Three UofL Student-Athletes Named 2020 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
February 21, 2020 | Field Hockey, Swimming & Diving, Women's Volleyball, Academic Services
GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Louisville student-athletes Carter Ayars (field hockey), Melanie McHenry (volleyball) and Grace Oglesby (swimming and diving) were among 49 recipients of the 2020 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Award as announced by the Atlantic Coast Conference Thursday.
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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 $6,000 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.
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The student-athletes will be honored at the annual Cone Health ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Luncheon presented by ESPN on Wednesday, April 8. The luncheon will be hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club at the Sheraton Four Seasons Guilford Ballroom in Greensboro, North Carolina.
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Carter Ayars
Ayars, (Wilmington, Del.) is coming off a career-best senior season in which she earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America honors after tallying five goals and 12 points. The three-time NFHCA All-Region honoree and 2019 All-ACC selection was a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced eight shutouts, earning ACC Co-Player of the Week honors on Oct. 8. Â She also represented the Cardinals in the NFHCA Senior Game. Ayars was named to the USA Field Hockey Development Squad after spending two seasons on the U21 Team and a two-year stint on the U-19 team. The exercise science major is a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad and ACC Academic Honor Roll selection and has been named to the ACC All-Academic Team twice.
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Melanie McHenry
Although her season ended on Oct. 16 at Notre Dame due to a knee injury, she has left a lasting legacy as a Cardinal. McHenry, a four-year starter, was the leading point scorer for the Cardinals for the past three years and was leading UofL this year until the injury sidelined her. She is still second on the team in kills, aces, and digs despite missing these last 10 matches. She ranks No. 9 in school history in kills with 1,345 and is 21st on the active career list in kills in Division I players. This season, she was named ACC Player of the Week, the Fleur De Lis Tournament MVP, and was named All-ACC Preseason. She is a two-time First Team All-ACC selection and was named to the AVCA All-East Region and HM All-American last year. She tied her career-high with 30 kills in the win over Cincinnati. She was nearing the 1000 Dig Club at UofL before her injury with 878 career digs and would have been just the third Cardinal in history to do be part of both the 1000 Kill and 1000 Dig Clubs. As an elementary education major, she has never missed being on the AD Honor Roll and is a two-time All-ACC Honor Roll member.
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Grace Oglesby
One of the top butterflyers in the nation, Grace Oglesby is a five-time NCAA finalist and earned a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly last season to become the fifth-fastest performer in the history of the event. The school record-holder in the 400 medley relay and the second-fastest butterfly performer in program history, Oglesby is a nine-time individual ACC finalist and won the 200 butterfly in 2018 and 2019. The Goshen, Kentucky native is majoring in Sport Administration and has earned both All-ACC Academic Team and Scholar All-America honors twice in her career.
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The following student-athletes will be recognized as 2020 ACC Postgraduate Scholars:
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Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Catherine Balido, Boston College, Women's Volleyball, Communication
Sean Burke, Boston College, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, Biochemistry
Brigid Wood, Boston College, Field hockey, Marketing and Operations Management
Aliute Udoka, Clemson, Rowing, Animal & Veterinary Sciences
Brittany Aveni, Duke, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Evolutionary Anthropology
Eoin Gronningsater, Duke, Men's Fencing, Political Science
Nathaniel Hernandez, Duke, Men's Swimming and Diving, Biology
Ayla Bonniwell, Florida State, Women's Swimming and Diving, Finance
Trent Forrest, Florida State, Men's Basketball, Sport Management
Shanice Love, Florida State, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Accounting
Ellen Flood, Georgia Tech, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Industrial Engineering
Hei Yin Andrew Li, Georgia Tech, Men's Tennis, Business with a Concentration in Accounting
Nami Otsuka, Georgia Tech, Women's Tennis, Biology
Carter Ayars, Louisville, Field hockey, Health and Human Performance in Exercise Science
Melanie McHenry, Louisville, Women's Volleyball, Early Elementary Education
Grace Oglesby, Louisville, Women's Swimming and Diving, Sport Administration
Dane Dunlap, Miami, Men's Tennis, Finance
Claire McGinnis, Miami, Women's Swimming and Diving, Accounting and Finance
Maria Estela Perez Somarriba Yravedra, Miami, Women's Tennis, Economics
