James E. Sullivan Award

The AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), is awarded annually in April to "the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States".[1] Representatives from the AAU created the AAU Sullivan Award with the intent to recognize amateur contributions and achievements from non-professional athletes across the country.

AAU James E. Sullivan Award
Awarded forThe most outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S. who demonstrates qualities of leadership, citizenship, character and sportsmanship on and off the field
CountryUnited States
Presented byAmateur Athletic Union
First awarded1930
Currently held bySabrina Ionescu, University of Oregon &
Spencer Lee, University of Iowa
Websiteaausullivan.org

The award was established in 1930 in honor of the organization's founder and past president, James Edward Sullivan. Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award "goes far beyond athletic accomplishments and honors those who have shown strong moral character".[1] Finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee.[2] Approximately 10 semi-finalists are chosen,[2] and the eventual winner is determined by votes from various members of the nationwide news media, former winners and AAU personnel.[3][4] More recently, a portion of the winner's vote has been determined by the general public.[5][6] Recipients are eligible for subsequent awards, although this has yet to happen.[2]

The inaugural winner of the award was golfer Bobby Jones, winner of 13 majors between 1923 and 1930.[7][8] The first female recipient, in 1944, was swimmer Ann Curtis, who won more national AAU championships than any other woman.[9]

Winners
U.S. Naval Academy quarterback Keenan Reynolds was awarded the 86th AAU James E. Sullivan Award on April 10, 2016, at the New York Athletic Club. He shared the award with UConn women's basketball player Breanna Stewart, who could not attend the ceremony.
Golfer Bobby Jones won the inaugural award in 1930.
Wilma Rudolph received the accolade in 1961.
Track athlete Carl Lewis received the award in 1981.
Figure skater Michelle Kwan took the honor in 2001.
Swimmer and most decorated Olympian of all time Michael Phelps won the award in 2003.
Olympic gold-medalist Shawn Johnson won the award in 2008.
Year Winner Sport(s) Reference
1930 Bobby Jones Golf [10]
1931 Bernard Berlinger Decathlon [11]
1932 James Bausch Decathlon [12]
1933 Glenn Cunningham Running (middle distance) [13]
1934 William Bonthron Running (middle distance) [14]
1935 W. Lawson Little, Jr. Golf [15]
1936 Glenn Morris Decathlon [16]
1937 Don Budge Tennis [17]
1938 Don Lash Running (long distance) [18]
1939 Joe Burk Rowing [19]
1940 J. Gregory Rice Track and field [20]
1941 T. Leslie MacMitchell Track and field [21]
1942 Cornelius Warmerdam Pole vault [22]
1943 Gil Dodds Running (middle distance) [23]
1944 Ann Curtis Swimming [24]
1945 Doc Blanchard Football [25]
1946 Arnold Tucker Football [25]
1947 John B. Kelly, Jr. Rowing [26]
1948 Bob Mathias Decathlon [27]
1949 Dick Button Figure skating [28][29]
1950 Fred Wilt Running (long distance) [30]
1951 Bob Richards Pole vault, decathlon [31]
1952 Horace Ashenfelter Running (long distance) [32]
1953 Sammy Lee Diving [33]
1954 Mal Whitfield Running (middle distance) [34]
1955 Harrison Dillard Running (sprint) [35]
1956 Pat McCormick Diving [4]
1957 Bobby Morrow Running (sprint) [36]
1958 Glenn Davis Running (sprint) [37]
1959 Parry O'Brien Shot put, discus [38]
1960 Rafer Johnson Decathlon [39]
1961 Wilma Rudolph Running (sprint) [40]
1962 Jim Beatty Track and field [41]
1963 John Pennel Pole vault [42]
1964 Don Schollander Swimming [43]
1965 Bill Bradley Basketball [6]
1966 Jim Ryun Running (middle distance) [44]
1967 Randy Matson Shot put, discus [45]
1968 Debbie Meyer Swimming [46]
1969 Bill Toomey Decathlon [47]
1970 John Kinsella Swimming [48]
1971 Mark Spitz Swimming [10]
1972 Frank Shorter Running (long distance) [49]
1973 Bill Walton Basketball [6]
1974 Rick Wohlhuter Running (middle distance) [50]
1975 Tim Shaw Swimming [51]
1976 Bruce Jenner [lower-alpha 1] Decathlon [53]
1977 John Naber Swimming [3]
1978 Tracy Caulkins Swimming [54]
1979 Kurt Thomas Gymnastics [55]
1980 Eric Heiden Speed skating [56]
1981 Carl Lewis Running (sprint), long jump [57]
1982 Mary Decker Running (middle and long distance) [58]
1983 Edwin Moses Running (sprint) [59]
1984 Greg Louganis Diving [60]
1985 Joan Benoit Running (long distance) [61]
1986 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Running (sprint) [62]
1987 Jim Abbott Baseball [63]
1988 Florence Griffith-Joyner Running (sprint) [62]
1989 Janet Evans Swimming [20]
1990 John Smith Wrestling [20]
1991 Mike Powell Long jump [64]
1992 Bonnie Blair Speed skating [65]
1993 Charlie Ward Basketball, football [25]
1994 Dan Jansen Speed skating [66]
1995 Bruce Baumgartner Wrestling [67]
1996 Michael Johnson Running (sprint) [68]
1997 Peyton Manning Football [25]
1998 Chamique Holdsclaw Basketball [65]
1999 Coco Miller and Kelly Miller Basketball [69]
2000 Rulon Gardner Wrestling [70]
2001 Michelle Kwan Figure skating [28]
2002 Sarah Hughes Figure skating [10]
2003 Michael Phelps Swimming [10]
2004 Paul Hamm Gymnastics [55]
2005 J. J. Redick Basketball [6]
2006 Jessica Long Swimming [71]
2007 Tim Tebow Football [72]
2008 Shawn Johnson Gymnastics [55]
2009 Amy Palmiero-Winters Running (ultra marathon) [73]
2010 Evan Lysacek Figure Skating [74]
2011 Andrew Rodriguez Football [75]
2012 Missy Franklin Swimming [76]
2013 John Urschel Football [77]
2014 Ezekiel Elliott Football [78]
2015 Keenan Reynolds and Breanna Stewart Football and basketball (respectively) [79]
2016 Lauren Carlini Volleyball [80]
2017 Kyle Snyder Wrestling [81]
2018 Kathryn Plummer Volleyball [82]
2019 Sabrina Ionescu and Spencer Lee Basketball and wrestling (respectively) [83]

Notes
  1. Jenner changed her name due to gender transition in 2015.[52]

References
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  2. "Guidelines for nomination of an amateur athlete". Amateur Athletic Union. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
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  80. "Carlini wins Sullivan Award". www.uwbadgers.com. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  81. "Ohio State wrestling champion Kyle Snyder wins Sullivan Award". ESPN. April 19, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  82. "Stanford's Kathryn Plummer wins Sullivan Award as top amateur athlete in US". San Francisco Chronicle. April 16, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  83. "Sabrina Ionescu & Spencer Lee Crowned 90th AAU James E. Sullivan Award Co-Winners Presented by Eastbay" (Press release). Amateur Athletic Union. April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.

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