Brian Westbrook ’01 VSB Named Recipient of 2023 Villanova University Alumni Association Loyalty Award
VILLANOVA, Pa. (October 19, 2023)—The Villanova University Alumni Association (VUAA) has announced the selection of Brian Westbrook ’01 VSB as the recipient of its 2023 Loyalty Award. The oldest alumni honor conferred by the University, the Loyalty Award was instituted in 1932 and is presented annually to alumni who have rendered distinguished service to Villanova. Recipients for the Loyalty Award are selected by a vote of previous award winners. Westbrook will receive the award at an October 28 ceremony during Villanova’s Homecoming Weekend.
“It is an honor to present Brian with this year’s Loyalty Award,” said Sheila Doherty, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations. “We are inspired not only by his dedication to the University, but also his commitment to fulfilling Villanova’s mission in his own life. Since graduating, Brian has worked hard and achieved excellence in his career, continued education and philanthropic endeavors. We are truly proud to celebrate Brian and the ways in which he embodies the spirit of Villanova.”
Westbrook graduated from the Villanova School of Business in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems and earned an Executive Business Degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2006.
As a student-athlete at Villanova, Westbrook was a star on the football team where he was the recipient of the 2001 Walter Payton Award, awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. Westbrook also earned All-America honors and was a two-time CAA Offensive Player of the Year recipient.
Following a decorated Villanova career as a student-athlete, Westbrook became a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles (2002-2010) and the San Francisco 49ers (2010). He was named First Team All-Pro in 2007 and a Pro Bowler in 2004 and 2007. Westbrook will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December 2023.
Currently, Westbrook is the Chief Executive Officer at Westbrook Project Solutions and serves as the Managing Director of Athlete Entrepreneur Network at underdog venture team. Westbrook is also the founder of the Westbrook Horse Farm and the Brian Westbrook Foundation.
“I am deeply honored to be counted among the remarkable Villanovans who have received this award,” Westbrook said. “Being a member of this incredible community has been a defining factor in my life both on and off the field. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back by supporting the next generation of Wildcats.”
Westbrook stays connected to the University through his volunteerism and philanthropy. He is a member of the President’s Club and gives back to the Villanova University Black Alumni affinity network and Villanova Football. Westbrook has also been a member of the Villanova University Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2021. Westbrook is playing a key role in a partnership between Villanova Athletics and the University Career Center to ensure each student-athlete is prepared for life after graduation outside of their respective sports.
Westbrook currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with his wife, Abdalla, daughters, Bria and Brielle and son, Brian, Jr.
About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation’s top universities, Villanova supports its students’ intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.