Greater Cleveland Sports Awards live updates and more

Posted by author February 6, 2025 Sports

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CLEVELAND — The 25th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards are tonight at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

We will have complete coverage here of the ceremony recognizing the best athletes in the Cleveland sports scene.

Here’s a look at the major award nominees. Return later for updates.

The owner of the Cavaliers gave Cleveland its only big five championship since 1964 when his team won the NBA title in 2016. His teams have won six Central Division titles and five Eastern Conference titles.

In October, he broke ground on the Cleveland Global Peak Performance Center. The training facility, which is expected to open in 2027, is the first vertical component of a planned $3.5 billion Bedrock-led development project.

His investments also include the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs Legion GC (NBA2K affiliate) and Cleveland Monsters.

He transformed Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in a $185 million project.

He took over ownership of the Cavaliers in 2005 and Cleveland has hosted five NBA finals, an NBA All-Star Game and two Women’s college basketball championships.

From Jhonkensy Noel to a walk-off home run by David Fry to a grand slam in Game 5 by Lane Thomas off Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, the American League Division Series between Detroit and Cleveland had it all.

That up-and-down series made it the easy winner for moment of the year at the Cleveland Sports Awards.

The first World Series to Cleveland for the first time in 41 years and all four remember the days fondly as the organization celebrated the 30th anniversary of the American League Championship Series.

That team went 100-44 in the regular season, beat the Boston Red Sox in the AL Division Series and the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS.

“The guys had a good time before the game and after the game, but they knew what to do when it was time to play the game,” Mike Hargrove, Cleveland’s manager that season, said.

Lofton knew the team was great and wanted to play the best because they knew they could win.

“We were taught to be confident and believe in ourselves,” Thome said. “That was from our coaching staff. … We knew we were going to go out and have some fun and filter off each other.”

They talked about the mystique of Albert Belle and the appreciation of his work ethic and quirkiness.

“He was special. Albert was unique,” Thome said. “I’ll be honest for me, I’m proud to say I grew up with a bunch of teammates who could not only could play the game but acted right… It was a joy and pleasure to be a part of that 90s era that we went through.”

When talk turned to Manny Ramirez, it was as much about his great approach at the plate as it was his off-the-wall antics away from the field.

“He would take BP and hit line drives to right field the entire time,” Thome said. “When he came up we were like, ‘OK this is our No. 1 pick.’” All of sudden we get into the game and he hits a home run to left field, he hits a home run to center. He was never fooled.”

The St. Ignatius basketball player, who is committed to Kent State, averaged 14.2 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals for the Division I state champion Wildcats. Woidke, who plays under St. Vincent-St. Mary great Dru Joyce IV, scored 412 points last season in leading St. Ignatius to its first title in 23 years.

Woidke beat out Garfield Heights’ basketball star Marcus Johnson, who is headed to Ohio State and Cleveland Heights running back Marquise Davis, who signed with Missouri.

LeVogue led Bay to the state finals in girls lacrosse. The USA Lacrosse All-American scored 110 goals and logged 27 assists. The Division II All-Ohioan was named Regional positional player of the year. She is currently continuing her playing career at Kent State as a freshman.

She beat out North Ridgeville basketball star and current Ball State freshman Grace Kingery and St. Joseph Academy basketball standout Grace Kingery, who is committed to the University of San Diego.

Saunders didn’t listen to the experts who said he wouldn’t play again after tearing his ACL, PCL and LCL by returning to the field to play for the Division III state champion Avon Eagles. A recovery that takes 12-18 months, Saunders’ recovery was further complicated by an episode of rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, which delayed rehabilitation.

His return came on Sept. 13 against Elyria and served as a driving force behind Avon’s state title run.

The Cleveland State star led the Horizon League in strikeouts (117) and was second in ERA (1.84). She ranked third in the league in batting average (.382)

Holzopfel beat out Buffalo volleyball star Mandy Leight and Michigan field hockey star Lora Clarke.

The Mentor graduate was named to the 2024 OAC All-Tournament team at John Carroll and was picked as the All-AOC Player of the Year.

He beat out Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (Canton McKinley), who led the nation receiving yards (947) and touchdowns (6) among tight ends. and former North Royalton star Joey Marousek, who batted .326 for Baldwin-Wallace College last year.

Mitchell averaged 26.2 points per game last season and had a career highs in rebounds (5.1), assists (6.1) and steals (1.84). He topped 30 points in 21 games and had 40 points on five occassions.

Mitchell beat out Guardians’ third baseman Jose Ramirez, USA pole vaulter Katie Moon as well as Nordonia and Ohio State graduate Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns.

