Askren nominated for ESPY
Published July 11, 2007
After a season in which Ben Askren went a perfect 42-0 and won his third Big 12 title, the Missouri wrestler added two more accolades to his list: Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year and ESPY nominee.
Askren was nominated in the Best Male College Athlete category for the ESPY Awards, ESPN's award show. The awards ceremony will be held today in Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre.
But the wrestler faces stiff competition from three notable athletes in more well-known sports. Troy Smith, the former Heisman Trophy winner for Ohio State and current Baltimore Ravens quarterback, is nominated, as are basketball players Greg Oden, also formerly of Ohio State, and former Texas forward Kevin Durant.
To help in the uphill battle against the two top picks for the 2007 NBA Draft and the reigning Heisman winner, Askren has done what any good politician would do: He began a Facebook.com group for support. Although the group has attracted nearly 4,000 members, Askren said he will just be glad to have a free trip to California.
"It's really exciting," he said. "I never thought I would get something like this. I'm happy to be there, and I really just hope this gets more exposure for the sport."
Askren said he hopes to meet Muhammad Ali at the awards show — provided Ali is there. Askren said an ESPY award would rank high on his list of achievements, which include several other Big 12 titles.
"If I somehow won, it would be one of the highlights of my career," he said. "But it's different from the others because I'm not doing anything physical. I'm just sitting there waiting for an envelope to be opened."
He said he has given some thought to winning but is mostly excited about the parties he will attend. "It's a pre-party on the 11th, and then another party, followed by another," he said. " For a guy from Hartland, Wis., to have this chance is pretty cool."