Spirit Groups | The Varsity Walk | University Seal |
The Varsity Walk
On the University of Pittsburgh campus, between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel, is a sidewalk known as the Varsity Walk. There, embedded in the stones, are the names of former Pitt athletes who have promoted the University through their athletic or academic achievements.
The Varsity Walk was conceived in 1950 as a way to honor athletes, and new members are added each year. The distinctive hand-carved stones were first presented as the Athletic Committee Award and the Charles C. Hartwig Award. The Athletic Committee recognized the best athlete from any sport. The Charles Hartwig Award was given to the senior athlete who promoted and sponsored the best interests of Pittsburgh athletics, in honor of the 1934 All-America tight end. In 1971 the awards were changed to the Panther and Blue-Gold awards, respectively.
The Panther Award is presented to the graduating senior athlete who has promoted Pittsburgh athletics through his/her outstanding athletic achievement. The Blue-Gold Award is given to the seniors who represent the student-athlete ideal based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship.
The awards were expanded to include females in 1975.
| YEAR | ATHLETIC COMMITTEE AWARD | CHARLES C. HARTWIG AWARD | |
| 1949-50 | Louis Cecconi (FB, MBB) | ||
| 1950-51 | George Radosevich (MBB, MT) | Samuel Shapiro (MB) | |
| 1951-52 | Robert T. Brennen (FB) | Jack H. Hardman (MT, SW) | |
| 1952-53 | Donald Virostek (MBB) | Michael Zernich (MBB) | |
| 1953-54 | Richard E. Deitrick (FB, MBB, MB) | R. Hugh Peery (WR) | |
| 1954-55 | Milton G. Emery (MB) | Roy Kaupe (SW) | |
| 1955-56 | William C. Schmitt (FB, MB) | Arnold Sowell (MT, XC) | |
| 1956-57 | Joseph Walton (FB, MB) | Edwin Peery (WR) | |
| Robert Rosborough (FB) | |||
| 1957-58 | Jerome Bressanelli (MS) | Julius Pegues (MBB) | |
| 1958-59 | William Kaliden (FB) | Donald L. Hennon (MBB) | |
| 1959-60 | Richard Chadwick (TR) | Wilbert Wm. Lindner (FB) | |
| 1960-61 | Calvin Smith (MS) | Michael K. Ditka (FB, MBB) | |
| 1961-62 | Richard W. Clark (TR) | Anthony J. Sarsfield (SW) | |
| 1962-63 | John J. Cioffi (MB) | James C. Harrison (WR) | |
| 1963-64 | Al A. Grigaliunas (FB) | Joseph N. Friend (MT) | |
| 1964-65 | Peter J. Billey (FB) | W. Bodle (FB, WR, MB) | |
| 1965-66 | Kenneth G. Lucas (FB) | Ferdinand S. Sauer (MS, MB) | |
| 1966-67 | Richard D. Hulme (SW) | James M. Flanigan (FB, MT) | |
| 1967-68 | Robert Bazylak (FB) | Terrance Hoover (FB, WR) | |
| 1968-69 | Harry Orszulak (FB) | Edward Whittaker (FB) | |
| 1969-70 | W. Jeff Barr (FB, MB) | George Medich (FB, MB) | |
| YEAR | BLUE-GOLD AWARD | PANTHER AWARD | |
| 1970-71 | William Downes (MBB) | P. Jerry Richey (XC, MT) | |
| 1971-72 | Kent Scott (MBB) | Ralph Cindrich (FB, WR) | |
| 1972-73 | Craig Tritch (WR) | Joseph Luxbacher (MS) | |
| 1973-74 | Peter Martorelli (MB) | Kirk Bruce (MBB) | |
| Mary E. Klobchar (WBB) | Bruce Murphy (FB) | ||
| Mary E. Heretick (WS) | |||
| 1975-76 | Thomas Richards (MBB) | Karl Farmer (FB, MT) | |
| Sheila A. Barber (GY) | Fran Baskin (TN) | ||
| 1976-77 | Gerard De Muro (SW) | Anthony Dorsett (FB) | |
| Katherine Hudgens (WV) | Diane Baumgartner (GY) | ||
| 1977-78 | Rande Stottlemyer (WR) | Matthew Cavanaugh (FB) | |
| Patricia Montgomery (WV) | Michelle Bressant (WT) | ||
| 1978-79 | Jeff Delaney (FB) | Jeff Delaney (FB) | |
| Marie Ribik (WT) | Kathy Stetler (SW) | ||
| 1979-80 | Thomas Libenguth (TN) | Jeff Pelusi (FB) | |
| Alison Hoburg (GY) | Cindy Chambers (WV) | ||
| 1980-81 | Stuart Swanson (SW) | Hugh Green (FB) | |
| Myra Bachuchin (GY) | Suzanne Pulley (SW) | ||
