Ledecky, Ishimatsu, Steffens Nominated For AAU Sullivan Award

Katie Ledecky Haley Ishimatsu Maggie Steffens AAU Sullivan Award

Swimmer Katie Ledecky, diver Haley Ishimatsu and water polo player Maggie Steffens are among the 15 semifinalists for this year’s AAU James E. Sullivan Award. The honor dates back to 1931 and honors the top athlete in amateur sports. Though the term “amateur” has changed in definition in the sports world since golfer Bobby Jones took the first award, it still holds a large amount of prestige in the sporting community.

This marks Ledecky’s first appearance as a Sullivan Award semifinalist. Her astounding performances in the pool are just part of the reason why she made the cut as a semifinalist, having broken five world records in the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles last summer. The award looks at the athlete outside of their sport, and Ledecky certainly has made an impact in her community through her high school and with such organizations as the Wounded Warriors Project.

Ishimatsu, a senior at the University of Southern California, also has had a successful athletic year. She repeated as NCAA champion on the platform event at the 2014 NCAA meet and is majoring in sociology.

Steffens has become a leader on the USA women’s water polo team, both in the pool and out. She’s been named captain of the team several times and has been the MVP of several tournaments, including last year’s World Cup and World League Super Final. She was named FINA’s water polo player of the year and is in her junior year at Stanford University.

Online voting by fans runs through Saturday. Click here to vote, and fans are allowed only one vote per day.

The top six will be named finalists and will appear at a ceremony in New York City on April 19.

Twelve swimmers and three divers have received the Sullivan Award. Steffens would become the first water polo player to receive the honor. Missy Franklin was the last aquatic sport athlete to win the Sullivan Award, doing so in 2013.

AAU Sullivan Award semifinalists

Shawn Barber, pole vault
Simone Biles, gymnastics
Meryl Davis and Charlie White, figure skating
Ezekiel Elliott, football
Adeline Gray, wrestling
Erin Hamlin, luge
Micha Hancock, volleyball
Haley Ishimatsu, diving
Katie Ledecky, swimming
Marcus Mariota, football
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, basketball
Jahil Okafor, basketball
Ollie Schneiderjans, golf
Maggie Steffens, water polo

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