The Purple Heart Award

We as the Niagara University Student Athlete Advisory Committee have created the Purple Heart Award to honor both a male and female Niagara student-athlete. We as the Niagara University athletic community present this distinguished honor to the students who have embraced the Vincentian spirituality that Niagara University was founded upon.

The Purple Heart Honoree should possess some or all of these qualities:

• Involvement in school/community
• Academic achievement
• Role model of peers and teammates
• Team commitment
• Respect for teammates and coaches
• Demonstrated actions of going above and beyond team standards
• Overall, has "HEART" for the Niagara University athletic program

Past Winners:
2000-01: Amy Getman (women’s basketball); Brian Davis (baseball)
2001-02: Krisy Costanzo (softball); Pat O’Hara (golf)
2002-03: Gretchen Turner (women’s swimming); Joe Tallari (men’s ice hockey)
2003-04: Colleen Toetz (women’s basketball); Brad Chapman (golf)
2004-05: Eva Cunningham (women’s basketball); Alvin Cruz (men’s basketball) & Darius Bessette (men’s cross country) 

2005-06: Jon Lacki (cross-country) and Mary Pieklo (cross-country)

2006-07: Ryan Virtue (baseball) and Julie Dickhans (cross-country)

2007-08: Ray DeWire (swimming) and Julie Dickhans (cross-country)

Purple Heart Nomination Form