Olympic wrestling champion Kyle Snyder named as finalist for AAU Sullivan Award, which recognizes top U.S. amateur athlete
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by AAU, USA Wrestling
Kyle Snyder with the American flag after winning the 97 kg gold medal in men's freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 15, 2017) – The title of top amateur athlete in America is up for debate this week, as Olympic gold medal wrestler Kyle Snyder was announced today as a finalist for the 87th AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
At age 20, Snyder became the youngest wrestling gold medalist in U.S. history during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Adding to his Olympic gold, Snyder defeated two-time champion Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State) to claim his first NCAA championships as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Kyle Snyder’s 2016 Achievements
• 2016 Olympic gold medalist at 97 kg in men's freestyle wrestling in Rio
• Youngest U.S. Olympic wrestling champion ever at age 20
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion at 97 kg, beating 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner in the Championship Series
• 2016 NCAA champion for Ohio State in New York City, N.Y., defeating two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski of NC State in the finals, generally regarded as the greatest NCAA heavyweight final ever
• Freestyle World Cup champion with a perfect 4-0 record in the dual meets representing Team USA
• Third in the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia, regarded as the toughest Open international freestyle event of the year
• Third in the German Grand Prix in Germany
• Third in the Medved International in Minsk, Belarus
"I'm really honored to be a finalist for the 87th AAU James E. Sullivan Award,” Snyder said. “This award has been presented to some of the greatest athletes of all time, athletes that not only have reached the top of their game, but also competed with great character. I work extremely hard to be a leader in my sport and I am very humbled to be considered for such a prestigious prize."
FANS CAN VOTE FOR KYLE as part of a public vote which opens today. Fans can vote once every 24 hours. Please vote for him daily.
VOTE FOR KYLE SNYDER FOR AAU SULLIVAN AWARD
Joining Snyder on the ballot is Wisconsin volleyball star Lauren Carlini, USA Gymnastics gold medalists Laurie Hernandez and Aly Raisman, USA Shooting gold medalist and West Virginia Mountaineers collegiate champion Ginny Thrasher, USA Judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison and USA Water Polo gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson.
Another wrestling Olympic champion, Helen Maroulis, who was the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in wrestling, was a semifinalist for the AAU Sullivan Award but did not advance to the finals.
Only three wrestlers have ever won the James E. Sullivan Award, Olympic champions John Smith (1990), Bruce Baumgartner (1995) and Rulon Gardner (2000).
The AAU Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Representatives from the AAU created the Sullivan Award with the intent to recognize contributions and achievements from amateur athletes across the country.
World renowned golfer Robert “Bobby” Jones received the inaugural award in 1930 and swimmer Anne Curtis became the first female to accept the award in 1944. Other notable athletes to win the award include famed Olympians Mark Spitz (1971), Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Michael Phelps (2003) and Shawn Johnson (2008). Former UCLA basketball star Bill Walton (1973), University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997) and Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (2014) have also earned the prestigious honor.
“As the largest multi-sport organization in the nation, the AAU James E. Sullivan Award represents everything we stand for as an organization,” said Dr. Roger J. Goudy, President/CEO of the AAU. “Part of our mission is to provide a venue for amateur athletes to promote good sportsmanship and good citizenship. Each of our seven finalists – and the winners that came before them – truly embodies that mission.”
The winner will be announced at the AAU James E. Sullivan Award Ceremony presented by Eastbay on Tuesday, April 11 at the New York Athletic Club. Visit www.aausullivan.org for more information.
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 15, 2017) – The title of top amateur athlete in America is up for debate this week, as Olympic gold medal wrestler Kyle Snyder was announced today as a finalist for the 87th AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
At age 20, Snyder became the youngest wrestling gold medalist in U.S. history during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Adding to his Olympic gold, Snyder defeated two-time champion Nick Gwiazdowski (NC State) to claim his first NCAA championships as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Kyle Snyder’s 2016 Achievements
• 2016 Olympic gold medalist at 97 kg in men's freestyle wrestling in Rio
• Youngest U.S. Olympic wrestling champion ever at age 20
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion at 97 kg, beating 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner in the Championship Series
• 2016 NCAA champion for Ohio State in New York City, N.Y., defeating two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski of NC State in the finals, generally regarded as the greatest NCAA heavyweight final ever
• Freestyle World Cup champion with a perfect 4-0 record in the dual meets representing Team USA
• Third in the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia, regarded as the toughest Open international freestyle event of the year
• Third in the German Grand Prix in Germany
• Third in the Medved International in Minsk, Belarus
"I'm really honored to be a finalist for the 87th AAU James E. Sullivan Award,” Snyder said. “This award has been presented to some of the greatest athletes of all time, athletes that not only have reached the top of their game, but also competed with great character. I work extremely hard to be a leader in my sport and I am very humbled to be considered for such a prestigious prize."
FANS CAN VOTE FOR KYLE as part of a public vote which opens today. Fans can vote once every 24 hours. Please vote for him daily.
VOTE FOR KYLE SNYDER FOR AAU SULLIVAN AWARD
Joining Snyder on the ballot is Wisconsin volleyball star Lauren Carlini, USA Gymnastics gold medalists Laurie Hernandez and Aly Raisman, USA Shooting gold medalist and West Virginia Mountaineers collegiate champion Ginny Thrasher, USA Judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison and USA Water Polo gold medalist Ashleigh Johnson.
Another wrestling Olympic champion, Helen Maroulis, who was the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold in wrestling, was a semifinalist for the AAU Sullivan Award but did not advance to the finals.
Only three wrestlers have ever won the James E. Sullivan Award, Olympic champions John Smith (1990), Bruce Baumgartner (1995) and Rulon Gardner (2000).
The AAU Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Representatives from the AAU created the Sullivan Award with the intent to recognize contributions and achievements from amateur athletes across the country.
World renowned golfer Robert “Bobby” Jones received the inaugural award in 1930 and swimmer Anne Curtis became the first female to accept the award in 1944. Other notable athletes to win the award include famed Olympians Mark Spitz (1971), Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Michael Phelps (2003) and Shawn Johnson (2008). Former UCLA basketball star Bill Walton (1973), University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997) and Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (2014) have also earned the prestigious honor.
“As the largest multi-sport organization in the nation, the AAU James E. Sullivan Award represents everything we stand for as an organization,” said Dr. Roger J. Goudy, President/CEO of the AAU. “Part of our mission is to provide a venue for amateur athletes to promote good sportsmanship and good citizenship. Each of our seven finalists – and the winners that came before them – truly embodies that mission.”
The winner will be announced at the AAU James E. Sullivan Award Ceremony presented by Eastbay on Tuesday, April 11 at the New York Athletic Club. Visit www.aausullivan.org for more information.
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