List of sports awards honoring women

2014 Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships Women's pair winners

This list of notable awards honoring sportswomen gives the country of the sponsoring organization, but some awards are open to sportswomen around the world. The list includes sub-lists for general awards to female athletes, for awards to association football (soccer) players, to basketball players and to women players in other sports.

All of these sublists include awards for coaches and administrators in women's sports. Awards for these roles are usually not restricted by the recipient's sex or gender.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

## General awards

[edit]

Country | Type | Award | Sponsor

|
|
|

United States | General | Best Female Athlete ESPY Award | ESPY Award[1]
United States | Disability | Best Female Athlete with a Disability ESPY Award | ESPY Award[2]
United States | College | Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award | ESPY Award[1]
United States | General | Billie Jean King Contribution Award | Women's Sports Foundation[3]
United States | Olympics | Best U.S. Female Olympian ESPY Award | ESPY Award
UK / Ireland | General | BT Sport Action Woman Awards | BT Sport[4][5][6][7][8]
United States | General | Flo Hyman Award | Women's Sports Foundation'[9]
United States | High School | Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year | Gatorade Player of the Year awards[10]
United States | College | Honda Sports Award | Honda, National Collegiate Athletic Association
United States | College | Honda-Broderick Cup | Honda, National Collegiate Athletic Association
Monaco | General | Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year | Laureus World Sports Awards
United States | College | NCAA Woman of the Year Award | National Collegiate Athletic Association
United Kingdom | General | Scottish Women in Sport Hall of Fame | Scottish Women in Sport Hall of Fame
United States | General | Sports Illustrated Top 20 Female Athletes of the Decade (2009)[11] | Sports Illustrated
United States | General | Sportswoman of the Year Award | Women's Sports Foundation
United Kingdom | General | Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards | The Sunday Times
United States | Olympics | USOC SportsWoman of the Year[12] | United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
United States | General | University of Texas Women's Athletics Hall of Honor[13] | Texas Longhorns
United Kingdom | General | William Hill Sportswoman of the Year | William Hill (bookmaker)
United States | General | Women's Sports Foundation awards[14] | Women's Sports Foundation
India | General | BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year | BBC Hindi
Philippines | General | PSC–PCW Women in Sports Awards | Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Commission on Women, and corporate sponsors

## Association football

[edit]

See also: List of Senior CLASS Award women's soccer winners

Country | Award | Sponsor

|
|

Australia | A-League Women Golden Boot | A-League Women
Egypt | African Women's Footballer of the Year | Confederation of African Football[15]
United States | Annual Women's Professional Soccer awards[a] | Women's Professional Soccer[16]
International[b] | BBC Women's Footballer of the Year | BBC[17]
International[c] | Ballon d'Or Féminin | France Football[18]
United States | Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award[d] | ESPY Award[19]
Americas | CONCACAF Awards | CONCACAF[20]
Czech Republic | Czech Footballer of the Year (women) | Football Association of the Czech Republic[21]
Denmark | Danish Football Player of the Year | Danish Football Union[22]
Sweden | Diamantbollen | Swedish Football Association, Sydsvenskan newspaper
Estonia | Estonian Female Footballer of the Year | Estonian Football Association
Estonia | Estonian Female Young Footballer of the Year | Estonian Football Association
International | FIFA Female Player of the Century | FIFA
International | FIFA Women's World Cup awards | FIFA
International | FIFA Women's World Player of the Year[e] | FIFA
Germany | Footballer of the Year (Germany) | Association of German Sports Journalists, Kicker magazine.[23]
United States | Gatorade Player of the Year awards#Soccer | Gatorade
United States | Hermann Trophy | Missouri Athletic Club
United States | ISAA Player of the Year | Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America
Iceland | Icelandic Footballer of the Year | Selected by a panel of officials, coaches and former players[24]
Iran | Iran football award winners | Persian Gulf Pro League
United States | Jerry Yeagley Award | United Soccer Coaches
Australia | Julie Dolan Medal | W-League
Latvia | Latvian Footballer of the Year | Latvian Football Federation
United States | Mike Berticelli Award | United Soccer Coaches
United States | NWSL Goal of the Week | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Most Valuable Player Award | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Player of the Month | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Player of the Week | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Rookie of the Month | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Save of the Week | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Shield | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL Team of the Month | National Women's Soccer League
United States | NWSL awards | National Women's Soccer League
England and Wales | PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year | Professional Footballers' Association
England and Wales | PFA Women's Young Player of the Year | Professional Footballers' Association
Scotland | PFA Scotland Women's Player of the Year | PFA Scotland
Scotland | SFWA Women's International Player of the Year | Scottish Football Writers' Association
Scotland | Scottish Women's Football Annual Awards | Scottish Women's Football
Scotland | Scottish Women's Premier League Coach of the Year Award[f] | Scottish Women's Football
United States | Soccer America Player of the Year Award | Soccer America magazine
United Kingdom | The 100 Best Female Footballers In The World | The Guardian newspaper
International | The Best FIFA Women's Coach[f] | FIFA
International | The Best FIFA Women's Player | FIFA
England | The FA England Awards | The Football Association
England | The FA Women's Football Awards | The Football Association
United States | TopDrawerSoccer.com National Player of the Year Award | TopDrawerSoccer.com
France | Trophées UNFP du football | National Union of Professional Footballers
United States | U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year | United States Soccer Federation
Europe | UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award | UEFA
United States | USWNT All-Time Best XI | United States Soccer Federation
Ukraine | Ukrainian Woman Footballer of the Year | Ukrainian Women's League
United States | WPS Player of the Month[a] | Women's Professional Soccer
Wales | Welsh Footballer of the Year | Football Association of Wales

