"A Tribute to the Artist and the Athlete"
The Academy presents awards each year, including its Awards of Sport, to pay tribute to those who have made significant contributions to sport, in categories as diverse as the artist and the athlete in several different arenas of sport. The awards have expanded over the years to honor exemplary achievement in coaching, all-around athletic performance, courage, humanitarian activity, fitness and media, as well as the top professional athletes of the year. ASAMA annually recognizes these men and women through its Sport Artist of the Year, Honorary Doctorates, Distinguished Service Awards, Medallion Series, Outstanding Athletes, Team of the Year and Alumni of the Year awards.
Honorees may be nominated by any of the Academy's worldwide constituents. This assemblage includes administration, alumni, faculty, national faculty, staff, students and members of various organizations and boards that work closely with the Academy on this special project. Following the nomination process, honorees are selected by the Awards of Sport Committee, a special group within the Academy that is comprised of the President's Cabinet and other staff members with a vested interest and an extensive knowledge of sports and the arts. Every honoree chosen by the Awards of Sport Committee is presented to the Academy's Board of Trustees. All honoree selections are subject to a vote and must be formally approved and ratified by this group. Award recipients are traditionally presented with the Academy's Order of the Eagle Exemplar Medal and Academy Rosette.
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Sport Artist of the Year Award Leroy Neiman |
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Legendary artist LeRoy Neiman has been named Sports Artist of the Year 2007 by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives (ASAMA), a division of the United States Sports Academy (Academy). Academy President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich present the award to Neiman at an invitation only event on September 18 at the Hammer Galleries in New York City. Neiman is best known for his images of sport and leisure activities and considered one of the most popular living artists in the United States. Read more |
International Honorary Doctorate |
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The United States Sports Academy presented East Timor's President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, leader of one of the world's newest countries, with the Academy's International Honorary Doctorate on 19 January at the Academy in Daphne. Read more |
Outstanding Athlete of the Year |
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Roger Federer opened the 2007 season by winning his 10th career Grand Slam event. Federer won the Australian Open, by defeating Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 for his third crown in Melbourne. Federer’s 10 Grand Slam titles moves him into a tie for fifth place with Bill Tilden in the record books. With the straight-sets win in the year’s first major, Federer became the first man to capture a Grand Slam event without dropping a set since Bjorn Borg at the 1980 French Open. Federer also claimed his 36th consecutive victory since winning the U.S. Open to take sole possession of fifth place in the Open era’s (since 1968) longest unbeaten strings. |
Female Athlete of the Year Maria Sharapova |
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Maria Sharapova became the first Russian to win a singles title at the championships, and only the second Russian woman to win a grand slam title. She also swept singles and doubles titles at Birmingham, becoming the third youngest in the Open Era at 17 years, 2 months. In 2006, the Russian was seeded third at the Open, but won her first ever championship in a Grand Slam tournament and ended a four-match losing streak against Justine Henin-Hardenne. Maria Sharapova won five tournaments in 2006, including a victory over Justine Henin-Hardenne in the U.S. Open finals. The U.S. Open win was her second Grand Slam singles title and first in two years. Her match record for the year is a career-best 59-9. At the U.S. Open, her semifinal victory over Amelie Mauresmo was her first win over a No. 1 ranked player. |
Male Athlete of the Year Tiger Woods |
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Woods, who took a vacation after his streak reached six with a victory in the American Express Chamionship, became the first player in PGA Tour history to win at least eight tournaments in three seasons. He edged out U.S. Open men's singles tennis champion Roger Federer for the September honors after Federer defeated Andy Roddick in four sets in the Open finals. Federe fired 17 aces to Roddick's 7 and led in winners 69-33 while making only 19 unforced errors in the finals. Wood's, the world's No. 1 golfer, won his third British Open, second in a row and 11th career major. Woods birdied on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes of the final round to finish the tournament with an 18-under-par 270. The score was only one stroke above the British Open record set by Woods in 2000. |
Alabama Athlete of the
