Cash & Klika Among ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Honorees
2/26/2025 4:00:00 PM | General, Swimming & Diving, Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – Pitt standouts Cameron Cash (swimming & diving) and Emmy Klika (volleyball) are among 59 student-athletes selected by the Atlantic Coast Conference for Postgraduate Scholarship recognition as announced by the league office Wednesday afternoon. Cash was chosen as a Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award recipient, while Klika earned both the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award and the Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award.
The ACC selected 35 student-athletes as 2025 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship Award recipients and three student-athletes who will receive the 2025 Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award. In addition to those chosen as scholarship award recipients, 24 additional student-athletes who plan to pursue professional careers in their chosen sports or career field of study, were named to the 2025 ACC Excellence Award list (formerly called Honorary Scholarship nominees).
"This year's class of ACC Postgraduate Scholarship recipients showcases the best of collegiate athletics," said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. "The student-athletes in the ACC consistently excel in both academics and athletics, as demonstrated by this remarkable group of nearly 60 individuals. Their dedication and commitment to excellence in competition and in the classroom is truly impressive. The future is extremely bright for these outstanding student-athletes, and we are excited to continue supporting them."
Cameron Cash is one of the most decorated divers in Pitt swimming and diving history. Cash is a two-time ACC Champion, a four-time ACC Medalist, an NCAA All-American and a school record holder. The Woodlands, Texas native won ACC gold on the 3-Meter and Platform in 2024 and took bronze on the 3-Meter and Platform in 2025. He is the reigning Scholar Athlete of the Year and Diver of the Year in the ACC. Cash is graduating from Pitt with a degree in Biology, a minor in Chemistry and certificate in conceptual foundations of medicine. He earned College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team as well as CSC All-American Second Team honors.
Klika has been an integral part of the success of Pitt volleyball from 2021-2024. The senior libero was a part of all four of the program's National Semifinal appearances and three ACC Championship teams. She was named to the All-ACC Second Team and AVCA East Coast Region Team in her junior and senior seasons. Klika notched AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors in 2023 after her first season at libero. Klika has also excelled in the classroom, resulting in her being a three-time All-ACC Academic Team member and ACC Honor Roll recipient.
The Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford and Jim & Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate degree after completing their undergraduate requirements. Each recipient will receive $9,000 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 and were approved by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) at the ACC Winter Meetings.
To be eligible for ACC Postgraduate Scholarships, nominees must have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically with an overall minimum accumulative grade point average of 3.0 or its equivalent. The student-athlete must have completed at least seven semesters and completed or will complete their baccalaureate degree, at an ACC institution, prior to receiving the postgraduate scholarship, and performed with distinction as a member of a varsity team specifically represented by local, conference, regional and/or national athletic recognition. The nominees also must have conducted themselves, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to themselves, their institution, intercollegiate athletics, and the ideals and objectives of higher education.
The ACC has selected postgraduate scholarship recipients annually since 1971. Over that time, the league has provided nearly $4.7 million to more than 1,000 ACC student-athletes.
Each member institution may nominate a maximum of two candidates to be eligible for the postgraduate scholarship awards. Institutions are recommended to nominate a student-athlete from one men's and one women's sport.
Student-athletes nominated for the ACC Excellence Award are also eligible for the ACC Postgraduate Scholarship.
This year's class of postgraduate scholarship recipients will be highlighted on ACC Network during live programming from March through June. Each of the ACC's 18 member schools will also recognize their respective honorees on each of the leagues 18-member schools. In addition, the ACC's 18 member schools will also recognize their honorees on each of their respective campuses.
The following student-athletes will be recognized as 2025 ACC Postgraduate Scholars:
2025 Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award Recipients
Name, Sport, Institution, Major
Levi Hughes, Men's Fencing, Boston College, Economics
Annabelle Hasselbeck, Women's Lacrosse, Boston College, Communication
Aidan Li, Men's Gymnastics, California, Mechanical Engineering
Antonia Galland, Women's Rowing, California, Society and Environment
Lucas Mahlstedt, Baseball, Clemson, Physics and Astronomy
Emily Lamparter, Women's Lacrosse, Clemson, Food Science & Human Nutrition
Megan Maransky, Field Hockey, Duke, Biology
Andrew McAdorey, Men's Lacrosse, Duke, Political Science
Heather Gilchrist, Women's Soccer, Florida State, Finance
David Quirie, Men's Swimming & Diving, Florida State, Chemical Engineering
Kate Sharabura, Women's Tennis, Georgia Tech, Biology
Henry Freer, Football, Georgia Tech, Chemical Engineering
Soledad Jean, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Louisville, Psychology
Ty McPhail, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field, Louisville, Computer Information Systems
Dorian Gonzalez, Baseball, Miami, Finance
Alexa Noel, Women's Tennis, Miami, Sports Administration
J.J. Jones, Football, North Carolina, Media and Journalism
