March 11, 2006

GREENSBORO, NC - Gene Corrigan, who served the Atlantic Coast Conference as its commissioner from 1987 through 1997 as part of a highly respected career that included 33 years as a coach, publicist and administrator within the ACC, is the 2006 recipient of the Marvin "Skeeter" Francis Award.

The Francis Award is presented annually by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA) in recognition of notable achievement and service to the media in their coverage of ACC sports. It is named in honor of the late Marvin "Skeeter" Francis, longtime sports information director at Wake Forest and former service bureau director of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Corrigan, a 1952 graduate of Duke University where he was a four-year starter on the lacrosse team, became the third commissioner in ACC history on September 1, 1987. His first job with the conference, however, was as its sports information director (and the league's third fulltime employee) from July 1, 1967 through June 1, 1969 following a tenure as a coach and sports information director at the University of Virginia.

After serving two years as athletic director at Washington & Lee, Corrigan returned to Charlottesville in 1971 to begin a 10-year stint as director of athletics at UVA. In 1981, he accepted the position of athletic director at Notre Dame, where he remained until being named ACC commissioner in 1987.

Throughout his career and whatever his role, Corrigan has maintained a positive working relationship with the media and been responsive to their needs. He presently is "officially" retired and living with his wife Lena near Charlottesville, where he remains active as a college athletics consultant.

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