Zahid Valencia Named Finalist for the 96th AAU Sullivan Award

NEW YORK (March 19, 2026) – USA Wrestling powerhouse and World Champion, Zahid Valencia, is joined by some of the nation’s top athletes as finalists for the 96th AAU Sullivan Award.

The athletes (listed alphabetically by last name) announced as the top finalists include:

• Olivia Babcock, Volleyball, University of Pittsburgh
• Azzi Fudd, Basketball, University of Connecticut
• Blake Horvath, Football, Naval Academy
• Alysa Liu, Figure Skating, U.S. Figure Skating
• Tatyana McFadden, Para Track & Field, USA Track & Field
• Fernando Mendoza, Football, Indiana University
• Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
• Braden Smith, Basketball, Purdue University
• Zahid Valencia, Wrestling, USA Wrestling

Since 1930, the AAU Sullivan Award has been presented annually to the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate, Olympic, or similar elite level in the United States. In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes the strong qualities of leadership, character, and sportsmanship these athletes carry on and off the playing surface.

Unlike other awards, the AAU Sullivan Award showcases athletes from across a multitude of sports and transcends the playing grounds.

“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate the amazing athletes in this year’s AAU Sullivan Award class,” said Jo Mirza, AAU President. “We have national champions, world champions, Olympic royalty, record breakers – these standout athletes showcase the strong character and dedication that exemplifies the legacy of the AAU Sullivan Award.”

The winner of the 96th AAU Sullivan Award will be announced at the award ceremony on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the historic New York Athletic Club. The ceremony will be streaming live on AAU+, available on smart TVs and AAUPlus.org.

Olivia Babcock was one of the most dominant volleyball players in the NCAA during her sophomore and junior years. The Pitt Panther rightside hitter earned back-to-back AVCA National Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year awards in 2024 and 2025 while also being named the AVCA Rightside Hitter of the Year in 2025. Babcock looks to become the fourth volleyball player to win the AAU Sullivan Award, following Lexi Rodriguez’s win from last year.

Azzi Fudd is a leader for the latest iteration of the UConn Huskies – one of the most dominant women’s basketball programs ever. After missing her junior season due to injury, Fudd returned to lead her team to the 2025 NCAA Championship and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. She is back for her final year and is again at the top of the mountain, leading her team to another Big East Championship and earning the top overall seed heading into the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament. Fudd looks to become the second UConn athlete to win the AAU Sullivan Award, joining Breanna Stewart.

Blake Horvath led Navy to a school-record 21 wins over the past two seasons, producing back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history. A proven dual threat, Horvath became the first Navy quarterback to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and one of only five quarterbacks to ever rush and pass for 1,200 yards in consecutive seasons. Off the field, he is a top scholar, being named a First-Team Academic All-American and the Division I Football Team Member of the Year. Horvath looks to become the second Navy quarterback to win the AAU Sullivan Award, following Keenan Reynolds who won the 86th AAU Sullivan Award.

Alysa Liu stole the hearts of millions and added to her legacy this year as she captured two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Liu became the first U.S. women’s Olympic champion since Sarah Hughes earned gold in 2002, and the first Olympic medal by a U.S. woman since 2006. After making her return to the sport in 2024, Liu has been remarkable, earning gold medals at the 2025 World Championships and 2025 Grand Prix Finals before winning on the Olympic stage. She looks to become the fifth figure skater to win the AAU Sullivan Award, and first since Evan Lysacek won the award in 2010.

Tatyana McFadden is the most decorated U.S. Paralympic Track and Field athlete in the history of the sport. A career that began at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, McFadden has accumulated 22 Paralympic medals, 16 World Championships, and 24 total World Champion medals. Her Paralympic Games medal collection has 8 gold medals, 9 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals in total, with her most recent ones coming in 2024. McFadden looks to become only the second Paralympic athlete to win the award and first since Jessica Long won the 77th AAU Sullivan Award.

Fernando Mendoza completed a historic college football season that saw Indiana University complete an undefeated season and win the first college football national championship in school history. Mendoza was the leader of the team and earned the first-ever Heisman Trophy in Indiana’s history. He also was named the Maxwell and Walter Camp National Player of the Year. Mendoza has been an inspiration both on and off the field for so many athletes. He looks to be the 10th football player to win the AAU Sullivan Award, joining quarterbacks like Tim Tebow, Peyton Manning, and Charlie Ward.

Mikaela Shiffrin is the most decorated American Alpine Skier in World Championship history and has been turning heads since she stepped on the scene as a 16-year-old professional. At the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Shiffrin earned her third gold medal and cemented her legacy as one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. During the 2025 season, Shiffrin achieved an unprecedented 100th World Cup Victory and continues to add to her reputation as one of the most dominant athletes in the world. She looks to become the first-ever Alpine Skier to win the AAU Sullivan Award.

Braden Smith has a strong focus on making his Purdue Boilermaker teammates better in every way. This season Smith broke the assists record and stands atop the rankings as the all-time assists leader in NCAA Basketball history. Already the Big Ten and Purdue record holder for in-season and total career assists, Smith adds the all-time record to a long list of accolades. He was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was a First-Team All-American in 2025. In his senior season, Smith led the Boilermakers to another Big Ten Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

Zahid Valencia completed one of the most dominant seasons in USA Wrestling history in 2025, culminating in a 86kg Men’s Freestyle gold medal at the Senior World Championships in Croatia. The wrestler posted an overall record of 24-0 this year with international gold medal wins and another Senior Pan American Championship. Valencia is a two-time U.S. Open champion, two-time Pan American Championship gold medalist, two-time Senior World Champion, and two-time Final X Champion. He looks to become the sixth wrestler to win the AAU Sullivan Award, and first since 2019.