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Tebow wins 2nd ESPY; Phelps, Liukin take best-athlete honors

The Associated Press

Garrett Weber-Gale, from left, Michael Phelps, and Cullen Jones accept the best moment award for setting a world record in the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay and winning gold at the Olympics.

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The Associated Press

Published: July 16, 2009

LOS ANGELES - University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow earned another ESPY Award as college football's best player on a night swimmer Michael Phelps ended Tiger Woods' five-year run as male athlete of the year.

Phelps, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist, won a leading five ESPYs on Wednesday, collecting trophies for best male athlete, record-breaking performance, championship performance, and male Olympian while sharing the best moment award as part of the victorious 400-meter freestyle swimming relay at the Beijing Games.

Olympic all-around gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin won female athlete of the year. She defeated Wimbledon winner Serena Williams, Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Connecticut basketball player Maya Moore for female athlete.

Tebow edged out Sam Bradford (Oklahoma, football), Matt Gilroy (Boston University, hockey), Blake Griffin (Oklahoma, basketball) and Stephen Strasburg (San Diego State, baseball) to become the only two-time winner of the best male college athlete ESPY. He also won it in 2008.

"It truly is an honor to even be invited to an event like the ESPYs and be able to be in the same room with many athletes that I have the utmost respect for," said Tebow. "And then to be named the best male college athlete, which was decided by the fans, makes this night even more memorable. I want to thank my teammates and coaches, but a special thank you goes out to the entire Gator Nation, the best fans in the country."

Incoming Gators freshman Andre Debose of Sanford also won an ESPY along with incoming LSU freshman quarterback Russell Shepard for the Under Armour All-America Moment. The duo hooked up for a 92-yard touchdown pass in the Under Armour All-American Game. Other nominees in this category were Jake Bernhardt (lacrosse), Tara Glover (softball), David Renfroe (baseball) and Hannah Werth (volleyball).

The awards show honoring the previous year's top athletes, events and teams airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

Phelps won a record eight gold medals in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record of seven golds in a single games. His only other ESPY came in 2005, when he was chosen male Olympian following his haul of six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Games.

He wasn't the only swimmer honored. Dara Torres, who at 41 won three silver medals in her fifth Olympics, received the comeback award. She asked for a chair to sit on backstage to rest her ailing left knee that will require surgery later this summer.

Olympic all-around gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin won female athlete of the year. She defeated Wimbledon winner Serena Williams, Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Connecticut basketball player Maya Moore for female athlete.

Woods won male golfer honors for the fifth consecutive year, giving him a career total of 22 ESPYs.

Besides Woods, Phelps outpolled basketball superstars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson for male athlete.

Bryant still took home some hardware, sharing the team award with his NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers team. Phil Jackson, who earned his record 10th NBA title, won the coaching award. James, of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was chosen best NBA player.

The Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers were honored in the best game category for their Super Bowl win in Tampa over the Arizona Cardinals. They also won for best play, when Ben Roethlisberger connected with Santonio Holmes for the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds.

Former South African president Nelson Mandela received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. His daughter Zindzi Mandela and grandson Zondwa Mandela accepted from presenters Serena and Venus Williams.

The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance went to Northern State University men's basketball coach Don Meyer, who battled cancer after surviving a near-fatal car accident.

Winners in all but the Jimmy V, Arthur Ashe and comeback categories were determined by online and mobile phone fan voting.

Samuel L. Jackson returned for the fourth time as host of the show, which was taped at the Nokia Theatre.

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