Hokie duo sweeps ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year honors

Pole vaulter Torben Laidig and distance runner Hanna Green were recognized as the Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Scholar Athlete of the Year, respectively, for the first time in their careers

April 20, 2017

BLACKSBURG – For the first time in program history, the nationally ranked Virginia Tech track and field teams swept the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, announced by the league office Thursday morning.

Pole vaulter Torben Laidig and middle distance runner Hanna Green were recognized as the Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively, for the first time in their careers. Laidig is only the second male athlete to win this award and is the first since Alexander Ziegler in 2013. Additionally, Green is the first female athlete ever to win the honor on the women’s side.

The ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award was established in September of 2007 and is awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in his/her respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade-point average for their careers, as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters.

A biochemistry and biology double major from Schwabish Hall, Germany, Laidig tied for sixth place and earned All-America honors at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships with a vault of 5.45 meters (17 ft., 10.75 in.) on March 11 in College Station, Texas. That followed his ACC Championship-record performance two weeks earlier at Notre Dame’s Loftus Sports Center in which he took the gold medal while setting a new meet standard of 5.55 meters (18 ft., 2.5 in.).

The junior vaulter also took first place at two home meets during the regular season and earned second place in another with marks that ranked among the nation’s top 10.

In the classroom, Laidig has posted a 4.0 GPA each of the last five semesters, while earning spots on both the dean’s list and the athletic director’s honor roll. He is a member of the ACC All-Academic Team and is a three-time selection to the ACC Honor Roll.

Green earned first-team All-America honors for the third year in a row at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships, taking the silver medal in the 800-meter run on March 11 in College Station, Texas. Green, a three-time ACC champion, posted an NCAA time of 2:02.13 to reset her own program record in the event for the second time this season.

Earlier, Green had set the ACC Championship record in the women’s 800 with a time of 2:02.28 in the finals at Notre Dame’s Loftus Sports Center on Feb. 25. The Latrobe, Pennsylvania native’s effort also broke her own school record – which stood for two weeks until Green set the standard again during the NCAA meet. Green also ran on the Hokies’ school record-setting 4x400 relay team and was named the ACC Women’s Field Performer of the Week following her performance in the Virginia Tech Challenge on Feb. 21.

In the classroom, Green achieved a 4.0 grade-point average for the fourth consecutive semester, while earning dean’s list honors. An interior design major, the senior runner is eligible for her fourth selection to the ACC Honor Roll. She also is a member of the ACC’s All-Academic Team.

Additionally, both the men’s and women’s team landed 11 student-athletes on the All-ACC Academic Team. Laidig is one of a league-leading nine student-athletes on the men’s side, while Green and junior Courtney Blanden highlight the women’s side.

Every member of the All-ACC Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Academic Teams earned All-America and/or All-ACC honors, scored points for his/her team at the ACC Indoor Championships, or was selected as an ACC Performer of the Week during the regular season.

Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade-point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season also are considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.

The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade-point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.

Fans can follow all the action during each meet of the 2017 outdoor season by following the squad on Twitter and Instagram.

Men

Kevin Cianfarini | Jr. | Computer Science

Vincent Ciattei | Sr. | Engineering Science & Math.

Daniel Jaskowak | Jr. | HNFE

Torben Laidig | Sr. | Biochemistry/Biology

Mackenzie Muldoon | Jr. | HNFE

Drew Piazza | Sr. | Civil Engineering

James Steck |Sr. | Creative Writing & Lit./Language

Peter Seufer | Fr. | Economics

Diego Zarate | So. | Criminology

Women

Courtney Blanden | Jr. | Business Information Technology

Hanna Green | Sr. | Interior Design

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