All-Around Champions

Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford announced Friday, Feb. 18, that three NC State student-athletes – senior gymnast Brittany Vontz, women’s basketball forward Brittany Stratchan and men’s soccer defenseman Lucas Carpenter – have been selected to receive the Weaver-James-Corrigan Award, given to student-athletes who have performed with distinction in the classroom, community and in their respective sports.

“Both the university and the athletic department really give athletes here a lot of encouragement, and I think they did a great job of helping me make the most out of this experience,” Vontz said. “Thanks to them, I’ve been able to take advantage of tutoring, special seminars for athletes, help with building my resume, career fairs.

“All of those opportunities really add up toward success in the future.”

Vontz, Carpenter and Stratchan will receive $5,000 scholarships to contribute to their graduate studies.

“This is a great reward from the ACC,” Carpenter said. “Being a student-athlete at NC State was a real challenge for me at NC State, but learning how to deal with so many different demands and learning how to better manage my time has clearly prepared me for my future.

“I am thankful to all my coaches and the academic staff here for all of their help over the years.”

Additionally, a number of other NC State athletes have recently received academic honors as well:

• Quarterback Russell Wilson earned his second consecutive nomination to the Academic All-ACC football team after earning honorable-mention accolades in 2008.

• The NC State men’s and women’s cross country teams have both been selected as Academic All-America teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Pack men carried a team GPA of 3.18, while the women posted a 3.30 team GPA, and were additionally acknowledged as a team of distinction for eclipsing a team GPA of 3.25.

• Individually, sophomore Andrew Colley and freshman Laura Hoer were named Academic All-Americans. Colley collected all-conference and all-region honors this year, while Hoer earned All-America honors after finishing 21st at the NCAA Championships. She previously won titles at both the ACC and NCAA regional championships.

“These student athletes represent the best of all Pack athletes,” said NC State director of athletics Debbie Yow. “Wolfpack Nation has every right to be proud of their outstanding achievements.”