Men's Athlete of the Year: Jordan Dingle

Junior guard Jordan Dingle’s season can best be summed up by his performance against La Salle in December. The junior guard put the team on his back, scoring 37 points — the most by a Quaker in 29 years — and hit an exhilarating, game-tying, buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game to overtime, only for the team to lose in the extra period. 

Despite Dingle’s heroics — and that word is not hyperbole, as he finished second in the nation with 23.4 points per game — Penn couldn't get over the humps that have plagued it in recent years, losing to Princeton three times, including in the first round of the Ivy Tournament. But Dingle’s exploits weren't unnoticed, as he was named the Ivy League, Big 5, and Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Year. 

Utilizing his unique combination of quickness, shooting, and attack, Penn’s offense operated through Dingle. He was remarkably reliable, at one point scoring at least 20 points in 13 straight games. Dingle proved his versatility this season by leading the team in steals and finishing second in assists, despite being the primary scoring option. Whether he scored 14 or 37, stopping number 3 was always the top priority for whatever team Penn was playing.

A star since his first game as a Quakers, the only question now is if he will don the Red and Blue again. Having recently declared for the NBA draft, Dingle will certainly go the professional route if it is offered to him. But if it’s not, one last ride at the Palestra seems to be the likely scenario: Dingle told The Daily Pennsylvanian in the fall that transferring has never been anything “that he could possibly consider”. Whether he spends next year playing in the NBA, overseas, or on 33rd and Walnut Street, his production this year will be remembered well beyond his time at Penn.

Read about the rest of DP Sports' End of the Year Awards for the 2022-23 season here.