By Alexander Gagnon


Some of the most storied athletes in the history of Olympic sports are swimmers. With so many disciplines and distances to compete in, swimmers have a higher potential than most to finish an Olympiad with a staggering number of medals. And swimmers have been a staple for the AAU Sullivan Award since the very beginning, with two swimmers being finalists for the inaugural award in 1930.

Swimmers have won the AAU James E. Sullivan Award 13 times as the nation’s top collegiate or Olympic-level athlete. This makes them the second largest group of winners of the AAU Sullivan Award based on sport. The 13 swimmers who have won the award combine for 109 Olympic and Paralympic medals, including 82 golds. 

Ann Curtis – 15^th Winner, 1944


Ann Curtis is a legend, and her impact can still be felt today. The first woman to ever win the AAU Sullivan Award, she triumphed over several other very talented swimmers to take home the award in 1944. She swept all four women’s freestyle events at the 1944 National AAU Outdoor Swimming Championships on her way to win the award as an 18-year-old.
 
Four years later, she would head to the 1948 London Olympic Games where she would win gold in the 400m and 4x100m freestyle events and take home a silver in the 100m freestyle. During her career she set several world and numerous U.S. swim records, won over 30 different U.S championship events, and is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
 

Notable Finalists: Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Bill Smith (Swimming) and Five-Time Grand Slam Singles Champion Pauline Betz (Tennis)
 

Donald Schollander – 35^th Winner, 1964


It would be two decades before another swimmer would win the AAU Sullivan Award, until Don Schollander took home the award in 1964. Despite being in the largest AAU Sullivan Award finalist field ever as one of 16 athletes in the running, he was the runaway favorite to win the award. He was the first swimmer to ever win four gold medals at one Olympic Games, winning the gold medal in the 1964 100m, 400m, 4x100m, and 4x200m freestyle events. He also set three world records in the process.
 
At the time of winning the award, he also had three national outdoor titles and two national indoor titles to his name. Schollander would add two more Olympic medals at the Mexico City games of 1968, adding a 4x200m freestyle gold and a 200m freestyle silver to his resume. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965 at the age of 19.
 

Notable Finalists: Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Hayes (Athletics / Football) and Former World Heavyweight Champion Joe Frazier (Boxing)

 
Deborah Meyer – 39^th Winner, 1968


The 1960s featured several massive AAU Sullivan Award finalist fields, and 1968 was no exception with a near record tying 15 athletes named as finalists. In this massive field, it was Deborah “Debbie” Meyer who emerged victorious. Meyer burst onto the scene in 1968, winning three Olympic gold medals in the 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events. She is one of only two women to ever win three Olympic gold medals in the same games for three individual events.
 
Over the course of her career, she won 19 AAU swimming national championships, and broke a double-digit number of world and U.S records. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977.
 

Notable Finalists: Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Wyomia Tyus (Athletics) and Former World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman (Boxing)

John Kinsella – 41^st Winner, 1970
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(Kinsella pictured Left)

The 1970s were the decade of the swimmer as far as the AAU Sullivan Award was concerned, as half of the award winners this decade were swimmers. It kicked off with John Kinsella winning the 41^st edition of the award in 1970. He would dominate the early 1970s, winning the NCAA championships in the 500 yard and 1650-yard freestyle in 1971, 1972, and 1973. He would also win an Olympic silver medal in the 1500m in 1968 and be a member of the U.S gold medal winning team in the 4x200m freestyle in the 1972 Olympic Games.
 
Notable Finalists: Olympic Gold Medalist Wayne Wells (Wrestling) and World Champion Bob Bednarski (Weightlifting)
 

Mark Spitz – 42^nd Winner, 1971


“Mark the Shark”, as he’s known, is one of only five people to ever win nine or more Olympic gold medals, and only one of two swimmers to do so. He had been on everyone’s radar well before winning the AAU Sullivan Award in 1971, as he had already won multiple AAU championships, NCAA championships, and four Olympic medals -- including 2 golds -- from 1968. Yet onlookers weren’t satisfied, thinking that Spitz was capable of more.
 
At the 1972 Munich Games though, Spitz silenced his critics and put on a masterclass. He won seven Olympic gold medals, four individual and three relays. He held the record for the most gold medals won in one Olympic Games until Michael Phelps’ performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Spitz retired from the sport following the games and was one of the most successful athletes in the history of competitive swimming.
 
Notable Finalists: Olympic and World Gold Medalist Dan Gable (Wrestling) and Two-Time Olympic Medalist and 1972 AAU Sullivan Award Winner Frank Shorter (Athletics)
 
Timothy Shaw – 46^th Winner, 1975


One of the few people in history to win an Olympic medal in multiple sports, Tim Shaw started off as a swimmer. Shaw won the AAU Sullivan Award after winning three gold medals at the 1975 World Aquatics Championships. He tacked on a silver medal in the 400m freestyle in the 1976 Olympics.
 
After those Olympics though, Shaw would change from swimmer to water polo star. That change led him to another Olympic silver medal in 1984 as a member of the U.S. Water Polo team. He is inducted into both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.
 
Notable Finalists: Nine-Time Olympic Medalist Shirley Babashoff (Swimming) and 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist and 47^th AAU Sullivan Award winner Caitlyn Jenner (then known as Bruce Jenner) (Athletics)
 

John Naber – 48^th Winner, 1977


Naber had a dominant 1976 Olympics winning four gold medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke, 4x200m freestyle, and 4x100m medley. He also picked up a silver medal in the 200m freestyle. He was also a key piece of the USC swim program that won four consecutive NCAA championships in 1974-1977.
 
