The following is a press release courtesy of Virginia Tech:
BLACKSBURG – Ryan Hawkins, who finished his eligibility last year as one of the most decorated student-athletes in Virginia Tech history, has qualified for the Pan American Games in both the individual and synchronized 10-meter platform event. The Pan Am Games will be held July 10-14 in Toronto, Canada.
Hawkins is finishing his fifth year as an architecture major and has been training with Tech diving coach Ron Piemonte, as well as helping out at home meets. At competitions, Hawkins represents H2Okie Aquatics.
An All-American in the 3-meter event and two-time All-American in the platform event, he also earned multiple honorable mention All-America accolades. Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Hawkins was a 2012 ACC champion in the platform event and earned a spot on the podium several other times. He represented the United States in the 2012 Canada Cup FINA Grand Prix in May and also competed in the 2012 Olympic Trials as well as the 2012 USA Diving Winter National Championships, finishing sixth in the country in the synchronized 3-meter event and fourth in the country in the synchronized platform with partner Logan Shinholser.
In the classroom, Hawkins was also a standout and was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division I Men’s At-Large Team twice.
“I am extremely proud of Ryan Hawkins’ accomplishments as both a student and an athlete at Virginia Tech,” Piemonte said. “For him to close out his time here with his qualification to the Pan American Games, is truly an honor that shows the culmination of his body of work here.”