July 22, 2000

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Georgia Tech football player Joe Hamilton and Maryland lacrosse player Jen Adams have been named as the Atlantic Coast Conference male and female athletes for the 1999-2000 academic year, as voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association.

The Anthony J. McKevlin Award, named for a former sports editor of The (Raleigh) News & Observer, is given to the ACC's top male student-athlete, while the Mary Garber Award, named for a retired Winston-Salem Journal sportswriter, is given to the top female student-athlete.

Hamilton recorded 29 votes ahead of Virginia swimmer Ed Moses who tallied 15 votes. Clemson track performer Shawn Crawford was third with 14 votes followed by Florida State's quarterback Chris Weinke (10), Maryland football player LaMont Jordan (5), Duke soccer player Ali Curtis (4), North Carolina basketball player Ed Cota, NC State runner Chan Pons and Wake Forest football player Dustin Lyman with two votes each.

On the women's side, Adams finished with 30 votes while North Carolina soccer player Lorrie Fair received 15 votes. Duke golfer Beth Bauer was third with 12 votes followed by NC State basketball player Summer Erb (9), Florida State track performer Tonya Carter (6), Clemson volleyball player Cindy Stern (3), Virginia soccer player Angela Hucles and Georgia Tech runner Sara Pardue with two votes apiece.

Hamilton, the 1999 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award recipient led Georgia Tech to an 8-4 finish and a trip to the 2000 Gator Bowl. He was a runner-up for the 1999 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-America, earning first-team honors from AP, FWAA, AFCA, Football News and Walter Camp. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and became the ACC's all-time leader in total offense (10,460 yards), touchdown responsibility (83), touchdown passes (65), and passing efficiency (148.2). The Alvin, S.C. native ranks among the top 10 in NCAA history in career total offense and is the first player in NCAA Division I-A to top 10,000 total yards and 1,500 yards rushing.

"I can't imagine any athlete in any sport meaning more to his team than Joe Hamilton meant to our football program the last four years," said Georgia Tech head football coach George O'Leary. "He has been a great representative for Georgia Tech, the ACC and college athletics, and he is very deserving of this award."

The National Player of the Year in women's lacrosse, junior Jen Adams led Maryland to the NCAA national championship, the ACC regular season title, a 21-1 overall record, a final ranking of No. 1 and 20 consecutive victories to close the season. Adams was the 2000 ACC Player of the Year and an All-America by College Lacrosse USA and Brine/WLCA. She finished the 2000 season with 81 goals and 55 assists for an NCAA Division I record 136 points. In her first three seasons, Adams has totaled 179 goals, 118 assists, and 297 points placing her 10th all-time in Division I women's lacrosse history.

"This is a tremendous honor and well-deserved. Obviously, we think the world of Jen Adams, and it's easy to see why: she epitomizes what a student-athlete should be on and off the field of play," said Maryland lacrosse head coach Cindy Timchal.