AP Athlete of the Year

Template:Short description The first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press (AP) in 1931. At a time when women in sports were not given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete. The awards are voted on annually by a panel of AP sports editors from across the United States, covering mainly American sports. As a result, a large majority of the winners have been Americans. However, non-Americans are also eligible for the honor and have won on a few occasions.

AP Athlete of the Year

List of AP Athlete of the Year award winners

Year	Male		Female
	Name	Sport	Name	Sport
1931	Template:Flagicon Pepper Martin	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Helene Madison	Swimming
1932	Template:Flagicon Gene Sarazen	Golf	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson	Track and field
1933	Template:Flagicon Carl Hubbell	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Helen Jacobs	Tennis
1934	Template:Flagicon Dizzy Dean	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Virginia Van Wie	Golf
1935	Template:Flagicon Joe Louis	Boxing	Template:Flagicon Helen Wills Moody	Tennis
1936	Template:Flagicon Jesse Owens	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Helen Stephens	Track and field
1937	Template:Flagicon Don Budge	Tennis	Template:Flagicon Katherine Rawls	Swimming
1938	Template:Flagicon Don Budge (2)	Tennis	Template:Flagicon Patty Berg	Golf
1939	Template:Flagicon Nile Kinnick	College football	Template:Flagicon Alice Marble	Tennis
1940	Template:Flagicon Tom Harmon	College football	Template:Flagicon Alice Marble (2)	Tennis
1941	Template:Flagicon Joe DiMaggio	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Betty Hicks Newell	Golf
1942	Template:Flagicon Frank Sinkwich	College football	Template:Flagicon Gloria Callen	Swimming
1943	Template:Flagicon Gunder Hägg	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Patty Berg (2)	Golf
1944	Template:Flagicon Byron Nelson	Golf	Template:Flagicon Ann Curtis	Swimming
1945	Template:Flagicon Byron Nelson (2)	Golf	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (2)	Golf
1946	Template:Flagicon Glenn Davis	College football	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (3)	Golf
1947	Template:Flagicon Johnny Lujack	College football	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (4)	Golf
1948	Template:Flagicon Lou Boudreau	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Fanny Blankers-Koen	Track and field
1949	Template:Flagicon Leon Hart	College football	Template:Flagicon Marlene Bauer	Golf
1950	Template:Flagicon Jim Konstanty	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (5)	Golf
1951	Template:Flagicon Dick Kazmaier	College football	Template:Flagicon Maureen Connolly	Tennis
1952	Template:Flagicon Bob Mathias	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Maureen Connolly (2)	Tennis
1953	Template:Flagicon Ben Hogan	Golf	Template:Flagicon Maureen Connolly (3)	Tennis
1954	Template:Flagicon Willie Mays	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Babe Didrikson Zaharias (6)	Golf
1955	Template:Flagicon Howard Cassady	College football	Template:Flagicon Patty Berg (3)	Golf
1956	Template:Flagicon Mickey Mantle	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Pat McCormick	Diving
1957	Template:Flagicon Ted Williams	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Althea Gibson	Tennis
1958	Template:Flagicon Herb Elliott	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Althea Gibson (2)	Tennis
1959	Template:Flagicon Ingemar Johansson	Boxing	Template:Flagicon Maria Bueno	Tennis
1960	Template:Flagicon Rafer Johnson	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Wilma Rudolph	Track and field
1961	Template:Flagicon Roger Maris	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Wilma Rudolph (2)	Track and field
1962	Template:Flagicon Maury Wills	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Dawn Fraser	Swimming
1963	Template:Flagicon Sandy Koufax	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Mickey Wright	Golf
1964	Template:Flagicon Don Schollander	Swimming	Template:Flagicon Mickey Wright (2)	Golf
1965	Template:Flagicon Sandy Koufax (2)	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Kathy Whitworth	Golf
1966	Template:Flagicon Frank Robinson	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Kathy Whitworth (2)	Golf
1967	Template:Flagicon Carl Yastrzemski	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Billie Jean King	Tennis
1968	Template:Flagicon Denny McLain	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Peggy Fleming	Figure skating
1969	Template:Flagicon Tom Seaver	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Debbie Meyer	Swimming
1970	Template:Flagicon George Blanda	National Football League	Template:Flagicon Chi Cheng	Track and field
1971	Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	Golf	Template:Flagicon Evonne Goolagong	Tennis
1972	Template:Flagicon Mark Spitz	Swimming	Template:Flagicon Olga Korbut	Gymnastics
1973	Template:Flagicon O. J. Simpson	National Football League	Template:Flagicon Billie Jean King (2)	Tennis
1974	Template:Flagicon Muhammad Ali	Boxing	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert	Tennis
1975	Template:Flagicon Fred Lynn	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert (2)	Tennis
1976	Template:Flagicon Bruce Jenner	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Nadia Comăneci	Gymnastics
1977	Template:Flagicon Steve Cauthen	Horse racing	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert (3)	Tennis
1978	Template:Flagicon Ron Guidry	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Nancy Lopez	Golf
1979	Template:Flagicon Willie Stargell	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Tracy Austin	Tennis
1980	Template:Flagicon U.S. Olympic hockey team	Ice hockey	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert Lloyd (4)	Tennis
