The award, created in 1936, has celebrated the achievements of local athletes, coaches, and others in the sports industry for the past 79 years. Over the past two years, more than 1,200 athletes, coaches, and fans have gathered for the prestigious event.
The event, which will take place on January 22, 2014, features a pre-show reception, beginning at 5:30 pm, where attendees can mingle with special guests and bid on silent auction items prior to the awards show at 7:30 pm. Past special guests have included Gary Payton, Steve Largent, Apolo Ohno, Kasey Keller, Jay Buhner, Lenny Wilkens, Kerri Strug, and more.
Fans can vote for Bonvicini and the men’s and women’s soccer teams once every 24 hours until January 15 by clicking HERE. The total vote is based 50% by the public and 50% by the Sports Star Committee.
Bonvicini, the 2012-13 Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, led the Seattle U women’s basketball team to the WAC Regular Season title in their first season in the league. She coached WAC Player of the Year Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.) and WAC Defensive Player of the Year Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.), and has now been named Coach of the Year in every conference she has been a part of. Last season, she was also named to the Top 30 list of finalists for the Naismith College Women’s Coach of the Year.
The Seattle U men’s and women’s soccer teams posted equally impressive and historic campaigns in 2013, each winning the WAC Regular Season and Tournament Titles. The women’s team became the first ever Seattle U women’s team to qualify for an NCAA Division I Tournament, while the men became the first SU men’s team to qualify for the same feat since men’s basketball in March 1969. The men’s squad took it a step further, becoming the first SU men’s team to win an NCAA DI Tournament game since March 1964 with a 2-1 First Round win at Creighton on Nov. 21. Julie Woodward and Pete Fewing were each named WAC Coach of the Year for their leadership, while Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Miguel Gonzalez (Yelm, Wash.) were each named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and Kyle Bjornethun (Snohomish, Wash.) was named WAC Freshman of the Year.
The event will take place at Benaroya Hall at 200 University St. in Downtown Seattle. For more information and for a registration link to attend the special event, click HERE.
The nominees for each award are as follows:
Female Sports Star of the Year: Joan Bonvicini (Seattle U Women’s Basketball Head Coach), Krista Vansant (Washington Volleyball), Marti Malloy (USA Judo), Melissa Arnot (Record holding Mountaineer), Micaela Castain (Washington State soccer), Tina Thompson (Seattle Storm)
Male Sports Star of the Year: Bishop Sankey (Washington football), DeAndre Yedlin (Sounders FC), Hisashi Iwakuma (Mariners pitcher), John Lester (Red Sox pitcher), Russell Wilson (Seahawks quarterback), Washington men’s soccer
Sports Story of the Year: Eastlake Little League, Husky Stadium, Washington Volleyball, Washington Crew, The Seahawks Run, Seattle U Men’s and Women’s Soccer