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West Virginia University quarterback Patrick White was named United States Sports Academy Alabama Athlete of the Year today after an online fan vote presented by al.com. Read more |
Men's Team of the Year |
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Italy’s 2006 World Cup champion soccer team has been named the Men’s Team of the Year award by the United States Sports Academy. Italy beat France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out to win the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Italy won its fourth World Cup title, following victories in 1934, 1938 and 1982. Brazil is the only country to have won more than five times. Read more |
Women's Team of the Year |
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The University of North Carolina Women’s Soccer Team has been named the Women’s Team of the Year by the United States Sports Academy. For 18th time in 25 years of women’s soccer, the Tar Heels won the NCAA Women’s Soccer National Championship. The Tar Heels defeated the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame by a score of 2-1 at the 2006 College Cup in Cary, N.C. And there is no end in sight, as the Tar Heels started six freshmen in the national title game. Read more |
Eagle Award Harvey Schiller |
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Dr. Harvey Schiller, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board and CEO of GlobalOptions Group, has been honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Eagle Award. Schiller, who is a nominee for the position of President of the International Baseball Federation, received the award from Academy Trustee Tom Cafaro in New York City on 27 February. Read more |
Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award Billy Donovan |
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Billy Donovan, head coach of the 2006 and 2007 National Champion University of Florida men's basketball team was honored with the United States Sports Academy's Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award. Academy Trustee Jimmy Carnes presented the award to Donovan on 17 July at a Rotary Club luncheon in Gainesville, Fla. |
C. Vivian Stringer Coaching Award Brenda Frese |
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Brenda Frese, head coach of the 2006 National Champion University of Maryland women’s basketball team, has been honored with the United States Sports Academy’s C. Vivian Stringer Coaching Award. Academy President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich presented Coach Frese with the award at a private ceremony 25 April at the Comcast Center. Read more |
Carl Maddox Sports Management Award Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne |
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Texas A&M University Director of Athletics Bill Byrne was honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Carl Maddox Sports Management Award. Academy National Faculty member Dave Voskuil presented Byrne with the award during halftime of Texas A&M’s basketball game with Texas Tech on 13 February 2007. Read more |
Dr. Ernst Jokl Sports Medicine Award Dr. David R. Schmidt |
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Dr. David R. Schmidt of San Antonio has been honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Dr. Ernst Jokl Sports Medicine Award. Academy Board of Visitor member Susan Blackwood presented the award to Dr. Schmidt on 5 May during halftime of the San Antonio Spurs playoff game with the Denver Nuggets. Read more |
IOC President's Disabled Athlete Award Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic |
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His Excellency Juan Antonio Samaranch and International Olympic Committee President Dr. Jacques Rogge presented Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic with the United States Sports Academy’s Juan Antonio Samaranch IOC President’s Disabled Athlete Award during a ceremony on 7 February at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Switzerland. Read more |
Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award Dikembe Mutombo |
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Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo was honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award. Academy Alum and Houston Rockets Vice President of Basketball Operations and Director of Player Personnel Dennis Lindsey presented Mutombo with the award at the Toyota Center on 15 February. Read more |
Theodore Roosevelt Meritorious Achievement Award Jerry Richardson |
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The man who left the Carolinas to experience NFL football, then brought NFL football to the Carolinas, was honored by the United States Sports Academy with the Theodore Roosevelt Meritorious Achievement Award during a private presentation on 31 May in Charlotte. Read more |
Jim Thorpe All-Around Award Sheila Taormina |
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Sheila Taormina, winner of the 2006 U.S. Open title in the modern pentathlon and an elite athlete in three Olympic sports, was honored with the United States Sports Academy’s Jim Thorpe All-Around Award 15 March at the El Pomar Foundation’s Penrose House in Colorado Springs. Read more |
Distinguished Service Awards | |
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