Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist/editor Royal Brougham created the Man of the Year sports award in early 1936. The Man of the Year became the Sports Star of the Year in 1977, and currently honors the Professional Athlete of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year and Sports Story of the Year.
In the beginning, men and women were lumped together on one ballot. Starting in 1977, the Sports Star of the Year replaced the Man of the Year.
These were the nominees from the decade of the 2000s, when a format change called for addition of a Pro Athlete of the Year category and a Sports Story of the Year category. The winner is in bold face. The number behind a nominee’s name indicates the times he or she appeared on the ballot.
| Year | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Ja’Warren Hooker | Track | Pac-10 Conference sprint champion | |
| Darrell Jackson | Football | Leading receiver for Seattle Seahawks | ||
| Nate McMillan | Basketball | Youngest NBA head coach at age 36 | ||
| Gallyn Mitchell | Racing | Won second Emerald Downs riding title | ||
| Rick Neuheisel | Football | Coached UW to Rose Bowl vs. Purdue | ||
| Kazuhiro Sasaki | Baseball | Set Mariners record with 37 saves | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Tami Bennett | Soccer | Led UW team to Pac-10 championship | ||
| Megan Franza | Basketball | UW star guard averaged 17.2 points | ||
| Meagan Quann | Swimming | 2 Olympic golds in breast, medley | ||
| Jennifer Spediacci | Softball | Two-time All-America pitcher for UW | ||
| 2001 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Shaun Alexander | Football | 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns | ||
| Brent Barry | Basketball | Led NBA in 3-point FG Pct. — .476 | ||
| Apolo Ohno | Short Track | Won 2 golds at World Championships | ||
| Ichiro Suzuki | Baseball | AL MVP, Rookie of Year, top batter | ||
| Larry Triplett | Football | UW’s All-America defensive tackle | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Gyongyver Balogh | Basketball | SPU star Pacific West’s top player | ||
| Jan Harville | Rowing | Guided UW to third national title | ||
| Lauren Jackson | Basketball | Rookie led Seattle Storm with 15.5 ppg | ||
| Loree Payne | Basketball | Led UW women’s team to NCAA Elite 8 | ||
| Hope Solo | Soccer | Posted 0.68 goals-against avg. for UW | ||
| 2002 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Matt Hasselbeck | Football | Seahawk QB threw for 3,075 yards | ||
| Rashard Lewis | Basketball | Sonics forward averaged 16.8 points | ||
| Rien Long | Football | WSU’s Outland Trophy winner | ||
| Jamie Moyer | Baseball | Led the Mariners with 230 innings | ||
| Apolo Ohno (2) | Short Track | One gold, one silver at SLC Olympics | ||
| Reggie Williams | Football | UW receiver caught 94 passes, 14 TDs | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Sue Bird | Basketball | Storm rookie averaged 14.4 ppg | ||
| Jamie Clark | Softball | Led nation with 75 RBIs, .826 SLG pct. | ||
| Anna Mickelson | Rowing | Gold medal in eight at world championship | ||
| Hope Solo (2) | Soccer | First-team All-Pac-10, 76 saves | ||
| 2003 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Ray Allen | Basketball | 24.5 ppg after trade from Milwaukee | ||
| Bret Boone | Baseball | .294 BA, belted 35 HRs for Mariners | ||
| Drew Dunning | Football | WSU placekicker made 27 field goals | ||
| M. Hasselbeck (2) | Football | 3,841 yards, 26 TDs, Pro Bowl invite | ||
| Brock Mackenzie | Golf | UW’s first 3-time All-Pac-10 selection | ||
| Reggie Williams (2) | Football | UW receiver caught 89 passes | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Tina Frimpong | Soccer | UW’s all-time leader in goals with 43 | ||
| L. Jackson (2) | Basketball | 21.2 ppg, WNBA’s MVP |
||
| Giuliana Mendiola | Basketball | UW’s leading scorer at 17.5 ppg | ||
| Kristen Rivera | Softball | Pac-10’s Co-Player of the Year | ||
| 2004 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| S. Alexander (2) | Football | Scored 20 touchdowns to lead NFL | ||
| Kasey Kahne | Auto Racing | Nextel Rookie of Year (13 top 5s) | ||
| Ryan Moore | Golf | Puyallup native won U.S. Amateur | ||
| Nate McMillan (2) | Basketball | Coached Sonics to 52-30 record | ||
| Nate Robinson | Basketball | UW’s All-Pac-10 guard, top scorer | ||
| UW Oarsmen | Rowing | Matt Deaken and Bryan Volpenheim | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Golf | ||
| Anne Donovan | Basketball | Coached Storm to first WNBA title | ||
| Tina Frimpong (2) | Soccer | UW records for goals, winners | ||
| Courtney Thompson | Volleyball | UW setter No. 3 in nation in assists | ||