1981	Template:Flagicon John McEnroe	Tennis	Template:Flagicon Tracy Austin (2)	Tennis
1982	Template:Flagicon Wayne Gretzky	National Hockey League	Template:Flagicon Mary Tabb	Track and field
1983	Template:Flagicon Carl Lewis	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova	Tennis
1984	Template:Flagicon Carl Lewis (2)	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Mary Lou Retton	Gymnastics
1985	Template:Flagicon Dwight Gooden	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Nancy Lopez (2)	Golf
1986	Template:Flagicon Larry Bird	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova (2)	Tennis
1987	Template:Flagicon Ben Johnson	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Jackie Joyner-Kersee	Track and field
1988	Template:Flagicon Orel Hershiser	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Florence Griffith Joyner	Track and field
1989	Template:Flagicon Joe Montana	National Football League	Template:Flagicon Steffi Graf	Tennis
1990	Template:Flagicon Joe Montana (2)	National Football League	Template:Flagicon Beth Daniel	Golf
1991	Template:Flagicon Michael Jordan	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Monica Seles<ref>Became a U.S. citizen in 1994.</ref>	Tennis
1992	Template:Flagicon Michael Jordan (2)	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Monica Seles (2)	Tennis
1993	Template:Flagicon Michael Jordan (3)	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Sheryl Swoopes	College basketball
1994	Template:Flagicon George Foreman	Boxing	Template:Flagicon Bonnie Blair	Speed skating
1995	Template:Flagicon Cal Ripken Jr.	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Rebecca Lobo	College basketball
1996	Template:Flagicon Michael Johnson	Track and field	Template:Flagicon Amy Van Dyken	Swimming
1997	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods	Golf	Template:Flagicon Martina Hingis	Tennis
1998	Template:Flagicon Mark McGwire	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Se Ri Pak	Golf
1999	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods (2)	Golf<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon U.S. women's soccer team	Soccer
2000	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods (3)	Golf<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Marion Jones	Track and field
2001	Template:Flagicon Barry Bonds	Major League Baseball<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>	Template:Flagicon Jennifer Capriati	Tennis
2002	Template:Flagicon Lance Armstrong	Road bicycle racing<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams	Tennis
2003	Template:Flagicon Lance Armstrong (2)	Road bicycle racing<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Annika Sörenstam	Golf
2004	Template:Flagicon Lance Armstrong (3)	Road bicycle racing<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Annika Sörenstam (2)	Golf
2005	Template:Flagicon Lance Armstrong (4)	Road bicycle racing<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Annika Sörenstam (3)	Golf
2006	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods (4)	Golf<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Lorena Ochoa	Golf
2007	Template:Flagicon Tom Brady	National Football League<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flagicon Lorena Ochoa (2)	Golf
2008	Template:Flagicon Michael Phelps	Swimming<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flagicon Candace Parker	Women's National Basketball Association
2009	Template:Flagicon Jimmie Johnson<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	NASCAR	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams (2)	Tennis
2010	Template:Flagicon Drew Brees	National Football League<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Lindsey Vonn	Skiing
2011	Template:Flagicon Aaron Rodgers<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	National Football League	Template:Flagicon Abby Wambach	Soccer
2012	Template:Flagicon Michael Phelps (2)	Swimming<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flagicon Gabby Douglas	Gymnastics
2013	Template:Flagicon LeBron James	National Basketball Association<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams (3)	Tennis
2014	Template:Flagicon Madison Bumgarner<ref name="ESPN 2014 Bumgarner">Template:Cite web</ref>	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Mo'ne Davis<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Little League baseball
2015	Template:Flagicon Stephen Curry	National Basketball Association<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams (4)	Tennis
2016	Template:Flagicon LeBron James (2)	National Basketball Association<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Flagicon Simone Biles	Gymnastics
2017	Template:Flagicon Jose Altuve<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Katie Ledecky<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>	Swimming
2018	Template:Flagicon LeBron James (3)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams (5)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Tennis
2019	Template:Flagicon Kawhi Leonard<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Simone Biles (2)	Gymnastics
2020	Template:Flagicon LeBron James (4)	National Basketball Association	Template:Flagicon Naomi Osaka	Tennis
2021	Template:Flagicon Shohei Ohtani<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Candace Parker (2)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Women's National Basketball Association
2022	Template:Flagicon Aaron Judge	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Katie Ledecky (2)	Swimming
2023	Template:Flagicon Shohei Ohtani (2)	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Simone Biles (3)	Gymnastics
2024	Template:Flagicon Shohei Ohtani (3)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Major League Baseball	Template:Flagicon Caitlin Clark	Women's National Basketball Association<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Multiple awards

