The first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press (AP) in 1931. At a time when women in sports were not given the same recognition as men, the AP offered a male and a female athlete of the year award to either a professional or amateur athlete. The awards are voted on annually by a panel of AP sports editors from across the United States. A large majority of the winners have been Americans. However, non-Americans are also eligible for the honor, and have won on a few occasions.
| Year | Male | Female | | Name | Sport | Name | Sport |
|---|
| 1931 | USA|1912}} Pepper Martin | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Helene Madison | Swimming |
| 1932 | USA|1912}} Gene Sarazen | PGA golf | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson | Track and field |
| 1933 | USA|1912}} Carl Hubbell | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Helen Jacobs | Tennis |
| 1934 | USA|1912}} Dizzy Dean | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Virginia Van Wie | Golf |
| 1935 | USA|1912}} Joe Louis | Boxing | USA|1912}} Helen Wills Moody | Tennis |
| 1936 | USA|1912}} Jesse Owens | Track and field | USA|1912}} Helen Stephens | Track and field |
| 1937 | USA|1912}} Don Budge | Tennis | USA|1912}} Katherine Rawls | Swimming |
| 1938 | USA|1912}} Don Budge | Tennis | USA|1912}} Patty Berg | Golf |
| 1939 | USA|1912}} Nile Kinnick | College football | USA|1912}} Alice Marble | Tennis |
| 1940 | USA|1912}} Tom Harmon | College football | USA|1912}} Alice Marble | Tennis |
| 1941 | USA|1912}} Joe DiMaggio | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Betty Hicks Newell | Golf |
| 1942 | USA|1912}} Frank Sinkwich | College football | USA|1912}} Gloria Callen | Swimming |
| 1943 | SWE}} Gunder Hägg | Track and field | USA|1912}} Patty Berg | Golf |
| 1944 | USA|1912}} Byron Nelson | PGA golf | USA|1912}} Ann Curtis | Swimming |
| 1945 | USA|1912}} Byron Nelson | PGA golf | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson Zaharias | Golf |
| 1946 | USA|1912}} Glenn Davis | College football | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson Zaharias | Golf |
| 1947 | USA|1912}} Johnny Lujack | College football | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson Zaharias | Golf |
| 1948 | USA|1912}} Lou Boudreau | Major League Baseball | NED}} Fanny Blankers-Koen | Track and field |
| 1949 | USA|1912}} Leon Hart | College football | USA|1912}} Marlene Bauer | Golf |
| 1950 | USA|1912}} Jim Konstanty | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson Zaharias | LPGA golf[1] |
| 1951 | USA|1912}} Dick Kazmaier | College football | USA|1912}} Maureen Connolly | Tennis |
| 1952 | USA|1912}} Bob Mathias | Track and field | USA|1912}} Maureen Connolly | Tennis |
| 1953 | USA|1912}} Ben Hogan | PGA golf | USA|1912}} Maureen Connolly | Tennis |
| 1954 | USA|1912}} Willie Mays | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Babe Didrikson Zaharias | LPGA golf |
| 1955 | USA|1912}} Howard "Hopalong" Cassady | College football | USA|1912}} Patty Berg | LPGA golf |
| 1956 | USA|1912}} Mickey Mantle | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Pat McCormick | Diving |
| 1957 | USA|1912}} Ted Williams | Major League Baseball | USA|1912}} Althea Gibson | Tennis |
| 1958 | AUS}} Herb Elliott | Track and field | USA|1912}} Althea Gibson | Tennis |
| 1959 | SWE}} Ingemar Johansson | Boxing | BRA}} Maria Bueno | Tennis |
