The Atlantic Coast Conference Athlete of the Year award is given to the male and female athlete who show extraordinary talent throughout the entire season. The award is decided by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Anthony J. McKevlin Award The Anthony J. McKevlin Award, which originally went to the league's athlete of the year regardless of gender until 1990, named in honor of a former sports editor of the Raleigh News and Observer, has been voted upon and handed out annually since the ACC was formed in 1953–1954.
Mary Garber Award In 1990, The Mary Garber Award, named in honor of Mary Garber, a former Winston-Salem Journal reporter and a pioneer for women in the field of sports journalism, was established to honor the league's top female athlete. In 2005, the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) distinguished Garber by honoring her with its prestigious Red Smith Award, making her the first female recipient in the award's 25-year history.
Recipients Male – Anthony J. McKevlin AwardFemale – Mary Garber AwardSeasonPlayerSchoolSportPlayerSchoolSport1954Joel ShankleDukeTrack & Field 1955Dickie HemricWake ForestBasketball 1956Dave SimeDukeTrack & Field/Baseball 1957Lennie RosenbluthNorth CarolinaBasketball 1958Dick ChristyNC StateFootball 1959Lou PucilloNC StateBasketball 1960Mike McGeeDukeFootball 1961Roman GabrielNC StateFootball 1962Len ChappellWake ForestBasketball 1963Art HeymanDukeBasketball 1964Jeff MullinsDukeBasketball 1965Brian PiccoloWake ForestFootball 1966Danny TalbottNorth CarolinaFootball/Baseball 1967Bobby BryantSouth CarolinaFootball/Baseball 1968Larry MillerNorth CarolinaBasketball 1969Frank QuayleVirginiaFootball 1970Charlie ScottNorth CarolinaBasketball 1971Don McCauleyNorth CarolinaFootball 1972Barry ParkhillVirginiaBasketball 1973David ThompsonNC StateBasketball 1974Tony WaldropNorth CarolinaTrack & Field 1975David ThompsonNC StateBasketball 1976John LucasMarylandBasketball/Tennis 1977Phil FordNorth CarolinaBasketball 1978Phil FordNorth CarolinaBasketball 1979Renaldo NehemiahMarylandTrack & Field 1980 Julie Shea*NC StateTrack & Field1981 Julie Shea*NC StateTrack & Field1982James WorthyNorth CarolinaBasketball 1983Ralph SampsonVirginiaBasketball 1984Michael JordanNorth CarolinaBasketball 1985BJ SurhoffNorth CarolinaBaseball 1986Len BiasMarylandBasketball 1987Riccardo IngramGeorgia TechFootball/Baseball 1988Danny FerryDukeBasketball 1989Danny FerryDukeBasketball 1990Clarkston HinesDukeFootballShannon HigginsNorth CarolinaSoccer1991Christian LaettnerDukeBasketballDawn StaleyVirginiaBasketball1992Christian LaettnerDukeBasketballDawn StaleyVirginiaBasketball1993Charlie WardFlorida StateFootball/BasketballMia HammNorth CarolinaSoccer1994Charlie WardFlorida StateFootball/BasketballMia HammNorth CarolinaSoccer1995Randolph ChildressWake ForestBasketballTisha VenturiniNorth CarolinaSoccer1996Kris BensonClemsonBaseballKelly AmonteMarylandSoccer/Lacrosse1997Tim DuncanWake ForestBasketballSarah ForbesMarylandLacrosse1998Antawn JamisonNorth CarolinaBasketballVanessa WebbDukeTennis1999Elton BrandDukeBasketballCindy ParlowNorth CarolinaSoccer2000Joe HamiltonGeorgia TechFootballJen AdamsMarylandLacrosse2001Shane BattierDukeBasketballJen AdamsMarylandLacrosse2002Juan DixonMarylandBasketballBea BielikWake ForestTennis2003Chris RotelliVirginiaLacrosseAlana BeardDukeBasketball2004Philip RiversNC StateFootballAlana BeardDukeBasketball2005Sean MayNorth CarolinaBasketballKelly DostalWake ForestField hockey2006JJ RedickDukeBasketballPaula InfanteMarylandField hockey2007Walter DixFlorida StateTrack and fieldLindsey HardingDukeBasketball2008Tyler HansbroughNorth CarolinaBasketballAngela TincherVirginia TechSoftball2009Matt HillNC StateGolfCasey NogueiraNorth CarolinaSoccer2010Ned CrottyDukeLacrosseWhitney EngenNorth CarolinaSoccer2011Ngoni MakushaFlorida StateTrack and fieldKatie O'DonnellMarylandField hockey 2012 Luke Kuechly Boston College Football Becca Ward Duke Fencing 2013 Jarmere Jenkins Virginia Tennis Crystal Dunn North Carolina Soccer 2014 Jameis Winston Florida State Football/Baseball Alyssa Thomas Maryland Basketball 2015 Laken Tomlinson Duke Football Morgan Brian Virginia Soccer 2016 Deshaun Watson Clemson Football Molly Seidel Notre Dame Cross Country 2017 Deshaun Watson Clemson Football Kenzie Kent Boston College Ice hockey/Lacrosse 2018 Lamar Jackson Louisville Football Arike Ogunbowale Notre Dame Basketball 2019 Zion Williamson Duke Basketball Ashley Hoffman North Carolina Field hockey 2020 Robbie Robinson Clemson Soccer Erin Matson North Carolina Field hockey 2021 Trevor Lawrence Clemson Football Charlotte North Boston College Lacrosse 2022 Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh Football Charlotte North Boston College Lacrosse 2023 Rhett Lowder Wake Forest Baseball Katelyn Tuohy NC State Cross country/track & field 2024 Pat Kavanagh Notre Dame Lacrosse Gretchen Walsh Virginia Swimming 2025 Cooper Flagg Duke Basketball Gretchen Walsh Virginia Swimming 2026 Cameron Boozer Duke Basketball Olivia Babcock Pittsburgh Volleyball* Between 1954 and 1989, Anthony J. McKevlin Award presented to best athlete, male or female.
See also Atlantic Coast Conference ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year NCAA Woman of the Year Award List of awards honoring women
References