AAU Sullivan Award winners are inspiring talented disciplined inspiring athletes.
The AAU Sullivan Award has been given out since 1930 to the nation's best athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level. Only one finalist will join the illustrious list of previous winners which include: Bobby Jones (1930), Doc Blanchard (1945), Wilma Rudolph (1961), Bill Bradley (1965), Mark Spitz (1970), Bill Walton (1973), Carl Lewis (1981), Joan Benoit (1985), Janet Evans (1989), Peyton Manning (1997), Michael Phelps (2003), Tim Tebow (2007), Shawn Johnson (2008), Missy Franklin (2012) and dozens of others.
2022 — Clark achieved numerous accolades in her junior season, being recognized as the Consensus National Player of the Year and receiving unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors.
2021 — Carissa became the first surfer and first Hawaiian to receive the honor of top athlete of the year.
2020 — Biles became the fourth gymnast to receive the honor of top athlete of the year, while Dressel became the 11th swimmer to take home the title.
2019 — Ionescu became the seventh basketball player to take home this award, while Lee became the fifth wrestler to be named the top athlete.
2018 — Plummer is the second-ever volleyball player to take home the award after Wisconsin’s Lauren Carlini won the 87th.
2017 — In his second consecutive year as a finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, Ohio State Buckeyes All-American, Kyle Snyder, was crowned America’s top amateur athlete.
2016 — Carlini is the first volleyball player to win the AAU Sullivan Award.
2015 — Keenan Reynolds and Breanna Stewart are outstanding football and basketball players respectively who won the AAU Sullivan Award in 2015, only the second time in the award’s history that two…
2014 — Ezekiel Elliot is an outstanding football player that won the AAU Sullivan Award in 2014. He led Ohio State to win the first College Football Playoff National Championship and set several records…
2013 — An all-conference performer with a perfect 4.0 GPA that is already teaching college level courses. Penn State’s John Urschel redefines what it means to be a student-athlete.
2012 — Unknown to many outside of the swimming community prior to 2012, Missy Franklin established herseld as a household name with her performance at the 2012 London Olympics.
2011 — With a 4.14 GPA as a mechanical engineer, Andrew Rodriguez claimed 140 career tackles in 23 career games on his way to capturing the AAU Sullivan Award
2010 — Leading the U.S. men’s contingent at the 2009 World Championships, Lysacek won gold (becoming the first american man to do so sine Todd Eldridge in 1996.)
2009 — Amy set world record for amputee women in the 50k, 50 mi, 100k, 100 mi, and 24 hours runs and is the first ultramarathon winner of the AAU Sullivan Award.
2008 — Shawn Johnson captured the hearts of the nation during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China winning gold on the balance beam and taking home silver in the all-around and floor routine.
2007 — The Florida quarterback became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,286 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2007.
2006 — Swimmer Jessica Long was honored as the recipient of the 77th AAU Sullivan Award, presented to the USA’s top amateur athlete and the first Paralympian to win the award.
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