2012 ESPY Award Nominations

Best Female Athlete
Brittney Griner, Baylor Basketball
Maria Sharapova, Tennis
Lindsey Vonn, Alpine Skier
Abby Wambach, Soccer

Best Championship Performance
David Freese, World Series
LeBron James, NBA Playoffs
Eli Manning, Super Bowl
Tony Stewart, Sprint Cup
Jonathan Quick, Stanley Cup

Best Breakthrough Athlete
Anthony Davis, Kentucky Basketball
Robert Griffin III, Baylor Football
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks
Alex Morgan, Soccer

Best Record-Breaking Performance
Drew Brees, Passing Yards Record
Coach K, Wins Milestone
Mariano Rivera, Saves Milestone
Lexi Thompson, Youngest Winner

Best Upset
Iowa State over Oklahoma State, NCAA Football
L.A. Kings, Stanley Cup win
Lehigh over Duke, NCAA Tournament
Norfolk State over Missouri, NCAA Tournament

Best Game
Missouri at Kansas, College Basketball
Rangers – Cardinals, World Series Game 6
49ers vs. Saints, NFL Playoffs

Best Moment
Derek Jeter, 3,000th Hit
Tebow to Thomas, Sudden Death TD
Bubba Watson, Masters Win
MLB Season Ends, Drama On Final Night

Best Coach/Manager
John Calipari, Kentucky Basketball
Tom Coughlin, NY Giants
Kim Mulkey, Baylor Women’s Basketball
Patrick Murphy, Alabama Softball
Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat
Darryl Sutter, L.A. Kings

Best Comeback Athlete
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Johan Santana, New York Mets
Maria Sharapova, Tennis
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Best International Athlete
Novak Djokovic, Tennis
Lionel Messi, Soccer
Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer
Yani Tseng, Golfer

Best NFL Player
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
Aaron Rodgersm, Green Bay Packers
Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens

Best MLB Player
Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Best NHL Player
Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning

Best Driver
Dario Franchitti, IndyCar
Tony Stewart, NASCAR
Sebastian Vettel, F1
Del Worsham, NHRA

Best NBA Player
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
LeBron James, Miami Heat
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

Best WNBA Player
Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx
Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

Best Fighter
Jon ‘Bones’ Jones, MMA
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Boxing
Anderson Silva, MMA
Andre Ward, Boxing

Best Male Golfer
Luke Donald
Bill Haas
Rory McIlroy
Webb Simpson
Bubba Watson

Best Female Golfer
Cristie Kerr
Yani Tseng
So Yeon Ryu

Best Male Tennis Player
Novak Djokovic
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal

Best Female Tennis Player
Victoria Azarenka
Petra Kvitova
Maria Sharapova
Samantha Stosur

Best Male College Athlete
Jack Connolly, Minnesota-Duluth Hockey
Anthony Davis, Kentucky Basketball
Robert Griffin III, Baylor Football
Andrew Luck, Stanford Football
Mike Zunino, Florida Baseball

Best Female College Athlete
Brittney Griner, Baylor Basketball
Alex Jupiter, USC Volleyball
Caitlin Leverenz, Cal Swimming
Teresa Noyola, Stanford Soccer
Jackie Traina, Alabama Softball

Best Male Action Sports Athlete
Travis Rice
Kelly Slater
Ryan Villopoto
Shaun White

Best Female Action Sports Athlete
Jamie Anderson
Kelly Clark
Carissa Moore
Kaya Turski

Best Jockey
Javier Castellano
Ramon Dominguez
Mario Gutierrez
John Velazquez

Best Male Athlete with a Disability
Baxter Humby
Raymond Martin
Kyle Maynard
Oz Sanchez
Tyler Walker

Best Female Athlete with a Disability
Jessica Long
Chelsea McClammer
Tatyana McFadden
Alana Nichols
Melissa Stockwell

Best Bowler
Jason Belmonte
Mike Fagan
Sean Rash

Best MLS Player
David Beckham, Los Angeles Galaxy
Brad Davis, Houston Dynamo
Dwayne De Rosario, DC United
Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes

Best Track & Field Athlete
Walter Dix
Carmelita Jeter
Jason Richardson
Christian Taylor

Best Team of the Year
Alabama football
Baylor women’s basketball
Kentucky men’s basketball
Los Angeles Kings
Miami Heat
New York Giants
St. Louis Cardinals