See the 92 people, 3 horses who received votes for 2023 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year
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 | 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.