Ronald Acuña Jr. Earns 2024 Espy Awards Nod for Best MLB Player

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Ronald Acuña Jr. is in the running…

The 2024 Espy Awards nominations have been revealed, with the 26-year-old Venezuelan baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves earning a nod.

Acuña, who won the National League Most Valuable Player Award lin 2023, is up for Best MLB Player.

Alex Pereira has also earned a nod.

The 36-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer is nominated in the Best UFC Fighter category.

Pereira is the current UFC light heavyweight champion and a former UFC middleweight champion.

Seniesa Estrada is up for Best Boxer; Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí is nominated for Best Soccer Player, Carlos Alcaraz has earned a nod in the Best Tennis Player category and Kamilla Cardoso and her fellow South Carolina Gamecocks are up for Best Team.

Winners will be announced July 11 in a ceremony hosted by Serena Williams at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC live at 8:00 pm ET/ 5:00 pm PT.

Here is the complete list of 2024 nominees.

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels / Los Angeles Dodgers
Scottie Scheffler, Golf
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Coco Gauff, Tennis
Nelly Korda, Golf
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Haleigh Bryant, LSU Gymnastics
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Juju Watkins, USC Women’s Basketball
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
49ers Christian McCaffrey scores a TD for a record breaking 17 straight games
Caitlin Clark becomes NCAA’s All Time Scoring Leader breaking Pete Maravich’s Record
Tara VanDerveer, Stanford Women’s Basketball – gets 1,203rd win to pass Coach K for most by any coach in NCAA basketball history
Max Verstappen wins record 10th consecutive race with victory at Italian Grand Prix

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Michigan’s Blake Corum and Will Johnson, 2024 College Football National Championship MVPs
Kayla Martello, Boston College Women’s Lacrosse
Midge Purce, NJ/NY Gotham FC – NWSL Championship MVP
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
Simone Biles, Gymnast
Paige Bueckers, University of Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

BEST PLAY
Jayda Coleman calls GAME sending Oklahoma to their 4th Straight Championship – NCAA Softball 6/4/2024
Anthony Edwards Dunk of the Year – 3/18/24 – NBA
Alabama scores on 4th & 31 to win vs. Auburn 11/25/23
Lamar Jackson Caught His Own Pass & Ran With it – 1/28/24 – NFL

BEST TEAM
South Carolina Gamecocks, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Kansas City Chiefs, NFL
Michigan Wolverines, NCAA Football
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
University of Connecticut Huskies, NCAA Men’s Basketball
Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
Boston Celtics, NBA
Florida Panthers, NHL
Texas Rangers, MLB

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Jayden Daniels, LSU Football
Zach Edey, Purdue Men’s Basketball
Ousmane Sylla, Clemson Soccer
Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame Lacrosse

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Haleigh Bryant, LSU Gymnastics
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Basketball
Sarah Franklin, Wisconsin Volleyball
Izzy Scane, Northwestern Lacrosse

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Jaydin Blackwell World Champion Sprinter
Ezra Frech, World Champion High Jumper
Brenna Huckaby Snowboarding Champion
Oksana Masters, Cross-Country Skier/Hand Cyclist

BEST NFL PLAYER
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

BEST MLB PLAYER
Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Corey Seager, Texas Rangers

BEST NHL PLAYER
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

BEST NBA PLAYER
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

BEST WNBA PLAYER
Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST DRIVER
Ryan Blaney, NASCAR
Matt Hagan, NHRA
Álex Palou, IndyCar
Max Verstappen, F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER
Islam Makhachev
Sean O’Malley
Alex Pereira
Zhang Weili

BEST BOXER
Terence Crawford
Seniesa Estrada
Naoya Inoue
Oleksandr Usyk

BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Aitana Bonmatí, Spain
Naomi Girma, USWNT
Vinicius Junior, Brazil/Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé, France/Real Madrid

BEST GOLFER
Nelly Korda
Xander Schauffele
Scottie Scheffler
Lilia Vu

BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Coco Gauff
Iga Swiatek

Lionel Messi Wins Two ESPY Awards

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is celebrating a double victory…

Winners of this year’s ESPY Awards winners, with the 36-year-old Argentine soccer star earning two awards during Wednesday’s ceremony.

