The award was called the Mental Attitude Award in 1961, the first year of its presentation, and was given to one tournament player. In 1962, the name was changed to the Sam Madden Award in honor of the long-time league director and originator of the basketball tournament.
In 1981, the award was changed to the Sam Madden Scholar-Athlete Basketball Award and selection is now also based on academic achievement, while being a member of the varsity team.
Winners of the Award are:
2008 -- Nick Kemp, Birmingham Brother Rice
2007 -- Andrew Tines, Warren De La Salle Collegiate
2006 -- Nick Koenigsknecht, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep
2005 -- Michael Stempien, Detroit Holy Redeemer
2004 -- Michael Knight, Redford St. Katharine Drexel
2003 -- Joe Novak, Warren De La Salle
2002 -- Jeffrey Grauzer, Warren De La Salle
2001 -- Anthony Wichmann, Warren De La Salle
2000 -- Patrick Cahill, Warren De La Salle
1999 -- Allan McDonald, Marine City Cardinal Mooney
1998 -- John Lamerato, Warren De La Salle
1997 -- Greg Stempin, Harper Woods Notre Dame
1996 -- Jerome Ross, Redford Bishop Borgess
1995 -- Anthony Lodato, Warren De La Salle
1994 -- Andrew Kummer, Redford Catholic Central
1993 -- Kevin Kosco, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep
1992 -- Cross Kevin Moceri, Warren De La Salle
1991 -- Michael Kwietniewski, Harper Woods Notre Dame
1990 -- James Logodzinski, Center Line St. Clement
1989 -- Jack Goodman, Warren De La Salle
1988 -- James Ellis, Detroit U-D Jesuit
1987 -- Steve Harvey, Center Line St. Clement
1986 -- Thomas Fitzsimmons, Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard
1985 -- Greg Tessmer, Marine City Cardinal Mooney
1984 -- Mike McCormick, Detroit East Catholic
1983 -- David Grupenhoff, Harper Woods Bishop Gallagher
1982 -- John Bautista, Detroit De La Salle
Michael Bautista, Detroit De La Salle
1981 -- Edward Okuniewski, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep
1980 -- Barry Spencer, Redford Catholic Central
Elbert Milton, Jr., Detroit St. Hedwig
1979 -- Pete McCanna, Pontiac Catholic
Tim Howell, Royal Oak St. Mary
1978 -- David Campt, University of Detroit High
Frederick Zweng, Marine City Holy Cross
1977 -- John Sabourin, Redford St. Mary
Chris Drogosch, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
1976 -- John Wangler, Royal Oak Shrine
Richard Macek, Detroit St. Andrew
1975 -- Kevin Halloran, University of Detroit High
Gary Wawrzyniec, Detroit St. Andrew
1974 -- Frank Rourke, Birmingham Brother Rice
Bernie Czarniecki, Detroit St. Andrew
1973 -- Tom LaGarde, Detroit Catholic Central
Mike Leginski, Dearborn Heights St. Alphonsus
1972 -- Dan Hoff, University of Detroit High
Wally Piskor, Hamtramck St. Ladislaus
1971 -- Frank Tanana, Detroit Catholic Central
Walt Sakowski, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep
1970 -- Rick Woodbury, Detroit Austin Prep
Jim Brown, Detroit St. Vincent de Paul
1969 -- Alex Agee, Detroit St, Martin de Porres
Pat Gallagher, Wyandotte Mt. Carmel
1968 -- Ron Gutowski, Detroit Catholic Central
Stanley Grayson, Detroit All Saints
1967 -- Nick Ferri, Detroit Detroit Catholic Central
Tim Doyle, Farmington Our Lady of Sorrows
1966 -- Tom Jones, Wyandotte St. Patrick
Conrad Krogulecki, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep
1965 -- Herb Eschbach, Detroit Holy Redeemer
Joe Paja, Detroit St. Hedwig
1964 -- Tom Walker, Detroit Servite
Nate Coakley, Detroit St. Charles
1963 -- Dennis Bankey, Detroit St. Thomas the Apostle
Carlos Guerra, Detroit St. Gabriel
1962 -- Gary Schick, Grosse Pointe St. Paul
John Tobin, Detroit All Saints
1961 -- Bill Downs, Detroit Catholic Central
