(Top West Virginia amateur athlete)
The Hardman Award, the Amateur Athlete of the Year from 1934-82, is named for A.L. “Shorty” Hardman, who served as sports editor (1936-60) and executive sports editor (1960-78) of the Charleston Gazette. The recipient is selected by the WVSWA and the award is given to the state’s top amateur athlete.
2023 – Irene Riggs, Morgantown (cross country)
2022 – Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (football)
2021 – Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (football)
2020 – Darius Stills, West Virginia (football)
2019 – Noah Adams, West Virginia (wrestling)
2018 – Jevon Carter, West Virginia (basketball)
2017 – Jevon Carter, West Virginia (basketball)
2016 – Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia (soccer)
2015 – Kadeisha Buchanan, West Virginia (soccer)
2014 – Rakeem Cato, Marshall (football)
2013 – Rakeem Cato, Marshall (football)
2012 – Tavon Austin, West Virginia (football)
2011 – Tavon Austin, West Virginia (football)
2010 – (tie) Zach Amedro, West Liberty (football); DaSean Butler, West Virginia (basketball)
2009 – Zach Amedro, West Liberty (football)
2008 – Pat White, West Virginia (football)
2007 – Pat White, West Virginia (football)
2006 – Pat White, West Virginia (football)
2005 – Greg Jones, West Virginia (wrestling)
2004 – Greg Jones, West Virginia (wrestling)
2003 – Grant Wiley, West Virginia (football)
2002 – Byron Leftwich, Marshall (football)
2001 – Byron Leftwich, Marshall (football)
2000 – Pat Carter, Huntington (golf)
1999 – Chad Pennington, Marshall (football)
1998 – J.R. House, Nitro (football)
1997 – Randy Moss, Marshall (football)
1996 – Randy Barnes, South Charleston (track)
1995 – Chris Parker, Marshall (football)
1994 – Chris George, Glenville State (football)
1993 – Jed Drenning, Glenville State (football)
1992 – Michael Payton, Marshall (football)
1991 – Michael Payton, Marshall (football)
1990 – John Taft, Marshall (basketball)
1989 – Major Harris, West Virginia (football)
1988 – Major Harris, West Virginia (football)
1987 – Tony Petersen, Marshall (football)
1986 – Thomas McLean, W.Va. Wesleyan (soccer)
1985 – Carl Fodor, Marshall (football)
1984 – Mary Lou Retton, Fairmont (Olympic gold medal gymnast)
1983 – Jeff Hostetler, West Virginia (football)
1982 – Darryl Talley, West Virginia (football)
1981 – Oliver Luck, West Virginia (football)
1980 – Lowes Moore, West Virginia (basketball)
1979 – Mary Ostrowski, Parkersburg Catholic (basketball)
1978 – Curt Warner, Pineville (all sports)
1977 – Tom Pridemore, West Virginia (football)
1976 – John “Fuzzy” Filliez, Marshall (football)
1975 – Jack Deloplaine, Salem College (football)
1974 – Jay Feltz, Monongah (all sports)
1973 – Danny Buggs, West Virginia (football)
1972 – Russell Lee, Marshall (basketball)
1971 – Dave Cooper, Fairmont State (basketball)
1970 – Jim Braxton, West Virginia (football)
1969 – Carl Crennell, West Virginia (football)
1968 – Mike Barrett, W.Va. Tech (basketball)
1967 – Larry Blackstone, Fairmont State (football)
1966 – Garrett Ford, West Virginia (football)
1965 – Dick Leftridge, West Virginia (football)
1964 – Bill Campbell, Huntington (golf)
1963 – Rod Thorn, West Virginia (basketball)
1962 – Dave Tork, Fairmont (track)
1961 – (tie) Lee Patrone, West Virginia (basketball); Bruce Meredith, West Virginia (rifle)
1960 – Jerry West, West Virginia (basketball)
1959 – Jerry West, West Virginia (basketball)
1958 – Ed Tutwiler, Charleston (golf)
1957 – Chuck Howley, West Virginia (all sports)
1956 – Rod Hundley, West Virginia (basketball)
1955 – Bill Campbell, Huntington (golf)
1954 – Dwayne Wingler, Woodrow Wilson (all sports)
1953 – Bob Orders, West Virginia (football)
1952 – Paul Bischoff, West Virginia (football)
1951 – Mark Workman, West Virginia (basketball)
1950 – George King, Morris Harvey (basketball)
1949 – George King, Morris Harvey (basketball)
1948 – Mark Workman, Charleston High (basketball)
1947 – Leland Byrd, West Virginia (basketball)
1946 – Bill Leskovar, Fairmont Senior/Kentucky (football)
1945 – Harold Daugherty, Weir (all sports)
1944 – Jimmy Walthall, West Virginia (all sports)
1943 – Jimmy Walthall, West Virginia (all sports)
1942 – John Abramovic, Salem College (basketball)
1941 – Kenny Griffith, Alderson-Broaddus (basketball)
1940 – Anna Lou Ballew, Mannington (rifle)
1939 – Delos Parsons, Huntington (tennis)
1938 – Delos Parsons, Huntington (tennis)
1937 – Ed Blickel, Huntington (tennis)
1936 – Tommy Brand, Kingwood (golf)
1935 – Joe Stydahar, West Virginia (football-basketball)
1934 – Fritzi Stifel Quarrier, Wheeling (golf)