Messi, who is readying to play with Inter Miami CF, won the trophies for Best Championship Performance (for his World Cup performance) and Best Soccer Player.

ESPN’s ESPY Awards celebrate the best players, teams and moments in the world of sports.

The show was broadcast on ABC.

Here are the winners:

Best Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best UFC Fighter: Jon Jones
Best Comeback Athlete: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Best Athlete, Men’s Sports: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best Athlete, Women’s Sports: Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing
Best Championship Performance: Lionel Messi, Argentina — World Cup Final
Best Boxer: Claressa Shields
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Angel Reese, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball
Best Play: Justin Jefferson with the catch of the century
Best Record-Breaking Performance: LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
Best College Athlete, Men’s Sports: Caleb Williams, USC Football
Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Best Athlete with a Disability: Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Best NFL Player: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Best NBA Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1
Best Soccer Player: Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
Best Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Liam Hendriks, Chicago White Sox
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Buffalo Bills training staff
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Jrue and Lauren Holiday
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Jordan Adeyemi, Ashley Badis, Rishan Patel

Alexa PenaVega & Carlos PenaVega to Compete on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega are ready to pasodoble their way into the television history books.

The 27-year-old half-Colombian American actress and her 26-year-old actor/singer husband will compete on Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars.

The PenaVega’s are the first-ever married contestants to face-off against each other on ABC’s celebrity ballroom dancing competition.

Alexa will be partnered with professional dancer Mark Ballas, while has been matched up with Witney Carson.

But they’re not the only Latinos breaking out their dancing shoes this upcoming season…

ESPY Award winner Victor Espinoza is jockeying into position in his own quest to claim the show’s highly coveted mirrorball trophy.

The 43-year-old Mexican jockey, who rode American Pharoah to Triple Crown greatness earlier this year, has been paired up with Karina Smirnoff.

Other contestants on this season of Dancing with the Stars include Paula Deen, Tamar Braxton, Chaka Khan and Nick Carter.

Here’s the full list of the contestants and their pro dancer partners:

Alexa PenaVega partnered with Mark Ballas
Andy Grammer partnered with Allison Holker
Bindi Irwin partnered with Derek Hough
Carlos PenaVega partnered with Witney Carson
Chaka Khan partnered with Keo Motsepe
Gary Busey partnered with Anna Trebunskaya
Hayes Grier partnered with Emma Slater
Kim Zolciak Biermann partnered with Tony Dovolani
Nick Carter partnered with Sharna Burgess
Paula Deen partnered with Louis van Amstel
Tamar Braxton partnered with Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Victor Espinoza partnered with Karina Smirnoff
Alek Skarlatos partnered with Lindsay Arnold

Espinoza Leads American Pharoah to Victory in First Post-Triple Crown Race

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Victor Espinoza continues his winning ways…

The 43-year-old Mexican jockey, who was named Best Jockey at this year’s ESPY Awards, gave American Pharoah a slight nudge to take control and lead the majestic colt to victory at the Haskell Invitational, delivering an encore performance in his first race since winning the Triple Crown.

“This horse, he just keeps bringing it,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He’s just a great horse.”

With a record crowd of 60,983 cheering him on Sunday at Monmouth Park, American Pharoah came out of the final turn with a clear lead and cruised to a 2¼-length victory while Espinoza barely moved a muscle.

“He ran like a champ,” Espinoza said.

After winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and first in 37 years, American Pharoah’s return was greatly anticipated.

Fifty-seven days after the Belmont, the 3-year-old son of Pioneer of the Nile looked better than ever in his eighth consecutive victory.

“That was nerve-racking,” Baffert said after his eighth win in the Haskell, five more than any other trainer. “I was getting pretty nervous.”

“No clue,” owner Ahmed Zayat said when asked about his colt’s next race. “We’re going to enjoy this moment.”

If all goes according to plan, American Pharoah will run his final race in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 31. Then he’s headed down the road to the breeding shed at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud.

A few minutes after Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born to Run” blared over the speakers as the horses walked onto the track, American Pharoah broke well from post No. 4. But it was Competitive Edge who took the lead. Espinoza kept his horse in second until the far turn. And then, American Pharoah took off and was all alone in the stretch.

The final margin was deceptive because Espinoza never asked American Pharoah to run any harder than necessary.

