Saquon Barkley Nominated For Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY
Former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley has earned an ESPY Awards nomination for Best Breakthrough Athlete.
Barkley’s nomination follows a stellar rookie season with the New York Giants in which he totaled more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, found the end zone 15 times, and won the 2018 NFL and Associated Press Rookie of the Year awards. If that’s not the résumé of a breakthrough athlete, I’m not sure what is.
The 2019 @ESPYS nominations are in
— Roc Nation Sports (@RocNationSports) June 20, 2019@TG3II and @saquon leading the way with nominations for Best NFL player and Best Breakthrough athlete
#RocFam pic.twitter.com/Cxt8SbJl9c
The Coplay, PA, native is up against Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, and reigning US Open champ Naomi Osaka for the award.
This isn’t the first time a Nittany Lion has been nominated for an ESPY. Former Penn State wrestler Zain Retherford earned a nod for Best Male College Athlete back in 2017, while former women’s soccer standout Raquel ‘Rocky’ Rodriguez was up for Best Female College Athlete in 2016. Neither player won their respective awards.
Fans can help Barkley add another award to his ever-growing trophy shelf by voting for him here. The 2019 ESPYS will air on July 10 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!
About the Author
A Perfect Match: Maren’s Special Bond With The Penn State Women’s Volleyball Team
Meet Maren Brant, the five-year-old who captured the hearts of the women’s volleyball team after meeting them at THON.
Penn State Leaving Its Mark On The 2026 Winter Olympics
Five Penn Staters competed in 2026 Winter Olympics.
Goodnight Dorm Room: Matt DiSanto’s Senior Column
“I don’t know what’s next for me. But for once in my life, that doesn’t scare me.”