ESPN

 

Nominees and Winners

Special Awards

  • Arthur Ashe Courage Award: President Nelson Mandela
  • Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Don Meyer, Northern State University Coach
  • Best Comeback: Dara Torres, Olympic Swimmer

Winners

Best in Sport Winners

  • Best Female Athlete: Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
  • Best Male Athlete: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
  • Best Moment: US Swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay
  • Best Team: Los Angeles Lakers
  • Best Coach/Manager: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Best Game: Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
  • Best Championship Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
  • Best Play: Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
  • Best Upset: US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semi-finals
  • Best Breakthrough Athlete: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
  • Best Record Breaking Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
  • Best Sports Movie: The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
  • Best Male College Athlete: Tim Tebow, Florida Football
  • Best Female College Athlete: Maya Moore, Connecticut Women’s Basketball
  • Best Male Athlete With a Disability: Jason Lester, Ironman Triathlete
  • Best Female Athlete With a Disability: Erin Popovich, Swimming
  • Best International Male Athlete: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Sprinter)
  • Best International Female Athlete: Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, Golf)

Individual Sports Winners

  • Best Baseball Player: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
  • Best NBA Player: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Best WNBA Player: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
  • Best NFL Player: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
  • Best NHL Player: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Best MLS Player: Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
  • Best Male Action Sport Athlete: Shaun White, Skateboarding/Snowboarding
  • Best Female Action Sport Athlete: Maya Gabeira, Surfing
  • Best Bowler: Norm Duke
  • Best Driver: Jimmie Johnson
  • Best Fighter: Manny Pacquiao, Boxing
  • Best Male Golfer: Tiger Woods
  • Best Female Golfer:  Lorena Ochoa
  • Best Jockey: Calvin Borel
  • Best Male Tennis Player: Roger Federer
  • Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams
  • Best US Male Olympian: Michael Phelps, Swimming
  • Best Female Olympian: Shawn Johnson, Gymnastics

Sponsored Awards

  • Land Rover “Icon” Award: Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
  • Under Armour All America Moment: Andre Debose and Russell Shepard, Football

Nominees

Best Male Athlete

  • KOBE BRYANT, NBA
  • LEBRON JAMES, NBA
  • JIMMIE JOHNSON, AUTO RACING
  • MICHAEL PHELPS, SWIMMING

Best Female Athlete

  • NATALIE COUGHLIN, SWIMMING
  • NASTIA LIUKIN, GYMNASTICS
  • MAYA MOORE, NCAA BASKETBALL
  • CANDACE PARKER, WNBA
  • SERENA WILLIAMS, TENNIS

Best Moment

  • FLORIDA’S TIM TEBOW’S SPEECH
  • HELIO CASTRONEVES WINS THE INDY 500
  • US SWIM TEAM WINS THRILLING FINISH IN OLYMPIC RELAY

Best Team

  • CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
  • LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  • NORTH CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL
  • PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
  • PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
  • PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Best Coach-Manager

  • GENO AURIEMMA, CONNECTICUT WOMENS BASKETBALL
  • DAN BYLSMA, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
  • JOE MADDON, TAMPA BAY RAYS
  • PHIL JACKSON, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  • MIKE TOMLIN, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

 Best US Male Olympian

  • BYRAN CLAY, TRACK AND FIELD
  • LASHAWN MERRITT, TRACK AND FIELD
  • MICHAEL PHELPS, SWIMMING
  • ANGELO TAYLOR, TRACK AND FIELD

Best US Female Olympian

  • NATALIE COUGHLIN, SWIMMING
  • DAWN HARPER, TRACK AND FIELD
  • SHAWN JOHNSON, GYMNASTICS
  • NASTIA LUIKIN, GYMNASTICS

Best Game

  • FEDERER VS. NADAL IN THE 2008 WIMBLEDON FINAL
  • STEELERS VS. CARDINALS IN SUPER BOWL XLIII
  • SYRACUSE VS. CONNECTICUT IN THE BIG EAST TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS

Best Championship Performance

  • KOBE BRYANT, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  • COLE HAMELS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLEIS
  • MICHAEL PHELPS, OLYMPIC SWIMMING
  • MISTY MAY-TREANOR AND KERRI WALSH, OLYMPIC BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Best Play

  • OVECHKIN VS. RANGERS
  • PACQUIAO KO’S HATTON
  • ROETHLISBERGER TO HOLMES SUPER BOWL WINNING TD
  • TEXAS TECH’S MICHAEL CRABTREE MAKES GAME WINNING CATCH VS. TEXAS

Best Upset

  • MINE THAT BIRD WINS THE KENTUCKY DERBY
  • OREGON STATE STUNS #1 USC
  • TAMPA BAY WINS THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
  • US SOCCER SHOCKS SPAIN IN THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP SEMIFINALS

Best Breakthrough Athlete

  • SHAWN JOHNSON, OLYMPIC GYMNASTICS
  • EVAN LONGORIA, TAMPA BAY RAYS
  • DERRICK ROSE, CHICAGO BULLS
  • MATT RYAN, ATLANTIC FALCONS

Best Record Breaking Performance

  • USAIN BOLT, OLYMPIC SPRINTER
  • LARRY FITZGERALD, ARIZONA CARDINELS
  • PHIL JACKSON, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  • MICHAEL PHELPS, OLYMPIC SWIMMER