Riley Quartermain, Women's Golf, North Carolina, English and Comparative Literature
Amanda Rice, Women's Volleyball, NC State, Biological Science/Human Biology
Will Buete, Men's Soccer, NC State, Business Administration
Siona Chisholm, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Notre Dame, Psychology
Matthew Roou, Men's Soccer, Notre Dame, Finance
Emmy Klika, Women's Volleyball, Pitt, Sport Science
Cameron Cash , Men's Swimming & Diving, Pitt, Biology
Russell Exum, Men's Swimming & Diving, SMU, Economics
Raelyn Roberson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, SMU, Management
Andrea Kitahata, Women's Soccer, Stanford, Symbolic Systems
Saniaa Wilson, Women's Basketball, Syracuse, Communications and Rhetorical Studies
Lauren Coop, Women's Rowing, Syracuse, Applied Data Analytics and Policy Studies
Eden Bigham, Softball, Virginia, Cognitive Science
Griffin Schutz, Men's Lacrosse, Virginia, Environmental Sciences
Anna Summers, Women's Swimming & Diving, Virginia Tech, Public Health
Charlotte Cartledge, Women's Tennis, Virginia Tech, Management Consulting Analysis
Laurel Ansbrow, Women's Soccer, Wake Forest, Health and Exercise Science
Nicholas Andersen, Football, Wake Forest, Communication
2025 Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award Recipients
Name, Institution, Sport, Major
Soledad Jean, Louisville, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Psychology *
Emmy Klika, Pitt, Women's Volleyball, Sport Science *
Russell Exum, SMU, Men's Swimming & Diving, Economics *
2025 ACC Excellence Award List (Formerly Honorary Postgraduate Scholarship Nominees)
Name, Sport, Institution, Major
Julia Haggerty, Women's Volleyball, Boston College, Management
Arianna Manrique, Women's Soccer, California, Psychology
Jamie Arnold, Women's Rowing, California, Society and Environment
Andrew Swanson, Men's Golf, Clemson, Mathematical Sciences
Rebecca Wells, Women's Gymnastics, Clemson, Athletic Leadership
Gloria Muzito, Women's Swimming & Diving, Florida State, Sport Management
John Giesler, Baseball, Georgia Tech, Real Estate Development
Kylie Bilchev, Women's Tennis, Georgia Tech, Biology
Merissah Russell, Women's Basketball, Louisville, Business Administration
Aimee Plumb, Field Hockey, Louisville, Psychology
Mia Vallee, Women's Swimming & Diving, Miami, Marine Biology and Ecology
Maxwell Flory, Men's Swimming & Diving, Miami, Sports Administration
Alyssa Ustby, Women's Basketball, North Carolina, Media and Journalism
Parker Wolfe, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field, North Carolina, Exercise and Sport Science
Chloe Negrete, Women's Gymnastics, NC State, Sport Management
Jaiden Thomas, Women's Soccer, NC State, Sport Management/Liberal Studies
Rebeca Candescu, Women's Fencing, Notre Dame, Neuroscience and Behavior
Benjamin Ramsey, Men's Lacrosse, Notre Dame, Finance
Jonathan McGill, Football, SMU, Liberal Studies
Raelyn Roberson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, SMU, Management *
Hunter Hollenbeck, Men's Swimming & Diving, Stanford, Electrical Engineering
Andrea Kitahata, Women's Soccer, Stanford, Symbolic Systems *
Emma Ward, Women's Lacrosse, Syracuse, Firearm and Toolmark Examination
Matthew Hunter, Men's Soccer, Virginia, Psychology
Ella Bathurst, Women's Swimming & Diving, Virginia, Marketing & Management
Anna Summers, Women's Swimming & Diving, Virginia Tech, Public Health *
Charlotte Cartledge, Women's Tennis, Virginia Tech, Management Consulting Analysis *
Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, Women's Golf, Wake Forest, Psychology
*also a recipient of the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford-Award
Pitt's All-Time ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Awardees
- 2025: Emmy Klika (Volleyball), Cameron Cash (Swimming & Diving)
- 2024: Jerry Chen (Swimming & Diving)
- 2023: Chiamaka Nwokolo (Volleyball), Emy Hayford (Women's Basketball), Yvonne Whaley (Softball), Nino Bonaccorsi (Wrestling)
- 2022: Cal Adomitis (Football), Olivia Miller (Gymnastics), Jackson Walti (Men's Soccer), Felix Wolter (Men's Track & Field)
- 2021: Kirk Christodoulou (Football), Kayla Lund (Volleyball), Chinaza Ndee (Volleyball)
- 2020: Stephanie Williams (Volleyball), Taylor Middleton (Track & Field)
- 2019: Kamalani Akeo (Volleyball), Olivia Gray (Softball) Brian Lovasik (Men's Swimming & Diving)
- 2018: Andin Fosam (Women's Track & Field), Meme Sharp (Women's Swimming & Diving), Ryan Winslow (Football)
- 2017: Kinga Cichowska (Women's Swimming & Diving), Dontez Ford (Football), Taylor Francis (Women's Soccer)
- 2016: Lindsay Offutt (Gymnastics), Amanda Orchard (Volleyball), Artie Rowell (Football)
- 2015: Brianna Kiesel (Women's Basketball), Tyler Wilps (Wrestling), Cameron Wright (Men's Basketball)
- 2014: Ashley Corum (Women's Track & Field), Jocelyn Lu (Women's Tennis), Katie O'Rourke (Gymnastics)
About the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford-Award
The Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Award is named in honor of former ACC commissioners Jim Weaver, Bob James, Gene Corrigan, and John Swofford. 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. His early leadership and uncompromising integrity are largely responsible for the excellent reputation enjoyed by the ACC today.
Robert C. James, a former 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.
John Swofford was named the fourth commissioner of the ACC on July 1, 1997, and served until June 2021. He was instrumental in the launch of the ACC Network and addition of seven new members. ACC programs won 92 national titles in 19 sports while he was commissioner.
Before 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.
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.
About the ACC Excellence Award
The ACC Excellence Award recognizes outstanding graduates from our ACC member institutions. The goal of the award is to highlight the students embodying the student-athlete ideal. The brand of the ACC is our strong history of providing world-class education and competition. The awardees are exemplary students, athletes, and contributors to the community and society and serve as an example to their fellow students.
