The University of Tennessee tied the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts to lead the way with six ESPY nominations this year.
ESPN announced the nominees Monday morning. Fans will vote for the winners in 38 categories, and the awards show airs July 15 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.
The University of Tennessee is nominated for six awards, including Best Team, Best Female Athlete, Best Female College Athlete (2), Best Coach and the Under Armor Undeniable Performance.
The National Champion Lady Vol basketball team is nominated for Best Team along with the Florida men's basketball and football squads, the San Antonio Spurs, the Colts and the St. Louis Cardinals. Women have won the ESPY for Best Team twice: the Connecticut basketball team in 1996 and the U.S. World Cup soccer team in 2000.
For the best coach/manager award, Coach Summitt is up against back to back NCAA men's basketball champion Billy Donovan (Florida Gators), Super Bowl champion Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts), Jim Leyland (Detroit Tigers) and Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs).
Candace Parker will battle the WNBA's Lisa Leslie, Arizona softball's Taryne Mowatt and golfer Lorena Ochoa for Best Female Athlete.
Monica Abbott joins Parker in the category Best Female Collegiate Athlete along with Kerri Hanks (Notre Dame -Soccer), Kara Lynn Joyce (Georgia -Swimming) and Taryn Mowatt (Arizona- Softball).
The last award UT is nominated for is the Under Armor Undeniable Performance Award. The NCAA Champion basketball team will be up against Arizona's softball team, Nebraska's volleyball team, North Carolina's soccer team, Northwestern's lacrosse team and the Wisconsin women's hockey team.
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, who will co-host the event with ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, is nominated in three categories, including Best Male Athlete.
Tennessee has won several ESPY's over the years. Chamique Holdsclaw's took home top Female Athlete of the Year and Women's Basketball Player of the Year in 1999. Holdsclaw also won the Women's Basketball Player of the year award in 1998 as did Tamika Catchings in 2001. ESPN also gave the ESPY Award for Co-Team of the Decade (1990's) to the Lady Vol basketball team after the team one four National Championships during the decade.
BEST TEAM
Tennessee Women's Basketball
Florida Men's Basketball
Florida Football
San Antonio Spurs
Indianapolis Colts
St. Louis Cardinals
BEST FEMALE ATHELTE
Candace Parker, Tennessee Basketball
Lisa Leslie, WNBA
Taryne Mowatt, Arizona Softball
Lorena Ochoa, Golf
BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE
Monica Abbott, Tennessee Softball
Candace Parker, Tennessee Basketball
Kerri Hanks, Notre Dame Soccer
Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia Swimming
Taryn Mowatt, Arizona Softball
BEST COACH
Pat Summitt, Tennessee Volunteers
Billy Donovan, Florida Gators
Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts
Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers
Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
UNDER ARMOR UNDENIABLE PERFORMANCE
Lady Vol Basketball
Arizona Softball
Nebraska Volleyball
North Carolina Soccer
Northwestern Lacrosse
Wisconsin Hockey
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