Whitewater to honor Tony Azarian

By Gery Woelfel, Sept. 14, 2000

Tony Azarian wasn't only an outstanding football player and wrestler when he attended UW-Whitewater, he was also immensely popular.

So, it wasn't surprising when the Racine native died last April, his Warhawks teammates wanted to do something special, something that would keep his name alive forever.

"When Tony passed away, his co-captain on the football team, Jim Haluska, called me and said, 'Joyce, we had to do something for Tony,' '' said Joyce Follis, a program assistant at UW-Whitewater who served in a similar capacity for the football program when Azarian attended the school.

"I suggested we set up an endowed scholarship in his name, and that's what we've done.''

Once the word got out about a scholarship in Azarian's name, the money came in. A slew of Azarian's teammates immediately contributed to the cause. In just a few months, nearly $13,000 was raised.

Saturday night, during halftime of the Warhawks' game against Lambuth University at Warhawk Stadium in Whitewater, Vanette Azarian, Tony's wife, will be presented by UW-Whitewater officials with a certificate symbolizing the scholarship. Many of Azarian's football and wrestling teammates are expected to be in attendance. So too is a large contigent of his family members and friends from Racine.

According to Follis, the scholarship will be awarded annually to a student from either Horlick High School, where Azarian attended, or Muskego High School, where his children currently attend.

Follis said Azarian, who was an All-American wrestler and all-conference football player, made an indelible impact on those he encountered while attending Whitewater.

"Tony was so polite, so nice,'' Follis said. "He was one of the sweetest guys you'd ever meet. He was just a wonderful person.''