The nominees for Professional Athlete of the Year are José Ramírez (Guardians), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Katie Moon (USA Track), and Denzel Ward (Browns).
CLEVELAND — The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is set to host the 2025 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards on Thursday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The Greater Cleveland Sports Awards celebrate the accomplishments of local and professional athletes across various sports, uniting community leaders, business figures and fans for a night of recognition and inspiration, highlighting Cleveland’s impact on the sports world.
This year’s Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will introduce a new format with two stages. The “Legends” stage will host fireside chats and special presentations, while the “Champions” stage will showcase award presentations and more. The fireside chats will include a special reunion celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Cleveland Indians 1995 American League Championship team.
The nominees for this year’s event are as follows:
Male High School Athlete of the Year:
- Marquise Davis, Cleveland Heights High School, Football
- Quinn Woidke, Saint Ignatius High School, Basketball
- Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights High School, Basketball
Female High School Athlete of the Year:
- Grace Kingery, North Ridgeville High School, Basketball
- Riley LaVogue, Bay Village High School, Lacrosse
- Annabelle Groomes, Saint Joseph Academy, Volleyball
Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year:
- Joey Marousek, Baldwin Wallace University, Baseball
- Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green State University, Football
- Luke Chicone, John Carroll University, Basketball
Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year:
- Mandy Leigh, University at Buffalo, Volleyball
- Lora Clarke, University of Michigan, Field Hockey
- Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State University, Softball
Professional Athlete of the Year:
- José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians, Third Base
- Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers, Shooting Guard
- Katie Moon, USA Track and Field Team, Pole Vault (Olmsted Falls High School)
- Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns, Cornerback
Here are the additional awards for the 25th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards:
- Jim Donovan Courage Award – Josiah Saunders, a cornerback/safety on the Avon High School football team
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Dan Gilbert, chairman of the Cleveland Cavaliers and founder & chairman of Rocket Companies
- Best Moment in Cleveland Sports – TBA
- Senior Athlete Award – TBA
- Sports Development Award – TBA