The following is a press release courtesy of Virginia Tech:
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today a list of 45 student-athletes who have been selected for the 2015 Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, including three Virginia Tech student-athletes who will receive the award.
Christian Beyer of the men’s basketball team, Devin Carter of the wrestling squad and Morgan Latimer of the men’s swimming squad have been award the Weaver-James-Corrigan postgraduate scholarships, which 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 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.
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. The Jim Weaver Award, which originated in 1970, recognized exceptional achievement on the playing field and in the classroom, while the Bob James Award, established in 1987, also honored outstanding student-athletes.
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.
The 53 student-athletes will be honored at the annual Cone Health ACC Postgraduate Luncheon hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club and presented by ESPN on April 15 at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro.
Christian Beyer; Virginia Tech; Human Nutrition, Foods & Exercise; Men’s Basketball; New Bern, N.C.
Christian Beyer, who joined the Hokies as a walk-on in 2012, has earned a scholarship for this, his final semester. A member of the 2013 ACC All-Academic team, he won the 2014 Skelton Award, given annually to the top academic male and female student-athletes at Virginia Tech. The New Bern, North Carolina, native has been named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All- District 3 first team and is currently on the national ballot. Beyer has played in 69 games, making three starts. Beyer is currently in the process of interviewing and being accepted into medical schools.
Devin Carter; Virginia Tech; Psychology; Wrestling; Christiansburg, Va.
A three-time ACC champion and two-time All-American, Devin Carter has re-written the record book at Virginia Tech. The Christiansburg, Virginia, native has won 112 career matches with nearly 40 pins and became the school’s first NCAA finalist when he advanced to the final match at the 2014 Championships. A 2014 Academic All-America selection to the at-large squad, he was also named ACC’s Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Carter has already graduated with a degree in psychology and is spending his fifth year at Virginia Tech working on a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.
Morgan Latimer; Virginia Tech; History; Swimming & Diving; Richmond, Va.
When he graduates in May, Virginia native Morgan Latimer will leave his name littered across the Virginia Tech Swimming & Diving record book. He is a two-time ACC silver medalist in the 200 fly who holds school records in the 100 back, the 100 fly and the 200 fly. He is a stalwart relay participant who helped set school-record times in the 200 free relay, the 800 free relay, the 200 medley relay and the 400 medley relay. He helped the H2Okies win the 2014 ACC Men’s Championship last season, earning 77 individual points and a whopping 220 team points. He is an exceptional student who has twice been named to the All-ACC Academic Team.
