USOC Athletes of the Year
The USOC Sportsman and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually to the top overall male and female athletes from member organizations since 1974. A team category was added in 1996 to recognize the outstanding achievements of athletes who might not otherwise have been recognized by the individual awards, and a paralympian category was added in 2004 to recognize the singular accomplishments of these truly dedicated athletes.
Voters on the awards committee comprise USOC representatives, members of the national media, and Olympic athletes. Winners are selected from Male Athlete, Female Athlete, Team and Paralympian of the Year nominations submitted by the National Governing Bodies of the Olympic and Pan American Games sports and affiliated and disabled sports organizations.
SportsWoman of the Year
1974 - Shirley Babashoff, swimming
1975 - Kathy Heddy, swimming
1976 - Sheila Young, speedskating
1977 - Linda Fratianne, figure skating
1978 - Tracy Caulkins, swimming
1979 - Sippy Woodhead, swimming
1980 - Beth Heiden, speedskating
1981 - Sheila Young Ochowicz, cycling/speedskating
1982 - Melanie Smith, equestrian
1983 - Tamara McKinney, skiing
1984 - Tracy Caulkins, swimming
1985 - Mary Decker Slaney, athletics
1986 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, athletics
1987 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, athletics
1988 - Florence Griffith Joyner, athletics
1989 - Janet Evans, swimming
1990 - Lynn Jennings, athletics
1991 - Kim Zmeskal, gymnastics
1992 - Bonnie Blair, speedskating
1993 - Gail Devers, athletics
1994 - Bonnie Blair, speedskating
1995 - Picabo Street, skiing
1996 - Amy Van Dyken, swimming
1997 - Tara Lipinski, figure skating
1998 - Picabo Street, skiing
1999 - Jenny Thompson, swimming
2000 - Marion Jones, athletics
2001 - Jennifer Capriati, tennis
2002 - Sarah Hughes, figure skating
2003 - Michelle Kwan, figure skating
2004 - Carly Patterson, gymnastics
2005 - Katie Hoff, swimming
2006 - Hannah Teter, snowboarding
2007 - Katie Hoff, swimming
2008 - Natalie Coughlin, swimming and Nastia Liukin, gymnastics
SportsMan of the Year
1974 - Jim Bolding, athletics
1975 - Clinton Jackson, boxing
1976 - John Naber, swimming
1977 - Eric Heiden, speedskating
1978 - Bruce Davidson, equestrian
1979 - Eric Heiden, speedskating
1980 - Eric Heiden, speedskating
1981 - Scott Hamilton - figure skating
1982 - Greg Louganis, diving
1983 - Rick McKinney, archery
1984 - Edwin Moses, athletics
1985 - Willie Banks, athletics
1986 - Matt Biondi, swimming
1987 - Greg Louganis, diving
1988 - Matt Biondi, swimming
1989 - Roger Kingdom, athletics
1990 - John Smith, wrestling
1991 - Carl Lewis, athletics
1992 - Pablo Morales, swimming
1993 - Michael Johnson, athletics
1994 - Dan Jansen, speedskating
1995 - Michael Johnson, athletics
1996 - Michael Johnson, athletics
1997 - Pete Sampras, tennis
1998 - Jonny Mosely, skiing
1999 - Lance Armstrong, cycling
2000 - Rulon Gardner, wrestling
2001 - Lance Armstrong, cycling
2002 - Lance Armstrong, cycling
2003 - Lance Armstrong, cycling
2004 - Michael Phelps, swimming
2005 - Hunter Kemper, triathlon
2006 - Joey Cheek, speedskating
2007 - Tyson Gay, athletics
2008 - Michael Phelps, swimming
Paralympian of the Year
2004 - Erin Popovich, swimming
2005 - Laurie Stephens, alpine skiing
2006 - Jessica Long, swimming
2007 - Jessica Galli, athletics
2008 - Erin Popovich
Team of the Year
1996 - Women's Olympic Basketball Team
1997 - Women's National Soccer Team
1998 - Women's Olympic Ice Hockey Team
1999 - Women's World Cup Soccer Team
2000 - Men's Olympic Basketball Team
2001 - U.S. Postal Service Cycling
2002 - Women's Olympic Bobsled (J. Bakken, V. Flowers)
2003 - Women's Gymnastics
2004 - U.S. Olympic Softball Team
2005 - U.S. World Badminton Doubles Team (T. Gunawan, H. Bach)
2006 - U.S. Men's Curling
2007 - U.S. Women's World Championships Gymnastics
2008 - Men's Indoor Volleyball
