Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) placed second behind cycling star Lance Armstong in the voting for the 2001 U.S. Olympic Committee SportsMan of the Year Award. In 2000, Gardner won the USOC SportsMan of the Year award, becoming only the second wrestler to ever claim the honor, joining freestyle wrestling superstar John Smith (1990). Gardner's first and second place finish in the voting over the last two years marks the only time a wrestler has placed in the top two of the voting for two straight years. Armstrong (Austin, Texas) won his third consecutive Tour de France in 2001, the first U.S. rider to achieve the Tours triple (fifth overall). On the way to his victory in Paris, the cyclist won four Tour de France stages. Armstrong also finished in first place at the Tour de Suisse, was second in the Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) and eighth in the Semana Catalana (Spain). He was fourth in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World road ranking. Gardner won a World Championships gold medal at 130 kg/286 pounds. Gardner became the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to ever win both an Olympic gold medal and a World gold medal. He is just the third U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to capture a World title, joining Mike Houck (90 kg in 1985) and Dennis Hall (57 kg in 1995). Gardner retained the No. 1 position in the USA by winning gold medals at the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials. It was his fourth career U.S. Nationals title. He also claimed a silver medal at the internationally respected Pytlaskinski Grand Prix in Poland. Gardner is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. He was an NCAA All-American at the Univ. of Nebraska and an NJCAA national champion at Ricks College. He was a state champion for Star Valley High School (Wyo.). Rounding out the top five in the SportsMan of the Year voting behind Armstrong and Gardner were Michael Phelps (swimming), Steven Lopez (taekwondo) and Earnie Stewart (soccer). Tennis player Jennifer Capriati was voted 2001 SportsWoman of the Year and Cycling's U.S. Postal Service Team was elected 2001 USOC Sports Team of the Year. The wrestling nominees for these awards, women freestyle wrestling World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids) and the 2001 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team did not place in the top five in their categories. Wrestling has never won the USOC SportsWoman of the Year or the USOC Sports Team of the Year awards. The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996. Voters for the awards include national media, the USOC Executive Committee, the USOC Board of Directors and the USOC Athletes' Advisory Council. Winners are selected from the individual female and male Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year honorees of the National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement. USOC SportsMan of the Year standings 1. Lance Armstrong, cycling 2. Rulon Gardner, wrestling 3. Michael Phelps, swimming 4. Steven Lopez, taekwondo 5. Earnie Stewart, soccer USOC SportsWoman of the Year standings 1. Jennifer Capriati, tennis 2. Michelle Kwan, figure skating 3. Stacy Dragila, athletics 4. Natalie Coughlin, swimming 5. Tiffeny Milbrett, soccer USOC Sports Team of the Year standings 1. The U.S. Postal Service Team, cycling 2. (tie) Team Hays, bobsled 2. (tie) Gymnastics' Men's World Championships Team 4. Venus and Serena Williams, tennis 5. USA Baseball Youth National Team All-time USOC SportsMan, SportsWoman and Team of the Year honorees: SportsMan of the Year 1974 - Jim Bolding, Athletics 1975 - Clinton Jackson, Boxing 1976 - John Naber, Swimming 1977 - Eric Heiden, Speed Skating 1978 - Bruce Davidson, Equestrian 1979 - Eric Heiden, Speed Skating 1980 - Eric Heiden, Speed Skating 1981 - Scott Hamilton, Figure Skating 1982 - Greg Louganis, Diving 1983 - Rick McKinney, Archery 1984 - Edwin Moses, Athletics 1985 - Willie Banks, Athletics 1986 - Matt Biondi, Swimming 1987 - Greg Louganis, Diving 1988 - Matt Biondi, Swimming 1989 - Roger Kingdom, Athletics 1990 - John Smith, Wrestling 1991 - Carl Lewis, Athletics 1992 - Pablo Morales, Swimming 1993 - Michael Johnson, Athletics 1994 - Dan Jansen, Speed Skating 1995 - Michael Johnson, Athletics 1996 - Michael Johnson Athletics 1997 - Pete Sampras, Tennis 1998 - Jonny Moseley, Skiing 1999 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling 2000 - Rulon Gardner, Wrestling 2001 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling SportsWoman of the Year 1974 - Shirley Babashoff, Swimming 1975 - Kathy Heddy, Swimming 1976 - Sheila Young, Speed Skating 1977 - Linda Fratianne, Figure Skating 1978 - Tracy Caulkins, Swimming 1979 - Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead, Swimming 1980 - Beth Heiden, Speed Skating 1981 - Sheila Young Ochowicz, Cycling/Speed Skating 1982 - Melanie Smith, Equestrian 1983 - Tamara McKinney, Skiing 1984 - Tracy Caulkins, Swimming 1985 - Mary Decker Slaney, Athletics 1986 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics 1987 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics 1988 - Florence Griffith Joyner, Athletics 1989 - Janet Evans, Swimming 1990 - Lynn Jennings, Athletics 1991 - Kim Zmeskal, Gymnastics 1992 - Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating 1993 - Gail Devers, Athletics 1994 - Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating 1995 - Picabo Street, Skiing 1996 - Amy Van Dyken, Swimming 1997 - Tara Lipinski, Figure Skating 1998 - Picabo Street, Skiing 1999 - Jenny Thompson, Swimming 2000 - Marion Jones, Athletics 2001 - Jennifer Capriati, Tennis Team of the Year 1996 - Women's National/Olympic Basketball Team 1997 - Women's National Soccer Team 1998 - Women's Olympic Ice Hockey Team 1999 - Women's National Soccer Team 2000 - USA Baseball Olympic Team 2001 - U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team