1. ^ a b Discontinued along with the league after the 2011 season.
2. ^ Although presented by a British body, this award is open to players of all nationalities, regardless of their club affiliations. Through the 2020 awards, only two British players have been finalists—one Scottish (one time) and one English (twice). On all three occasions, the British player was the recipient.
3. ^ Although presented by a French magazine, this award is open to players of all nationalities, regardless of their club affiliations. No French players were among the finalists in the first two years of the award (2018, 2019).
4. ^ Discontinued after the 2004 award.
5. ^ Discontinued after the 2015 award and replaced by The Best FIFA Women's Player.
6. ^ a b In all sports, "women's coach" is defined as an individual of any sex or gender who coaches a women's team.

## Basketball

[edit]

See also: List of Senior CLASS Award women's basketball winners and List of Women's Basketball Academic All-America Team Members of the Year

Country | Award | Sponsor(s)

|
|

United States | All-WNBA Team | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | Ann Meyers Drysdale Award | Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame &
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Best Female College Basketball Player ESPY Award | ESPY Award
United States | Best WNBA Player ESPY Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | Cheryl Miller Award | Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame &
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Dawn Staley Award | Phoenix Club of Philadelphia
United States | Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | Geno Auriemma Award[a] | United States Basketball Writers Association
United States | Honda Sports Award (basketball) | Honda, Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | John R. Wooden Award[b] | Los Angeles Athletic Club
United States | Katrina McClain Award | Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame &
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Lisa Leslie Award | Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame &
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Naismith Trophy[b] | Atlanta Tipoff Club
United States | Nancy Lieberman Award | Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame &
Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award[c] | United States Basketball Writers Association
United States | Tamika Catchings Award | United States Basketball Writers Association
United States | USBWA Women's National Player of the Year | United States Basketball Writers Association
United States | Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | Wade Trophy | Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | WBCA Defensive Player of the Year | Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | WBCA Player of the Year | Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | Maggie Dixon Award[d] | Women's Basketball Coaches Association
United States | WNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award[e] | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Coach of the Year Award[f] | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Most Improved Player Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Most Valuable Player Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Peak Performers | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Rookie of the Year Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award | Women's National Basketball Association
United States | Women's Basketball Hall of Fame[g] | Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

1. ^ This is one of several annual awards presented to the top head coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball. Of the 22 individual award winners through the 2023–24 NCAA Division I season, six are men—including Geno Auriemma, who has won six times to date and became the award's namesake in 2024.
2. ^ a b This award is presented annually to the top player in US college basketball, with separate awards for men and women.
3. ^ This award can be won by any individual involved with women's college basketball, regardless of sex or gender, or by a women's college basketball team. The corresponding award for men's college basketball is similarly open to all involved with the men's game. Notably, in 2019, a woman received the men's award and a man received the women's award.
4. ^ This award is presented to the top first-year head coach in NCAA Division I women's basketball, regardless of the coach's sex or gender. Of the 18 award winners through the 2023–24 season, four have been men.
5. ^ This award can be won by any individual regardless of sex or gender. Of the seven awards presented through the 2023 season, six have gone to men.
6. ^ This award can be won by any individual regardless of sex or gender. Through the 2023 WNBA season, 14 of the 27 awards presented have been earned by men.
7. ^ This hall of fame honors contributors to women's basketball in all roles. Many men have been honored for their contributions as coaches and administrators in the women's game.

