During “The 2026 ESPYS,” hosted by Marcello Hernández, ESPN will honor athletes and sports leaders for their courage, perseverance and service with three special accolades.
Jason Collins will posthumously receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, Jim Abbott will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and Scott Ruskan will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service. This year marks “The ESPYS” return to New York City, where the show will air live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday, July 15, at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT on ABC. The show will also stream on ESPN+ on the ESPN App, in pattern with ABC airings across time zones, and will be available to stream the next day on Disney+, Hulu, the ESPN App and ABC Video on Demand.
The late Jason Collins will posthumously be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for his impact on LGBTQ+ visibility in professional athletics. The award is given to a deserving member of the sports world who has made a difference beyond the field of play by fighting for what they believe in, ultimately impacting people worldwide. In 2013, Collins became the first openly gay active player in the NBA and across the four major American professional sports leagues. At a time when no male athlete in those leagues had publicly come out while still competing, Collins stepped forward in the NBA with honesty and strength, forever shifting the conversation around identity in sports, helping to dismantle stigma and redefining what courage looks like in professional athletics. Following his historic basketball career, Collins faced a different kind of battle when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He approached his illness with the same transparency and resolve that defined his coming out. Before his passing in May, Collins publicly shared his journey and spoke openly about his prognosis in hopes of advancing understanding and helping others facing similar diagnoses. Just as his decision to come out helped knock down walls for LGBTQ+ athletes, his final mission was about fighting for others. Even in the face of uncertainty, Collins led with purpose, vulnerability and service until the very end, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a global beacon of hope and inclusion. Past recipients of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage include the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse survivors (2018), Bill Russell (2019), Kevin Love (2020), Maya Moore (2021), Vitali Klitschko (2022), the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (2023), Steve Gleason (2024) and Oscar Robertson (2025). The Arthur Ashe Award for Courage will be accepted by Jarron Collins, Jason Collins’ twin brother.
“Jason dedicated his life to being his authentic self, breaking barriers in sports so that future generations could show up and thrive exactly as they are. Even in his final months, his courage never wavered as he shared his battle with glioblastoma publicly in order to give hope to others facing the same fight,” Jarron Collins said. “It is profoundly bittersweet but deeply meaningful to accept the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage on my brother’s behalf, celebrating a legacy of visibility, strength, and love that will endure forever.”
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott will receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for his extraordinary 10-year career and his lifelong impact as a symbol of resilience. Born without a right hand, Abbott did more than defy expectations; he changed the way the sports world viewed perseverance, disability, and what was possible. After starting at the University of Michigan, he was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft by the California Angels, remarkably reaching the major leagues without ever pitching in the minors. Abbott’s defining moment came on September 4, 1993, when he threw a historic no-hitter for the New York Yankees. It remains one of the most iconic performances in baseball history, not because of sentimentality, but because he dominated at the highest level of the sport. Three decades later, Abbott’s story continues to resonate, proving to countless families and young athletes that obstacles do not define potential. His lasting legacy has blazed a trail for a generation of athletes with limb differences, including the NFL’s Shaquem Griffin, the USWNT’s Carson Pickett, and professional MMA fighter Nick Newell. Past recipients of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance include Jim Kelly (2018), Rob Mendez (2019), Taquarius Wair (2020), Chris Nikic (2021), Dick Vitale (2022), Liam Hendriks (2023), Dawn Staley (2024), and Katie Schumacher-Cawley (2025).
“Overcoming obstacles and pushing past traditional limitations on the mound was my way of showing what is possible when you refuse to give up,” Abbott said. “To have my journey and my career recognized with an award that bears Coach Jim Valvano’s name is a truly humbling milestone. Receiving the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance is an incredible honor, and I hope it serves as a reminder to the next generation of athletes that our perceived limits do not define our potential.”
U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and former college track/cross country athlete (Rider University) Scott Ruskan will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service, an award given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman. On July 4, 2025 — his first-ever rescue mission, six months after completing training — he flew through severe weather to reach Camp Mystic, where roughly 200 girls were trapped. His crew made a deliberate call to leave Ruskan on the ground so the helicopter could carry more children per trip. For three hours, with no radio and no cell service, he was the only trained responder on site — setting up triage, organizing safe zones, carrying children barefoot in the dark, and comforting each one before moving to the next. His coordination enabled 165 rescues on a day where 27 people died. What set him apart was that he was the only person who stayed behind — voluntarily grounded — so others could be lifted out to safety. Past recipients of the Pat Tillman Award for Service include Jake Wood (2018), Kirstie Ennis (2019), Kim Clavel (2020), Marcus Rashford (2021), Gretchen Evans (2022), the Buffalo Bills Training Staff (2023), Prince Harry (2024) and David Walters and Erin Regan (2025).
“The tragedy at Camp Mystic is something that stays with me every day. In those moments of chaos, my only focus was doing everything humanly possible to save those young campers,” Ruskan said. “Pat Tillman defined what it means to live a life of selflessness and sacrifice, and to be linked to his enduring legacy is deeply humbling. It is an extraordinary honor to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service, and I accept it in the memory of those we lost and the rescuers who stood together that day.”
“Every year, these awards remind us of the incredible power of the human spirit, and this year’s honorees are the absolute definition of that,” said Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and “The ESPYS” executive producer. “Whether breaking barriers on the court, defying expectations on the diamond, or answering the call of duty in a time of crisis, Jason Collins, Jim Abbott, and Scott Ruskan have all shown what it truly means to live a life of courage, perseverance, and selfless service. It is a profound honor for us to share their stories and highlight their impact at ‘The 2026 ESPYS.’”
“The ESPYS” helps raise awareness and funds for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity founded by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano at the first “ESPYS” in 1993. ESPN has helped raise more than $292 million for the V Foundation over the past 30+ years. “The ESPYS” are co-produced by ESPN, Full Day Productions, the live production arm of Words + Pictures, and Fanatics Studios, a Fanatics and OBB company. The show is executive produced by Connor Schell, Dave Chamberlin and Jennifer Aiello for Full Day and Michael D. Ratner, Kfir Goldberg and Camille Maratchi for Fanatics Studios.