| UW Oarswomen | Rowing | A.Mickelson, L. Nelson, M. Whipple | ||
| 2005 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Ray Allen (2) | Basketball | NBA All-Star averaged 23.5 for Sonics | ||
| S. Alexander (3) | Football | Scored 28 TDs, named NFL MVP | ||
| Eddie Guardado | Baseball | Posted 36 saves for the Mariners | ||
| Jerome Harrison | Football | Consensus All-America running back | ||
| Lorenzo Romar | Basketball | Coached UW to No. 1 seed in NCAAs | ||
| Ed Viesturs | Mountaineer | Summited all eight 8,000m peaks | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Kayla Burt | Basketball | Big comeback after cardiac arrest | ||
| Shannon Lovejoy | Soccer | Division II Player of Year for SPU | ||
| Christal Morrison | Volleyball | NCAA Tournament’s MVP | ||
| Kate Soma | Track | NCAA pole vault champion (14-3 1/2) | ||
| 2006 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Ray Allen (3) | Basketball | Averaged 25.1 points for Sonics | ||
| Josh Brown | Football | NFL record 4 game-winning FGs | ||
| Mkristo Bruce | Football | WSU’s All-America defensive end | ||
| Tim Lincecum | Baseball | UW All-America pitcher from Renton | ||
| J.J. Putz | Baseball | Led Mariners with 36 saves | ||
| Brandon Roy | Baskeball | AP 1st-team All-America |
||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Page Mackenzie | Golf | Capped UW career by winning Pac-10 | ||
| Anna Mickelson (3) | Rowing | U.S. Rowing’s Female Athlete of Year | ||
| Ginnie Powell | Track | USC star hurdler from Rainier Beach | ||
| C. Thompson | Volleyball | UW’s 1st 3-time All-America |
||
| 2007 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Jon Brockman | Basketball | UW’s top rebounder (9.6), shooter | ||
| Bobby Engram | Football | Seahawks record 94 catches | ||
| Ricky Frazier | Racing | Won 3,000th career win Nov. 7 | ||
| Scott Jurek | Marathon | Won Hardrock Hundred Ultramarathon | ||
| J.J. Putz (2) | Baseball | Mariners closer saved 40 contests | ||
| Louis Rankin | UW Footbsll | UW’s leading rusher, 1,294 yards | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Danielle Lawrie | Softball | School record 457 strikeouts | ||
| Sarah Martinez | Soccer | All-time GNAC scoring leader for SPU | ||
| Jessica Pixler | Running | Seattle Pacific distance champion | ||
| Katelin Snyder | Rowing | Coxed men’s 8 to undefeated year | ||
| 2008 | Male Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Jeshua Anderson | Track | 2 golds at World Junior Championships | ||
| Jon Brockman | Basketball | Led UW in scoring, rebound, FG Pct. | ||
| Walter Jones | Football | Earned ninth Pro Bowl selection | ||
| Tim Lincecum (2) | Baseball | SF Giant earned NL Cy Young Award | ||
| Taylor Mays | Football | First-team All-America safety at USC | ||
| Female Nominees | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Hope Solo (3) | Soccer | Gold medalist at Beijing Olympics | ||
| Anna Mickelson (4) | Rowing | Gold medal in eights at Beijing | ||
| Meredith Teagle | Soccer | NCAA Division II Player of the Year | ||
| Jennifer Whitaker | Racing | 1st woman to win Longacres Mile | ||
| Mary Whipple (2) | Rowing | Gold medal in eight at Beijing Games | ||
| 2009 | Pro Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Swin Cash | Basketball | WNBA All-Star, All-Star Game MVP | ||
| David Hawthorne | Football | Leading tackler for Seattle Seahawks | ||
| Felix Hernandez | Baseball | Won 19, second in Cy Young vote | ||
| Kasey Keller | Soccer | Seattle Sounders All-Star goalkeeper | ||
| Taylor Malsam | NASCAR | 10 Top 10s in Nationwide Series | ||
| Male Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Jake Locker | Football | Star quarterback for UW Huskies | ||
| Lorenzo Romar (2) | Basketball | Took UW to Sweet Sixteen at NCAAs | ||
| Nick Taylor | Golf | Low amateur at 2009 U.S. Open | ||
| UW Men’s Eight | Rowing | Won NCAA team championship | ||
| Female Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| UW Softball Team | Softball | NCAA title in Oklahoma City | ||
| Kendra Schaaf | X-Country | Won Canadian National Championship | ||
| Jessica Pixler (2) | X-Country | 8 NCAA titles, SPU All-America | ||
| Tamari Miyashiro | Volleyball | Libero broke UW mark for career digs | ||
| Michelle French | Soccer | Midfielder for Sounders’ women’s team | ||
| Sports Play | Sport | Skinny | ||
| UW Softball | Softball | Winning moment at World Series | ||
| Ken Griffey Jr. | Baseball | Game-tying pinch homer vs. Arizona | ||
| Mercer Island | Baseball | Run to Little League World Series | ||
| Longacres Mile | Racing | Assessment’s victory in Longacres Mile | ||
| UW Upset of USC | Football | Huskies shocked No. 3-ranked Trojans | ||
