The 26th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will unite athletes and fans to celebrate sports excellence.

CLEVELAND — The 26th Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will take place Thursday, Feb. 5, at Rocket Arena, bringing together professional athletes, high school and collegiate standouts, community leaders and diehard fans from across Northeast Ohio.

The annual event honors excellence, perseverance and impact across the local sports landscape. The ceremony will feature red carpet arrivals, award presentations and special conversations celebrating Cleveland’s rich sports history.

This year, there will be a fireside chat with key architects and personalities from the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers championship team, marking 10 years since the franchise’s historic NBA title. 

Fans can also take part in a live silent auction, which includes memorabilia from Cleveland sports legends, vacation packages, ticket bundles and exclusive experiences.

Several major awards will be presented Thursday night, with the following honorees already announced.


Lifetime Achievement Award: Hanford Dixon

The legendary Cleveland Browns cornerback will be recognized for his lifelong contributions to football and the Cleveland sports community. Dixon will take part in an on-stage conversation alongside former Browns teammates Frank Minnifield and Felix Wright.


Jim Donovan Courage Award: Myles Grimmett

Myles Grimmett, a 15-year-old Elyria High School basketball player, will be honored for extraordinary perseverance after undergoing pioneering surgery at Cleveland Clinic following a battle with bone cancer.


Best Fan Moment Winner: Michael Parr

Winners will also be announced on Thursday in the following categories:


Male High School Athlete of the Year

Shahn Alston — Harvey High School, Football

Marcus Johnson — Garfield Heights High School, Basketball

Jack Ragon — Saint Ignatius High School, Volleyball


Female High School Athlete of the Year


Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year

Eric Colaco — Denison University (Revere High School), Baseball

Giovanni Kennedy — University of Mount Union (St. Edward High School), Football

Arvell Reese — The Ohio State University (Glenville High School), Football


Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year

Katie Clark — University of Mount Union (Walsh Jesuit High School), Lacrosse

Grace Kelsheimer — Marshall University (Westlake High School), Swimming & Diving

Shyanne Sellers — University of Maryland (Aurora High School), Basketball


Professional Athlete of the Year

Myles Garrett — Cleveland Browns

Evan Mobley — Cleveland Cavaliers

José Ramírez — Cleveland Guardians

A list of who you can expect to see at the 2026 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards can be found HERE.Â