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ESPN announces nominees for 2021 ESPY Awards

The ESPYs are back.

ESPN announced the nominees for the 2021 ESPY awards on Wednesday. Alabama is the most well-represented SEC program among the nominees. The national champion Crimson Tide squad is nominated for Best Team while DeVonta Smith is up for multiple awards as well. Former UA standout Derrick Henry is also up for best NFL player.

The SEC is also represented by former Ole Miss standout DK Metcalf and Kentucky volleyball’s Madison Lilley.

The 2021 ESPY’s are set for Saturday, July 10, airing at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Fans can vote for the nominees at ESPYS.com up to 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 9th. The full list of nominees can be viewed below:

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS

  • Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
  • Lewis Hamilton, F1

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS

  • Naomi Osaka, Tennis
  • Simone Biles, Gymnastics
  • Amanda Nunes, UFC
  • Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

  • Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
  • Chase Young, The Washington Football Team
  • LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
  • Crystal Dangerfield, Minnesota Lynx

BEST GAME

  • NCAA Men’s Final Four: Gonzaga (93) vs. UCLA (90)
  • NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship – Stanford defeats Arizona 54-53
  • NFL Week 14: Baltimore Ravens 47, Cleveland Browns 42
  • NHL Playoffs Game 4: Winnipeg Jets sweep Edmonton Oilers in triple OT

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS

  • DeVonta Smith, Alabama Football
  • Luka Garza, Iowa Basketball
  • Gloire Amanda, Oregon State Soccer
  • Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS

  • Paige Bueckers, University of Connecticut Basketball
  • Madison Lilley, Kentucky Volleyball
  • Jaelin Howell, Florida State Soccer
  • Odicci Alexander, James Madison Softball

BEST TEAM

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFL
  • Stanford Cardinal, NCAA Women’s Basketball
  • Baylor Bears, NCAA Men’s Basketball
  • Alabama Crimson Tide, NCAA Football
  • Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
  • Seattle Storm, WNBA
  • Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

  • Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer passes Pat Summitt for most wins in NCAA Women’s basketball history (1,099)
  • DeVonta Smith, Alabama Football – set records for title game catches (12) and touchdown receptions (three), and also totaled 215 yards. Alabama won, 52–24, their sixth title in 12 years, while Smith was named Offensive MVP of the championship game
  • Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship – oldest winner of a major tournament with his victory, Mickelson surpassed the record previously held by Julius Boros, who won the PGA Championship in 1968 at age
  • Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizards – breaks Oscar Robertson’s 47-year-old triple-double record with 182

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE, MEN’S SOCCER

  • Kylian Mbappè, Paris Saint-Germain/French National Team
  • Lionel Messi, Barcelona/Argentina National Team
  • Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus/Portugal National Team
  • Mohamed Salah, Liverpool/Egypt National Team

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SOCCER

  • Sam Kerr, Chelsea/Australia National Team
  • Fran Kirby, Chelsea/English National Team
  • Vivianne Miedema, Arsenal/Netherlands National Team
  • Sam Mewis, Manchester City/USA National Team

BEST PLAY (round 1 brackets)

Match 1

  • Kyler Murray Launches Hail Mary to DeAndre Hopkins (11/15/2020)
  • Villanova QB with the TD pass of the year (4/17/21)

Match 2

  • Brooklyn Nets with the Play of the Year (5/16/21)
  • West Texas A&M hits buzzer-beater vs. Lincoln Memorial to advance to DII National Championship Game (3/26/21)

Match 3

  • Shey Peddy hits a buzzer-beater to eliminate the defending WNBA Champs (9/15/20)
  • Bear River Softball Player Makes an INCREDIBLE Catch (5/22/21)

Match 4

  • DK Metcalf chases down Budda Baker Week 7 vs. Cardinals (10/25/20)
  • Mookie Betts with the double play (06/11/21)

Match 5

  • Natalia Chavez hits half-court buzzer beater in OT for Volcano Vista’s 5A title win (5/10/21)
  • Luka Doncic hits game winner vs. Grizzlies (4/14/21)

Match 6

  • Unseeded Marshall Soccer scores with less than 3 minutes in OT to claim first National Title (5/17/21)
  • Erin Matson OT goal lifts UNC to third consecutive NCAA field hockey title (5/9/21)

Match 7

  • Daryl Watts nets the championship-winning goal in OT as Wisconsin Claims 2nd straight title (3/20/21)
  • Simone Biles became the first women in history to land a Yurchenko double pike on vault in competition. (5/22/21)

Match 8

  • Braves pitcher with a unique 1-6-3 play (5/9/21)
  • Andrew Booth with an unbelievable one-handed interception! (10/3/20)