| 1981-82 | Al Adelmann (MS) | Sal Sunseri (FB) | |
| Amy Jackson (SW) | Carol Dugan (WBB) | ||
| 1982-83 | J.C. Pelusi (FB) | Rob Fada (FB) | |
| Jan Ujevich (SW) | Diane Zack (WV) | ||
| 1983-84 | Clyde Vaughan (MBB) | Tom Flynn (FB) | |
| Lisa Shirk (GY) | Karen Martin (GY) | ||
| 1984-85 | Ed Miller (GY) | Bill Fralic (FB) | |
| Pat Belcher (WV) | Jennifer Bruce (WBB) | ||
| Sue Heon (SW) | |||
| 1985-86 | Robert Schilken (FB) | Kristy Pieters (GY) | |
| Judy Young (WV) | Kyle Nellis (WR) | ||
| Mark Klafter (GY) | |||
| 1986-87 | Tom Shaulinski (SW) | John Congemi (FB) | |
| Alisa Spector (GY) | Curtis Aiken (MBB) | ||
| Sue Hickman (SW) | |||
| 1987-88 | Chris Blair (SW) | Charles Smith (MBB) | |
| Noreen Coughlin (WV) | Lee McRae (MT) | ||
| Lisa Stewart (WV) | |||
| Tricia Ney (SW) | |||
| 1988-89 | Mark Stepnoski (FB) | Pat Santoro (WR) | |
| Dave Tanczos (FB) | Denise Frawley (WV) | ||
| Bonnie Kartzman (TN) | |||
| 1989-90 | Alan Utter (WR) | Mike Kozlina (SW) | |
| Jennifer Shingler (WBB) | Lorri Johnson (WBB) | ||
| 1990-91 | Eric Holzworth (FB) | Keisha Demas (WT) | |
| Louis Riddick (FB) | Darelle Porter (MBB) | ||
| Clarissa Dudley (WT) | Brian Shorter (MBB) | ||
| Jenelle Lantagne (WV) | |||
| 1991-92 | Kyle MacBeth (GY) | Sean Miller (MBB) | |
| Perry Miller (WR) | Laura-Lee Sullivan (SW) | ||
| Dee MacAulay (WV) | |||
| 1992-93 | Don Boyd (SW) | Alex Van Pelt (FB) | |
| Mary Allison Williams (WT) | Ronise Crumpler (WT) | ||
| 1993-94 | Doug Whaley (FB) | Genaro Severino (GY) | |
| Jennifer Burns (SW) | Ann Marie Lucanie (WV) | ||
| Jonna Huemrich (WBB) | |||
| 1994-95 | Matt Brady (SW) | Ruben Brown (FB) | |
| Staci Suggs (WT) | Carol Morton (WBB) | ||
| 1995-96 | Chris Perry (SW) | J.J. Fasnacht (WR) | |
| Jill Fletcher (SW) | Tom Tumulty (FB) | ||
| Najuma Fletcher (WT) | Najuma Fletcher (WT) | ||
| 1996-97 | Stephanie Dufresne (WV) | Angie Martin (WT) | |
| Bryan Matusic (WR) | Nate Cochran (FB) | ||
| John Soulakis (SW) | |||
| 1997-98 | Erin Bissell (SW) | Joetta Purter (WT) | |
| John Withrow (WR) | Mark Bodo (WR) | ||
| Pete Gonzalez (FB) | |||
| 1998-99 | Samantha Chabotar (SW) | Trecia-Kaye Smith (WT) | |
| Adam Kotkiewicz (SW) | Vonteego Cummings (MBB) | ||
| 1999-2000 | Scott VanEpps (SW) | Nick Mengerink (WR) | |
| Jamie Tomazich (SW) | Chantee Earl (WT) | ||
| 2000-01 | Matt Irvin (MB) | Marcia Thiesen (WV) | |
| Monique Toney (WBB) | Ricardo Greer (MBB) | ||
| 2001-02 | Bryan Knight (FB) | Rachel Brown (WS) | |
| Karen Thibodeau (SW) | Miah Heath (SW) | ||
| 2002-03 | Nikki Borza (TN) | Gerald Hayes (FB) | |
| Carl Fronhofer (WR) | Brandin Knight (MBB) | ||
| Michael Grube (SW) | Carrie Norris (WV) | ||
| 2003-2004 | Erick Limkemann (SW) | Rod Rutherford (FB) | |
| Carolyne Savini (SW) | Wendy Hatlestad (WV) | ||
| Jaron Brown (MBB) | |||
| 2004-2005 | Dan Stephens (FB) | Vince Crochunis (FB) | |
| Tamara McGill (WT) | Amanda Walker (WT) | ||
| Megan Miller (WV) | |||
| 2005-2006 | Megan McGrane (WV) | Carl Krauser (MBB) | |
| Jason Miller (SW) | Maureen McCandless (WT & XC) | ||
| Jamie Pelusi (WS) | |||
| 2006-2007 | H.B. Blades (FB) | Kristin Brown (SW) | |
| Aaron Gray (MBB) | Tyler Palko (FB) | ||
| Julianna Reed (WT) | |||
| 2007-2008 | Keith Gavin (WR) | Kelly O'Hara (SW) | |
| Marcedes Walker (WBB) | Jeremy Stultz (SW) | ||
| SPORTS ABBREVIATION CODE | ||
| MB = Baseball | SW = Swimming & Diving | TN = Tennis |
| MBB = Men's Basketball | GY = Gymnastics | MT = Men's Track |
| WBB = Women's Basketball | FB = Football | WT = Women's Track |
| MS = Men's Soccer | WV = Volleyball | XC = Cross Country |
| WS = Women's Soccer | WR = Wrestling | |
