After winning gold medals in the men's 400 meters and 4x400m relay at the 2005 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, former Baylor University star Jeremy Wariner has been named a finalist for the James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually to the nation's top amateur athlete since 1930.

Wariner won the men's 400m gold medal in Athens in 44.00 seconds, before running the third leg of the victorious U.S. men's 4x400m relay in 2:55.91, the fastest time in the world since 1998. In finishing the season ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News, Wariner became the youngest man to earn that distinction since National Track & Field Hall of Famer Lee Evans (about 13 months younger than Wariner) did it in 1966.

Other finalists include Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps (swimming), Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm (gymnastics) and Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. Additional finalists include: Elisha Au (karate); Natalie Coughlin (swimming); Steven Lopez (taekwondo); Cael Sanderson (wrestling) and Andre Ward (boxing). Online voting on the USA Today Web site will help determine the winner, who will be announced April 13 in New York.