2022
Justin Jefferson: The third-year Vikings wide receiver has developed into a bona fide superstar, launching himself into record books and imaginations with a combination of grit, grace and the Griddy.
2021
Suni Lee: The gymnast from St. Paul, the first Hmong American to make an Olympic team, came home from the Tokyo Olympics with three medals, including the gold for winning the all-around competition.
2020
Eric Kendricks: The All-Pro Vikings linebacker turned his private work into public activism after the killing of George Floyd.
2019
Nelson Cruz: The veteran slugger, at age 39, brought clout to the Twins on the field and in the clubhouse leading the Bomba Squad to 101 wins and a major league record 307 home runs, including 41 of his own.
2018
Maggie Nichols: The Little Canada native dominated the NCAA gymnastics championships as Oklahoma’s star — three months after courageously revealing herself as “Athlete A,” the first source in the USA Gymnastics sexual-abuse scandal.
2017
Cheryl Reeve: The coach behind the united, thoughtful, powerful Minnesota Lynx led the franchise to its fourth WNBA title in seven years.
2016
Jeff Hintz: As the Ryder Cup tournament director at Hazeltine National, he organized one of the greatest sporting events in Minnesota history.
2015
Maya Moore: She hit a Finals Game 3 buzzer-beater, and many more big shots in the playoffs, to lead the Lynx to their third WNBA title.
2014
Mike Grant: The veteran Eden Prairie football coach won his fourth consecutive state title and 10th overall.
2013
Gophers women’s hockey: The team produced a 41-0 record, an NCAA championship and a 62-game winning streak over two seasons.
2012
Adrian Peterson: He rushed for 2,097 yards, second most in NFL history, and was named the league’s MVP, leading the Vikings to a 10-6 regular-season record and their first playoff berth in three years.
2011
Seimone Augustus: After two years of misfortune, the Lynx star dug deep and inspired her team to a WNBA title.
2010
Earl Santee: The architect of Target Field turned an urban parking lot into the “best ballpark in America.”
2009
Brett Favre: The future Hall of Famer led the Vikings to a 12-4 regular season and into the NFC Championship Game. At age 40, Favre completed 68% of his passes.
2008
Lindsey Vonn: She became the most successful downhill skier in U.S. history and the first American woman in 25 years to win the World Cup overall title.
2007
Adrian Peterson: The Vikings rookie set the single-game rushing record with 296 yards in his eighth game.
2006
Twins organization: A playoff team with a Cy Young Award winner (Johan Santana), an MVP (Justin Morneau) and a batting champion (Joe Mauer) also got approval for a stadium.
2005
Greg Eslinger: The All-America center and all-time Gophers great won the Outland Trophy, given to the country’s best interior lineman.
2004
Lindsay Whalen: She was the driving force behind the Gophers women’s basketball program reaching the Final Four.
2003
John Gagliardi: The St. John’s legend earned his 409th victory on Nov. 8, 2003, becoming college football’s winningest coach, and his team won the NCAA Division III title.
2002
Harry Crump: Hennepin County judge issued a restraining order that kept the Twins out of MLB’s contraction plans.
2001
Joe Mauer: The three-sport star at Cretin-Derham Hall was one of the state’s all-time great high school athletes before he put on a Twins uniform.
2000
Jac Sperling: The Wild’s chief executive led the NHL back to Minnesota and started the rally to build Xcel Energy Center.
1999
Glen Mason: The Gophers’ most successful football season in three decades (culminating with a Sun Bowl matchup against Oregon) earned him Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.
1998
Randall Cunningham: Out of football before joining the Vikings as a backup quarterback, he led the team to a 15-1 regular season at the age of 35.
. . .
Note: Candidates are nominated by the Star Tribune sports department. A selection committee of staff members makes the final choice.