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GREENSBORO, N.C. – Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today a list of 44 student-athletes who have been selected for the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, including three student-athletes who will receive the Thacker Award. An additional six student-athletes who plan to enter a professional career in their chosen sport were named honorary recipients. Virginia Tech saw three student-athletes earn the prestigious scholarship as pole vaulter Leigh Allin, distance runner Frances Dowd and women’s tennis player Tea Ivanovic were honored.

The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes 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 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.

In addition to those receiving scholarship funds, six student-athletes will receive the Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award. Three men’s soccer players – Clemson’s Alex Stockinger, NC State’s Fabian Otte and Notre Dame’s Harrison Shipp – are among the recipients, along with women’s soccer player Molly Menchel of Virginia, football player Ross Cockrell of Duke and men’s basketball player Raphael Akpejiori of Miami.

Leigh Allin; Virginia Tech; Mechanical Engineering; Women’s Track & Field; Lexington, Ky.

A pole vaulter for the Hokies, Leigh Allin has been consistent both in the field and in the classroom.In 2012, she finished ninth in the outdoor pole vault and 10th in the indoor pole vault at the ACC Championships. That same year, she qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round, where she finished 21st in the pole vault. The following year, Allin finished 10th at the ACC Championships in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault and also qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round. Allin has recorded career highs of 12'09.50" (3.90m) in the outdoor pole vault and 12'08.00" (3.86m) in the indoor pole vault.

Frances Dowd; Virginia Tech; Enviornmental Policy and Planning; Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field; Fairfax, Va. (Thacker Award)

An All-America selection in the 800-meter distance, Frances Dowd has been a constant for the Hokies in middle distance races since arriving at Tech. Dowd holds the Virginia Tech school record in the indoor 600-meter race, the indoor 800-meter race and ran the anchor leg for the school record-setting 4x800 team this season. During the indoor season in 2012, Dowd finished 15th at the NCAA Championship in the 800 meters (2:09.38), earning second team All-America honors and earned All-ACC honors with a third place finish in the 800 meters at the ACC Championship. In 2012, she won the NCAA Elite 89 Award, an honor presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA championships. She was also a two time Capital One All-District selection.

Tea Ivanovic; Virginia Tech; International Studies; Tennis; Antwerpen, Belgium

Tea Ivanovic has been a key contributor for the Hokies since arriving on campus. The Antwerpen, Belgium native earned 42 career singles victories entering he final season playing mainly from the No. 5 and 6 spots throughout her career. Ivanovic is a two-time ITA Scholar Athlete award winner and has made herself a staple on the A.D. Athletic Honor Roll and the ACC Academic Honor Roll. She has been a member of the Honors College at Tech since freshman year and will graduate this spring with a degree in international studies, focusing on world politics and policy, while also minoring in philosophy. The 2013 All-ACC Academic team honoree is proficient in five languages and recently earned the Outstanding Senior Award from the Political Science and International Studies departments.

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