VILLANOVA, Pa. – Graduate student Caleb Daniels took home the coveted Villanova Basketball Award, highlighting the 2022-2023 Awards Ceremony held Thursday night in the Finneran Pavilion.
Daniels, a New Orleans, La., native, received the award given to the Men's Basketball Student-Athlete who best personifies the notion of playing for his teammates, coaches and University. In March, Daniels was named winner of the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award and was the Philadelphia Big Five Scholar-Athlete in April.
Daniels and Brandon Slater – who shared the Attitude Award with Justin Moore – offered farewell remarks to a packed Fitzgerald Lounge on Thursday night.
Moore was also honored alongside Eric Dixon with the Most Outstanding Player Award. The Jake Nevin Award recipients were Chris Arcidiacono and Jordan Longino. The Alexander Severance Award, honoring academic and athletic achievement, went to Daniels and freshman Brendan Hausen.
Freshmen Mark Armstrong and Cam Whitmore were the co-recipients of the Paul Arizin, named in honor of the Wildcats' legend who through toil became a National Player of the Year winner in 1950 after being spotted by Severance in an open gym setting.
Daniels, who became Villanova's 71st 1,000 point scorer in a Feb. 12 win over Seton Hall, was welcomed into the fraternity by Moore, who accomplished the feat last season.
Other award recipients included Villanova Vice-President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson (Nova Nation Award); Ray and Jennifer Walheim (Joseph Walters Special Recognition Award); Randy Foye (Alumni Appreciation Award); P.J. Cavaliere (Christopher M. Dincuff Memorial Scholarship); Wade Chiddlck (Teresa and Joseph J. Martini '61 Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Randy Foye '06); and Jason Wain (James Meehan '71 and Jean Meehan '86 Endowed Scholarship).
During his invocation at the start of the event, Team Chaplain Rev. Rob Hagan, O.S.A., held a moment of silence for a group of Villanovans who passed away over the previous 12 months. That group included former assistant coach Harry Booth; former standout guard Chris Ford; former player Dick Kaminski; and former Villanova Vice-President Rev. John Stack, O.S.A.
A memorial Mass was held prior to the start of the evening at the St. Thomas of Villanova chapel.
The evening concluded with remarks from departing student-athletes Slater and Daniels.
