hope 4 Kids Program for low-income elementary school students, and also looks to make an international impact with raising awareness about clean water access issues in the Middle East.
Laura Simon; Virginia Tech; Biochemistry; Swimming; Simpsonville, S.C.
Simon, a native of Simpsonville, S.C., is a four-year letter winner for the Virginia Tech swimming and diving team. She has scored in every ACC Championship throughout her career, including back-to-back top-10 finishes in the 1650 freestyle her sophomore and junior campaigns. A biochemistry major, Simon earned the Skelton Award for Academic Excellence in 2011 along with earning Dean's List every semester. A member of Virginia Tech's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Simon was also placed on the team's Leadership Counsel her junior season.
Matthias Treff; Virginia Tech; Industrial & Systems Engineering; Track & Field; Nuremberg, Germany
A two-time All-American and three-time ACC champion in the javelin, Matthias Treff has finished second and third in his two trips to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. His throw of 255-6 (77.88m) at the 2011 NCAA championships in Des Moines, Iowa broke both the school and ACC record, and earned him a runner-up finish. The native of Nuremberg, Germany is a three-time selection to ACC All-Academic Team and the USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic Team.
Alex Ziegler; Virginia Tech; Business Management; Track & Field; Dischingen, Germany
A back-to-back NCAA champion in the hammer throw in 2011 and 2012, Ziegler has earned All-America honors in each of his six seasons, finishing no lower than third at any NCAA Championship. He is a three-time ACC Champion; winning the weight throw in 2010 and 2011, while winning the hammer throw in the 2012. The native of Dischingen, Germany, has been named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team during each of his three years at Virginia Tech, while earning a spot on the ACC All-Academic Team during each six of his seasons. In 2011, he was named USTFCCCA’s Outdoor Field Scholar Athlete of the Year. Ziegler is also on the 2013 Bower Man Watch List, bestowed to collegiate track and field’s top male and female athletes.
Andrea Jane Beck; Wake Forest; Biology; Volleyball; Winston-Salem, N.C. (Honorary)
Beck, a native of Winston-Salem, NC (Mt. Tabor HS) capped off a great career with another stellar season at Wake Forest in 2012. She was named to the Capital One Academic All-America first team, becoming the first Wake Forest volleyball player to earn the honor. One of 30 nominees for the Lowes Senior CLASS Award, Beck was also named Academic All-District team. A biology major with minors in Spanish and chemistry, she averaged 3.41 kills per set and 4.04 points per set as a senior while earning preseason All-ACC honors.
Jacklyn Taylor Logue; Wake Forest; Accountancy; Soccer; Mount Laurel, N.J. (Thacker Award)
An accountancy major, Logue made 21 starts as a senior and helped Wake Forest to the second round of the NCAA tournament. She earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors for the third consecutive year and has been honored on the All-ACC Academic team and the ACC Honor Roll. On the field, Jackie was named to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region third team. She was a key part of the Demon Deacon defense that posted nine shutouts and boasted a 0.85 goals against average in 2012. She finished the year with one goal and two assists while compiling career totals of six goals and 13 assists.
Elizabeth Charlotte Rae; Wake Forest; Psychology; Field Hockey; Christchurch, New Zealand
A native of Christchurch, New Zealand, Rae was named a second team All-South Region player as a senior, making her one of a handful of players to earn All-South honors each of her four seasons. Rae led the team in total shots with 52 in 2012 and was tied for the team lead in shots on goal with 31. A starter in all 20 games, Rae scored six goals and assisted on two others to finish the year with 14 points. Her top game of the season came on Sept. 14 against Appalachian State when she scored the third hat trick of her career. She also tallied a pair of goals to help down California on Oct. 21. She was the lone Demon Deacon to tally a pair of game-winning goals in 2012. Rae is majoring in psychology with minors in communication and philosophy.
Evan David Beck; Wake Forest; Finance; Golf; Virginia Beach, Va.
A finance, Evan Beck is in his senior season as a member of the Wake Forest golf team. This year, he is averaging a career-best 71.4 strokes per round average and has posted a top 10 finish in two of three fall tournaments. As a junior, Beck, a native of Virginia Beach, VA (Norfolk Academy), was named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-American Scholar and earned All-ACC Academic team honors for the third consecutive year. After finishing 27th at the ACC Championship in 2012, Beck was Wake Forest’s low-scorer at the NCAA Southeast Regional at 3-over par.
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