See the 92 people, 3 horses who received votes for 2023 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year
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Final voting
One hundred thirty current and former media members from across Kentucky helped select the 2023 Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year. Voters submitted up to 10 names. Points were awarded in the following manner: 12 for a first-place vote; 10 for second; eight for third; seven for fourth; six for fifth; five for sixth; four for seventh; three for eighth; two for ninth; one for 10th. First-place votes are in parentheses:
1. Travis Perry, basketball (39) | 850 |
2. Reed Sheppard, basketball (12) | 584 |
3. Juli Fulks, basketball (18) | 520 |
4. Lamar Jackson, football (11) | 506 |
5. Ray Davis, football (8) | 471 |
6. Jeff Brohm, football (11) | 461 |
7. Brandon Phaadt, baseball (2) | 283 |
8. Jamal Murray, basketball (4) | 216 |
9. Montana Fouts, softball (3) | 207 |
10. Daniel Thomas, football (1) | 178 |
11. Brad Cox, horse racing (2) | 166 |
12. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, basketball | 152 |
13. ZaKiyah Johnson, basketball (2) | 137 |
14. Justin Haddix, football (2) | 131 |
15. Oscar Tshiebwe, basketball | 116 |
16. Donna Moir, basketball (2) | 115 |
17. Josh Allen, football | 109 |
18. Nick Mingione, baseball | 108 |
19. Cody’s Wish, horse racing (1) | 105 |
20. Brooke Gray, softball | 100 |
21. Abdelrahman El-Araby, swimming (4) | 93 |
22. Madison Kellione, basketball | 86 |
23. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, track & field | 66 |
24. Yared Nuguse, track & field (2) | 65 |
25. Rhyne Howard, basketball | 64 |
Others receiving first-place votes in order of total points received: Anna DeBeer, volleyball (1), 60; Mage, horse racing (1), 34; Jeremy Shope, baseball (1), 28; De’Aaron Fox, basketball (1), 16; Ashton Gillotte, football (1), 16; Will Levis, football (1), 12.
Others named on at least two ballots: Barion Brown, football, 55; Savannah DeMelo, soccer, 55; Deone Walker, football, 54; Carlie Thurmond, basketball, soccer, 53; Charlotte Crush, swimming, 50; Will Smith, baseball, 45; Aaron “Kiael” Waldon, boxing, 45; Ciara O’Shea, track & field, 44; Ben Rhodes, auto racing, 43; Craig Skinner, volleyball, 41; Haven Ford, basketball, 40;
Jeff Walz, basketball, 38; Preston Spradlin, basketball, 36; Masai Russell, track & field, 35; Trinity Beth, golf, 32; Jayden Boelter, soccer, 32; Kayla Kowalik, softball, 31; Dani Busboom Kelly, volleyball, 30; William Unseld, basketball, 30;
Jon Sumrall, football, 26; Lee Kiefer, fencing, 24; Levi Sandidge, swimming, 23; Erin Coffel, softball, 22; Grace Berger, basketball, 21; Cutter Boley, football, 20; Emma Grome, volleyball, 20; A.W. Hamilton, basketball, 19; Tyler Gaffalione, horse racing, 18; Caden Veltkamp, football, 18; Marques Warrick, basketball, 18; Cole Hodge, football, 17;
Jawhar Jordan, football, 16; Alexis Holmes, track & field, 14; Alan Jones, softball, 14; Jay Cobb, football, 12; Malachi Corley, football, 12; Brooklyn DeLeye, volleyball, 12; Kensley Feltner, basketball, 12; Hailey Van Lith, basketball, 12; J.P. Vaught, track & field, 12; Josh Wynder, soccer, 12; Donovan Mitchell, basketball, 11; Sage Dawson, football, 11; Beau Brown, track & field, 10;
Cedric Kauffman, tennis, 9; Raena Worley, gymnastics, 8; Paige Briggs, volleyball, 7; Chad Griffin, football, 7; Joe Morris, football, 7; Austin Reed, football, 6; White Abarrio, horse racing, 6; Gavin Wimsatt, football, 6; Darrin Horn, basketball, 5; Travis Hudson, volleyball, 5; Seth Livingston, wrestling, 5; Hunter Cantwell, football, 4; Sofia Ceccarello, rifle, 4; Liam Draxl, tennis, 4; Bill Shively, soccer, 4; Savannah Wheeler, basketball, 4; Katlynn Wilks, basketball, 4; Teigh Yeast, track & field, 4; Katelyn Young, basketball, 4; Darius Neal, football, 3.