*Mia Fradenburg, North Carolina, Women's Volleyball, Environmental Health
Katie Hoeg, North Carolina, Women's Lacrosse, Biology
McKinley McNeill, North Carolina, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Communications Studies
Kristina Schuster, NC State, Women's Soccer, Accounting
Andreas Vazaios, NC State, Men's Swimming and Diving, Psychology
*Zoe Spence, Notre Dame, Women's Tennis, Political Science & Film, Television and Theatre
Jemma Yeadon, Notre Dame, Women's Volleyball, Neuroscience and Behavior
Taylor Middleton, Pittsburgh, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Business Administration/Marketing
Stephanie Williams, Pittsburgh, Women's Volleyball, Exercise Science
*Ryan Guthrie, Syracuse, Football, Communication and Rhetorical Studies
Lila Nazarian, Syracuse, Women's Lacrosse, Citizen and Civic Engagement, Political Science
Miranda Ramirez, Syracuse, Women's Tennis, Accounting
Jordan Mack, Virginia, Football, Youth and Social Innovation
Zoe Morse, Virginia, Women's Soccer, Global Studies
Carl Soderlund, Virginia, Men's Tennis, Economics
Sarah Edwards, Virginia Tech, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Interior Design
Natalie Novotna, Virginia Tech, Women's Tennis, Biochemistry (BS), Chemistry (BA)
Jaylyn Thompson, Virginia Tech, Women's Soccer, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
Madison Hammond, Wake Forest, Women's Soccer, English
Alistair Johnston, Wake Forest, Men's Soccer, Economics
Elijah Shalaway, Wake Forest, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, English
*Thacker Award
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Honorary Postgraduate Scholarship Nominees
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Ana Valdes, Clemson, Women's Golf, Communication
Daniele Proch, Duke, Men's Soccer, History
Cameron Thatcher, Florida State, Men's Swimming and Diving, Real Estate
Avery Bartlett, Georgia Tech, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, Computational Media
Dejan Vasiljevic, Miami, Men's Basketball, Sports Administration
Taylor Koenen, North Carolina, Women's Basketball, Business Administration
Christopher Finke, Notre Dame, Football, Finance/Master of Science in Finance
Siyun Liu, Wake Forest University, Women's Golf, Finance
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About the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award
The Weaver-James-Corrigan Award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver, Bob James, and 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.
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 on 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 awarded as separate honors, including the Jim Weaver Award, the Marie James Award and the Bob James Award.Â
About the Thacker Award
The Thacker Award, which originated in 2005, is awarded in honor of the late Jim and Pat Thacker of Charlotte, North Carolina. 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.
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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 $6,000 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.
Â
The student-athletes will be honored at the annual Cone Health ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Luncheon presented by ESPN on Wednesday, April 8. The luncheon will be hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club at the Sheraton Four Seasons Guilford Ballroom in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Â
Carter Ayars
Ayars, (Wilmington, Del.) is coming off a career-best senior season in which she earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America honors after tallying five goals and 12 points. The three-time NFHCA All-Region honoree and 2019 All-ACC selection was a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced eight shutouts, earning ACC Co-Player of the Week honors on Oct. 8. Â She also represented the Cardinals in the NFHCA Senior Game. Ayars was named to the USA Field Hockey Development Squad after spending two seasons on the U21 Team and a two-year stint on the U-19 team. The exercise science major is a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad and ACC Academic Honor Roll selection and has been named to the ACC All-Academic Team twice.
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Melanie McHenry
Although her season ended on Oct. 16 at Notre Dame due to a knee injury, she has left a lasting legacy as a Cardinal. McHenry, a four-year starter, was the leading point scorer for the Cardinals for the past three years and was leading UofL this year until the injury sidelined her. She is still second on the team in kills, aces, and digs despite missing these last 10 matches. She ranks No. 9 in school history in kills with 1,345 and is 21st on the active career list in kills in Division I players. This season, she was named ACC Player of the Week, the Fleur De Lis Tournament MVP, and was named All-ACC Preseason. She is a two-time First Team All-ACC selection and was named to the AVCA All-East Region and HM All-American last year. She tied her career-high with 30 kills in the win over Cincinnati. She was nearing the 1000 Dig Club at UofL before her injury with 878 career digs and would have been just the third Cardinal in history to do be part of both the 1000 Kill and 1000 Dig Clubs. As an elementary education major, she has never missed being on the AD Honor Roll and is a two-time All-ACC Honor Roll member.
