Feb. 25, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's volleyball senior Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) has been selected as one of 12 semifinalists for the AAU Sullivan Award as the Top Amateur Athlete of 2010. Online voting as begun here.
This year's 12 semifinalists include, Jimmer Fredette, a guard for the BYU basketball team, UNCG golfer Robert Hoadley, water skier Regina Jacquess, Stanford volleyball player Alix Klineman, figure skater Evan Lysacek, UConn basketball player Maya Moore, former Auburn football player Cameron Newton, wrestler Elena Pirozhkova, Nevada basketball player Tahnee Robinson, Arkansas football player DJ Williams and baton twirler Karrissa Wimberley. The winner will be announced on March 14 in New York at the New York Athletic Club.
Known as the "Oscar" of sports awards, and older than The Heisman, the AAU Sullivan Award honors an outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S. The AAU has presented the award annually since 1930 as a salute to James E. Sullivan, the founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union. The Sullivan Award honors an individual not only for their athletic accomplishment, but is based upon the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship and the ideals of amateurism. Past winners include Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps among many others.
This is just the latest accolade for Brown, who was recently named the Female Athlete of the Month by the United State sports Academy. Brown was the sixth straight Nittany Lion to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2010. She was a three-time AVCA All-American and was integral in Penn State's four consecutive NCAA titles. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Brown earned Second Team laurels in 2008 and First Team honors in 2009 and 2010. Brown started all 37 matches in 2010 and led the Nittany Lions with 521 kills, averaging 4.24 kills per set on .320 hitting. She was second on the team with 281 digs (2.28 digs per set) and 113 total blocks (0.92 blocks per set). Her 4.24 kills per set ranked second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally, while her .323 attack percentage ranked ninth in the league. Also, her 4.72 points per set ranked 18th in the nation. In 2010, Brown was a Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten pick and earned conference player of the week laurels three times. She surpassed the 1,000 career kills milestone in 2010 and closed out her career with 1,295 kills.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2010 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.