Named in the honor of Vincent dePaul Draddy, a scholar-athlete at Manhattan College, Draddy passionately believed in the premise that excellence on the football field could, and should, be consistent with academic distinction and the highest standards of civic leadership. He thought that young men who combined athletic performance with academic excellence should be recognized.

It was featured in Season 1 of The Cosby Show where Clifford Huxtable trained and ran in a relay race rematch of former college acquaintances.