Berry Finalist for Sullivan Award

Joel Berry II, the University of North Carolina's senior point guard and Most Outstanding Player of the 2017 Final Four, is one of eight finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, which is presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) to the top amateur athlete in the United States.

Voting for the award is open to the public at www.aausullivan.org. Finalist voting opens today and will close on Thursday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced at the AAU James E. Sullivan Award Ceremony on April 17th at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. This year's event will be hosted by 1981 AAU Sullivan Award winner Carl Lewis.

The Sullivan Award was first presented in 1930 to golf legend Bobby Jones. Other winners have included Missy Franklin, Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Breanna Stewart, Wilma Rudolph, Tim Tebow and Bill Walton.

In 1962, former UNC track star Jim Beatty won the Sullivan Award. Beatty was the first runner to break the four-minute mile indoors, set three world records and, over a stretch of 16 days in 1962, set five American records.

The Apopka, Fla., native was a first-team All-ACC selection and third-team All-America (coaches) this year. He led the Tar Heels in scoring (17.1 points per game), three-pointers (93), free throw percentage (.893) and steals (42). He set career highs in scoring, three-pointers (the fourth most in UNC single-season history) and free throw percentage (second highest in UNC single-season history).

Berry is a finalist for the second year in a row for the Bob Cousy Award as the top point guard in the country. He scored 20 or more points in a dozen games this season, including 25 or more five times. He tied his career scoring high with 31 points against Miami in his final game in the Smith Center.

Berry scored 22 points against Gonzaga in the 2017 national championship game, leading the Tar Heels to the school's sixth NCAA Tournament championship. He was also the Most Valuable Player in the 2016 ACC Tournament.

He finished his career with 1,813 points, the 13^th most in school history; 266 three-pointers, second all-time at UNC behind Marcus Paige; 451 assists, 15^th at UNC; and a free throw percentage of .833, tied for the eighth best by a Tar Heel.

Berry and Walter Davis are the only Tar Heels to score 1,800 points with 400 rebounds and 400 assists. He is one of three players – with Phil Ford and Paige – in the top 15 in school history in both scoring and assists.

He tied the school record by playing in 10 ACC Tournament wins and is tied for second all-time with 14 NCAA Tournament wins.
Other finalists for the Sullivan Award include Maia and Alex Shibutani (Olympic ice dancers), Angela Peavy (para-equestrian), Annika Albrecht (Nebraska volleyball), Kelly Hunter (Nebraska volleyball), Kyle Snyder (Ohio State wrestling) and Erin Finn (Michigan track and field/cross country).

"The AAU Sullivan Award is one of the most prestigious honors in all of sports, so to be a finalist is something I am very proud of," Berry II said. "I've thoroughly enjoyed playing basketball at North Carolina and winning the national championship last year was the highlight of a four-year career I will never forget. Winning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four put me in this position to contend for the AAU Sullivan Award, which would be the ultimate award for a collegiate athlete. It is an honor to be mentioned with the other great candidates."

Players Mentioned

Joel Berry II

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