A true gentleman of Georgetown, Bob Duffey was a leader in all facets of college life--in the classroom, in student leadership, and on the playing fields, where he was a two year starting receiver for the Georgetown football team. In 1943, with the basketball roster depleted by wartime call ups, Duffey joined the basketball team as they prepared for NCAA tournament play.

Duffey scored three points in the NCAA quarterfinal versus NYU, his only points in four appearances. His class graduated early in the spring of 1944 as part of the accelerated wartime program, and Duffey joined the U.S. Army, where he died in battle on November 13, 1944 in the Allies' march to Germany.

A posthumous selection to the inaugural class of the Georgetown University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1953, Georgetown established the Robert A. Duffey Scholar-Athlete Award in his honor. The award is given annually to the student who is the outstanding representative of academic and athletic excellence in that academic year, and is considered the highest honor Georgetown can bestow on any student-athlete.

Since 1955, just five members of the men's basketball team have been honored amongst this group.