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Joel Embiid, Bryce Harper, Dawn Staley headline the nominees for 2022 Wanamaker Award

The award, won by Carli Lloyd last season, goes to “the athlete, team, or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel.”

Sixers center Joel Embiid was named one of the 12 finalists for the 2022 John Wanamaker Athletic Award.
Sixers center Joel Embiid was named one of the 12 finalists for the 2022 John Wanamaker Athletic Award.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

The list of nominees for the 2022 John Wanamaker Athletic Award was released on Monday, and this year’s group features a star-studded cast of Philadelphia-area professional, college, and high school athletes. The award, which was first handed out in 1961, honors “the athlete, team, or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel.”

The award is presented each year by PHL Sports, The Wanamaker Building, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and CBS3. Former United States women’s soccer star and Delran native Carli Lloyd was last year’s winner. Other previous Wanamaker Award recipients include Wilt Chamberlain, Bobby Clarke, Mike Schmidt, Joe Frazier, and Julius Erving. The 1980 Phillies, 2016 Villanova men’s basketball team, and 2018 Super Bowl champion Eagles are among the teams to have received the honor.

» READ MORE: Rising Dawn: Philly's Dawn Staley is more than just a terrific basketball coach

Here is the full list of nominees for the 51st Wanamaker Athletic Award (in alphabetical order):

  1. Andre Blake: The Jamaican goalkeeper, who recently was selected to the MLS All-Star team for the fourth time, backstopped the Union to the Eastern Conference Final last season.

  2. Bryce Harper: Harper, 29, won the National League MVP last season after slugging 34 home runs and driving in 84 runs for the Phillies.

  3. Cam Atkinson: In his first season with the Flyers, Atkinson took on a leadership role and finished second on the team in goals (23) and points (50).

  4. Dawn Staley: The former Dobbins Tech guard guided the University of South Carolina women’s basketball program to its second national championship since she took over as head coach. Staley previously won the Wanamaker in 2017 as a coach and in 1997 and 2005 while she was a player.

  5. Drexel women’s squash team: The Dragons reached the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships Howe Cup for the third straight time, where they finished second, the school’s best-ever placing.

  6. Gary Martin: The recent Archbishop Wood graduate became the first Pennsylvania high schooler to run a sub-four-minute mile on May 14. The distance runner finished his high school career as one of the most accomplished high school runners in United States history.

  7. Jason Kelce: The beloved Eagles lineman was named an All-Pro for the fourth time in his career and also was the team’s finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

  8. Joel Embiid: The Sixers center posted the best season of his career, averaging 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while finishing second to Nikola Jokic in NBA MVP voting.

  9. Liz Mancini: Mancini broke the school record, previously held by her sister, Grace, in the 5,000-meter run in May to qualify for June’s National Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

  10. Maddy Siegrist: The Villanova forward had a breakout season averaging 25.3 points per game, the second-most in NCAA Division I women’s basketball, to lead the Wildcats back to the tournament for the first time since 2018.

  11. Michelle Joyce: Joyce became just the second Temple runner to qualify for the NCAA championships, where she competed in the 6K last November.

  12. Penn men’s squash team: Penn men’s squash had a historic season, compiling an 18-0 record entering the 2022 College Squash Association (CSA) Potter Cup final. The Quakers ultimately lost a 5-4 heartbreaker, which denied them a perfect season.

The public can vote on the award at https://www.discoverphl.com/meet/phl-sports/wanamaker/. Public voting results will be considered, but the final decision will be made by the Wanamaker Athletic Award Selection Committee.