North Carolina State University Athletics
Four Student-Athletes Receive Post-Graduate Scholarships
3/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Four NC State scholar-athletes have been named recipients of postgraduate scholarships, as announced by Commissioner John D. Swofford. The Weaver-James-Corrigan and Jim and Pat Thacker scholarships are given to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate-level degree following graduation. Each recipient will receive $5,000 to use towards his or her graduate education. Student-athletes receiving the award have performed with distinction in both the classroom and in their respective sports, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.
In addition to receiving scholarship funds, Jemissa Hess will receive a Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award. These students will be recognized for their outstanding performance in both athletic competition and the classroom throughout their collegiate careers and intend to compete at the Olympic or professional level.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James as well as Gene Corrigan, all former ACC commissioners. The league's first commissioner, James H. Weaver, served the conference from 1954 to 1970 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 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 given as separate honors. The Jim Weaver award, 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.
Georgia Davis will also receive the Thacker award, which originated in 2005, and is awarded 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 post- graduate studies at an ACC institution.
These four student-athletes will be honored April 12, 2007, in Greensboro, N.C., at a luncheon hosted by the Nat Greene Kiwanis Club. The luncheon will be held at the Koury Convention Center.
Georgia Davis, Track & Field, NC State
Named to the ACC Honor Roll every year ... Finished 18th at the 2007 Indoor ACC Championships in the mile ... Finished 18th in the 1,500 meters at the 2006 Outdoor ACC Championships.
Shaina Ervin, Softball, NC State
2006 ACC Tournament MVP and first team All- ACC selection ... The second- most winning pitcher in Wolfpack softball history ... Has improved her pitching numbers each season ... Tossed back- to-back no-hitters against Binghamton and Campbell as a freshman ... Was named to the ACC Honor Roll three times.
Jemissa Hess, Cross Country/Track & Field, NC State
Earned All- ACC honors in the mile at the 2007 Indoor ACC Championships with a third place finish ... NCAA Qualifier for the outdoor 1,500 meters in 2006 ... Named an indoor NCAA All- American in the 3,000 meters ... Also earned All- ACC honors in both the mile and the 3,000 meters during the 2006 indoor season ... Named to the ACC Honor Roll.
William Lee, Football, NC State
Was named an ESPN The Magazine CoSIDA Academic first team All- American ... Has served as the Wolfpack long snapper on place kicks and punts for three seasons ... Only two of the 208 punts he snapped for resulted in blocks in his career, and only one place kick out of 85 extra points and 58 field goal attempts was blocked ... Finished his career with 20 special team tackles in 35 straight games played ... Named to the Dean's List for all eight semesters of his undergraduate work, as he graduated with a perfect 4.0 and is currently enrolled in graduate school at N.C. State ... Won the Earle Edwards Award for highest GPA on the team.
