The United States Sports Academy has nominated world No. 1 Justine Henin and reigning Wimbledon champion Venus Williams for the 2007 Academy Athlete of the Year award presented by USATODAY.com and MSNBC.com.
Starting 1 December, sports fans worldwide can vote online. Last year, the ballot attracted nearly half a million votes from around the globe.
Votes will be collected through 24 December. To submit your vote, visit http://www.usatoday.com/sports/front.htm, http://athleteoftheyear.msnbc.com or http://www.ussa.edu/aoy/index.asp.
The Academy Athlete of the Year ballot is the culmination of the Academy’s yearlong Athlete of the Month program, which recognizes the accomplishments of men and women in sports around the globe. The Academy’s Athlete of the Month is selected by an international voting committee comprised of former athletes, media, sports organizations and governing bodies.
The 2007 male ballot includes Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Swiss tennis great Roger Federer, American sprinter Tyson Gay, Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James, NASCAR Champion Jimmy Johnson, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, American swimming star Michael Phelps and golf superstar Tiger Woods.
This 2007 female ballot includes American swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Ethiopian runner Meseret Defar, American sprinter Allyson Felix, Austrian skier Renate Goetschl, Belgian tennis star Justine Henin, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, Australian basketball player Lauren Jackson, Swedish heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft, Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa, Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen, American tennis great Venus Williams and American swimmer Kate Ziegler.
As in years past, the athlete receiving the most votes will be named the Academy’s Athlete of the Year. Past winners include Lance Armstrong, Roger Federer, Mia Hamm, Michael Jordan, Annika Sorenstam and Tiger Woods. In addition to the overall winner, a Female Athlete of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year will be named from the athletes who receive the most votes, outside of the overall winner, in each of the respective categories.
“There are many great athletes on the ballot this year and opening the vote to a worldwide audience is exciting because we receive feedback from a wide range of sports fans who will ultimately decide which athlete is best of the best,” Academy President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich said. “Our partners, USATODAY.com and MSNBC.com, make it possible for this vote to reach fans online around the world 24 hours a day.”
In 2006, as the leading overall vote-getter in the combined male and female categories, tennis sensation Roger Federer repeated as the Outstanding Athlete of the Year. Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova received the most votes in the women’s category, earning the 2006 Female Athlete of the Year honor. Federer and Sharapova were presented their awards on center court at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Golf megastar Tiger Woods won the 2006 Male Athlete of the Year award.
[...] the way, together with Venus Williams, Justine Henin has been nominated for the 2007 Academy Athlete of the Year presented by USA TODAY and MSNBC. To cast your vote go to [...]
Athlete of the year? Justine or Venus? Duh!!!
Quick someone give the nominating committee a brain.