Katie Ledecky Among 19 Nominees For Prestigious James E. Sullivan Award (Full Nominees List)
Voting for the 92nd edition of the James E. Sullivan Award has opened, and Katie Ledecky is the lone swimmer among the 19 finalists. The Sullivan Award has been presented since 1930 by the AAU to the top collegiate or Olympic athlete in the United States who also demonstrates leadership, character and sportsmanship.
Ledecky was nominated following a summer in which she excelled at the World Championships in Budapest, where she won gold medals in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle. For all the success Ledecky has garnered during her career, she has never been awarded the Sullivan Award. Caeleb Dressel shared the honor last year with gymnast Simone Biles while Missy Franklin won the award in 2012.
Voting by the public will be open through Nov. 9, with fans permitted to vote once per day. Information on the finalists can be found at the voting site by clicking here.
This year’s group of nominees includes:
- Aliyah Boston, Women’s Basketball, University of South Carolina
- Allyson Felix, Track and Field, USA Track and Field
- Athing Mu, Track and Field, USA Track and Field/Texas A&M
- Bryce Young, Football, University of Alabama
- Carissa Moore, Surfing, USA Surfing
- Chloe Kim, Snowboarding, U.S. Ski and Snowboard
- Elana Meyers Taylor, Bobsled, USA Bobsled
- Erin Jackson, Speed Skating, U.S. Speed Skating
- Ivan Melendez, Baseball, University of Texas
- Jaime Jaquez JR., Men’s Basketball, UCLA
- Jocelyn Alo, Softball, University of Oklahoma
- Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling, USA Wrestling
- Kallie Humphries, Bobsled, USA Bobsled
- Katie Ledecky, Swimming, USA Swimming
- Logan Wisnauskas, Men’s Lacrosse, University of Maryland
- Maddie Musselman, Water Polo, USA Water Polo
- Nathan Chen, Figure Skating, U.S. Figure Skating
- Sophie Jaques, Women’s Ice Hockey, Ohio State University
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Track and Field, USA Track and Field
no one on this list has done as much for their sport and influenced younger athletes more than Katie has..!!! it should be uncontested. The only other recognizable athletes are Chloe Kim and Nathan Chen. While they are recognizable outside of their sport, they still can not come close to the effect Katie has had on a generation of athletes.