| 1960 | USA}} Rafer Johnson | Track and field | USA}} Wilma Rudolph | Track and field |
| 1961 | USA}} Roger Maris | Major League Baseball | USA}} Wilma Rudolph | Track and field |
| 1962 | USA}} Maury Wills | Major League Baseball | AUS}} Dawn Fraser | Swimming |
| 1963 | USA}} Sandy Koufax | Major League Baseball | USA}} Mickey Wright | LPGA golf |
| 1964 | USA}} Don Schollander | Swimming | USA}} Mickey Wright | LPGA golf |
| 1965 | USA}} Sandy Koufax | Major League Baseball | USA}} Kathy Whitworth | LPGA golf |
| 1966 | USA}} Frank Robinson | Major League Baseball | USA}} Kathy Whitworth | LPGA golf |
| 1967 | USA}} Carl Yastrzemski | Major League Baseball | USA}} Billie Jean King | Tennis |
| 1968 | USA}} Denny McLain | Major League Baseball | USA}} Peggy Fleming | Figure skating |
| 1969 | USA}} Tom Seaver | Major League Baseball | USA}} Debbie Meyer | Swimming |
| 1970 | USA}} George Blanda | National Football League | TWN}} Chi Cheng | Track and field |
| 1971 | USA}} Lee Trevino | PGA golf | AUS}} Evonne Goolagong | Tennis |
| 1972 | USA}} Mark Spitz | Swimming | URS}} Olga Korbut | Gymnastics |
| 1973 | USA}} O.J. Simpson | National Football League | USA}} Billie Jean King | Tennis |
| 1974 | USA}} Muhammad Ali | Boxing | USA}} Chris Evert | Tennis |
| 1975 | USA}} Fred Lynn | Major League Baseball | USA}} Chris Evert | Tennis |
| 1976 | USA}} Bruce Jenner | Track and field | ROU|1965}} Nadia Comăneci | Gymnastics |
| 1977 | USA}} Steve Cauthen | Horse racing | USA}} Chris Evert | Tennis |
| 1978 | USA}} Ron Guidry | Major League Baseball | USA}} Nancy Lopez | LPGA golf |
| 1979 | USA}} Willie Stargell | Major League Baseball | USA}} Tracy Austin | Tennis |
| 1980 | USA}} U.S. Olympic hockey team | Ice hockey | USA}} Chris Evert Lloyd | Tennis |
| 1981 | USA}} John McEnroe | Tennis | USA}} Tracy Austin | Tennis |
| 1982 | CAN}} Wayne Gretzky | National Hockey League | USA}} Mary Tabb | Track and field |
| 1983 | USA}} Carl Lewis | Track and field | USA}} Martina Navratilova | Tennis |
| 1984 | USA}} Carl Lewis | Track and field | USA}} Mary Lou Retton | Gymnastics |
| 1985 | USA}} Dwight Gooden | Major League Baseball | USA}} Nancy Lopez | LPGA golf |
| 1986 | USA}} Larry Bird | National Basketball Association | USA}} Martina Navratilova | Tennis |
| 1987 | CAN}} Ben Johnson | Track and field | USA}} Jackie Joyner-Kersee | Track and field |
| 1988 | USA}} Orel Hershiser | Major League Baseball | USA}} Florence Griffith Joyner | Track and field |
| 1989 | USA}} Joe Montana | National Football League | FRG}} Steffi Graf | Tennis |
| 1990 | USA}} Joe Montana | National Football League | USA}} Beth Daniel | LPGA golf |
| 1991 | USA}} Michael Jordan | National Basketball Association | SFR Yugoslavia}} Monica Seles[2] | Tennis |
| 1992 | USA}} Michael Jordan | National Basketball Association | FR Yugoslavia}} Monica Seles | Tennis |
| 1993 | USA}} Michael Jordan | National Basketball Association | USA}} Sheryl Swoopes | College basketball |
| 1994 | USA}} George Foreman | Boxing | USA}} Bonnie Blair | Speed skating |
| 1995 | USA}} Cal Ripken, Jr. | Major League Baseball | USA}} Rebecca Lobo | College basketball |
| 1996 | USA}} Michael Johnson | Track and field | USA}} Amy Van Dyken | Swimming |
| 1997 | USA}} Tiger Woods | PGA Tour golf | CHE}} Martina Hingis | Tennis |
| 1998 | USA}} Mark McGwire | Major League Baseball | KOR}} Se Ri Pak | LPGA golf |