“It was pretty easy,” said Espinoza, who is unbeaten in eight races as American Pharoah’s jockey. “For me the key was just coming out of there running. I knew that other horse would want to take the lead, so I sat back just a little bit. I never like to go head and head with another horse, so I sat back maybe half a length behind. He did everything by himself. It was pretty easy, pretty impressive.”

American Pharoah followed many of his Triple Crown colleagues by winning his first start after three grueling races in five weeks. Of the 11 others, seven won in their return and one, Count Fleet, was retired after the 1943 Belmont with an injury.

American Pharoah opened his career with a loss before reeling off eight in a row — seven of them Grade 1 races. With the $1.1 million payday in the Haskell, his career earnings soared to $5.6 million.

Messi Named Best International Athlete at This Year’s ESPY Awards

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is the best of the best…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star picked up the Best International Athlete prize at this year’s ESPY Awards.

Messi, a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team, beat Real Madrid‘s Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis player Novak Djokovic, golfer Lydia Ko and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

Messi became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He helped Barcelona claim the 2014-15 Champions League title as the joint top scorer (10) and the assists leader (6).

It’s Messi’s second Best International Athlete win. He previously took home the award in 2012.

But the soccer star wasn’t the only Latino athlete honored at this year’s awards show…

Victor Espinoza took home the award for Best Jockey…

The 43-year-old Mexican jockey won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. Espinoza helped end the longest streak without a Triple Crown winner in the history of American horse racing, with 13 horses losing in the Belmont Stakes after winning the first two races in the series.

Here’s a look at this year’s ESPY Award winners:

Best Team: U.S. Women’s Soccer – FIFA
Best Male Athlete: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Play (bracket-style): Odell Beckham catch vs. 16. Albany goalie lacrosse goal
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best Female Athlete: Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Moment: Lauren Hill
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Devon and Leah Still
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Danielle Green
Icon Award: Derek Jeter
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Caitlyn Jenner
Best Championship Performance: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Best Male College Athlete: Marcus Mariota, Oregon Football
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Mo’ne Davis, Little League Baseball
Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Peyton Manning throws record-509th touchdown pass
Best Upset: Mississippi over Alabama, FBS
Best Fighter: Ronda Rousey, MMA
Best Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Best Game: Patriots vs. Seahawks, Super Bowl
Best Coach/Manager: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Best Comeback Athlete: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
Best International Athlete: Lionel Messi, Barcelona/Argentina
Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Best MLB Player: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Best Driver: Kevin Harvick, NASCAR
Best WNBA Player: Skylar Diggins, Tulsa
Best Male Golfer: Jordan Spieth
Best Female Golfer: Lydia Ko
Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Best Female Tennis Player: Serena Williams
Best Female College Athlete: Missy Franklin, Cal Swimming
Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Ryan Dungey, Motocross
Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Kelly Clark, Snowboarding
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Krige Schabort, Triathlon
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Becca Meyers, Swimming
Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte
Best MLS Player: Robbie Keane, Los Angeles Galaxy

Bufoni Signs Exclusive Nike SB Shoe Sponsorship Deal & Clothing Contract

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Leticia Bufoni is ready to just do it…

The Brazilian skateboard star, a three-time X Games gold medalist, has officially joined the Nike SB team after signing an exclusive shoe sponsorship deal and clothing contract.

Bufoni announced the news via social media from Paris, where she’s competing in the Far’n High International Skateboard Contest (a Nike SB-sponsored event) this weekend, before traveling to X Games Austin to defend her Women’s Skateboard Street gold medal.

Details of the Nike contract haven’t been disclosed, but Bufoni’s management team described it as an unprecedented sponsorship deal for a female skateboarder and a “meaningful, multi-year commitment from Nike.”

“Thanks to the entire crew from Volcom and Osiris Shoes for all your support over the years,” Bufoni wrote, referring to her two longtime former sponsors. Osiris supported her as far back as 2008, when she was featured in the grom team video Children of the Revolution.

In 2013 Osiris released a limited-edition Bufoni shoe as part of its Rider Revolt line and you can find more about these shoes reading reviews in different sites like shoeadviser.com that promote the best shoes online.

“It has been great working with these brands and they will always be special to me,” she wrote. “Today, I’m entering a new chapter in my skate career as I’m excited and honored to announce that I’m joining the Nike SB family.”