BEST NFL PLAYER

  • Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
  • Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
  • Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

BEST MLB PLAYER

  • Josè Abreu, Chicago White Sox
  • Trevor Bauer, Cincinnati Reds (2020), LA Dodgers (2021)
  • Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

BEST NHL PLAYER

  • Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
  • Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

BEST DRIVER

  • Scott Dixon, IndyCar
  • Lewis Hamilton, F1
  • Chase Elliott, NASCAR
  • Erica Enders, NHRA

BEST NBA PLAYER

  • Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
  • Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
  • Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns

BEST WNBA PLAYER

  • A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
  • Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
  • Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (2020) (Chicago Sky 2021)
  • Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm

BEST BOXER

  • Canelo Álvarez
  • Teófimo López
  • Claressa Shields
  • Tyson Fury

BEST MMA FIGHTER

  • Amanda Nunes
  • Khabib Nurmagomedov
  • Rose Namajunas
  • Francis Ngannou

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S GOLF

  • Bryson DeChambeau
  • Dustin Johnson
  • Hideki Matsuyama
  • Phil Mickelson

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S GOLF

  • Jin Young Ko
  • Inbee Park
  • Sei Young Kim
  • Nelly Korda

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S TENNIS

  • Dominic Thiem
  • Novak Djokovic
  • Daniil Medvedev
  • Rafael Nadal

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S TENNIS

  • Naomi Osaka
  • Ashleigh Barty
  • Sofia Kenin
  • Victoria Azarenka

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S ACTION SPORTS

  • Marcus Kleveland, Snowboard (NOR)
  • Yūto Totsuka, Snowboard (JPN)
  • Gabriel Medina, Surf (BRA)
  • Cooper Webb, Supercross (USA)

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S ACTION SPORTS

  • Chloe Kim, Snowboard (USA)
  • Eileen Gu, Skii (CHN)
  • Carissa Moore, Surf (USA)
  • Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Snowboard (NZL)

BEST JOCKEY

  • Irad Ortiz
  • John Velazquez
  • Flavien Prat
  • Joel Rosario

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY, MEN’S SPORTS

  • Evan Austin, Swim
  • Jesse Billauer, Surf
  • Keith Gabel, Snowboard
  • Chris Nikic, Triathlon

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY, WOMEN’S SPORTS

  • Sam Bosco, Cycle
  • Oksana Masters, Nordic & Cycle
  • Becca Murray, Wheelchair Basketball
  • Leanne Smith, Swim

BEST BOWLER

  • Kyle Troup
  • François Lavoie
  • Tom Daugherty
  • Chris Via

BEST MLS PLAYER

  • Alejandro Pozuelo, Toronto FC
  • Diego Rossi, Los Angeles FC
  • Andre Blake, Philadelphia Union
  • Lucas Zelarayán, Columbus Crew

BEST NWSL PLAYER

  • Rachel Daly, Houston Dash
  • Kailen Sheridan, NJ/NY Gotham FC
  • Julie Ertz, Chicago Red Stars
  • Lynn Williams, North Carolina Courage

BEST WWE MOMENT (ROUND 1 BRACKETS)

Match 1

  • Dominik Mysterio makes in ring debut at SummerSlam, with dad Rey Mysterio in his corner
  • Roman Reigns returns to Smackdown and aligns with Paul Heyman (Smackdown 8/28/20)

Match 2

  • Pat McAfee confronts and punts Adam Cole (NXT 8/5/20)
  • Goldberg returns to challenge Drew McIntyre for WWE Championship (Royal Rumble)

Match 3

  • Keith Lee breaks Adam Cole’s record breaking 403-day reign as NXT Champion at The Great American Bash
  • Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair make history as the first Black women to main event

Match 4

  • Edge wins the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble; becomes the 3rd person ever to win from the #1 spot
  • Kevin Owens stuns Logan Paul at Wrestlemania

Match 5

  • Sasha Banks wins the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Hell In A Cell
  • Randy Orton sets The Fiend on fire at TLC

Match 6

  • Undertaker celebrates his 30th Anniversary and gives his final farewell (Survivor Series)
  • Bobby Lashley wins WWE Championship for the first time (RAW 3/1/21)

Match 7

  • Bayley turns on Sasha Banks (Smackdown 9/4/20)
  • Bad Bunny teams with Damian Priest at WrestleMania and performs a “Bunny Destroyer” on John Morrison

Match 8

  • Bianca Belair wins the Women’s Royal Rumble and breaks the record for longest time spent in the Match
  • The Miz became the first 2-time Grand Slam Champion when he cashed in MITB at Elimination
SDS Staff
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics. Follow on Twitter.

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