Simone Biles and Caeleb Dressel Crowned 91st AAU James E. Sullivan Award Co-Winners Presented by Eastbay
10/23/2021
Biles and Dressel become third ever co-winners of the top amateur athlete award presented during the NBA Orlando Magic game.
Biles became the fourth gymnast to receive the honor of top athlete of the year, while Dressel became the 11th swimmer to take home the title. The pair are the third duo to win, following the footsteps of the 86th recipients, former Navy quarterback, Keenan Reynolds and former University of Connecticut forward, Breanna Stewart in 2015; the basketball twins Kelly and Coco Miller in 1999; and most recently Sabrina Ionescu and Spencer Lee in 2019.
Other 91st AAU James E. Sullivan finalists included Athing Mu (track and field), Maddie Musselman (water polo) and Kevin Kopps (baseball).
“The AAU Sullivan award is one of the oldest awards in sports, and I am honored to be included as one of its recipients,” said Simone Biles. “Also, thank you to the AAU for its support of athletes and continuing to recognize athletes’ contributions both on and off the playing field.”
Biles is a well-known household name and even was recently nicknamed the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) in gymnastics. With a combined 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, Biles is tied as the most decorated gymnast of all time. Biles' seven Olympic medals also ties Shannon Miller for most Olympic medals won by an American female gymnast.
“I am truly honored to win this prestigious award. The AAU Sullivan Award symbolizes athletic achievement, sportsmanship and character. I would like to thank the AAU for all of their hard work and commitment to sport.” said Caeleb Dressel. “I am humbled to be among such outstanding athletes in history as the co-winner of the 91st AAU Sullivan Award.”
Dressel won five gold medals in six events at 2020 Olympic Games. One of just five swimmers (5) to accomplish it at a single Games (Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Matt Biondi, and Kristin Otto). Overall, Dressel is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and holds world records in the 100 meter butterfly (long course and short course), 50 meter freestyle (short course), and 100 meter individual medley (short course).
“We want to thank everyone for their participation and dedication to the presentation of this award,” said AAU President and CEO Jennings “Rusty” Buchanan. “These athletes symbolize the best of their class across all sports, and I could not be more proud of both our recipients this year. They are the perfect example of what this award represents – character, leadership and citizenship.”
The AAU Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding athlete in the United States, including famed Olympians Michelle Kwan (2001), Michael Phelps (2003), Paul Hamm (2004) and Shawn Johnson (2008); University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997), Penn State guard John Urschel (2013); 200m backstroke world record holder Missy Franklin (2012) and University of Oregon standout Sabrina Ionescu (2019).
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ABOUT THE AAU:
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest- non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs. Founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in sports, the AAU philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 700,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 41 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts.
For more information, visit www.aausports.org | Instagram: @AAUSports | Twitter: @TheRealAAU | YouTube: youtube.com/TheRealAAUvideo | Facebook: facebook.com/realAAU
ABOUT EASTBAY:
Since 1980, Eastbay has been dedicated to providing high school athletes with the footwear, apparel, and equipment they need to take their game to the next level. As part of Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL), Eastbay is focused on serving athletes who know what it takes to win, both on and off the field, through its direct mail catalog and eastbay.com. Through product selection, insider knowledge, and a range of athletes and experts, Eastbay delivers the tools athletes need to win their style of play and post-game looks.
Additional information may be found at eastbay.com | Instagram: @officialeastbay | Twitter: @eastbay | YouTube: youtube.com/eastbay | Blog: blog.eastbay.com | Facebook: facebook.com/eastbay | App: iOS and Android
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