THORLAKSON UP FOR ESPY AWARD

Canada’s Katie Thorlakson, has been nominated for an ESPY Award. The ESPY Awards were created by sports channel ESPN in 1993 and are presented for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly. The 2005 ESPY Awards will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles for the fourth straight year. Past venues include the MGM Grand (2000-01), The Paramount at Madison Square Garden (1993-94) and Radio City Music Hall (1995-99). [cast your vote]

Thorlakson, who plays college soccer for Notre Dame, was chosen as the 2004 Soccer America Women’s Player of the Year. The forward finished her junior season with 70 points (23 g, 24 a), placing herself in the company of UNC’s Mia Hamm and Lindsay Tarpley and Santa Clara’s Mandy Clemens as the only players to reach 23 goals and 23 assists in one season. She tallied 27 points (9 g, 9 a) in Notre Dame’s nine postseason games, setting a new Irish record for points in one postseason. She broke Anne Makinen’s record set in 1997 (19 pts: 8 g, 3 a) with a goal in ND’s 2-0 win over Connecticut (Nov. 20). She led the Irish to the national championship.

She was the lone BIG EAST player to be named to the Soccer America Women’s 11-player MVP list. Sports Illustrated on Campus also named Thorlakson the 2004 National Player of the Year for Division I women’s soccer.

Sports’ biggest names and many top celebrities have taken part in the ESPYs. Past winners in Thorlakson’s category innclude Diana Taurasi, Connecticut Basketball in both 2003 and 2004 and Sue Bird, Connecticut Basketball in 2002. No other award brings together all of sport, honoring the best performances, most memorable moments and, with the presentation of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, those whose courage and conviction transcend sport.

The ESPYs will air on ESPN on Sunday, July 17 at 9 p.m. ET. The Canada vs. USA friendly match will be played live on ESPN2 at 3:00 p.m. EST.