USA Track & Field has announced the nominees for the 2025 USATF Athlete of the Year Awards, featuring an impressive lineup of America’s top track and field stars. Sprint sensation Noah Lyles and 400m standout Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone headline the list after dominating the global stage throughout the year. The prestigious awards ceremony is set for December 5, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, where the nation’s best athletes will be celebrated for their outstanding performances during a historic season.
The nominations come after Team USA’s dominant showing at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, where they claimed 16 gold medals, followed by six more at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. This year marks a milestone as the first time Para Athlete of the Year categories are included, following the integration of the U.S. Paralympic track and field program into USATF.
Among the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year nominees are Valarie Allman, who went unbeaten in the discus and set a world-leading mark of 73.52m, and Tara Davis-Woodhall, who captured long jump gold with a world-leading 7.13m. Heptathlon champion Anna Hall also made history by becoming the first American woman since 1992 to win the event’s world title. Rising sprint star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden earned nominations after a sensational triple gold performance in Tokyo, while McLaughlin-Levrone broke the American record in the 400m (47.78) and anchored the 4x400m relay to gold. Pole vault ace Katie Moon completes the women’s list with her fourth consecutive world title.
The Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year category features formidable contenders. Rai Benjamin finally clinched his first 400m hurdles world title, while Ryan Crouser secured his fifth straight global shot put crown. Distance runner Cole Hocker stunned the world by winning the 5000m, joining an elite club of American champions. Noah Lyles continued his sprint dominance with a third consecutive 200m world title and gold in the 4x100m relay. Rising hurdler Cordell Tinch also impressed with a world-leading 12.87 in the 110m hurdles.
In Para Athletics, standout names include Annie Carey, Arelle Middleton, Susannah Scaroni, Jaydin Blackwell, Michael Brannigan, and Joel Gomez.
Fan voting is open until November 10, 2025, via the official USATF Awards page. The ceremony will stream live on USATF.TV+ and across USATF’s social media platforms.
