Country United States First awarded 1930 | Presented by Amateur Athletic Union Official website aausullivan.org | |
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Awarded for The AAU James E. Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S. and aims to recognize athletes who demonstrate qualities of leadership, citizenship, character and sportsmanship on and off the field. Currently held by Keenan Reynolds and Breanna Stewart | ||
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". 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.
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". Finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee. Approximately 10 semi-finalists are chosen, and the eventual winner is determined by votes from various members of the nationwide news media, former winners and AAU personnel. More recently, a portion of the winner's vote has been determined by the general public. Recipients are eligible for subsequent awards, although this has yet to happen.
The inaugural winner of the award was golfer Bobby Jones, winner of 13 majors between 1923 and 1930. The first female recipient, in 1944, was swimmer Ann Curtis, who won more national AAU championships than any other woman. The most recent award went to multiple recipients for the second time in the award's 86-year history – Keenan Reynolds from the U.S. Naval Academy and Breanna Stewart from the University of Connecticut. Other notable athletes to win the award include famed Olympians Bruce Baumgartner (1995), Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Mark Spitz (1971), and Michael Phelps (2003). Former UCLA basketball star Bill Walton (1973) and University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997) have also earned the prestigious honor.
Over the last 86 years, the award has been presented to 34 track and field athletes, 10 swimmers, eight football players, six basketball players, four figure skaters, three gymnasts, three speedskaters, three divers, three wrestlers, two oarsmen, two golfers, one paralympian, one ultra-marathoner, one baseball player and one tennis player.