Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh was recently named the ACC’s female athlete of the 2023-24 athletic year, winning the prestigious Mary Garber Award. She is only the third UVa athlete to receive this honor, following in the footsteps of former basketball great Dawn Staley and former soccer star Morgan Brian. Walsh, who received 31 votes from a 71-member media panel, also recently made the United States Olympic swim team and won the Honda Award for women’s swimming and diving. She had an outstanding year, winning three individual titles at the NCAA championships and breaking NCAA and American records in those events. Additionally, she was part of four winning relay teams at the NCAA Championships, helping UVa secure the NCAA team title.
On the men’s side, Notre Dame lacrosse star Pat Kavanagh was named the ACC’s male athlete of the year after leading his team to the NCAA title. Kavanagh received 27 votes from the media panel, while Clemson soccer star Ousmane Sylla was the runner-up with 15 votes. Overall, it was a successful year for both Walsh and Kavanagh, as they showcased exceptional talent and performance in their respective sports.
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