The William S. Connor Award is presented to the graduate student whom the faculty deems the most outstanding among those students passing the preliminary examinations during the current year. Thus, a winner is not selected until the beginning of the year following the year designated on the award. The award reads: Presented by the faculty of the Department of Statistics to outstanding Ph.D. candidates in memory of a former colleague Dr. William S. Connor scholar, teacher, and gentleman.
| 2023- Jose Rodriguez Acosta | 1995- Andy Liaw |
| 2022- Arhit Chakrabarti | 1994- Qinli Yu |
| 2021- Hyunwoong Chang | 1993- Stephen Eckert |
| 2020- Myeongjong Kang | 1992- Huay-Min Pu |
| 2019- Zhao Tang Luo | 1991- Cheng Cheng |
| 2018- Yan Zhong | 1990- James W. Hardin |
| 2017- Zijuan Chen | 1989- Jangsun Baek |
| 2015- Shiyuan He | 1988- William P. Alexander |
| 2015- Kejun He | 1987- Scott D. Grimshaw |
| 2014- Jingnan Xue | 1986- Julia U. Oñate |
| 2013- Ya Su | 1985- Ronald H. Berdine |
| 2012- Kun Su | 1985- Katherine M. Ensor |
| 2011- Qifan Song | 1984- Edgar W. Richardson |
| 2010- Tanya Garcia | 1983- Anne T. Coleman |
| 2009- Xiaolei Xun | 1982- Philip C. Spector |
| 2007- Kristin Lennox | 1981- T. J. Woodfield |
| 2007- Brad Barney | 1980- William J. Riley |
| 2006- Arnab Maity | 1979- J. Richard Alldredge |
| 2005- Yehua Li | 1978- Randall L. Eubank |
| 2004- Christie Spinka | 1977- Paul P. Biemer |
| 2003- Tanya Apanasovich | 1976- David A. Lamb |
| 2002- Daniel P. Gaile | 1975- R. K. Burdick |
| 2001- Stanley Pounds | 1974- L. D. Gianchetta |
| 2000- Chunfeng Huang | 1973- R. L. Kodell |
| 1999- Christopher Shane Reese | 1971- M. D. McKay |
| 1998- Birgir Hrafnkelsson | 1970- A. H. Feiveson |
| 1997- Christian Galindo | 1969- J. H. Matis |
| 1996- Jeffrey D. Maca | 1968- F. M. Speed |
| 2016- Yabo Niu | 1967- B. R. Waldron |