Stats behind Best Athlete – Women’s Sports nominee…

July 8, 2026 No Comments

ESPYS 2026: Stats behind Best Athlete – Women’s Sports nomineesESPNMultiple AuthorsJul 8, 2026, 09:00 AM ET

Dominant in their respective sports, this year’s nominees for Best Athlete – Women’s Sports rewrote record books. In honor of the upcoming ESPYS, we break down the eye-catching stats behind their accomplishments.

A’ja Wilson is up for her second Best Athlete – Women’s Sports award after winning in 2024. Sage East for ESPNA’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

After capping off the 2025 season with a national title and Finals MVP, the Las Vegas center became the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win regular season MVP, Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and the scoring title in the same season.
Wilson totaled 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists and shot 17-for-19 from the free-throw line in the Aces’ Game 4 Finals victory over the Phoenix Mercury. Her 322 points in the 2025 postseason were the most in league history.
The former No. 1 overall pick made history with her fourth career MVP award. No other WNBA player has more. WNBA legends Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes each have three.

Hilary Knight’s game-tying goal in the third period set up the women’s team to win Olympic gold and prevail over Canada in overtime. Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesHilary Knight, Hockey

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With her game-tying goal in the third period of the U.S.-Canada gold medal game, Knight set the record for most Olympic career goals (15) and points (33) in U.S. men’s or women’s hockey.
Knight’s medal tally — two gold, three silver — makes her the most decorated American in Olympic ice hockey.
At Milan Cortina, Knight became the first American hockey player, male or female, to compete in five Olympic Games. The forward was just 20 when she made her Olympic debut in Vancouver in 2010.

The four-time Olympic medalist is the most decorated U.S. alpine skier in Olympic history. AP Photo/Marco TrovatiMikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Skiing

In her last event in Milan Cortina, Shiffrin dominated, winning the slalom by 1.50 seconds. It was the largest margin in any Olympic alpine skiing event since 1998.
Shiffrin is the only U.S. skier to win the slalom twice — in 2014, she was the youngest U.S. woman to win slalom gold at 18. Twelve years later, at 30, she became the oldest U.S. woman to win gold in the same event.
Adding to her medal-winning run at the Olympics, Shiffrin achieved a record-tying sixth overall World Cup skiing title in March. It was her first overall title since 2023.

Nelly Korda is also nominated for Best Golfer in this year’s ESPYS. AP Photo/Ashley LandisNelly Korda, Golf

Thus far in 2026, Korda has secured wins in four of the 10 tournaments she’s entered, including two consecutive LPGA major championships.
Korda currently owns 25 of the 27 points needed to become an LPGA Hall of Famer. Players must accumulate 27 points and win either an LPGA major, the Vare Trophy, or the Rolex Player of the Year to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Korda, ranked World No. 1, leads the LPGA in lowest scoring average with 68.51.

Your vote helps to determine ESPY winners. So let your voice be heard! Cast it now and tune in on July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and the ESPN App. The show will be available to stream the next day on Disney+, Hulu, the ESPN App, and ABC Video on Demand. ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.