Tech notes: Davis named All-ACC

Georgia Tech guard Kaela Davis (3) shoots over Notre Dame forward Brianna Turner (11) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Atlanta, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015. Notre Dame won 71-61. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Credit: Ken Sugiura

Credit: Ken Sugiura

Georgia Tech guard Kaela Davis (3) shoots over Notre Dame forward Brianna Turner (11) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Atlanta, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015. Notre Dame won 71-61. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

1. Georgia Tech guard Kaela Davis has been named first-team All-ACC, just the fifth Yellow Jackets player to earn the honor.

Going into the ACC tournament, Davis’ 20.1 points-per-game average is second in the ACC and 29th in the country. At 604 points for the season, she needs six more points to break the school single-season scoring record set last year by Tyaunna Marshall.

Marshall was the most recent Tech player to earn first-team All-ACC, in both the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and the first for coach MaChelle Joseph. Davis has scored 20 or more points in 14 games and has cleared 30 points four times this season. She was the only Tech player to earn All-ACC honors.

Tech will start tournament play Wednesday against Clemson in a first-round game at 6:30 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. The Jackets are the No. 11 seed and Clemson is No. 14. The winner will play No. 6 seed North Carolina Thursday night. All games are being broadcast on regional sports networks, including Fox Sports South in the Atlanta market.

At 17-13 overall and 7-9 in the ACC, Tech likely needs to win the tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. A spot in the WNIT is likely. The Jackets are ranked No. 83 in RPI. Tech has played 10 RPI top 50 teams, according to warrennolan.com, but is 1-9 against them.

2. Sunday, Tech swimmer Andrew Kosic turned in a strong 50-meter freestyle in a time trial following the ACC championships, where the Jackets claimed sixth place, one spot ahead of their finish from last season. Kosic led with a second-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, third in the 50 freestyle and fourth in the 100 butterfly. He set school records in the 50 and 100 freestyles (19.23 and 42.30, respectively) and also set the 200 free school record on the leadoff leg of the 800 free relay (1:34.55).

Kosic finished in 22.71 in the time trial 50 free, qualifying for the U.S. Olympic trials next summer. Only six Americans – all professionals – have swum faster since September, according to the USA Swimming website. Kosic, who will graduate in May with a degree in chemical engineering, is considering putting off work to swim for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team.

Mark Sarman also qualified for the U.S. trials, completing the 100 butterfly in 54.61.

3. Alex Grady, a sophomore on the cross country and track teams, was honored for his accomplishments outside of his sport with the Haier Achievement Award. Grady has accumulated more than 210 hours of volunteer work in two years at the school. Among recipients of his service is a school where he has helped students write and edit essays for scholarship applications.

Grady, from Gulfport, Miss., is majoring in mechanical engineering. Last fall, he was among Tech’s top five runners, competing in the ACC and NCAA south region meets. Haier will donate $2,000 to Tech’s general scholarship fund and give the athletic department a 48-inch television.

He is one of eight award winners. Beginning Friday, fans can vote on the ultimate winner among the eight award winners. That winner will earn his or her school a $5,000 donation to the scholarship fund and another Haier 48-inch television.

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