Expand / Collapse search
☰

ESPYS Winner's List: Shohei Ohtani named best male athlete

By CNS Author
Updated  July 21, 2022 9:13am CDT
Sports
City News Service

Stars make their way to Hollywood for 2022 ESPY Award

Hours after the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, sports' biggest names remain in Los Angeles as the Espy Award is set to take place in Hollywood.

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Angels pitcher-designated hitter Shohei Ohtani won ESPY Awards Wednesday evening as the best men's sports athlete and best baseball player.

Ohtani won for best men's sports athlete in a field that also included four-time nominee Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, 2015 winner Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and 2021 nominee Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers.

Swimmer Katie Ledecky won for best women's sports athlete. The other nominees were skier and biathlete Oksana Masters, gymnast Sunisa Lee and WNBA standout Candace Parker, the 2008 winner.

Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp won for best championship performance for catching eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, all game highs, in the 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

The Rams were among the seven nominees for best team, but lost to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

The ESPYS honor major sports achievements, memorable moments from the past year and top sports performers and performances. The ceremony also serves as a fundraiser for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, named in honor of the late college basketball coach Jim Valvano. According to ESPN, the network has raised more than $165 million for the foundation since the awards show began in 1993.

RELATED: ‘

Curry hosted the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre. Presenters included Odell Beckham Jr., Mookie Betts, Ciara, John Boyega, Jon Hamm, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Lil Wayne, Simu Liu, Aaron Rodgers, Alison Brie, Russell Wilson and Hannah Waddingham.

During the event, the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage was presented to former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, now the mayor of Kyiv, Ukraine; the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance to college basketball announcer Dick Vitale, who is battling cancer; and the Pat Tillman Award for Service to retired Army Sgt. Maj. Gretchen Evans, one of the most decorated female veterans in U.S. history.

Here is a complete list of ESPY winners:

BEST ATHLETE, MEN'S SPORTS

  • Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN'S SPORTS

  • Katie Ledecky, Swimming

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

  • Eileen Gu, Skier

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE

  • Stephen Curry passes Ray Allen for most 3-pointers made in NBA history

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

  • Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams - Super Bowl LVI

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE

  • Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

BEST PLAY

  • Unbelievable Corner Kick Goal by Megan Rapinoe

BEST TEAM

  • Golden State Warriors, NBA

BEST OLYMPIAN, WOMEN'S SPORTS

  • Katie Ledecky, Swimming

BEST OLYMPIAN, MEN'S SPORTS

  • Caeleb Dressel, Swimming

BEST GAME

  • Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Buffalo Bills in an OT thriller (AFC Divisional Game)

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN'S SPORTS

  • Bryce Young, Alabama Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN'S SPORTS

  • Jocelyn Alo, Oklahoma Softball

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE, MEN'S SOCCER

  • Kylian Mbappé, PSG

BEST INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE, WOMEN'S SOCCER

  • Sam Kerr, Chelsea

BEST NFL PLAYER

  • Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

BEST MLB PLAYER

  • Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels

BEST NHL PLAYER

  • Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

BEST DRIVER

  • Kyle Larson, NASCAR

BEST NBA PLAYER

  • Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

BEST WNBA PLAYER

  • Candace Parker, Chicago Sky

BEST BOXER

  • Tyson Fury

BEST MMA FIGHTER

  • Charles Oliveira

BEST ATHLETE, MEN'S GOLF

  • Justin Thomas

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN'S GOLF

  • Nelly Korda

BEST ATHLETE, MEN'S TENNIS

  • Rafael Nadal

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN'S TENNIS

  • Emma Raducanu

BEST ATHLETE, MEN'S ACTION SPORTS

  • Eli Tomac, Supercross

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN'S ACTION SPORTS

  • Eileen Gu, Skiing

BEST JOCKEY

  • Jose Ortiz

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY, MEN'S SPORTS

  • Brad Snyder, Paratriathlon & Swimming

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY, WOMEN'S SPORTS

  • Jessica Long, Swimming

BEST BOWLER

  • Kyle Troup

BEST MLS PLAYER

  • Carlos Vela, LAFC

BEST NWSL PLAYER

  • Ashley Hatch, Washington Spirit

BEST WWE MOMENT

  • Cody Rhodes returns to WWE at WrestleMania