Friar Awards

Friars gives out four annual awards to recognize outstanding Friars, Faculty, and Penn Athletes.

Friar of the Year
This award is given annually to a Friar or Friars who have contributed greatly to the University, community, or nation.
* some years are missing data for this award and/or the honor was not handed out that year

YEAR RECIPIENT (Friar Class)
2023 Gilly Lane ’07
2022 Samuel Mattis ’16
2021 John F. Gamba Jr. ’92
2020 William H. Wagner H’08
2019 Patricia Rose H’04 (G’75)
2018 Ruthlyn Greenfield-Webster ’92
2017 Joseph P. Watkins ’75
2016 Amna Nawaz ’01
2015 Andrew F. Crockett ’05
2014 William J. Constantine ’66
2013 Robert P. Levy H’97 (’52)
2012 Nicholas D. Constan Jr. H’87 (L’64)
2011 Marjorie O. Rendell H’94 (’69)
2010 Kathy DeMarco Van Cleve ’88
2009 Michael Stiles ’67, David Montgomery ’68
2008 C. Robert Paul Jr. ’39
2007 Harold Haskins H’90
2006 Fran Dunphy H’95
2005 Lolita Jackson ’89
2004 Don Neiman ’49
2003 Rex S. Morgan Jr. ’77
2002 Sally Lyn Katz ’82
2001 None Given, 100th Gala
2000 Bruce E. Montgomery H’72
1999 Ray Welsh ’53, Alumni Trustee
1998 Harold Ford ’92, Congressman from Tennessee
1997 Memorial Tribute to Bo Brown
1996 Connie Huston Hurlbut ’83
1995 Paul F. Miller Jr. ’50, Alumni Trustee
1994 Edward G. Rendell ’65, then Mayor, now Governor
1992 Dave Montgomery ’68, Alumni Trustee
1990 Charles T. Hill Jr. ’52
1989 Robert F. (Bo) Brown ’28
1988 Doris Cochran-Fikes ’72
1987 Paul Norman Bond ’40
1986 Stuart H. Caroll ’43
1986 Michel T. Huber ’53
1984 C. Robert Paul ’39, 1984 Olympic Organizer
1983 Edward F. Lane ’49
1982 Gerald Robinson ’54
1981 Sheldon Hackney, President of the University
1980 Russell P. Heuer Jr. ’55
1979 Charles R. Scott ’39
Special Honor also paid to Friar University Trustees: Paul F. Miller Jr., Hon Walter H. Annenberg, David C. Auten, Rovert G. Dunlop, Donald G. Goldstrom, Ann E. Kelley, F. Stanton Moyer, Walter F. O’Malley, Morton H. Wilner
1978 Robert F. (Bo) Brown ’28
1977 Walter O’Malley ’26, Alumni Trustee
1976 Mort Wilner ’30, Alumni Trustee
1975 Rex S. Morgan Sr. ’48
1974 Gerald Robinson ’54
1969 Paul F. Miller Jr. ’50, Alumni Trustee
1968 Robert F. (Bo) Brown ’28
1961 Robert H. Pitt II ’49, Dean of Admissions
1960 Homer R. Sullivan ’15
Dinner honored former abbots
1958 Alfred M. Williams ’12, Dean of Wharton
1955 Karl Miller
1954 Alfred M. Williams ’12, Dean of Wharton
1952 Robert F. (Bo) Brown ’28
1950 Bevan A. Pennypacker ’02

Faculty Award
The Faculty Award is given to an outstanding Penn faculty member in recognition of not only their area expertise, but their compassion for teaching and their relationships with their students. Recipients address the students and Friar alumni each year at the Spring Dinner held in late April.