Best Sports Movie

  • THE EXPRESS: THE ERNIE DAVIS STORY
  • SUGAR
  • THE WRESTLER

Best Male College Athlete

  • SAM BRADFORD, OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL
  • MATT GILROY, BOSTON UNIVERSITY HOCKEY
  • BLAKE GRIFFIN, OKLAHOMA BASKETBALL
  • STEPHEN STRASBURG, SAN DIEGO STATE BASEBALL
  • TIM TEBOW, FLORIDA FOOTBALL

Best Femail College Athlete

  • KERRI HANKS, NOTRE DAME WOMEN'S SOCCER
  • COURTNEY KUPETS, GEORGIA GYMNASTICS
  • DANIELLE LAWRIE, WASHINGTON SOFTBALL
  • MAYA MOORE, CONNECTICUT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
  • DANA VOLLMER, CALIFORNIA SWIMMING

Best Male Athlete with a Disability

  • JEREMY CAMPBELL, TRACK AND FIELD
  • WILL GROULX, WHEELCHAIR RUGBY
  • JASON LESTER, IRONMAN
  • OSCAR PISTORIUS, TRACK AND FIELD

Best Female Athlete with a Disability

  • JESSICA LONG, SWIMMING
  • ASYA MILLER, GOALBALL
  • MAUREEN MCKINNON-TUCKER, SAILING
  • ERIN POPOVICH, SWIMMING

Best International Male Athlete

  • USAIN BOLT (JAMAICA, SPRINTER)
  • PAU GASON (SPAIN, BASKETBALL)
  • LIONEL MESSI (ARGENTINA, SOCCER)
  • RAFAEL NADAL (SPAIN, TENNIS)
  • CRISTIANO RONALDO (PORTUGAL, SOCCER)

Best International Female Athlete

  • YELENA ISINBAYEVA (RUSSIA, POLE VAULT)
  • MARTA (BRAZIL, SOCCER)
  • LORENA OCHOA (MEXICO, GOLF)
  • STEPANIE RICE (AUSTRALIA, SWIMMING)
  • DINARA SAFINA (RUSSIA, TENNIS)

Best Baseball Player

  • ROY HALLADAY, TORONTO BLUE JAYS
  • RYAN HOWARD, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
  • DUSTIN PEDROIA, BOSTON RED SOX
  • ALBERT PUJOLS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
  • FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ, LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK METS

Best NBA Player

  • LEBRON JAMES, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
  • KOBE BRYANT, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
  • DWIGHT HOWARD, ORLANDO MAGIC
  • DWYANE WADE, MIAMI HEAT

Best WNBA Player

  • DEANNA NOLAN, DETROIT SHOCK
  • CANDACE PARKER, LOS ANGELES SPARKS
  • DIANA TAURASI, PHOENIX MERCURY
  • LINDSAY WHALEN, CONNECTICUT SUN

Best NFL Player

  • LARRY FITZGERALD, ARIZONA CARDINALS
  • JAMES HARRISON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
  • PEYTON MANNING, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
  • ADRIAN PETERSON, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
  • KURT WARNER, ARIZONA CARDINALS

Best NHL Player

  • SIDNEY CROSBY, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
  • PAVEL DATSYUK, DETROIT RED WINGS
  • EVGENI MALKIN, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
  • ALEXANDER OVECHKIN, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Best MLS Player

  • JUAN PABLO ANGEL, NEW YORK RED BULLS
  • LANDON DONOVAN, LOS ANGELES GALAXY
  • JON BUSCH, CHICAGO FIRE
  • KENNY COOPER, FC DALLAS
  • GUILLERMO BARROS SCHELOTTO, COLUMBUS CREW

Best Male Action Sports Athlete

  • RYAN SHECKLER, SKATEBOARDING
  • KELLY SLATER, SURFING
  • JAMES STEWART, MOTORCROSS
  • SHAUN WHITE, SNOWBOARDING/SKATEBOARDING

Best Female Action Sports Athlete

  • TORAH BRIGHT, SNOWBOARDING
  • SARAH BURKE, FREESTYLE SKIING
  • ASHLEY FIOLEK, MOTORCROSS
  • MAYA GABEIRA, SURFING

Best Bowler

  • CHRIS BARNES
  • NORM DUKE
  • WES MALOTT

Best Driver

  • HELIO CASTRONEVES
  • SCOTT DIXON
  • LEWIS HAMILTON
  • JIMMIE JOHNSON
  • TONY SCHUMACHER

Best Fighter

  • LYOTO MACHIDA, MMA
  • SHANE MOSLEY, BOXING
  • MANNY PACQUIAO, BOXING
  • ANDERSON SILVA, MMA

Best Male Golfer

  • PADRAIG HARRINGTON
  • PHIL MICKELSON
  • TIGER WOODS

Best Female Golfer

  • PAULA CREAMER
  • LORENA OCHOA
  • SUZANN PETTERSEN

Best Male Tennis Player

  • ROGER FEDERER
  • RAFAEL NADAL

Best Female Tennis Player

  • SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA
  • DINARA SAFINA
  • SERENA WILLIAMS

Best Jockey

  • CALVIN BOREL
  • GARRETT GOMEZ
  • MIKE SMITH

UNDER ARMOUR ALL-AMERICAN MOMENT

  • JAKE BERNHARDT, LACROSSE
  • TARA GLOVER, SOFTBALL
  • DAVID RENFROE, BASEBALL
  • HANNA WERTH, VOLLEYBALL
  • ANDRE DEBOSE AND RUSSELL SHEPARD, FOOTBALL