ESPY Awards 2017

The worlds of both entertainment and sports collided on 12th July 2017 when the 25th annual Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly ESPY Awards  were handed out in Los Angeles. Football player Peyton Manning (himself a nine-time ESPY winner) hosted the 25th annual event which was held at the Microsoft Theatre. The winners of the awards were chosen entirely through online voting.
The past year in sports included a number of historic events, from the record-breaking performances of swimmer Michael Phelps and gymnast Simone Biles at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, to the Chicago Cubs’ first World Series victory in 108 years, to the shocking come-from-behind victory by the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots at the Super Bowl. All of those achievements and more are nominated, with other world-class competitors in the running like tennis champion Serena Williams, soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, basketball star LeBron James and many more.

BEST MLB PLAYER
NOMINEES: Mike Trout (LA Angels) | Kris Bryant (Chicago Cubs) | David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox) | Rick Porcello (Boston Red Sox) | Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals)
WINNER: MIKE TROUT (LA ANGELS)

BEST NFL PLAYER
NOMINEES: Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) | Tom Brady (New England Patriots) | Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) | Khalil Mack (Oakland Raiders) | Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)
WINNER: AARON RODGERS (GREEN BAY PACKERS)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Usain Bolt (Track & Field) | Canelo Alvarez (Boxing) | Katinka Hosszu (Swimming) | Conor McGregor (MMA) | Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer)
WINNER: USAIN BOLT (TRACK & FIELD)

BEST TEAM
NOMINEES: Golden State Warriors (NBA) | Chicago Cubs (MLB) | Clemson Tigers (CFB) | Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) | New England Patriots (NFL) | South Carolina Gamecocks (Women’s NCAA Basketball) | US Women’s Gymnastics
WINNER: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (NBA)

BEST PLAY
WINNER: AARON RODGERS TO JARED COOK vs. LAMAR JACKSON HURDLES DEFENDER

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Jordy Nelson (NFL) | Matt Bush (MLB) | Roger Federer (Tennis) | Candace Parker (WNBA)
WINNER: JORDY NELSON (NFL)

BEST GAME
NOMINEES: Patriots vs. Falcons (Super Bowl) | Cubs vs. Indians (World Series Game 7) | Federer vs. Nadal (Australian Open Final)
WINNER: PATRIOTS vs. FALCONS (SUPER BOWL)

BEST UPSET
WINNER: MISSISSIPPI STATE DEFEATS CONNECTICUT, WOMEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR 

BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE
WINNER: MICHAEL PHELPS EXTENDS HIS OWN RECORD OF MOST GOLD MEDALS / MOST OLYMPIC MEDALS

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Dak Prescott (NFL) | Giannis Antetokounmpo (NBA) | Laurie Hernandez (Gymnastics) | Aaron Judge (MLB) | Christian Pulisic (Soccer)
WINNER: DAK PRESCOTT (NFL)

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
NOMINEES: Kevin Durant (NBA Finals) | Tom Brady (Super Bowl) | Shay Knighten (WCWS) | Deshaun Watson (CFB National Championship)
WINNER: KEVIN DURANT (NBA FINALS)

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | Katie Ledecky (Swimming) | Candace Parker (WNBA) | Serena Williams (Tennis)
WINNER: SIMONE BILES (GYMNASTICS)

BEST ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Russell Westbrook (NBA) | Kris Bryant (MLB) | Sidney Crosby (Stanley Cup Finals) | Michael Phelps (Swimming)
WINNER: RUSSELL WESTBROOK (NBA)

BEST NHL PLAYER
NOMINEES: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) | Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) | Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
WINNER: SIDNEY CROSBY (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS)

BEST DRIVER
NOMINEES: Lewis Hamilton (Formula One) | Ron Capps (NHRA) | Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR) | Simon Pagenaud (IndyCar) | Martin Truex Jr. (NASCAR)
WINNER: LEWIS HAMILTON (FORMULA ONE)