YEAR RECIPIENT
2023 Sarah Gronningsater– Assistant Professor in History
2022 Beth Simmons– Andrea Mitchell University Professor in Law, Political Science and Business Ethics
2021 Carol Tracy – Professor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, Founder of the Women’s Law Project
2020 Brian Peterson – Professor in Africana Studies, Director of Makuu
2019 Meta Mazaj – Senior Lecturer in Cinema Studies, Department of English
2018 Nakia Rimmer – Senior Lecturer and Associate Director of the Undergraduate Program, Mathematics Department
2017 Bruce Kothmann – Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM)
2016 Felicity “Litty” Paxton – Lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication,  Director of the Penn’s Women’s Center
2015 Anthony DeCurtis – Distinguished Lecturer of Creative Writing, Contributing Editor at Rolling Stone
2014 Angela Duckworth – Associate Professor of Positive Psychology, Director of The Duckworth Lab
2013 Nathan Sivin – Professor of Chinese Culture and of the History of Science, Emeritus
2012 Kenneth Shropshire – Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics Director, Wharton Sports Business Initiative
2011 Adam Grant – Assistant Professor of Management and Award Winning Researcher
2010 Ronald Granieri – Assistant Professor of Management and award winning researcher
2009 Mary Summers – Senior Fellow, Fox Leadership Program and Lecturer in Political Science
2008 Kathleen Hall Jamieson – Professor of Communications and Director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center
2007 John DiLulio Jr. – Director of the Fox Leadership Program, Founder of the Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society (CRRUCS), and Professor of Political Science
2006 Paul Wolpe – Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Medical Ethics, and Sociology and Center for Bioethics, Chief of Bioethics for NASA (Care and Protection of Research Subjects and Patients)
2005 Roger Allen – Professor of Arabic and Comparative Literature, Director of the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business
2004 David Eisenhower – Senior Fellow and Head of the Institute for Public Service at the Annenberg Public Policy Center
2004 Janice F. Madden – Professor of Regional Science, Sociology, Urban Studies, and Real Estate; Director of Women’s Studies, Alice Paul Center for Research on Women and Gender
2003 Edward B. Shils – Professor Emeritus of Entrepreneurial Management &
Founder, Wharton Entrepreneurial Center
2002 Helen C. Davies – Professor of Microbiology
2001 Miles Bass – Professor of Management
2001 Paul Hendrickson – Professor of English
2000 Walter A. McDougall – Professor of History and 1986 Pulitzer Prize Recipient
1999 Anne Greenhalgh – Professor of Management
1999 Robert Giegengack – Professor of Earth and Environmental Science
1998 Ira Harkavy – Professor of Urban Studies and Director of the Center for Community Partnerships
1997 Elijah Anderson – Adjunct Professor of African American Studies
1996 Nicholas D. Constan Jr. – Adjunct Professor of Legal Studies
1995 Gregg Camfield – Professor of English
1994 Charles Dwyer – Dean of the Graduate School of Education
1993 Miles Bass – Professor of Management
1992 Alan Kors – Professor of History
1991 Valerie Cloud – Assistant Coach, Field Hockey & Lacrosse
1990 Robert E. Davies – Professor of Animal Biology
1990 Albert Molloy – Coach of Squash
1989 Thomas Childers – Professor of History
1988 Kenneth A. Fegley – Professor and Chairman, Department of Systems
1988 Alexander V. Riasanovsky – Professor of Slavic Languages
1987 Joseph Bordogna – Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science
1987 Bruce Kuklick – Professor of History
1986 E. Digby Baltzell – Professor of Sociology
1985 Nicholas D. Constan Jr. – Assistant Director of the Wharton Graduate Division and Adjunct Associate Professor of Legal Studies
1984 Paul J. Zingg – Assistant to the President of the University
1983 Nicholas D. Constan Jr. – Assistant Director of the Wharton Graduate Division and Adjunct Associate Professor of Legal Studies
1982 E. Digby Baltzell – Professor of Sociology
1981 Herbert S. Levine – Professor of Economics
1980 Nicholas D. Constan Jr. – Adjunct Associate Professor in Business Law
1979 Alexander Riasanovsky – Professor of History
1978 Laurence Seidman – Assistant Professor of Economics and Heath Care Systems
1977 Eleanor J. Carlin – Professor and Chairman of Physical Therapy
1976 William G. Whitney – Assistant to Director of Wharton Undergraduate Division
1975 David R. Goddard – Provost
1974 David M. Robb – Professor of History of Art
1973 Donald C. Carroll – Dean of the Wharton School
1972 Bernard A. Cataldo – Professor of Business Law and Chair of Business Law 
1971 Murl G. Baker
1965 E. Digby Baltzell – Professor of Sociology
1964 Landon C. Burns Jr. 
1963 Charles L. Babcock – Baseball Coach
1963 John W. McCloskey – Basketball Coach
1962 George W. Taylok – Professor of Industry
1961 Albert C. Baugh – Professor and Chairman of English
1960 Sidney Shore  – Professor and Chair of Civil and Urban Engineering
1959 Thomas A. Budd
1958 Raymond C. Saalbach – Director of Admissions for Wharton
1957 Charles R. Whittlesey – Professor of Finance
1956 Matthew Black – Professor of English
1955 Edwin B. Williams – Professor of Romance Languages
1954 C. Canby Balderson – Dean of Wharton
1953 Isador S. Ravdin – Professor of Surgery
1952 Paul H. Musser – Professor of English and Dean of Arts and Sciences
1951 Owen J. Roberts – Professor of Law
1950 George W. McClelland – Professor of English
1949 Solomon S. Huebner – Professor of Insurance
1948 H. Sherman Oberly – Dean of Admissions
1947 Alfred W. Richards
1946 George A. McFarland – Professor of English
1943 Michail M. Dorizas – Professor of Geography
1942 Cornelius Weygandt – Professor of English
1941 William P. Harbeson – Professor of English
1940 Alfred H. Williams – Dean of Wharton
1939 W. Brooke Stabler – Chaplain
1938 Harl McDonald – Lecturer and Director of the Music Department

Peter K. Riley Award
Named for beloved Friar, Peter K. Riley C’59, this award is given to the most outstanding male freshmen athlete at Penn.
* denotes that recipient went on to become a Friar!

