The USA Bobsled & Skeleton honors athletes for their season accomplishments with an award ceremony at the National Team Camp each summer. The coaching staff selects winners for the Athlete of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Team of the Year awards, while athletes vote for a team member in their discipline to receive the Athletes' Choice awards.
2016 Recipients:
MVP Award: Evan Weinstock
Evan Weinstock (Las Vegas, Nev.) earned the MVP award for displaying resilience and a team-first mindset throughout his rookie season. Weinstock earned three medals on the North American Cup pushing for Justin Olsen (San Antonio, Texas) and Codie Bascue (Whitehall, N.Y.).
Bobsled Athlete of the Year: Jamie Greubel Poser
Jamie Greubel Poser (Newtown, Pa.) capped the most successful season of her career with the Bobsled Athlete of the Year award. Greubel Poser earned six podium finishes in eight World Cup races to earn a career-best second-place finish in the overall women’s bobsled standings.
Skeleton Athlete of the Year: Annie O'Shea
The Skeleton Athlete of the Year award went to Annie O’Shea (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.). O’Shea had a breakout season, earning two medals — including a gold in Lake Placid — on the World Cup circuit. She finished fourth overall in the World Cup standings.
Men's Bobsled Athletes' Choice Award: Carlo Valdes
Carlo Valdes (Newport Beach, Calif.), earned the Men's Bobsled Athletes' Choice Award in his second season on the World Cup tour, pushed Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) to two World Cup medals, including a gold in Lake Placid. The two-man team of Valdes and Nick Cunningham (Monterey, Calif.) also took fourth in Winterberg.
Women's Bobsled Athletes' Choice Award: Terra Evans
In her rookie season, Terra Evans (Phoenix, Ariz.) pushed Elana Meyers Taylor (Douglasville, Ga.) to a first-place finish on the St. Moritz stop of the European Cup as Meyers Taylor returned after rehabilitating from a concussion. Her teammates voted to give her the Women's Bobsled Athletes' Choice Award.
Skeleton Athletes' Choice: Kyle Brown
Kyle Brown (Concord, N.H.) received the Skeleton Athletes’ Choice award after spending the year on both the Intercontinental Cup and World Cup circuits. Brown earned two bronze medals on the ICC and finished sixth and ninth in two World Cup races.
Rookie of the Year: Nathan Crumpton
Skeleton athlete Nathan Crumpton (Park City, Utah) was named Rookie of the Year. Crumpton earned his first national team berth this year and spent the season primarily on the World Cup circuit, also spending time on the Intercontinental Cup. Crumpton earned a season-best fifth-place finish on the Lake Placid track in World Cup action and took eighth at World Championships.
The "McGuffie" Award: Sam McGuffie
Sam McGuffie (Houston, Texas) was awarded the first annual "McGuffie" Award for his poor travel luck over the course of the season. A spoof award, McGuffie often found himself stranded in airports due to weather or other extraneous circumstances. The award was named in his honor and will henceforth be given to an athlete each season.
2015 Recipients:
Women's Bobsled Athlete of the Year: Elana Meyers Taylor
Elana Meyers Taylor (Douglasville, Ga.) received the Women’s Bobsled Athlete of the Year award for the fourth time after an historic season on the track. Meyers Taylor was victorious in six of eight World Cup races on her way to the tour title. She made history in Winterberg, Germany as the first American woman to win a bobsled World Championship title and the first U.S. driver, male or female, in 56 years to win a World Championship gold medal on a non-NorthAmerican track. At a North American Cup race in Calgary, Canada, Meyers Taylor became the first female to pilot a four-person sled in an international competition.
Men's Bobsled Athlete of the Year: Steven Holcomb
Steven Holcomb (Park City, Utah) was awarded his fifth Men’s Bobsled Athlete of the Year title. Holcomb was the American’s top performer in both men’s bobsled disciplines on the World Cup tour, finishing sixth overall in two-man and seventh in four-person. Coming off an impressive Olympic season, Holcomb was pushed by a plethora of rookie athletes and still managed to turn in the fastest speed of the bobsled World Championships.
Skeleton Athlete of the Year: Matt Antoine
Matt Antoine (Prairie du Chien, Wisc.) was named the Skeleton Athlete of the Year for the fourth time. The bronze medalist at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, Antoine finished fourth in this season’s World Cup standings, thanks to five top-10 finishes, including a pair of bronze medals. Antoine capped the season by defending his National Championship title with a Lake Placid track record.
Rookie of the Year: Carlo Valdes
Carlo Valdes (Newport Beach, Calif.) joined the USA Bobsled national team this season, after spending four years at UCLA, where he participated in track and field and football. Valdes made an immediate impact for Team USA, pushing Meyers Taylor to the bronze medal in her historical North American Cup race. He turned in nine top-10 finishes on the World Cup tour this season, pushing for pilot’s Steven Holcomb and Codie Bascue (Whitehall, N.Y.). His best result was fifth place at the Sochi World Cup race in the two-man event alongside Holcomb.
Women's Bobsled Athletes' Choice: Natalie DeRatt
Natalie DeRatt (Asheville, N.C.) was the Women’s Bobsled Athletes’ Choice Award recipient. DeRatt ran collegiately at UNC-Asheville, before joining the women’s bobsled national team this season. Her bobsled career began with a bang, earning the silver medal with pilot Jazmine Fenlator (Wayne, N.J.) at the Lake Placid World Cup kick off race. DeRatt was given high praise from her teammates, who described her as a great teammate, who always worked hard with a smile on her face.
Men's Bobsled Athletes' Choice: Dustin Greenwood
The Men’s Bobsled Athletes’ Choice Award was received by rookie Dustin Greenwood (Palmyra, Va.). Greenwood, a member of the national team, competed with Meyers Taylor, when she broke the gender barrier at the Calgary North American Cup race. He also helped push Nick Cunningham (Monterey, Calif.) and Bascue on the World Cup tour. Greenwood was known for never complaining once and always putting the team before himself.
Skeleton Athletes' Choice: Matt Antoine
The Skeleton Athletes’ Choice Award was given to Matt Antoine (Prairie du Chen, Wisc.), who was recognized by his teammates as being the leader of the American team on and off the ice.
Team of the Year: Elana Meyers Taylor and Cherrelle Garrett
Elana Meyers Taylor (Douglasville, Ga.) and rookie Cherrelle Garrett (Hayward, Calif.) were sled mates for the majority of the season and took home the Team of the Year award for their dominance in women’s bobsled. A former track star, Garrett quickly adjusted to sprinting on ice. She helped push Meyers Taylor to several start records en route to their championship performances.
2014 Recipients:
2012 Recipients:
2011 Recipients:
2010 Recipients:
2009 Recipients:
