Training at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, the same club that produced Olympian Michael Phelps, 16-year-old Olympian Katie Hoff (Towson, Md.) earned three gold medals at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal, Canada, winning the 200m IM, 400m IM and 800m free relay. She set an American record in the 200m IM and won the 400m IM and 800m free relay in world championship-record time. Her American-record swim in the 200m IM was the second-fastest performance of all time. In the 800m free relay, she turned in one of the top-20 fastest splits in history.
Hoff won three National titles in the 200m free, 200m IM (American record) and 400m IM at World Championship Trials and finished the year ranked first in the 200m and 400m IM. She finished fourth in the 100m free and 100m fly, seventh in the 400m medley relay, and eighth in the 50m free at ConocoPhillips National Championships while winning the 200m and 400m IM at the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool and finished third in the 200m free. At the Mutual of Omaha Duel she set the U.S. Open record in the 400m IM.
In addition to success in the pool, Hoff signed a deal with Speedo for the longest athlete contract in the brand's history, running through the 2016 Olympic Games. She also was the big winner at the 2005 Golden Goggle Awards, USA Swimming's annual year-end gala, taking home two awards in the Female Athlete of the Year category and Relay Performance of the Year.
The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996 and the Paralympian of the Year was awarded for the first time in 2004. Winners are selected from the individual female and male Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year nominations of the National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.
All-time USOC SportsMan, SportsWoman and Team of the Year honorees include:
SportsMan of the Year
- 1974 - Jim Bolding, Athletics
- 1975 - Clinton Jackson, Boxing
- 1976 - John Naber, Swimming
- 1977 - Eric Heiden, Speedskating
- 1978 - Bruce Davidson, Equestrian
- 1979 - Eric Heiden, Speedskating
- 1980 - Eric Heiden, Speedskating
- 1981 - Scott Hamilton, Figure Skating
- 1982 - Greg Louganis, Diving
- 1983 - Rick McKinney, Archery
- 1984 - Edwin Moses, Athletics
- 1985 - Willie Banks, Athletics
- 1986 - Matt Biondi, Swimming
- 1987 - Greg Louganis, Diving
- 1988 - Matt Biondi, Swimming
- 1989 - Roger Kingdom, Athletics
- 1990 - John Smith, Wrestling
- 1991 - Carl Lewis, Athletics
- 1992 - Pablo Morales, Swimming
- 1993 - Michael Johnson, Athletics
- 1994 - Dan Jansen, Speedskating
- 1995 - Michael Johnson, Athletics
- 1996 - Michael Johnson Athletics
- 1997 - Pete Sampras, Tennis
- 1998 - Jonny Moseley, Skiing
- 1999 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling
- 2000 - Rulon Gardner, Wrestling
- 2001 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling
- 2002 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling
- 2003 - Lance Armstrong, Cycling
- 2004 - Michael Phelps, Swimming
- 2005 - Hunter Kemper, Triathlon
SportsWoman of the Year
- 1974 - Shirley Babashoff, Swimming
- 1975 - Kathy Heddy, Swimming
- 1976 - Sheila Young, Speedskating
- 1977 - Linda Fratianne, Figure Skating
- 1978 - Tracy Caulkins, Swimming
- 1979 - Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead, Swimming
- 1980 - Beth Heiden, Speedskating
- 1981 - Sheila Young Ochowicz, Cycling/Speedskating
- 1982 - Melanie Smith, Equestrian
- 1983 - Tamara McKinney, Skiing
- 1984 - Tracy Caulkins, Swimming
- 1985 - Mary Decker Slaney, Athletics
- 1986 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics
- 1987 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Athletics
- 1988 - Florence Griffith Joyner, Athletics
- 1989 - Janet Evans, Swimming
- 1990 - Lynn Jennings, Athletics
- 1991 - Kim Zmeskal, Gymnastics
- 1992 - Bonnie Blair, Speedskating
- 1993 - Gail Devers, Athletics
- 1994 - Bonnie Blair, Speedskating
- 1995 - Picabo Street, Skiing
- 1996 - Amy Van Dyken, Swimming
- 1997 - Tara Lipinski, Figure Skating
- 1998 - Picabo Street, Skiing
- 1999 - Jenny Thompson, Swimming
- 2000 - Marion Jones, Athletics
- 2001 - Jennifer Capriati, Tennis
- 2002 - Sarah Hughes, Figure Skating
- 2003 - Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating
- 2004 - Carly Patterson, Gymnastics
- 2005 - Katie Hoff, Swimming
Team of the Year
- 1996 - Women's National/Olympic Basketball Team
- 1997 - Women's National Soccer Team
- 1998 - Women's Olympic Ice Hockey Team
- 1999 - Women's National Soccer Team
- 2000 - USA Baseball Olympic Team
- 2001 - U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team
- 2002 - Women's Bobsled Team
- 2003 - Women's Gymnastics Team
- 2004 - U.S. Olympic Softball Team
- 2005 - Men's Badminton Doubles Team
Paralympian of the Year
- 2004 - Erin Popovich, Swimmer
- 2005 - Laurie Stephens, Alpine Skier