BEST NBA PLAYER
NOMINEES: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) | Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors) | James Harden (Houston Rockets) | Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs) | Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
WINNER: LeBRON JAMES (CLEAVELAND CAVALIERS)

BEST WNBA PLAYER
NOMINEES: Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks) | Tina Charles (New York Liberty) | Elena Delle Donne (Washington Mystics) | Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) | Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks)
WINNER: CANDACE PARKER (LOS ANGELES SPARKS)

BEST FIGHTER
NOMINEES: Demetrious Johnson (MMA) | Terence Crawford (Boxing) | Gennady Golovkin (Boxing) | Conor McGregor (MMA) | Andre Ward (Boxing)
WINNER: DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON (MMA)

BEST MALE GOLFER
NOMINEES: Sergio Garcia | Brooks Koepka | Dustin Johnson | Rory McIlroy | Henrik Stenson
WINNER: SERGIO GARCIA

BEST FEMALE GOLFER
NOMINEES: Ariya Jutanugarn | In Gee Chun | Lydia Ko | So Yeon Ryu | Lexi Thompson
WINNER: ARIYA JUTANUGARN

BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER
NOMINEES: Roger Federer | Andy Murray | Rafael Nadal | Stan Wawrinka
WINNER: ROGER FEDERER

BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER
NOMINEES: Serena Williams | Angelique Kerber | Jelena Ostapenko | Monica Puig
WINNER: SERENA WILLIAMS

BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE
NOMINEES: DeShaun Watson (Clemson football) | Ian Harkes (Wake Forest soccer) | Frank Mason (Kansas basketball) | Matt Rambo (Maryland lacrosse) | Zain Retherford (Penn State wrestling)
WINNER: DeSHAUN WATSON (CLEMSON FOOTBALL)

BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Kelly Barnhill (Florida softball) | Inky Ajanaku (Stanford volleyball) | Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia soccer) | Kelsey Plum (Washington basketball) | Zoe Stukenberg (Maryland lacrosse)
WINNER: KELLY BARNHILL (FLORIDA SOFTBALL)

BEST MALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Mark McMorris (Snowboard) | Oystein Braaten (NOR) (Ski) | John John Florence (Surf) | Nyjah Huston (Skateboard)
WINNER: MARK McMORRIS (SNOWBOARD)

BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Anna Gasser (Snowboard) | Lacey Baker (Skateboard) | Kelly Sildaru (Ski) | Tyler Wright (Surf)
WINNER: ANNA GASSER (SNOWBOARD)

BEST JOCKEY
NOMINEES: John Velasquez | Javier Castellano | Mike E. Smith
WINNER: JOHN VELASQUEZ

BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
NOMINEES: Steve Serio (Wheelchair Basketball | Will Groulx (Cycling) | Mike Minor (Snowboarding) | Brad Snyder (Swimming) | Roderick Townsend (Track and Field)
WINNER: STEVE SERIO (WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL)

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
NOMINEES: Becca Meyers (Swimming) | Oksana Masters (Nordic Skiing) | Tatyana McFadden (Track and Field) | Shawn Morelli (Cycling) | Grace Norman (Triathlon)
WINNER: BECCA MEYERS (SWIMMING)

BEST BOWLER
NOMINEES: Jason Belmonte | Francois Lavoie | EJ Tackett
WINNER: JASON BELMONTE

BEST MLS PLAYER
NOMINEES: David Villa (New York City FC) | Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union) | Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC) | Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) | Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
WINNER: DAVID VILLA (NEW YORK CITY FC)

BEST MALE U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETE 
NOMINEES: Michael Phelps(Swimming) | Ashton Eaton (Decathlon) | Ryan Murphy (Swimming) | Kyle Snyder (Wrestling)
WINNER: MICHAEL PHELPS (SWIMMING)

BEST FEMALE U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETE
NOMINEES: Simone Biles (Gymnastics) | Allyson Felix (Track & Field) | Katie Ledecky (Swimming) | Simone Manuel (Swimming)
WINNER: SIMONE BILES (GYMNASTICS)