THE 2015 ESPYS WINNERS

The biggest stars from the worlds of sports and entertainment gathered in downtown Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday night to celebrate the best sports stories of the year at The 2015 ESPYS Presented by Capital One. The show was hosted by actor Joel McHale and aired on ABC.

Peyton Manning won his second straight Best Record Breaking Performance ESPY for the 509th touchdown of his career, breaking the NFL record held previously by Brett Favre. Also, Stephen Curry won his first-ever Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player awards. The 2015 NBA MVP led the Warriors to a league-best 67-15 record and their first NBA Championship in 40 years.

UFC champion Ronda Rousey won her second straight Best Female Athlete honor. She faced stiff competition from two-time winners Serena Williams and Lindsey Vonn, as well as returning nominee Breanna Stewart. Williams won her seventh Best Female Tennis Player award.

Little League standout Mo’ne Davis became the youngest athlete ever to win the Best Breakthrough Athlete award, and the incredible U.S. Women’s National Team took home Best Team honors after their 5-2 win over Japan for their third World Cup trophy.

Three awards served as the emotional pinnacle of the industry-wide sports celebration. Devon and Leah Still were honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, given each year in honor of the late Jim Valvano and The V Foundation for Cancer Research, for their unwavering strength and determination in Leah’s fight against cancer and in the face of a continuing serious personal struggle. The Arthur Ashe Courage Award was presented to Caitlyn Jenner for showing the courage to embrace a truth that had been hidden for years, and to embark on a journey that may not only give comfort to those facing similar circumstances, but can also help to educate people on the challenges that the transgender community faces. And The Pat Tillman Award for Service, first introduced at last year’s show, was given to former Notre Dame basketball player, Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green, for her strength through adversity and continued commitment to her country.

Lauren Hill, the late college basketball player who died of terminal brain cancer in April, was honored with Best Moment. Former New York Yankee great and five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter was presented with the Icon Award.

This year’s presenters included:
Mike Epps (Survivor’s Remorse), Julie Foudy (analyst/retired professional soccer player), Ed Helms (Vacation), Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chris Long (St. Louis Rams), Danica Patrick (NASCAR driver), Richard Sherman (Seattle Seahawks), Britney Spears (“Britney: Piece of Me”), Kiefer Sutherland, Vince Vaughn (True Detective), JJ Watt (Houston Texans) and others.

In addition, top athletes and celebrities who attended the show include:
Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants), Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys), Victor Espinoza (Triple Crown Champion jockey), Brett Favre (retired professional NFL player), Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots), Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken), Derek Jeter (retired professional MLB player), Cardale Jones (Ohio State Buckeyes), Urban Meyer (Ohio State Buckeyes coach), Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees), Ronda Rousey (UFC Bantamweight Champion), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) and Caroline Wozniacki (professional tennis player).

COMPLETE LIST OF THE 2015 ESPYS WINNERS
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Peyton Manning
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Mo’ne Davis
Best Championship Performance: LeBron James
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski
Best Female Athlete: Ronda Rousey
Best Play: Odell Beckham Jr.
Best Male Athlete: Stephen Curry
Best Team: USWNT
Best Game: Super Bowl
Best Upset: Ole Miss over Alabama
Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry
Best Fighter: Ronda Rousey
Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Kelly Clark
Best Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Krige Schabort
Best MLS Player: Robbie Keane
Best Coach: Steve Kerr
Best International Athlete: Lionel Messi
Best MLB Player: Mike Trout
Best NHL Player: Jonathan Toews
Best WNBA Player: Skylar Diggins
Best Driver: Kevin Harvick
Best Male Golfer: Jordan Spieth
Best Female Golfer: Lydia Ko
Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams
Best Male College Athlete: Marcus Mariota
Best Female College Athlete: Missy Franklin
Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Ryan Dungey
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Becca Meyers
Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte

SPECIAL AWARDS
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Devon and Leah Still
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Danielle Green
Best Moment: Lauren Hill
Icon Award: Derek Jeter
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Caitlyn Jenner