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) |
| 2024 | Brandon Copeland ’13 |
| 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 |
| 2024 | Marie Gottschalk– Professor in Political Science |
| 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) |
| 2024 | Malachi Hosley | Football |
| 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) |
| 2024 | Moforehan Abinusawa | Track and Field |
| 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 * | Basketball, Field Hockey, Squash |
| 1975 | Kathy Bell * | Swimming |
| 1974 | June L. Greenfield | Tennis |