After a Super Bowl Win, Seattle’s Ready to Celebrate Again: Vote Now for the 91st Sports Star Awards

1 day ago
3 min read

By Linda Lowry, Social in Seattle

Seattle is still riding the joy of celebrating our Seattle Seahawks as Super Bowl Champions, and the city’s energy feels electric. With that spirit carrying us forward, this year’s 91st Annual Sports Star of the Year Awards presented by Microsoft is shaping up to be one of the most epic and celebratory editions yet. The Seattle Sports Commission has announced the honorees and nominees, and the public voting window is officially open, giving our community a meaningful role in choosing the athletes and stories that defined the year. Cast your vote HERE.

Mike and Kathy Holmgren will be honored with the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award for their extraordinary impact on communities near and far. As the document notes, “They help communities across three continents,” with Kathy serving on Medical Teams International relief missions and Mike organizing Seahawks gameday fundraisers that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organization. Their leadership also helped launch Circlewood, a Pacific Northwest nonprofit focused on sustainable, environmentally conscious living.

Bras for Girls will be recognized with the Sports Equity and Inclusion Award for their work expanding access to sports for girls ages 8–18. Their mission is rooted in a simple but powerful truth: access to a properly fitting sports bra and honest education can change a girl’s relationship with movement for life. As Director of Operations Jessica Morrow shared, “Access to a properly fitting sports bra and honest, ageappropriate breast development education can be the difference between a girl fully participating or sitting out.”

Tony Ventrella will be honored posthumously with the Keith Jackson Media Excellence Award. His fourdecade career shaped how Washington experienced sports, and after his passing in 2024, the document notes that “the state legislature and Seattle sports teams hailed him as a community treasure.” His storytelling legacy continues to inspire across the region.

This year’s nominees represent the full spectrum of Washington sports, collegiate standouts, professional stars, national champions, and record breakers. The list includes Jordyn Bugg, Yvonne Ejim, Emily Lundgren, Amanda and Hana Moll, Caroline Penner, Gabby Williams, Richie Aman, Nathan Green, Cristian Roldan, Jaxon SmithNjigba, and Bryan Woo.

The Sports Story of the Year nominees capture the moments that moved the state: the Mariners’ postseason surge, the Seahawks’ recordsetting run to the Super Bowl, UW soccer’s emotional dualprogram success, Sounders FC’s historic continental trophy sweep, and the launch of Seattle’s PWHL team, the Torrent.

The Sports Star of the Year Awards have honored Washington’s most inspiring athletes and stories since 1936. Once named a Sports Star, each honoree becomes part of an elite group whose achievements are forever etched into the state’s sports history. This year’s winners will be revealed live onstage on March 13 at the Seattle Convention Center’s Summit building, with a televised broadcast airing later on KING 5.

And there is still time to make your voice heard.

Public voting is open until February 14 at 11:59 PM PST, and fans can vote once per day. Voters 18 and older can also enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the awards show. As the document states, “Sports fans of all ages can vote once per day during the voting period.”

Cast your vote HERE.

Seattle is ready to celebrate, and your vote helps shape the stories we honor this year.