July 3, 2002

LAS VEGAS - On Saturday, June 29, the Las Vegas Hilton played host to a collection of the world's greatest athletes, entertainers and sports fans during the 36th Annual Academy of Victor Sports Awards, benefiting the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. Among the award recipients was University of Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams, honored with the Victor Award as the college basketball coach of the year.

In front of a capacity crowd at the Hilton, the star-studded evening continued the Victor Awards' illustrious tradition as the longest running televised sports awards show. Televised nationally on June 30 on Fox Sports Net, the Victor Awards will be re-broadcast over the network, please check local schedules for times.

Besides' Williams' naming as coach of the year after leading the Maryland Terrapins to the 2002 national college basketball championship, some of the other anticipated awards for the night included: Pro Basketball "Player of the Year," where Jason Kidd edged out Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett for the top spot; "Boxer of the Year," with "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather, Jr. answering the bell over fellow champions Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, Jr.; and San Francisco 49ers signal caller Jeff Garcia passed his way to the Pro Football "Player of the Year" honor, pulling away from the St. Louis Rams' Marshall Faulk and Kurt Warner.

In all, the Victor Awards featured 35 categories in 15 sports. In addition to the winners from each sport, Special Achievement awards were presented to Winter Olympic heroes including Derek Parra, Jimmy Shea, Jr., Tristan Gale and Vanetta Flowers. Special honors were also given to baseball legend Joe Morgan, who received the Honda Civic Performance Award and broadcasting legend Dick Enberg, the recipient of the 2002 Walter Payton "Sweetness Award." Also highlighting the night was the induction of Terry Bradshaw into the Victor Awards Hall of Fame.

The National Academy of Sports Editors, comprised of a cross-section of sports editors, writers and broadcasters, vote to determine the winners of the Awards. In the past, the panel has honored Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Shaquille O'Neal, Wayne Gretzky and many others.

The Victor Sports Awards is more than a night to pay tribute to the most outstanding athletes in the world, it is also a night to benefit City of Hope. City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center located in the Greater Los Angeles area and is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer and other serious diseases including diabetes and HIV. The work conducted at City of Hope is shared with medical centers worldwide, touching the lives of millions of people everywhere.

For more information about how you can support City of Hope's lifesaving research and treatment programs, please call 800-260-HOPE, or visit the Web site at http://www.cityofhope.org. City of Hope ... Where the Power of Knowledge Saves Lives(TM).

     2002 Victor Sports Awards Winners:

     Pro Baseball
     Player -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
     Rookie -- Alber Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
     Manager -- Bob Brenly, Arizona Diamondbacks
     Comeback -- Matt Morris, St. Louis Cardinals

     Pro Basketball (Male)
     Player -- Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
     Rookie -- Shane Battier, Memphis Grizzlies
     Coach -- Byron Scott, New Jersey Nets
     Comeback -- Kenyon Martin, New Jersey Nets

     Pro Basketball (Female)
     Player -- Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
     Coach -- Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Sparks

     College Basketball (Male)
     Player -- Jay Williams, Duke University
     COACH -- GARY WILLIAMS, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

     College Basketball (Female)
     Player -- Sue Bird, University of Connecticut
     Coach -- Gino Auriemma, University of Connecticut

     Pro Football
     Player -- Jeff Garcia, San Francisco 49ers
     Rookie -- Anthony Thomas, Chicago Bears
     Coach -- Dick Jauron, Chicago Bears
     Comeback -- Garrison Hearst, San Francisco 49ers

     College Football
     Player -- Ken Dorsey, University of Miami
     Coach -- Larry Coker, University of Miami

     Pro Hockey
     Player -- Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
     Rookie -- Dany Heatley, Atlanta Thrashers
     Coach -- Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings
     Comeback -- Michael Peca, New York Islanders

     Boxer of the Year -- Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

     Track & Field
     Male Athlete -- John Godina
     Female Athlete -- Stacy Dragila

     Pro Tennis
     Male -- Lleyton Hewitt
     Female -- Lindsay Davenport

     Pro Golf
     Male Player -- Tiger Woods
     Female Player -- Annika Sorenstam
     Senior Golf -- Allen Doyle

     Auto Racing Driver
     Jeff Gordon -- NASCAR

     Horse Racing Jockey
     Jerry Bailey

     Soccer Player
     Jeff Agoos, San Jose Earthquake

     Special Achievement Awards
     Terry Bradshaw -- Hall of Fame Inductee
     Joe Morgan -- Honda Civic Performance Award
     Dick Enberg -- Walter Payton "Sweetness Award"
     Jerry Colangelo -- Barron Hilton Award
     Eric Weihenmayer -- First blind person to climb Mt. Everest
     Winter Olympians:
     Jimmy Shea, Jr., Tristan Gale, Derek Parra, Casey FitzRandolph,
     Apolo Anton Ohno, Vanetta Flowers, Jill Bakken, Ross Powers,
     Kelly Clark