Justin Fields is being recognized as one of the nation's best amateur athletes.
The Ohio State quarterback was named as one of 33 semifinalists for the AAU's James E. Sullivan Award, which honors “the outstanding amateur athlete whose outstanding athletic accomplishments are complemented by qualities of leadership, character and sportsmanship.”
Fields and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence are the only college football players among the semifinalists. He is one of seven Big Ten athletes among the semifinalists, along with Michigan State men's basketball player Cassius Winston, Northwestern men's basketball player (and former Loyola lacrosse star) Patrick Spencer, Maryland women's lacrosse player Megan Taylor, Nebraska volleyball player Lauren Stivrins, Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee and Wisconsin swimmer Beata Nelson.
Winners of the Sullivan Award, which has been awarded since 1930, have included two Buckeyes in the past five years. Former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott won the award in 2015, while wrestler Kyle Snyder won it in 2018.
Voting for the award is taking place this week, and fans can cast their votes by visiting this website.
Fields is entering his second season as Ohio State's starting quarterback. In his first year as the Buckeyes' signal-caller, Fields threw for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns with only three interceptions and also ran for 484 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
