Peter McFadden, who during a more than 27-year career at UConn has served as provost, dean of the School of Engineering and, most recently, as executive assistant to the president and the Board of Trustees, touched many people during his years at UConn, as evidenced by the crowd of several hundred who attended a reception in his honor May 5, in the William Benton Museum of Art.

McFadden, who retired from the University last year but stayed on to help with the transition as President Philip Austin took over the reins of the University from Harry Hartley, on May 1 received the UConn Club's Outstanding Contribution Award for his contributions to the University's athletics program.

"Peter McFadden has been a wonderful colleague who has provided me and the entire Division of Athletics with invaluable guidance," Director of Athletics Lew Perkins says. "Peter has played a major role in helping us build a strong working relationship and day-to-day interaction with both the Office of the President and the University's academic community."

Also at the UConn Club's 45th annual award's dinner, Ben Kirtland, a former UConn athlete and current head hockey and tennis coach, received the Red O'Neill Award, presented annually to a former UConn athlete who has gone on to a distinguished career. And 14 student-athletes were honored, including four who received outstanding senior scholar-athlete awards.

Scholar-athletes honored were Craig Kelly, a co-captain of the men's track and field team; golfer Greg Metro; swimmer P.G. Schrader; and Sara Whalen, a standout on the women's soccer team and three-time All-American who was recently named NCAA Division I National Player of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Students named outstanding senior athletes during the award's dinner, held at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Cromwell, were: golfer Brian Ahern; two-time football All-American TaVarr Closs; 17-time New England sprint champion Joanne Durant; Monquencio Hardnett, the only senior on the men's basketball team; Eric Linkowski, a four-year letter-winner on the men's hockey team; William Rich, one of the leading career hitters in UConn baseball history; Nykesha Sales, a two-time All-American women's basketball player; Steven Santoli, a four-time All Big East track and field star; Sean Tedesco, a swimmer who holds two individual and one relay team school record; and Rita Williams, co-captain of the 1997-98 women's basketball team.