Brandywine Announces End-Of-Year Awards At 33rd-Annual Banquet

MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine athletic department officially wrapped up the 2020-21 athletics calendar with its 33rd-annual all-sports banquet honoring the 150 student-athletes who participated in a varsity sport this year.

Nearly 100 student-athletes received academic or athletic awards despite many seasons being cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following opening remarks from Athletic Director Bobbi Caprice, the department distributed PSUAC All-Academic Team, USCAA National Academic Team, player of the week, all-conference and all-American awards.

The night concluded with the athletic department handing out its three major awards: the James King Memorial Award, the Michael W. Menichini Memorial Award and the Lloyd Vernon Heart of a Lion Award.

The Michael W. Menichini Memorial Award recognizes an individual or office on campus that displays dedication and service to Penn State Brandywine athletics throughout the year. Marleen Livingstone and Sarah Daly-Wert from the Brandywine Development Office were honored with this year's award. Development has assisted athletics in fundraising, growing the athletics alumni team and starting a student-athlete mentoring program during the past year.

Senior men's tennis and basketball student-athlete Victor Ficarra earned the Lloyd Vernon Heart of a Lion Award, named in honor of late Brandywine tennis coach Lloyd Vernon. A proud Penn Stater, Coach Vernon battled cancer for nearly his entire tenure at Brandywine, while still maintaining two of the top teams in the conference and teaching tennis classes to Brandywine students. Coach Vernon devoted his time and energy to the program and the athletic department and truly showed the heart of a lion during his time at Brandywine.

Ficarra, a tennis team captain, was one of the most active students on campus over the last four years. In addition to competing in four years of tennis and one as a member of the basketball squad, Ficarra served as president of the Lion Ambassadors, worked as a peer tutor and was a member of the Sustainovation Club. He graduated in May with a business degree and plans to attend Temple Law School on a full academic scholarship beginning in the fall.

The James King Memorial Award is given annually to Brandywine's top student-athlete, incorporating athletic prowess, campus involvement and academic standing. The recipient of the James King Memorial Award was senior Haley Grossi.

Grossi was a four-year starter for the softball team, leading Brandywine to three conference championships and three bids to the USCAA World Series. She earned all-American honors as a senior, while also adding her third all-conference award. Grossi graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in human development and family studies. After completing her four years at Brandywine with a 3.98 GPA, the highest of any current Brandywine student-athlete, Grossi was honored with the John S. Egli Award as the top scholar-athlete in the PSUAC.