SAVE THE DATE: 93rd AAU James E. Sullivan Award Ceremony
04/28/2023
The AAU Sullivan Award ceremony is returning to the birthplace of the AAU – the historic New York Athletic Club (NYAC) – on September 19, 2023.
By Kelsey Burr
NEW YORK (April 28, 2023) -- For the past 92 years, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has honored the nation’s most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level by giving out the AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
This year, as the award turns 93, the AAU is pleased to announce that the ceremony is returning to the birthplace of the AAU – the historic New York Athletic Club (NYAC) – on September 19, 2023.
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award was established in 1930 to honor America’s top athlete, and was named after founder and past president of the AAU, James E. Sullivan. Older than the Heisman, the award is unique in that it recognizes ascendant athletes across all genders and sports who also demonstrate the qualities of leadership, citizenship, character, and sportsmanship.
The inaugural AAU Sullivan Award went to golfer Bobby Jones, and since then, countless legendary athletes have taken home the trophy. Past winners include Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Peyton Manning (1997), Michelle Kwan (2001), Michael Phelps (2003), Tim Tebow (2007), Shawn Johnson (2008), Missy Franklin (2012), Sabrina Ionescu (2019), and Caeleb Dressel (2020).
“The Sullivan is a great award and it means a lot to me because its how you live off the field as much as how you play on the field,” Tim Tebow said during his acceptance speech in 2007.
Last year’s winner of the 92nd AAU Sullivan Award was Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, the first surfer to ever take home the honor. Moore cemented her legacy in sporting history by becoming the first-ever gold medalist in the women’s short board event at the 2020 Tokyo Games, when surfing made its Olympic debut.
Since 1930, 34 track and field athletes have won the award – the most by any sport. Twelve swimmers have taken home the trophy, as well as nine football players, seven basketball players, and five wrestlers. The award has also gone to four figure skaters, four gymnasts, three speedskaters, three divers, two oarsmen, two golfers, two volleyball players, as well as a Paralympian, an ultra-marathoner, a baseball player, a tennis player, and, as of last year, a surfer.
Nominations for this year’s award will open in mid-May, followed by two rounds of voting by the public, the media, and AAU leadership.
The winner will be announced at the 93rd AAU James E. Sullivan Award ceremony at the New York Athletic Club on September 19, 2023.
NEW YORK (April 28, 2023) -- For the past 92 years, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has honored the nation’s most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level by giving out the AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
This year, as the award turns 93, the AAU is pleased to announce that the ceremony is returning to the birthplace of the AAU – the historic New York Athletic Club (NYAC) – on September 19, 2023.
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award was established in 1930 to honor America’s top athlete, and was named after founder and past president of the AAU, James E. Sullivan. Older than the Heisman, the award is unique in that it recognizes ascendant athletes across all genders and sports who also demonstrate the qualities of leadership, citizenship, character, and sportsmanship.
The inaugural AAU Sullivan Award went to golfer Bobby Jones, and since then, countless legendary athletes have taken home the trophy. Past winners include Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Peyton Manning (1997), Michelle Kwan (2001), Michael Phelps (2003), Tim Tebow (2007), Shawn Johnson (2008), Missy Franklin (2012), Sabrina Ionescu (2019), and Caeleb Dressel (2020).
“The Sullivan is a great award and it means a lot to me because its how you live off the field as much as how you play on the field,” Tim Tebow said during his acceptance speech in 2007.
Last year’s winner of the 92nd AAU Sullivan Award was Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, the first surfer to ever take home the honor. Moore cemented her legacy in sporting history by becoming the first-ever gold medalist in the women’s short board event at the 2020 Tokyo Games, when surfing made its Olympic debut.
Since 1930, 34 track and field athletes have won the award – the most by any sport. Twelve swimmers have taken home the trophy, as well as nine football players, seven basketball players, and five wrestlers. The award has also gone to four figure skaters, four gymnasts, three speedskaters, three divers, two oarsmen, two golfers, two volleyball players, as well as a Paralympian, an ultra-marathoner, a baseball player, a tennis player, and, as of last year, a surfer.
Nominations for this year’s award will open in mid-May, followed by two rounds of voting by the public, the media, and AAU leadership.
The winner will be announced at the 93rd AAU James E. Sullivan Award ceremony at the New York Athletic Club on September 19, 2023.
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