ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Cael Sanderson, who became the first wrestler to complete an undefeated collegiate career, Wednesday was named one of five finalists for the Sullivan Award.
Also named were Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater Sarah Hughes, short track speed skating star Apolo Anton Ohno, record-setting swimmer Natalie Coughlin, and two-sport paralympian Chris Waddell.
Sanderson won his fourth NCAA wrestling title last year while at Iowa State, finishing a 159-0 career, and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive season.
The 2002 national champion at 185 pounds, Sanderson followed his college career by defeating 1996 Olympic champion Khajimurd Magomedov of Russia in an exhibition match.
Hughes won the gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics by delivering one of the most technically demanding programs ever performed. She also finished second at Skate America, and third at both the U.S. Championships and the Grand Prix Final.
Ohno became the first American male to earn an Olympic medal of any kind and a gold in short track speed skating, winning silver in the 1,000 meters and gold in the 1,500. He also won seven of eight events at the World Championships.
Coughlin broke 11 records, four world, three American and four NCAA, on the way to NCAA Swimmer of the Year and USA Swimming Athlete of the Year honors. A Sullivan finalist in 2001, she became the first woman to swim the 100-meter backstroke in under a minute.
Waddell won three alpine skiing medals at the 2002 Winter Paralympic Games, placed fourth in the 100 and sixth in the 200 at the IPC Athletics World Championships. He is paralyzed from the waist down following a skiing accident.
Presented by the Amateur Athletic Union, the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award honors the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to the union's founder.
The winner will be named March 18 at the New York Athletic Club following a reception for the finalists.
