See all 80 Kentuckians who received votes for 2021 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year
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Final voting
One hundred fifty-nine current and former media members from across Kentucky helped select the 2021 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 in parentheses:
1. Wan’Dale Robinson, football (21) | 926 |
2. Sydney McLaughlin, track & field (35) | 852 |
3. Mark Stoops, football (15) | 671 |
4. Madison Lilley, volleyball (18) | 636 |
5. Lee Kiefer, fencing (11) | 414 |
6. Craig Skinner, volleyball (4) | 412 |
7. Desmond Ridder, football (7) | 305 |
8. Jim Matney, football (12) | 299 |
9. Bailey Zappe, football (5) | 295 |
10. Adam Duvall, baseball (1) | 270 |
11. Rhyne Howard, basketball (1) | 260 |
12. Brad Cox, horse racing (4) | 234 |
13. Will Shaner, rifle | 223 |
14. Devin Booker, basketball (2) | 211 |
15. Dani Busboom Kelly, volleyball (4) | 204 |
16. Julian Tackett, administration (3) | 160 |
17. Jensen Castle, golf (2) | 152 |
18. Mitch Barnhart, administration (5) | 147-x |
19. Josh Paschal, football (2) | 147-x |
20. Brooke Forde, swimming (1) | 133 |
21. Darian Kinnard, football | 130 |
22. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, track & field | 118 |
23. Alli Stumler, volleyball | 96 |
24. Mary Tucker, rifle | 94 |
25. Henry Davis, baseball | 88 |
x-tie broken by number of first-place votes received
Others receiving first-place votes in order of total points received: Walker Buehler, baseball (1), 76; Ja Morant, basketball (1), 64; Preston Spradlin, basketball (1), 47; Philip Haywood, football (1), 30; Justin Haddix, football (1), 29; Matthew Robertson, bass fishing (1), 12.
Others named on at least two ballots: Justin Thomas, golf, 75; Ben Rhodes, auto racing, 66; Dana Evans, basketball, 60; Scott Davenport, basketball, 51; Kayla Kowalik, softball, 49; Harry Mullins, rifle, 48; Kevin Wallace, football, 47; Reed Sheppard, basketball, 42; Jeff Brohm, football, 41;
Kendra Harrison, track & field, 40; Chris Oliver, football, 40; Isaac Dixon, football, 35; Julius Randle, basketball, 34; Tori Dilfer, volleyball, 32; Donna Moir, basketball, 30; Nick Albiero, swimming, 29; Johni Broome, basketball, 29; Malik Cunningham, football, 29; Christopher Rodriguez, football, 29;
Sophie Galloway, track & field, basketball, 27; Daylen Lile, baseball, 27; Jeff Walz, basketball, 27; Sam Vinson, basketball, 24; Will Levis, football 24; Avery Skinner, volleyball, 21; Travis Hudson, volleyball, 19; Ben Johnson, basketball, 19; Cameron Dukes, football, 17; Liam Draxl, tennis, 13; Dane Key, football, 13; Jerreth Sterns, football, 13; Riley Gaines, swimming, 12; Charles Bassey, basketball, 11; Cam Hergott, football, 11;
Jaime Gordon, volleyball, 10; Trey Sweeney, baseball, 10; Donovan Mitchell, basketball, 9; Abby Steiner, track & field, 9; Anna Stevenson, volleyball, 9; Lars Jorgensen, swimming, 8; Terry Taylor, basketball, 7; Grace Berger, basketball, 6; Michael Mayer, football, 6; Brandon Smith, football, 6; Brandon Reed, wrestling, 5; Essential Quality, horse racing, 4; Carlik Jones, basketball, 4; Jalen Boyd, football, 2; Paige Briggs, volleyball, 2.
Ballot leaders
Candidates included on the most ballots:
1. Wan’Dale Robinson | 120 |
2. Sydney McLaughlin | 93 |
3. Mark Stoops | 87 |
4. Madison Lilley | 78 |
5. Craig Skinner | 63 |
6. Rhyne Howard | 60 |
7. Lee Kiefer | 55 |
8. Desmond Ridder | 53 |
8. Bailey Zappe | 53 |
10. Adam Duvall | 51 |
11. Jim Matney | 43 |
11. Will Shaner | 43 |
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 |
Wan’Dale Robinson | 403 | 180 | 214 | 129 | 926 |
Sydney McLaughlin | 346 | 118 | 259 | 129 | 852 |
Mark Stoops | 174 | 163 | 218 | 116 | 671 |
Madison Lilley | 361 | 68 | 106 | 101 | 636 |
Past winners
All-time results in Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year Award voting:
Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
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 | Anthony Davis | 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.