Tales from the Archives: The Tommie of the Year Award

The 2025 Tommie Award recipient, Aidan McGill ’25, is the latest honoree of a University of St. Thomas tradition that dates back to 1931.

The headline of the Purple and Gray student newspaper on Feb. 6, 1931, proclaimed: “MR. TOMMY” CONTEST TO BEGIN. This marked the beginning of what would become the 93-year legacy of the Tommie of the Year Award. 

The contest, sponsored at the time by the Purple and Gray, sought to find the “representative St. Thomas student.” Candidates needed the endorsement of at least 10 other students to be entered and had to exhibit the “collegiate virtues” of popularity, involvement in extracurricular activities, and academic achievement. The first recipient of the prize, Ralph Antil, embodied all these virtues. A senior from Maple Lake, Minnesota, “Tommy” Antil was captain of the football and basketball teams and had one of the top GPAs of his class. 

The award has been presented every year since its inception, except for 1945 and 1946, when World War II caused a temporary pause. Despite these interruptions, there have been 93 winners of the prize. In both 1935 and in 1943, the contest resulted in a tie with two students recognized as winners in each of those years.    

The procedures for nominations and voting have evolved over time, as has the award’s name. In 1977, following the admission of undergraduate women to St. Thomas, the award’s name was changed to the Tommy Award, dropping the “Mr.” to reflect the university’s growing inclusivity. In 1992, the name was transformed once again to the Tommie of the Year award. 

Recipients of the Tommie of the Year award have gone on to make an impact in their chosen fields, including medicine, law, education, business, athletics, and the priesthood. Some have returned to St. Thomas to work (like Liz Baniak Zupfer ’91) or serve on the Board of Trustees (like Jodee Zahariades Kozlak ’85). 

Some notable winners of the prize include: 

James Shannon (1941) – A gifted student and a key member of the debating team, Shannon graduated from St. Thomas in just three years. Following his ordination to the priesthood and earning a doctorate in American studies from Yale University, Shannon became the 12th president of the College of St. Thomas (1956-66), only two years after joining the college’s history faculty. 

Charles Williams (1958) – An Air Force veteran, Williams was the first Black student to win the Mr. Tommy Award. Known for his leadership as senior class president and his work as the student manager of the college bookstore, Williams was also a member of the College Choir. He later pursued the law, becoming a federal public defender and district court referee. 

Phil Huyler (1972) – As the first international student to win the award, Huyler, a native of the Bahamas, excelled as a multisport athlete, participating in soccer, basketball, track, and boxing. He later became a chiropractor and returned to the Bahamas to practice. 

Rachel Wobschall (1981) – The first woman to receive the Tommie Award, Wobschall was a member of the first coeducational class at St. Thomas and served as president of the All College Council (now Undergraduate Student Government). She returned to the St. Thomas campus from 2002-15 where she served as the executive director of Alumni and Constituent Relations. 

The Tommie of the Year Award remains a symbol of the St. Thomas spirit, celebrating students who exemplify leadership, scholarship, and service to our community.