| Top Story (75 yrs) | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Fred Hutchinson | Baseball | 19th win on 19th birthday (1938) | ||
| Seattle Sounders | Soccer | Remarkable inaugural season | ||
| 1977 Rose Bowl | Football | 27-20 win over favored Michigan | ||
| 1991 UW team | Football | Earned share of national championship | ||
| Seattle Mariners | Baseball | First time in the postseason | ||
| Seattle Storm | Basketball | Won 2004 WNBA championship | ||
| Seattle University | Basketball | Run to the 1958 NCAA title game | ||
| UW Crew | Rowing | 1958 win over Russians in Moscow | ||
| 2010 | Pro Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Tim Lincecum | Baseball | NL Cy Young award winner | ||
| Swin Cash (2) | Basketball | Seattle Storm All-Star | ||
Fredy Montero |
Soccer | Seattle Sounders leading scorer |
||
| Louis Ratcliffe | Lacrosse | All-Star for expansion team | ||
| Mike Williams | Football | Seahawks leading receiver | ||
| Male Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Apolo Ohno |
Short Track | Record-Setting Olympian |
||
| J.R. Celski | Short Track | Captured first Winter medal | ||
| Quincy Pondexter | Basketball | Washington’s leading scorer | ||
| Klay Thompson | Basketball | WSU’s leading scorer | ||
| Female Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Katie Follett |
X-Country | UW Cross Country star |
||
| Jessica Pixler (3) | X-Country | 12-time All-America | ||
| Jenna Haglund | Volleyball | UW All-America performer | ||
| Ariana Kukors | Swimming | International star from Puyallup | ||
| Karen Thatcher | Hockey | Member U.S. national team | ||
| Top Story |
Sport | Skinny | ||
| Felix Hernandez | Baseball | 2010 A.L. Cy Young Award | ||
| Ichiro Suzuki | Baseball | 10th Straight 200-hit season | ||
| Washington Stealth | Lacrosse | Won league championship | ||
| Seattle Storm | Basketball | Won second WNBA title | ||
| Auburn Little League | Baseball | Great run to LL World Series | ||
| 2011 | Pro Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Kasey Keller |
Soccer | Retiring Sounders Star |
||
| Brandon League | Baseball | Mariners All-Star Closer | ||
| Jason Terry | Basketball | NBA Star from Seattle |
||
| Earl Thomas | Football | Seahawks Pro Bowl safety | ||
| Dave Villwock | Hydroplanes | All-Time leader in wins | ||
| Male Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Nathan Adrian |
Swimming |
Record-Setting Olympian |
||
| Jeshua Anderson | Track | WSU’s star hurdler | ||
| Chris Polk | Football | UW’s star running back | ||
| Isaiah Thomas | Basketball | UW’s leading scorer | ||
| Chris Williams | Golf | UW’s star medalist | ||
| Female Athlete |
Sport |
Skinny | ||
| C. Vandershoot |
Basketball | Gonzaga leading scorer |
||
| Jenn Salling | Softball | All-Conference performer |
||
| Julie Woodward | Soccer | Seattle U.’s star player | ||
| Maddie Meyers | X-Country | Northwest High phenom | ||
| Queen Underwood | Boxing | U.S. National Team member | ||
| Top Story |
Sport | Skinny | ||
| Eastern Eagles |
Football | Won FCS National title |
||
| Seahawks | Football | Defeated Super Bowl champs | ||
| Sounders | Soccer | Won U.S. Open Cup | ||
| U.S. Women | Soccer | Won World Cup final | ||
| UW Crew | Rowing | Captured IRA Regatta | ||
| 2012 | Pro Nominees | Sport | Skinny | |
| Alex Morgan |
Soccer | Seattle Sounders women; U.S. star | ||
| Marshawn Lynch | Football | Seahawks star running back | ||
| Eddie Johnson | Soccer | Sounders leading scorer |
||
| Ryan Villopoto | Supercross | Won World 450cc title | ||
| Kasey Kahne | NASCAR | Notched 14th career victory | ||
| Male Athlete | Sport | Skinny | ||
| Nathan Adrian (2) |
Swimming |
2 gold medals in London Games |
||
| A. Seferian-Jenkins | Football | UW’s All-America tight end | ||
| Chris Williams (2) | Golf | World’s top amateur player |
||
| Drew Snider | Lacrosse | U. of Maryland star from O’Dea High | ||
| David DeCastro | Football | Stanford All-America from Bellevue | ||
| Female Athlete |
Sport |
Skinny | ||
| Mary Whipple |
Rowing | Gold in eight at London Games |
||
| Ariana Kukors (2) | Swimming | 5th in Olympics in 200 IM |
||
| Katie Flood | X-Country | Won two NCAA championships | ||
| Martie Malloy | Judo | Won bronze medal in London | ||
| Jennie Reed | Cycling | Won silver medal in London | ||
| Top Story |
Sport | Skinny | ||
| Felix Hernandez (3) |
Baseball | Threw perfect game vs. Rays |
||
| UW Crew | Rowing | Won 2nd straight IRA | ||
| Montesano High | Football | First state title in 18 years | ||
| Bellevue High | Football | Won 10th state championship | ||
| Western Washington | Basketball | NCAA Division II national title |