YEAR RECIPIENT SPORT(S)
2023 Omar Hafez Squash
2022 Matthew Fallon Swimming
2021 No Award Given COVID cancelled all sports
2020 Jordan Dingle Basketball
2019 Ali Abou Eleinen * Squash
2018 Andrew Douglas * Squash
2017 A.J. Brodeur * Basketball
2016 Calvary Rogers * Track and Field
2015 John Vaiani Fencing
2014 Alec Neuman Soccer
2013 Sam Mattis * Track and Field
2012 Duke Lacroix * Soccer
2011 Maalik Reynolds Track and Field
2010 Evan Prochniak * Fencing
2009 Jake Levin * Soccer
2008 Tyler Bernadini * Basketball
2007 Todd Roth Baseball
2006 Matt Dragon Wrestling
2005 David Whitehurst Basketball, Track and Field
2004 Mikhail Bekker * Tennis
2003 Matthew Valenti * Wrestling
2002 Richard Repetto Squash
2001 Adam Chubb * Basketball, Track and Field
2000 Ugonna Onyekwe Basketball
1999 Kenneth Goh Swimming
1998 Charlie O’Connell * Football, Track and Field
1997 Cliff Bayer Fencing
1996 Frank Brown Basketball
1995 Eric Hyde Track
1994 Mark DeRosa * Baseball, Football
1993 Tim Krug Basketball
1992 Jerome Allen * Basketball
1991 Will McAllister Basketball
1990 Ryan Taylor Lacrosse
1989 Rodolfo Rodriquez Squash
1988 Ben Spiva Basketball
1987 Sarah Ralston Swimming
1986 Chris O’Laughlin Fencing
1985 Tyrone Pitts * Basketball
1984 Sue Eckel * Track
1983 Kristin Kirlin * Swimming
1982 Mark Tagliaferri Football, Track and Field
1981 William Fallon Swimming
1981 Willie Oliphant Basketball
1980 Jeffrey Hill Track
1979 Vincent Ross Basketball
1978 Robert Sutton Ice Hockey
1977 Ned Edwards * Squash
1976 James Brown * Track
1975 Kevin McDonald Basketball
1975 Gary Plantier Swimming
1974 Gilbert Mateer * Squash
1973 Bruce Knipe Diving
1972 David Merrick * Track
1971 Bruce Collins * Track
1970 No Record
1969 Entire Undefeated Freshman Team Basketball
1964 – 1968 No Record
1963 Bruce Molloy Football, Baseball

Elizabeth R. Burdick Award 
Named for the Associate Professor of Physical Education, Elizabeth R. Burdick, this award is given to the most outstanding underclass female athlete at Penn (usually, but not always, a freshmen or sophomore).
* denotes that recipient went on to become a Friar!

YEAR RECIPIENT SPORT(S)
2023 Marissa Lassiter Gymnastics
2022 Isabella Whittaker * Track and Field
2021 No Award Given COVID cancelled all sports
2020 Iulia Bryzgalova * Tennis
2019 Zoe Belodeau * Lacrosse
2018 Eleah Parker * Basketball
2017 Maura Kimmel Track and Field
2017 Reeham Sedky  * Squash
2016 Marie Stephan Squash
2015 Alexa Hoover Field Hockey
2014 Sydney Stipanovich * Basketball
2013 Sol Eskenazi * Tennis
2012 Alyssa Baron * Basketball
2011 Shelby Fortin * Swimming
2010 Lauren Martin Volleyball
2009 Erin Brennan * Lacrosse
2008 Ali DeLuca * Lacrosse
2007 Sara Coenen Swimming
2006 Natalie Capuano * Soccer
2005 Elizabeth Schlossberg * Field Hockey
2005 Jesse Carlin * Track and Field
2004 Annika Eiremo Fencing
2003 Alice Pirsu * Tennis
2003 Jean Goto Fencing
2002 Katy Cross Soccer
2001 Sanela Kunovac * Tennis
2000 Lauren Hittner Gymnastics
1999 Stephanie Horan * Volleyball
1998 Diana Caramanico Basketball
1997 Jessica DiMauro * Squash
1996 Luana Botelho Track and Field
1995 Darah Ross * Lacrosse, Soccer
1994 Daria Smith Track and Field
1993 Amy Pine Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1992 Katina Banks * Field Hockey, Basketball
1991 Devon Austin Volleyball
1990 Chris Lundy Track
1989 Brenda Shaw Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1988 Carrie Vesely * Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1987 Patty Kennedy * Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1986 Christelle Williams * Track
1985 Terese Querubin * Swimming
1984 Alicia McConnell Squash
1983 Sherri Marcantonio * Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1982 Alicia McConnell Squash
1981 Julia D. Russell * Field Hockey, Lacrosse
1980 Helen L. Brennan * Swimming
1979 Diane Angstadt Field Hockey
1978 Carol Kuna * Basketball
1977 Patte Brennan * Swimming
1976 Denise M. Lisicky * Three Sports
1975 Kathy Bell * Swimming
1974 June L. Greenfield Tennis