3 Defending Volleyball National Champions Named Semifinalists For Sullivan Award

Six volleyballers from around the country have been selected as semifinalists for the 2018 AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which honors the nation’s “top amateur athlete.” Among the semifinalists are:

• University of Nebraska’s Annika Albrecht
• University of Florida’s Rhamat Alhassan
• USC’s Sara Hughes
• University of Nebraska’s Kelly Hunter
• Stanford University’s Kathryn Plummer
• University of Florida’s Carli Snyder

The nominations are made “based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism,” and aims to honors athletes who have shown “strong moral character.”

Three defending national champions are among the list of volleyballers on the list – Nebraska’s Albrecht and Hunter along with USC beaches Hughes. Also on the list include the national runners-up out of Florida Alhassan/Snyder and 2016 National Champion Plummer of Stanford.

In 2017, Lauren Carlini of the University of Wisconsin was the first volleyball player to earn the Sullivan Award.

“As they do every year, this group of semifinalists embodies everything we aim to celebrate with the AAU James E. Sullivan Award,” said AAU President/CEP Dr. Roger J. Goudy. “These athletes are exceptional athletes – some of the top performers in their particular sports – but they are also extraordinary people who display leadership, citizenship, character and sportsmanship both on and off the field.”

Voting is open to the public and began at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, and will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20.

• Click here to vote.

28 athletes in total have been named 2018 semifinalists:

• Annika Albrecht, women’s volleyball
• Rhamat Alhassan, women’s volleyball
• Marvin Bagley III, men’s basketball
• Saquon Barkley, football
• Joel Berry II, men’s basketball
• Christian Coleman, track and field
• Caleb Dressel, swimming
• Erin Finn, track and field
• Sara Hughes, beach volleyball
• Kelly Hunter, women’s volleyball
• Megan Johnson, fitness and bodybuilding
• Micah Kiser, football
• Bryce Love, football
• Helen Maroulis, wrestling
• Baker Mayfield, football
• Chris Mazdzer, luge
• Elana Meyers Taylor, bobsled
• Angela Peavy, para-equestrian
• Kathryn Plummer, women’s volleyball
• Maia and Alex Shibutani, figure skating
• John Shuster, curling
• Carli Snyder, women’s volleyball
• Kyle Snyder, wrestling
• Maggie Steffens, water polo
• Gabby Williams, women’s basketball
• A’ja Wilson, women’s basketball
• Trae Young, men’s basketball
• Katie Zafares, triathlon