The seventh annual Houston Sports Awards, hosted by Houston Astros pitcher and World Series Champion Lance McCullers Jr., will be a star-studded evening honoring some of the year's most iconic athletes, legends, and moments. In total, ten awards will be presented at the Houston Sports Awards on January 30, 2024, inside 713 Music Hall in Downtown Houston. The nominees and honorees for those awards are as follows:
2024 Houston Sports Awards Recipients and Nominees/Honorees
2024 Hall of Fame Class - Warren Moon, Cynthia Cooper, and Lance Berkman
All three members of the 2024 Houston Sports Hall of Fame class will be honored and recognized not just for their record-setting achievements on the field, but also for their impact on the Houston sports community. The three inductees were chosen by a Hall of Fame committee, which works to select each class every year. The 2024 Houston Sports Awards will serve as their official induction into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
Lifetime Achievement Award - Louis M. Pearce Jr.
Houston native Louis M. Pearce Jr. is being honored for the legacy he made in the Houston community through his 66 years of work at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. As the Show’s eighth president, Pearce was instrumental in making an impact that led to growth and long-term success for the yearly event. Pearce helped expand the scholarship program, enhance and expand structures at what is now known as NRG Park and was a key player in signing Elvis Presley as a star entertainer in 1970, a move that Mr. Pearce believed changed the way everyone looked at the show.
Lifetime Civic Champion Award - Sylvester Turner
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will receive the first ever “Lifetime Civic Champion Award” for his work in expanding the impact of sports in the city. Over his eight-year term in office, the City of Houston hosted more major sporting events than any other major city in the United States.
Award Categories, Nominees & Honorees
Athlete of the Year
Kyle Tucker – Houston Astros
Hector Herrera – Houston Dynamo
Jane Campbell – Houston Dash
Jalen Green – Houston Rockets
C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans
Newcomer of the Year
Amine Bassi – Houston Dynamo
C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans
Jabari Smith Jr. – Houston Rockets
Tank Dell – Houston Texans
Yainer Diaz – Houston Astros
Moment of the Year
Framber Valdez Throws No-Hitter
San Diego State Buzzer Beater to beat FAU in Final Four
UH wins 1st Big 12 Game with Hail Mary
Texans Draft Night Moves
Dynamo win US Open Cup
Community Impact Award
Jeremy Pena – Houston Astros
Peggy Turner – TIRR Memorial Hermann
Michelle Alozie – Houston Dash
Inspiration Award Honorees
John Metchie III – Houston Texans
Eric Coovert – Kingwood Park High School Football Coach
Doug Dillard – Adaptive Sports Athlete/Bee Abled Foundation
High School Award Nominees
Male High School Athlete of the Year
Jelani Watkins - Klein Forest HS, Track - Atascocita HS, Football
Jaland Lowe - FB Marshall High School, Basketball
Karson Gordon – Episcopal High School, Football/Track
DJ Lagway – Willis High School, Football
Donte Lewis – St. Thomas High School, Football/Baseball
Female High School Athlete of the Year
Ava Brown – Lake Creek High School, Softball
Rylee Grays - Pearland High School, Basketball
Jaele Auguste - Grand Oaks High School, Volleyball
Bayleigh Minor - Fort Bend Christian Academy, Volleyball/Track
Madison Canales – Foster High School, Wrestling
High School Coach of the Year
Michelle Rochinski - Lake Creek High School, Softball
Lloyd Banks - FB Marshall High School, Track
Vincent Grayson – Booker T. Washington High School, Basketball
Jimmy Krueger – Seven Lakes High School, Soccer
Trent Miller – Willis High School, Football
Nominees for Athlete of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Moment of the Year, Community Impact Award and Inspirational Award were chosen by a selection committee.
High school athletes and coaches were chosen by a committee composed of sportswriters and electronic sports media members who live and work in the Greater Houston area and cover high school sports.