The AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), is awarded annually to "the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States".
[1][a] The award was established in 1930 in honor of the organization's founder and past president, James Edward Sullivan.
[1] Finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee.
[5][6] Recipients are eligible for subsequent awards, and in 2023, Caitlin Clark became the first repeat winner.
[8][9] The first female recipient, in 1944, was swimmer Ann Curtis, who won more national AAU championships than any other woman.