Fresh off becoming the first US Olympian fencer to win three career gold medals, Notre Dame legend Lee Kiefer has been named a finalist for the 95th annual AAU Sullivan Award.
Kiefer is one of six finalists for the honor, joining Cooper Flagg, Ilia Malinin, Ashton Jeanty, Trey Augustine and Lexi Rodriguez. Voting runs through March 20 and each person is allowed to vote one time per day, vote here.
The foilist is one of the most decorated fencers in US Fencing history, winning individual gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Games and the 2024 Paris Games. Kiefer also led the women’s foil team to the first ever team gold medal in US Fencing history at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During her time at Notre Dame, Kiefer won individual NCAA National Championships in foil in each of the four years she competed. The phenom also led the Fighting Irish to the team NCAA title during the 2017 championships.
The AAU Sullivan Award honors the most outstanding collegiate, Olympic or similar level athlete in the United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, and pioneer in amateur sports, James E. Sullivan. Based on the qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship, and the ideals of amateurism, the AAU Sullivan Award goes far beyond athletic accomplishments and honors those who have shown strong moral character.