Lance and Postal selected for USOC annual honors

By VeloNews Interactive

Lance Armstrong, tennis player Jennifer Capriati, and the U.S. Postal Service Team have been voted the 2001 USOC SportsMan, SportsWoman and Sports Team of the Year.

The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996. Voters for the awards include national media, the USOC Executive Committee, the USOC Board of Directors and the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council.

Armstrong won his third consecutive Tour de France in 2001, the first U.S. rider to achieve the feat (fifth overall). On the way to his victory in Paris, the cyclist won four Tour de France stages. Armstrong also finished in first place at the Tour de Suisse, was second in the Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) and eighth in the Semana Catalana (Spain). He is fourth in the UCI world road ranking. Armstrong was previously honored by the USOC as its 1999 SportsMan of the Year.

The U.S. Postal Service Team was honored for successfully defending the Tour de France yellow jersey in 2001 for the third consecutive year. Among the team’s other achievements were winning Ghent-Wevelgem (George Hincapie) and earning third overall in the Vuelta a Espana (Levi Leipheimer).

SportsMan of the Year candidates finishing in the top five along with Armstrong were Rulon Gardner (wrestling), Michael Phelps (swimming), Steven Lopez (taekwondo) and Earnie Stewart (soccer).

Balloting for 2001 Team of the Year produced the closest results among this year’s candidates, with a bobsled team and a world championship gymnastics team tied for second place. Rounding out the top five were the tennis duo of Venus and Serena Williams and the USA Baseball Youth National Team.

Joining Capriati at the top of the SportsWoman of the Year vote-getter list were Michelle Kwan (figure skating), Stacy Dragila (athletics), Natalie Coughlin (swimming) and Tiffeny Milbrett (soccer).

Here’s a look at the all-time winners.

SportsMan of the Year
1974 – Jim Bolding, Athletics
1975 – Clinton Jackson, Boxing
1976 – John Naber, Swimming
1977 – Eric Heiden, Speed Skating
1978 – Bruce Davidson, Equestrian
1979 – Eric Heiden, Speed Skating
1980 – Eric Heiden, Speed Skating
1981 – Scott Hamilton, Figure Skating
1982 – Greg Louganis, Diving
1983 – Rick McKinney, Archery
1984 – Edwin Moses, Athletics
1985 – Willie Banks, Athletics
1986 – Matt Biondi, Swimming
1987 – Greg Louganis, Diving
1988 – Matt Biondi, Swimming
1989 – Roger Kingdom, Athletics
1990 – John Smith, Wrestling
1991 – Carl Lewis, Athletics
1992 – Pablo Morales, Swimming
1993 – Michael Johnson, Athletics
1994 – Dan Jansen, Speed Skating
1995 – Michael Johnson, Athletics
1996 – Michael Johnson Athletics
1997 – Pete Sampras, Tennis
1998 – Jonny Moseley, Skiing
1999 – Lance Armstrong, Cycling
2000 – Rulon Gardner, Wrestling
2001 – Lance Armstrong, CyclingSportsWoman of the Year
1974 – Shirley Babashoff, Swimming
1975 – Kathy Heddy, Swimming
1976 – Sheila Young, Speed Skating
1977 – Linda Fratianne, Figure Skating
1978 – Tracy Caulkins, Swimming
1979 – Cynthia “Sippy” Woodhead, Swimming
1980 – Beth Heiden, Speed Skating
1981 – Sheila Young Ochowicz, Cycling/Speed Skating
1982 – Melanie Smith, Equestrian
1983 – Tamara McKinney, Skiing
1984 – Tracy Caulkins, Swimming
1985 – Mary Decker Slaney, Athletics
1986 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics
1987 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics
1988 – Florence Griffith Joyner, Athletics
1989 – Janet Evans, Swimming
1990 – Lynn Jennings, Athletics
1991 – Kim Zmeskal, Gymnastics
1992 – Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating
1993 – Gail Devers, Athletics
1994 – Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating
1995 – Picabo Street, Skiing
1996 – Amy Van Dyken, Swimming
1997 – Tara Lipinski, Figure Skating
1998 – Picabo Street, Skiing
1999 – Jenny Thompson, Swimming
2000 – Marion Jones, Athletics
2001 – Jennifer Capriati, TennisTeam of the Year
1996 – Women’s National/Olympic Basketball Team
1997 – Women’s National Soccer Team
1998 – Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team
1999 – Women’s National Soccer Team
2000 – USA Baseball Olympic Team
2001 – U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team