93 Kentuckians got votes for Sports Figure of the Year. See them all.
One hundred seventy-six current and former media members from across Kentucky helped select the 2018 Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year. Here’s a closer look at the results:
Final voting
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:
Candidate | Points | |
1. | Josh Allen, football (67) | 1,609 |
2. | Benny Snell, football (37) | 1,472 |
3. | Justify, horse racing (20) | 1,077 |
4. | Mark Stoops, football (21) | 1,069 |
5. | Asia Durr, basketball | 347 |
6. | Sydney McLaughlin, track and field (1) | 330 |
7. | Rachael Denhollander, gymnastics (17) | x-326 |
8. | Rondale Moore, football (1) | x-326 |
9. | Walker Buehler, baseball | 325 |
10. | Donovan Mitchell, basketball (1) | 284 |
11. | Justin Thomas, golf (2) | 268 |
12. | Jeff Walz, basketball | 194 |
13. | Wandale Robinson, football | 175 |
14. | Lamar Jackson, football (2) | 168 |
15. | Montana Fouts, softball (1) | 104 |
16. | Craig Skinner, volleyball | 92 |
17. | Vince Tyra, administration | 90 |
18. | Dwane Casey, basketball | 84 |
19. | Damien Harris, football | 83 |
20. | Seygan Robins, basketball | 79 |
21. | Kendra Harrison, track and field | y-66 |
22. | Leah Edmond, volleyball | y-66 |
23. | Anthony Davis, basketball | 64 |
24. | Henrik Larsen, rifle | 63 |
25. | Kelsi Worrell Dahlia, swimming (1) | 62 |
x–tie broken based on number of first-place votes received; y–tie broken based on number of third-place votes received.
Others receiving first-place votes (in order of total points received): Brandon Smith, football (1), 19; Rick Erdmann, track and field, cross country (1), 18; Mitch Barnhart, administration (1), 15; Tashia Brown, basketball (1), 15; Scott Thorman, baseball (1), 12.
Others named on at least two ballots: Dontaie Allen, basketball, 60; Neal Brown, football, 60; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, basketball, 60; JJ Williams, soccer, 55; Morgan Hentz, volleyball, 54; Tim Duckworth, track and field, 50; Mallory Comerford, swimming, 49; Bunchy Stallings, football, 45; Harry Mullins, rifle, 43; Ron Kordes, volleyball, 41; Rylee Rader, volleyball, 40;
Kayla Miracle, wrestling, 38; Taveion Hollingsworth, basketball, 35; Myisha Hines-Allen, basketball, 33; Scott Davenport, basketball, 31; Chris Souder, basketball, 31; Maci Morris, basketball, 27; Johan Cedegren, soccer, 22; Ronnie Baker, track and field, 20; Jonny Venters, baseball, 20;
Ben Rhodes, auto racing, 19; C.J. Conrad, football, 18; C.J. Frederick, basketball, 18; Matt McMahon, basketball, 18; Katie Reed, softball, 18; Bob Baffert, horse racing, 17; Kelan Martin, basketball, 16; Blair Green, basketball, 14; Accelerate, horse racing, 13; Tim Garrison, gymnastics, 13; Ja Morant, basketball, 12; Brad Cox, horse racing, 11; John Hackworth, soccer, 11; James Paxton, baseball, 11; Justin Johnson, basketball, 10; Mollie Korth, gymnastics, 10; Cameron Lancaster, soccer, 10; Monomoy Gal, horse racing, 10; Jonathan Stark, basketball, 10
Craig Albernaz, baseball, 9; Saul Ervin, wrestling, 9; Scott Ruthsatz, basketball, 9; Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, track and field, 8; Lauren Hartlage, golf, 8; Angel McCoughtry, basketball, 7; Ken and Sarah Ramsey, horse racing, 7; Dorcas Wasike, track and field, cross country, 7; Brooke Forde, swimming, 6; Stefan LeFors, football, 6; Paige Murphy, softball, 6; Rick Stansbury, basketball, 6; Garrett Dennis, football, 5; Alexis Kessler, swimming, 5; Madison Lilley, volleyball, 5; Chip McDaniel, golf, 5; Emma Talley, golf, 5; Chris Wolfe, football, 5 John Calipari, basketball, 4; Bryan Hudson, football, track and field, 4; Lee Kiefer, fencing, 4; Kole Cottam, baseball, 2; Goabaone Mosheleketi, track and field, 2.
Ballot leaders
Candidates included on the most ballots:
1. | Benny Snell | 167 |
2. | Josh Allen | 166 |
3. | Mark Stoops | 137 |
4. | Justify | 130 |
5. | Asia Durr | 76 |
6. | Rondale Moore | 73 |
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 |
Josh Allen | 727 | 305 | 344 | 233 | 1,609 |
Benny Snell | 637 | 234 | 365 | 236 | 1,472 |
Justify | 447 | 226 | 224 | 180 | 1,077 |
Mark Stoops | 434 | 201 | 270 | 164 | 1,069 |
Past winners
The history of the Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the Year Award:
Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
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.
This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 8:34 PM.