Williams, who has competed in over 50 marathons, began her passion in 2007 at the age of 55. At 761, she learned how to excel in swimming and biking so that she could compete in triathlons and as won her age group in the USA Triathlon, US Masters Swimming and National Senior Games. She plans to complete her 6-star major marathon journey next month when she runs in the Tokyo Marathon.

Greater Cleveland Pro Athlete of the Year nominees

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers, All-Star guard
- Selected to his second NBA All-Star appearance as a Cleveland Cavalier
- Averaged 26.2 points last season along with career-highs in rebounds (5.1), assist (6.1) and steals (1.84)
- Career high of six double-doubles
- Currently averaging 23.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists in helping the Cavs to the NBA’s second-best record
Katie Moon, 2024 Olympic USA Track and Field Team, pole vault
- Silver Medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by clearing 4.85 meters
- 2024 US National Champion Indoors
- Bronze Medal at 2024 Indoor World Championships
- Fifth highest vault in history of the sport
- Won 2020 Olympics gold medal
Jose Ramirez, Guardians, All-Star third baseman
- Named to his sixth American League All-Star Team
- Led the Cleveland Guardians to the American League Central Division title and the AL Championship Series in 2024
- Hit 39 home runs with 39 doubles, 41 stolen bases, 118 RBIs and .537 slugging percentage, ranking near the top of the league in most offensive categories
- First Team All-MLB and won fifth American League Silver Slugger award
Denzel Ward, Browns, Pro Bowl cornerback
- Named Cleveland Browns 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year, which recognizes the NFL’s best players for their performance on the field and dedication to the community
- Allowed a 43.8% completion rate on passes thrown his way, yielding just 373 yards, according to Pro Football Reference
- Ranked first in NFL with 19 passes defended
- Made 49 total tackles, intercepted two passes and forced one fumble

Greater Cleveland Female College Athlete of the Year

Mandy Leigh, Buffalo volleyball (Padua High School)
- Recorded 684 assists in Mid-American Conference play, earning her All-MAC Second Team Honors
- Set school record for career assists with 4,374
- Program leader in career honors; earned her 15th MAC Setter of the Week title after being named MAC Setter of the Week of Sept. 30, 2024
- Finished with 10.21 assists per set, finishing fourth in the MAC. Added 1.01 kills per set, 0.19 aces per set, 2.60 digs per set, 0.51 blocks per set and 1.51 points per set. On the attack, she had a hitting percentage of .412
Lora Clarke, Michigan field hockey (Shaker Heights High School)
- Gold medal with the U.S. Women’s Field Hockey National Team
- All-Big Ten First Team
- Started 79 of 91 total games played at Michigan, totaling 23 career goals, 24 assists and 70 points
- Named NFHCA All-West Region First Team and NFHCA All-American Third Team
Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State softball (Perry High School)
- Named First-Team All-Horizon League as both a pitcher and position player; first student-athlete in league history to be named in both categories
- As a pitcher, led the league with 117 strikeouts and finished second with a 1.84 ERA in league games
- Named Horizon League Tournament MVP after allowing just five earned runs in 40 innings and leading the Vikings to the Horizon League Tournament Title
- Offensively, ranked third in the league with .382 batting average and 23 RBIs, and ranked eighth with .632 slugging percentage
- Totaled 200 strikeouts overall for the season for the second time in her three-year career

Greater Cleveland Male College Athlete of the Year

Joey Marousek, Baldwin Wallace baseball (North Royalton High School)
- Batted .326 in 68 games during 2024 season, leading team and OAC with a career-best 66 hits
- All-Ohio Athletic Conference first-team selection; Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree
- Named American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-Region 7 selection
- Ohio Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team honoree
Harold Fannin Jr, Bowling Green football (Canton McKinley High School)
- Became the school’s first-ever consensus All-American, earning first-team honors in four of the five consensus All-America teams and became just the second FBS tight end to earn a league MVP honor when the MAC named him the Vern Smith Leadership Award recipient
- Totaled 117 receptions for 1,555 yards to lead the nation in both categories in 2024 while also setting all-time FBS season records for a tight end. Fannin led the nation’s tight ends in more than 105 different categories, according to BG, and he led all receivers in 20-plus categories.
- Leaves Bowling Green owning more than 20 school records. He set eight FBS records in 2024 and his 17 receptions in the 68 Ventures Bowl tied an FBS record for tight end receptions in any game.
Luke Chicone, John Carroll basketball (Mentor High School)
- Named 2024 OAC Player of the Year and First Team All-OAC
- 2024 NABC Second Team All-American and D3hoops.com Second Team All-American
- 2024 NABC First Team All-District and D3hoops.com All-Region Honors
- Named to the 2024 OAC Tournament All-Tourney Team
- D3hoops.com Preseason All-American for the 2024-25 season