Moments before the winner of this year’s AAU Sullivan Award was announced last week at the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), I turned to Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a past winner of the Sullivan, and asked her who she thought would win. “Tatyana McFadden,” she replied, noting that McFadden embodies the genuine amateurism and pure love of competitive sport on which the award was founded.
In a group of finalists that included gold medalists from the recent Olympic Winter Games (Alysa Liu and Mikaela Shiffrin), collegiate basketball stars (Azzi Fudd and Braden Smith), football stars Blake Horvath and Fernando Mendoza, college volleyball star Olivia Babcock and World Champion wrestler Zahid Valencia, it seemed somewhat unlikely, but indeed, McFadden was named the winner.
The evening at the NYAC, where the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) was founded more than a century ago, was vibrant for the four finalists in attendance. “To be a Naval Academy guy recognized with Olympians, a Heisman Trophy winner, and national players of the year in their sports … is a complete honor for our institution to be recognized on that level,” said Horvath, a senior who begins Navy flight school in November.
A graduate of Arizona State University, Valencia is an NCAA, American, Pan American, and World Champion freestyle wrestler with the goal of competing in the 2028 Olympics. “I’m looking forward to continue learning about everyone,” said Valencia, who has competed in meets at the NYAC and knows about its strong wrestling history.
“Everyone here is just so amazing,” said Babcock, a volleyball standout at the University of Pittsburgh, who has received AVCA Division I National Player of the Year honors. “Just being surrounded by these athletes, it teaches me a lot about myself and how to continue progressing and getting better every day. I’m really grateful to be here. It’s an honor to be part of such an amazing legacy.”
Despite having won 22 Paralympic and 20 World Championship medals, this was McFadden’s first time as a finalist for the Sullivan Award, “I’m honored to be nominated among such a great group of athletes, especially women athletes; it’s very cool to see,” said McFadden. “This is huge, especially for Paralympians, being under one category of sports, instead of a separate category. This award really means a lot because … we’re athletes competing for Team USA.”
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