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Grace Oglesby
One of the top butterflyers in the nation, Grace Oglesby is a five-time NCAA finalist and earned a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly last season to become the fifth-fastest performer in the history of the event. The school record-holder in the 400 medley relay and the second-fastest butterfly performer in program history, Oglesby is a nine-time individual ACC finalist and won the 200 butterfly in 2018 and 2019. The Goshen, Kentucky native is majoring in Sport Administration and has earned both All-ACC Academic Team and Scholar All-America honors twice in her career.
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The following student-athletes will be recognized as 2020 ACC Postgraduate Scholars:
Â
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Catherine Balido, Boston College, Women's Volleyball, Communication
Sean Burke, Boston College, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, Biochemistry
Brigid Wood, Boston College, Field hockey, Marketing and Operations Management
Aliute Udoka, Clemson, Rowing, Animal & Veterinary Sciences
Brittany Aveni, Duke, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Evolutionary Anthropology
Eoin Gronningsater, Duke, Men's Fencing, Political Science
Nathaniel Hernandez, Duke, Men's Swimming and Diving, Biology
Ayla Bonniwell, Florida State, Women's Swimming and Diving, Finance
Trent Forrest, Florida State, Men's Basketball, Sport Management
Shanice Love, Florida State, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Accounting
Ellen Flood, Georgia Tech, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Industrial Engineering
Hei Yin Andrew Li, Georgia Tech, Men's Tennis, Business with a Concentration in Accounting
Nami Otsuka, Georgia Tech, Women's Tennis, Biology
Carter Ayars, Louisville, Field hockey, Health and Human Performance in Exercise Science
Melanie McHenry, Louisville, Women's Volleyball, Early Elementary Education
Grace Oglesby, Louisville, Women's Swimming and Diving, Sport Administration
Dane Dunlap, Miami, Men's Tennis, Finance
Claire McGinnis, Miami, Women's Swimming and Diving, Accounting and Finance
Maria Estela Perez Somarriba Yravedra, Miami, Women's Tennis, Economics
*Mia Fradenburg, North Carolina, Women's Volleyball, Environmental Health
Katie Hoeg, North Carolina, Women's Lacrosse, Biology
McKinley McNeill, North Carolina, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Communications Studies
Kristina Schuster, NC State, Women's Soccer, Accounting
Andreas Vazaios, NC State, Men's Swimming and Diving, Psychology
*Zoe Spence, Notre Dame, Women's Tennis, Political Science & Film, Television and Theatre
Jemma Yeadon, Notre Dame, Women's Volleyball, Neuroscience and Behavior
Taylor Middleton, Pittsburgh, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Business Administration/Marketing
Stephanie Williams, Pittsburgh, Women's Volleyball, Exercise Science
*Ryan Guthrie, Syracuse, Football, Communication and Rhetorical Studies
Lila Nazarian, Syracuse, Women's Lacrosse, Citizen and Civic Engagement, Political Science
Miranda Ramirez, Syracuse, Women's Tennis, Accounting
Jordan Mack, Virginia, Football, Youth and Social Innovation
Zoe Morse, Virginia, Women's Soccer, Global Studies
Carl Soderlund, Virginia, Men's Tennis, Economics
Sarah Edwards, Virginia Tech, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Interior Design
Natalie Novotna, Virginia Tech, Women's Tennis, Biochemistry (BS), Chemistry (BA)
Jaylyn Thompson, Virginia Tech, Women's Soccer, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
Madison Hammond, Wake Forest, Women's Soccer, English
Alistair Johnston, Wake Forest, Men's Soccer, Economics
Elijah Shalaway, Wake Forest, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, English
*Thacker Award
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Honorary Postgraduate Scholarship Nominees
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Ana Valdes, Clemson, Women's Golf, Communication
Daniele Proch, Duke, Men's Soccer, History
Cameron Thatcher, Florida State, Men's Swimming and Diving, Real Estate
Avery Bartlett, Georgia Tech, Men's Cross-Country/Track & Field, Computational Media
Dejan Vasiljevic, Miami, Men's Basketball, Sports Administration
Taylor Koenen, North Carolina, Women's Basketball, Business Administration
Christopher Finke, Notre Dame, Football, Finance/Master of Science in Finance
Siyun Liu, Wake Forest University, Women's Golf, Finance
Â
About the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award
The Weaver-James-Corrigan Award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver, Bob James, and 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.
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 on 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 awarded as separate honors, including the Jim Weaver Award, the Marie James Award and the Bob James Award.Â
About the Thacker Award
The Thacker Award, which originated in 2005, is awarded in honor of the late Jim and Pat Thacker of Charlotte, North Carolina. 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.
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