Ballot leaders
Candidates included on the most ballots:
1. Travis Perry | 99 |
2. Reed Sheppard | 76 |
3. Ray Davis | 73 |
4. Lamar Jackson | 67 |
5. Juli Fulks | 65 |
6. Jeff Brohm | 61 |
7. Brandon Phaadt | 46 |
8. Montana Fouts | 37 |
9. Jamal Murray | 33 |
9. Daniel Thomas | 33 |
11. Brad Cox | 30 |
12.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 28 |
Voting by region
How the leaders fared in each region of the state (Eastern Kentucky is the 606 and 859 area codes outside of Lexington; Western Kentucky is the 502 and 270 area codes outside of Louisville)
Candidate | Lex | Lou | EKy | WKy | Total |
Travis Perry | 367 | 102 | 208 | 173 | 850 |
Reed Sheppard | 208 | 95 | 152 | 129 | 584 |
Juli Fulks | 320 | 23 | 101 | 76 | 520 |
Lamar Jackson | 208 | 144 | 89 | 65 | 506 |
Past winners
All-time results in Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year Award voting:
Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
2023 | Travis Perry | Reed Sheppard | 266 |
2022 | Oscar Tshiebwe | Abby Steiner | 255 |
2021 | Wan’Dale Robinson | Sydney McLaughlin | 74 |
2020 | John Schlarman | Rhyne Howard | 435 |
2019 | Lynn Bowden | Lamar Jackson | 294 |
2018 | Josh Allen | Benny Snell | 137 |
2017 | Justin Thomas | Lamar Jackson | 225 |
2016 | Lamar Jackson | Tyler Ulis | 1,041 |
2015 | American Pharoah | John Calipari | 897 |
2014 | AJ Reed | Aaron Harrison | 647 |
2013 | Rick Pitino | Tom Jurich | 135 |
2012 | John Calipari | 346 | |
2011 | Kenneth Faried | John Calipari | 9 |
2010 | John Wall | Randall Cobb | 93 |
2009 | John Calipari | Angel McCoughtry | 39 |
2008 | Kenny Perry | J.B. Holmes | 171 |
2007 | Tyson Gay | Andre Woodson | 119 |
2006 | Brandon Webb | Bobby Petrino | 169 |
2005 | Shaun Alexander | J.B. Holmes | 249 |
2004 | Stefan LeFors | Tayshaun Prince | 43 |
2003 | Kenny Perry | Tubby Smith | 33 |
2002 | Valley Sports | Derek Abney | 42 |
2001 | Eddie Eviston | Tom Jurich | 73 |
2000 | John L. Smith | Bill Cronin | 243 |
1999 | James Whalen Jr. | Chris Redman | 27 |
1998 | Tubby Smith | Tim Couch | 5 |
1997 | Tim Couch | Hal Mumme | 174 |
1996 | Rick Pitino | W.T. Young | 606 |
1995 | Tim Couch | Moe Williams | 270 |
1994 | Jenny Hansen | Pat Day | 81 |
1993 | Jamal Mashburn | Rick Pitino | 357 |
1992 | The Unforgettables | Rick Pitino | 77 |
1991 | Cawood Ledford | Kevin Donley | 325 |
1990 | Rick Pitino | Howard Schnellenberger | 87 |
1989 | David Roselle | Jerry Claiborne | 41 |
1988 | Richie Farmer | Pat Riley | 47 |
1987 | Phil Simms | Mark Higgs | 303 |
1986 | Denny Crum | Eddie Sutton | 23 |
1985 | Kenny Walker | Danny Sullivan | 121 |
1984 | Mary T. Meagher | Jerry Claiborne | 230 |
1983 | Jerry Claiborne | A. Ray Smith | 166 |
1982 | Roy Kidd | Valerie Still | 191 |
1981 | Roy Kidd | Mary T. Meagher | 22 |
Note: The award was known as Kentucky Sportsman of the Year from 1981-2015.