Feb. 18, 2004

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Maryland Terrapins Emily Marker and Sara Silvetti are two of 26 Atlantic Coast Conference scholar-athletes named recipients of the 2004 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarships, as announced by Commisioner John Swofford. Marker is a senior co-captain of the tennis squad and Silvetti is captain of the 2003 NCAA semifinalist field hockey squad.

The scholarships are given to selected student-athletes who intend to pursue a graduate-level degree following graduation. Recipients receive $5,000 to use towards his or her graduate education. Student-athletes receiving the award have performed with distinction both in the classroom and in their respective sports, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.

Aside from her prowess on the court, Marker (Ann Arbor, Mich.) has achieved numerous academic accomplishments. Graduating in the winter of 2003, she earned a perfect 4.0 from Maryland's prestigious Robert H. Smith School of Business with a degree in Decision and Information Systems and was chosen to represent the Smith undergraduate student body when she spoke to nearly 400 graduates at the winter commencement ceremonies on Dec. 21, 2003. On the court, Marker started the fall 2003 season ranked No. 77 nationally which qualified her to participate in the Riviera All-American, featuring the top players in Division I tennis. This spring, she earned her highest career ranking of 44 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association after an outstanding fall season when she went 11-5.

A junior, Silvetti (Wapwallopen, Pa.) was named co-captain of the field hockey squad last year and helped the Terps to the NCAA Tournament semifinals in the fall, anchoring a defense which ranked fifth in the nation. She tallied career highs of seven goals and seven assists en route to second team All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. A public and community health major, Silvetti was named to the ACC Honor Roll last year.

The award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James as well as Gene Corrigan, past 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 national championships and two national football titles.