UConn rising senior Maya Moore, WNBA star Diana Taurasi and Baylor rising sophomore Brittney Griner are among the women's basketball players nominated for a 2010 ESPY Award.
The ESPYS | July 14, 2010 | Los Angeles, California | LIVE at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD
The 18th annual ESPYS will be hosted by Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers, who will be joined by an all-star lineup of top athletes and entertainers to celebrate the best sports stories of the year. The ESPY's lead fans through the year's best plays, biggest upsets and most outstanding performances across all sports.
The 2010 ESPYS will be televised live - for the first time since 2003 - Wednesday, July 14 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPNHD from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Additional unique content will be available on a variety of ESPN multimedia platforms including ESPN.com, ESPN Mobile, ESPN Deportes and ESPN International.
The 2010 ESPYs will recognize both sport-specific achievements, such as “Best MLB Player” and “Best WNBA Player,” as well as best-in-sport winners, such as “Best Team” or “Best Female Athlete” that pit nominees from different sports against each other.
The ESPYs honor ESPN’s commitment to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a partnership launched with the late Jim Valvano at the inaugural ESPYs in 1993.
The complete list of The 2010 ESPYs nominees is available to members of the media here and for voters at
espn.com/espys.
For the third time in several years, a limited amount of ESPYs tickets are available for public purchase at
www.ticketmaster.com.
Fan Voting
The complete list of The 2010 ESPYs nominees is available at
espnmediazone3.com/us/2010/06/2010-espy-nomination-list/.
Fans will determine the winners in 37 categories (except the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and other special awards) by voting online and by phone at
espn.com/espys, and, for the first time, at
facebook.com/ESPN.
Voting runs through 11:59 p.m. ET on July 10 for most categories.
The “Best Play” nominees will be announced during the 2010 ESPY Countdown show airing live on July 14 at 7 p.m. on ESPN and voting will take place throughout The 2010 ESPYs telecast.
In addition, “Best Team” voting will be open throughout the live telecast.
Other 2010 ESPYS Facts and Figures
• In addition to the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which will be given to the Thomas family, two special ESPYs will be presented this year: the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, honoring Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl, a survivor of prostate cancer who was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer earlier this year, causing him to miss games and practices; and Best Comeback, being given to Kim Clijsters who became the first unseeded woman in history to win the U.S. Open.
• Two candidates for Best Female Athlete are trying to return to the ESPY winner's circle -- Serena Williams last won that award in 2003, while Diana Taurasi won it in 2004. Meanwhile,
Maya Moore and Lindsey Vonn are trying to win Best Female for the first time.
• Two candidates for Best Team are trying to win after a long absence:
The Connecticut women's basketball team won in the category at the 1996 ESPYs and the New York Yankees last won Best Team at the 2001 ESPYs. The
Alabama football team also is nominated in the Best Team category.
The
UConn basketball squad also is nominated for Best Record-Breaking Performance.
• In the Best College Male Athlete category are:
Blake Geoffrion (Wisconsin Hockey), Mark Ingram (Alabama football), Garrett Wittels (Florida International baseball), Evan Turner (Ohio State basketball) and John Wall (Kentucky basketball).
• In the Best College Female Athlete category are:
UConn women's basketball teammates Tina Charles and Maya Moore along with
Megan Hodge (Penn State volleyball) and
Megan Lagenfeld (UCLA softball).
•
Montana basketball standout Anthony Johnson from the
Big Sky Conference Championship is nominated in the category of Best Championship Performance for his 42-point effort in the league tourney's title game which sent Montana - down by 20 at halftime - to the NCAAs.
•
Baylor rising sophomore Brittney Griner and former
Kentucky basketball player John Wall, top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, join Washington Nationals Steven Strasburg and Tennessee Titans Chris Johnson in the Best Breakthrough Athlete category.
• In Best Upset category,
Hawaii softball team is nominated for upsetting No. 1 NCAA tourney seed Alabama with a dramatic walk off home run in the Super Regionals to advance to the Women's College World Series for the first time.
Northern Iowa men's basketball is nominated for its upset of No.1 seed Kansas in the NCAA Championship.
• In Best Game category is
Duke men's basketball just eding Butler in the NCAA title game.
• Will Drew Brees become the second NFL player to win Best Male Athlete in the last 15 years? LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 2007.
• Will LeBron James or Kobe Bryant win the Best Male Athlete? The only other NBA player to win that ESPY was Michael Jordan at the first ESPYs back in 1993.
•Will Tiger Woods add to his record 22 ESPYs? Nominated for Best Golfer, Woods is looking to win an ESPY for the sixth straight year.