Nike Brazil spokeswoman Rochelle Rosenblatt said the company had originally planned to hold the news until Monday, but allowed Bufoni to make a social media announcement first since she’s skating in Stefan Janoski‘s signature Nike SB shoe — men’s size 5 — at Far’n High.

“For us it’s amazing to have Leticia on the team and for Nike to be able to show the power of women through her eyes,” Rosenblatt said. “She’s young and brings a lot of diversity to the team, not just because she’s a woman but because she’s one of the best Brazilian skaters. We plan to use Leticia in our campaigns and will be working closely with her, but this is all very new: we’re excited to see where it leads.”

Bufoni had a phenomenal year in 2013, winning X Games gold in the Women’s Skateboard Street event in front of her home crowd in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil and again in Los Angeles, as well as in the debut of the Real Women video contest in Barcelona. She has made the podium in every X Games Women’s Skateboard Street contest since 2010, winning silver in 2010 and 2012 and bronze in 2011, has been the top-ranked female skater on the World Cup Skateboarding circuit for four years running, and was a nominee for Female Action Sports Athlete Of The Year at ESPN‘s 2013 ESPY Awards.

Triple Crown Winner Cabrera Earns ESPY Award for Best MLB Player

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

He may have lost the ESPY for Best Male Athlete to the Miami Heat’s LeBron James. But Miguel Cabrera didn’t come empty-handed.

The 30-year-old Venezuelan baseball star, a third baseman for the Detroit Tigers, was named for Best MLB Player at the 21st ESPY Awards show on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

Cabrera earned the award after becoming the first Triple Crown winner (.330 average, 44 home runs, 139 RBIs) since 1967 and winning the American League MVP title.

Meanwhile, Joel Rosario was named the year’s Best Jockey. The 28-year-old American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey won the award after riding the colt Orb to a win at the Kentucky Derby.

Rosario also won the world’s richest horse race, the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in March, aboard the US-based stallion Animal Kingdom.

ESPY Award is short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award.

Fan voting, conducted online, was based on performances spanning the past 12 months.

The awards show, which celebrates the year’s best athletes and moments in sports, was hosted by Mad Men star Jon Hamm.

Messi Earns His Second European Golden Boot

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is getting the boot again…

The 25-year-old Argentine striker received his second Golden Boot for being the top scorer in the European national leagues, thanks to his 50 goals last season with Futbol Club Barcelona in Spain’s La Liga.

And Messi, who was named the best international athlete at this year’s ESPY Awards, is ready for more accolades.

“My objective is to achieve many more great things,” said Messi, who claimed his third straight Ballon d’Or in January. “I’ve always been that way and I will be that way until the end of my career.”

Messi insisted, however, that what he really cares about are team honors, as he thanked his Barcelona teammates for helping him to a second Golden Boot.

“We fight to win titles. We’re lucky to be doing very well in Liga and in Champions (League), and tomorrow we begin the competition for the Copa del Rey, but I don’t battle for the Golden Boot,” said Messi.

Messi received the award at a gala event in Barcelona, where he was joined by teammates from Barça and the coach of the Argentine national team along with other prominent figures in soccer and sports.

Messi accepted the Golden Boot from former player and coach Luis Suarez, the only Spanish recipient of the Ballon d’Or, FIFA’s prize for World Player of the Year.

Messi, who has never played for another professional club, said his dream is to end his career with FC Barcelona.

Messi Named Best International Athlete at ESPY Awards

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

The people have spoken… And, they’ve named Lionel Messi the best of the best…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star—who claimed his third straight Ballon d’Or in January—was named Best International Athlete during Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards, which celebrate the year’s best athletes and moments in sports.

Messi, who plays for Futbol Club Barcelona in Spain’s La Liga, beat out some of the world’s biggest sports stars for the title, including tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng and his Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

During his record-breaking season, Messi scored 50 goals in La Liga and an unmatched 73 goals in all competitions. He also finished as the UEFA Champions League‘s top scorer for a fourth consecutive season with 14 goals.

But Messi wasn’t the only Latino athlete recognized…

Mario Gutierrez, who rode I’ll Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, won as best jockey.

The 25-year-old Mexican jockey beat out Javier Castellano, Ramon Dominguez  and John Velazquez for the trophy.

Award winners are selected exclusively through online fan voting from the list of candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee.

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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