| 1999 | USA}} Tiger Woods | PGA Tour golf | USA}} U.S. women's soccer team | Soccer |
| 2000 | USA}} Tiger Woods | PGA Tour golf | USA}} Marion Jones | Track and field |
| 2001 | USA}} Barry Bonds | Major League Baseball | USA}} Jennifer Capriati | Tennis |
| 2002 | USA}} Lance Armstrong | Cycling | USA}} Serena Williams | Tennis |
| 2003 | USA}} Lance Armstrong | Cycling | SWE}} Annika Sörenstam | LPGA golf |
| 2004 | USA}} Lance Armstrong | Cycling | SWE}} Annika Sörenstam | LPGA golf |
| 2005 | USA}} Lance Armstrong | Cycling | SWE}} Annika Sörenstam | LPGA golf |
| 2006 | USA}} Tiger Woods | PGA Tour golf | MEX}} Lorena Ochoa | LPGA golf |
| 2007 | USA}} Tom Brady | National Football League | MEX}} Lorena Ochoa | LPGA golf |
| 2008 | USA}} Michael Phelps | Swimming | USA}} Candace Parker | Women's National Basketball Association |
| 2009 | USA}} Jimmie Johnson[3] | NASCAR | USA}} Serena Williams | Tennis |
| 2010 | USA}} Drew Brees | National Football League | USA}} Lindsey Vonn | Skiing |
| 2011 | USA}} Aaron Rodgers | National Football League | USA}} Abby Wambach | Soccer |
| 2012 | USA}} Michael Phelps | Swimming | USA}} Gabby Douglas | Gymnastics |
| 2013 | USA}} LeBron James | National Basketball Association | USA}} Serena Williams | Tennis |
| 2014 | USA}} Madison Bumgarner[4] | Major League Baseball | USA}} Mo'ne Davis[5] | Little League baseball |
| 2015 | USA}} Stephen Curry | National Basketball Association | USA}} Serena Williams | Tennis |
| 2016 | USA}} LeBron James | National Basketball Association | USA}} Simone Biles | Gymnastics |
| 2017 | VEN}} José Altuve[6] | Major League Baseball | USA}} Katie Ledecky[7] | Swimming |
| 2018 | USA}} LeBron James[https://thespun.com/news/associated-press-names-its-2018-male-athlete-of-the-year] | National Basketball Association | USA}} Serena Williams [https://www.apnews.com/c93b33278c8c464983db9b7a9a6c998d] | Tennis |
1. ^This was the year of the founding of the LPGA.
2. ^Became a U.S. citizen in 1994.
3. ^{{cite web |title=Johnson is AP's top male athlete of '09 |date=December 21, 2009 |publisher=Associated Press (ESPN.com) |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=4761210 |accessdate=2010-08-30}}
4. ^{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12098048/madison-bumgarner-san-francisco-giants-named-ap-male-athlete-year|title=Madison Bumgarner gets AP honor|publisher=Associated Press (via ESPN.com)|date=December 30, 2014|accessdate=December 30, 2014}}
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcsports.com/davis-wins-ap-female-athlete-year-honors |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2015-12-30 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230030600/http://www.nbcsports.com/davis-wins-ap-female-athlete-year-honors |archivedate=2014-12-30 |df= }}
6. ^{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21891461/houston-astros-star-jose-altuve-named-ap-male-athlete-year |title=Astros star Jose Altuve named AP Male Athlete of the Year |agency=Associated Press |website=ESPN.com |date=December 27, 2017 |accessdate=December 27, 2017}}
7. ^{{cite news |title= Katie Ledecky Swims to AP Female Athlete of the Year Honors |author= Beth Harris |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/katie-ledecky-swims-to-ap-female-athlete-of-the-year-honors/2017/12/26/ed394c06-ea53-11e7-956e-baea358f9725_story.html?tid=a_inl |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2017-12-26|accessdate=2017-12-26 |language= English }}