Notable Finalists: Five-Time Olympic gold medalist and 51^st AAU Sullivan Award winner Eric Heiden (Speedskating), and Two-Time Olympic gold medalist and 54^th AAU Sullivan Award winner Edwin Moses (Athletics)
 
Tracy Caulkins – 49^th Winner, 1978


Caulkins was the then youngest ever winner of the AAU Sullivan Award when she received the trophy for her dominating performance at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships. She won five gold and one silver medal during the event, an early sign of things to come before going on to win 48 national championship titles before her retirement from competitive swimming in 1984. She also won three Olympic gold medals during her career, with victories in the 200m, 400m, and 4x100m medley events in the 1984 Olympics.
 
Notable Finalists: Five-Time Olympic gold medalist and 51^st AAU Sullivan Award winner Eric Heiden (Speedskating), and Two-Time Olympic gold medalist and 54^th AAU Sullivan Award winner Edwin Moses (Athletics)
 

Janet Evans – 60^th Winner, 1989


“Miss Perpetual Motion” was the one to watch during the distance races at the 1988 Olympics. She won three Olympic golds then with victories in the 400m and 800m freestyle, and the 400m medley. She’d add gold and a silver in Barcelona four years later in the 800m and 400m freestyle respectively. Evans would hold the world record for the women’s 400m and 1500m freestyle events for nearly two decades. Her 45 U.S. national titles rank 3rd all time behind only Caulkins and the next person on this list.
 
Notable Finalists: Five-Time Olympic gold medalist and 63^rd AAU Sullivan Award winner Bonnie Blair (Speedskating) and Two Time Olympic gold medalist Roger Kingdom (Athletics)
 
Michael Phelps – 74^th Winner, 2003


He has been called not only the greatest swimmer of all time, but the greatest Olympic athlete of all time. With 28 Olympic medals including a staggering 23 gold, it’s not a farfetched idea. But before any of the Olympic success, Phelps won the 74^th AAU Sullivan Award for his success at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships. Little did anyone know about the 28 Olympic medals, the numerous world championship victories, or the endless new records that would follow. Phelps became the first person in history to win eight Olympic gold medals in one Olympiad with his performance in 2008.
 
“Standing in front of you guys tonight, receiving this award is definitely an honor. Being in a group with athletes who I’m here with today is an amazing accomplishment within itself” said Phelps during his speech following his AAU Sullivan Award win. In hindsight, the 74^th AAU Sullivan Finalists turned out to be some of the greatest athletes in the history of organized sports. Just look at some of the other finalists below.
 
Notable Finalists: 20-Time NBA All Star and NBA All-Time Points Leader Lebron James (Basketball), and 10-Time WNBA All Star and WNBA All Time Points Leader Diana Taurasi (Basketball)
 

Jessica Long – 77^th Winner, 2006


The first-ever Paralympian to win the AAU Sullivan Award, Long was victorious over fellow swimmer Michael Phelps in 2006. Long has an unbelievable resume, with 29 Paralympic Games medals including 16 golds. She has won at least one gold medal in five different Paralympic Games, spanning 2004-2020. She won the 77th AAU Sullivan Award by breaking 18 world records in 2006. She competes in the SB7, S8, and SM8 categories. Long is also a four-time recipient of ESPN Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY.
 
Notable Finalists: 28-Time Olympic medalist and 74^th AAU Sullivan Award winner Michael Phelps (Swimming) and Eight-Time Olympic Medalist Apolo Anton Ohno (Speedskating)
 
Missy (Franklin) Johnson  – 83^rd Winner, 2012


One of the biggest stars of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Missy Franklin won five Olympic medals with gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke, 4x200m freestyle, and 4x100m medley. She also got the bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle. She would add one more Olympic medal with a gold in 2016 for her contribution to the 4x200m freestyle team. She would also win 17 world championship medals and multiple NCAA championships before she retired from competitive swimming in 2018.
 
Notable Finalists: Four-Sport Collegiate Athletics Star Liz Brenner (All-Around) and Four-Time U.S National Weightlifting Champion Darren Barnes (Weightlifting)
 

Caeleb Dressel – 91^st Winner, 2020 (Co-winner alongside Simone Biles)


The most recent swimmer to win the AAU Sullivan Award was only a couple years ago when Dressel was named a co-winner along with gymnast Simone Biles. Dressel has been a dominant figure in the current swimming scene with seven Olympic gold medals and 17 World Aquatics Championship medals. He ran the 2020 Men’s Olympic Swimming scene, winning gold in the 50m, 100m, and 4x100m freestyle events, the 100m butterfly, and the 4x100m medley. Dressel also once held the Guinness World Record for “Most FINA world records held by an individual” in 2021, holding nine at the same time.
 
Notable Finalists: Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist Athing Mu (Athletics) and Two-Time Olympic gold medalist Maddie Musselman (Water Polo)
 
94^th AAU Sullivan Award
Will a swimmer add to the legacy and win this year’s AAU James E. Sullivan Award? The 94^th AAU Sullivan Award Ceremony takes place April 23, 2024, at the New York Athletic Club. Nominations for the award closed February 2. Semifinalists to be announced soon!

Keep an eye out on February 19 for the next installment of Sullivan Spotlight, where winners from another sport will be highlighted.