List of male award winners

Name	Sport	Awards	Years
Lance Armstrong	Road bicycle racing	4	2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Tiger Woods	Golf	4	1997, 1999, 2000, 2006
LeBron James	Basketball	4	2013, 2016, 2018, 2020
Michael Jordan	Basketball	3	1991, 1992, 1993
Shohei Ohtani	Baseball	3	2021, 2023, 2024
Don Budge	Tennis	2	1937, 1938
Sandy Koufax	Baseball	2	1963, 1965
Carl Lewis	Track and field	2	1983, 1984
Joe Montana	American football	2	1989, 1990
Byron Nelson	Golf	2	1944, 1945
Michael Phelps	Swimming	2	2008, 2012

List of female award winners

Name	Sport	Awards	Years
Babe Didrikson Zaharias	Golf/Track and field	6	1932, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1954
Serena Williams	Tennis	5	2002, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2018
Chris Evert	Tennis	4	1974, 1975, 1977, 1980
Maureen Connolly	Tennis	3	1951, 1952, 1953
Annika Sörenstam	Golf	3	2003, 2004, 2005
Simone Biles	Gymnastics	3	2016, 2019, 2023
Alice Marble	Tennis	2	1939, 1940
Althea Gibson	Tennis	2	1957, 1958
Wilma Rudolph	Track and field	2	1960, 1961
Mickey Wright	Golf	2	1963, 1964
Kathy Whitworth	Golf	2	1965, 1966
Billie Jean King	Tennis	2	1967, 1973
Tracy Austin	Tennis	2	1979, 1981
Nancy Lopez	Golf	2	1978, 1985
Martina Navratilova	Tennis	2	1983, 1986
Monica Seles	Tennis	2	1991, 1992
Lorena Ochoa	Golf	2	2006, 2007
Candace Parker	Basketball	2	2008, 2021
Katie Ledecky	Swimming	2	2017, 2022

AP Athlete of the Decade

List of award winners

Decade	Male		Female
	Name	Sport	Name	Sport
1960s	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	Golf	None Awarded
1970s	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus	Golf
1980s	Template:Flagicon Wayne Gretzky	Hockey
1990s	Template:Flagicon Michael Jordan	Basketball
2000s	Template:Flagicon Tiger Woods	Golf
2010s	Template:Flagicon LeBron James	Basketball	Template:Flagicon Serena Williams	Tennis

Notes

• Adapted from the article Associated Press Athlete of the Year, from Wikinfo, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.