## Other sports

[edit]

Country | Sport | Award | Sponsor

|
|
|

United States | Baseball | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Player of the Year Award | All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Finland  | Ice hockey | Aurora Borealis Cup | Naisten Liiga
United States | Extreme sport | Best Female Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award | ESPY Award
United States | Golf | Best Female Golfer ESPY Award | ESPY Award
United States | Tennis | Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award | ESPY Award
United States | Track and field | Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award | ESPY Award
United States | Softball | Blue Darter Trophy | Lee's Summit Girls Softball Association
United States | Ice hockey | Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award | USA Hockey
Canada | Ice hockey | Clarkson Cup | Canadian Women's Hockey Championship
United States | Golf | Dinah Shore Trophy Award | National Golf Coaches Association
United States | Golf | Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award | National Golf Coaches Association
United States | Golf | Heather Farr Player Award | LPGA
United States | Tennis | International Tennis Hall of Fame | Newport Casino
United States &
Canada | Ice hockey | Isobel Cup | Premier Hockey Federation
Canada | Ringette | Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup | National Ringette League
Australia | Rugby league | Karyn Murphy Medal | NRL Women's Premiership
United States | Ice hockey | Laura Hurd Award | NCAA Division III
United States | Golf | LPGA Tour awards | LPGA
United States | Softball | List of Senior CLASS Award softball winners | Premier Sports Management[a]
United States | Volleyball | List of Senior CLASS Award women's volleyball winners | Premier Sports Management[a]
United States | Ice hockey | Patty Kazmaier Award | NCAA Divisions I and II[b]
United Kingdom | Long-distance swimming | Queen of the Channel | Channel Swimming Association[25]
United States | Field hockey | USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame | Ursinus College
United Kingdom | Rugby league | Woman of Steel | RFL Women's Super League
United States | Softball | Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player[c] | NCAA

1. ^ a b The Senior CLASS Awards are presented to NCAA Division I athletes, but are not officially sponsored by the NCAA.
2. ^ The NCAA's top-level championship in women's ice hockey is open to members of Divisions I and II. Members of both divisions compete under identical scholarship limits.
3. ^ This award is specific to NCAA Division I; the NCAA uses the term "Women's College World Series" strictly for its Division I softball championship. Identical awards are presented in the Division II and III championships.

## See also

[edit]

* Lists of awards
* List of awards honoring women

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Felt, Hunter (13 July 2017). "ESPY Awards 2017: Simone Biles and Russell Westbrook win Best Athletes - as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
2. ^ Nelson, Murry R. (2013). American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols and Ideas. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. pp. 399–401. ISBN 978-0-313-39753-0. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
3. ^ "Billy Jean Contribution Award". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
4. ^ "BT's ActionWoman of the Year Awards: Terms and Conditions". BT Sport. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
5. ^ "BT Sport Action Woman of the Year Award 2014: Voting terms and conditions". BT Sport. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
6. ^ "BT Sport to broadcast 2014 Action Woman Awards". Sport on the Box. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
7. ^ "BT Sport Action Woman of the Year Award 2015: Voting terms and conditions". BT Sport. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
8. ^ "BT Sport Unveils Nominees For The 2015 BT Sport Action Woman Of The Year Award". Life and Fitness. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
9. ^ "Flo Hyman Memorial Award description". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on August 12, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
10. ^ Gatorade National Player of the Year, Stokely-Van Camp, Inc, archived from the original on 2017-11-15, retrieved 2020-01-24
11. ^ Lawrence, Andrew (December 22, 2009). "2000s: Top 20 Female Athletes". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
12. ^ Awards > Team USA Awards > About, Team USA, retrieved 2020-01-24
13. ^ Women's Athletics Hall of Honor Archived September 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. University of Texas Athletics official website. Retrieved 2011-09-10. "The UT Women's Athletics Hall of Honor was created in 2000 ...."
14. ^ Awards, Women's Sports Foundation, retrieved 2020-01-24
15. ^ "Nigerian women battle barriers in elite sports". Daily Independent. groups.yahoo.com. 13 January 2002. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
16. ^ 2011 WPS Year End Awards, WPS, archived from the original on 2011-08-21, retrieved 2020-02-05
17. ^ "BBC Women's Footballer of the Year vote terms and conditions", BBC Sport, 24 April 2016, retrieved 2020-02-05
18. ^ Aarons, Ed (4 December 2018). "Ada Hegerberg: first women's Ballon d'Or marred as winner is asked to twerk". The Guardian. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
19. ^ The 2004 ESPY Awards winners, ESPN, retrieved 2020-02-05
20. ^ "2013 CONCACAF Awards". CONCACAF.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
21. ^ "Talentem roku Sonntagová, trenérem Rada". fotbal.cz (in Czech). FAČR. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
22. ^ Årets Fodboldspiller gennem tiderne, Danish Football Union, archived from the original on 2013-11-05, retrieved 2020-02-05
23. ^ "Fußballer des Jahres seit 1960: Die Siegerliste". kicker.de (in German). 23 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
24. ^ "Knattspyrnufólk ársins". ksi.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
25. ^ Queen of the Channel® - Most Swims by a Lady, Channel Swimming Association, retrieved 2020-01-23