Top celebrities from sports and entertainment will come together to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major athletic achievements, reliving unforgettable moments, and saluting the leading performers and performances.
The ESPYS raise awareness and funds for the V Foundation. It has been 32 years since Jim Valvano walked onto the stage and delivered his iconic speech as he accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. He encouraged others to carry on the “Don’t Give Up . . . Don’t Ever Give Up!”® spirit and announced the beginning of the V Foundation for Cancer Research in partnership with ESPN.
To date, the V Foundation has awarded nearly $400 million in game-changing cancer research grants to date, all with the support of ESPN.
This year’s ESPYS will be hosted by comedian, actor and writer Shane Gillis, who will bring his energy to the stage as he joins a star-studded group to celebrate the most memorable moments in sports.
Watch Jim’s 1993 ESPYS Speech
V Foundation funded researchers, throughout their careers, have been connected to over 1,000 clinical trials and received over 5,500 grants that have generated over $20 billion in cancer research.
In the last four years alone, the V Foundation has generated 34% of our total grant award funding across our 32-year history. This allows us to accelerate breakthroughs and save lives faster than ever before to achieve Victory Over Cancer®.
There are 18.1 million cancer survivors in the U.S. today. The number of cancer survivors is expected to increase to 22.5 million by 2032.
2025 Jimmy V Award for Perseverance Winner – Katie Schumacher-Cawley
Early in the 2024 college volleyball season, Penn State Volleyball Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley was diagnosed with breast cancer. She quickly started chemotherapy in October and continued through the season, supported by her team and coaches, her family, and fans. Despite the heaviness of what she was going through off the court, Penn State rallied to win the NCAA Championship in just her third season as the head coach.
In 2025, Coach Schumacher-Cawley decided to partner with the V Foundation to advance research in honor of her journey and the research she has benefited from.
“That’s what’s so special about the V Foundation – we’re going to find a cure and we’re going to continue to battle and make it easier for the people that come after me that have this. I’m grateful for the people that went before me because they’ve made it easier with research and medicines, and how that’s changed even in the last 5-10 years. My goal is to continue to help in any way I can.”
Past recipients of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance include women’s college basketball coach Dawn Staley (2024), MLB pitcher Liam Hendricks (2023), ESPN legend Dick Vitale (2022), triathlete Chris Nikic (2021), and former college football player Taquarius War (2020).
Hear From Katie On Her Win
V Researchers at Work
Alejandro Villarino, Ph.D., remembers watching Jim Valvano’s iconic 1993 ESPYS speech live as a high school student. Today, that memory carries even more weight, as he is now a V Foundation for Cancer Research grantee at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, funded through a partnership with the Miami Dolphins Foundation.
“For me, it’s incredible that this is the trio involved in this research. I’m from the University of Miami. I’m a lifelong Dolphins fan. I’m a big sports fan. So, for me, this is a real confluence of things that are important to me and that I genuinely care about.”
At the heart of his research is STAT3, a protein that when mutated, can drive T-cell blood cancers. There are over 150 mutations of this protein, but for most of them we don’t know what they do. To tackle this, Dr. Villarino’s lab built a platform that allows researchers to test all known STAT3 mutations quickly.
“We were able to build a platform that allows us to test every one of these mutations, and not just in a cell line but also in an animal,” he said. “It really allows us to link the molecular mechanisms that these mutations are driving to actual cancer development. That’s a very powerful tool.”
For Dr. Villarino, this is more than a research project. The V Foundation grant has not only helped him launch this new phase of his lab’s work but also opened a path into cancer research after years focused primarily on immunology. With this support, his team is better positioned to explore uncharted questions and build resources that others in the scientific community can use.
Inspirations
Tim Rohr was not a fan of Jim Valvano. In 1983, his Houston Cougars came up short in the NCAA Championship game to the Jim Valvano-led NC State Wolfpack. He remembers watching the television as the camera followed Jim running around the court looking for a player to hug.
But 10 years later, he remembers seeing a different side of Jim. He saw a man being assisted to climb the stairs up to the podium and deliver a passionate speech that inspired all at the 1993 ESPYS.
“To hear his speech, he didn’t talk about himself. It was all about living in the moment and never giving up. And then putting the last time he had on earth to going and starting the V Foundation, that was unbelievable.”
In 2021, Tim was diagnosed with bladder cancer. It was an intense treatment, but now he celebrates being three years cancer free. He saw the importance of cancer research, and the importance of organizations like the V Foundation.
“I don’t know if the V Foundation played a direct part in my diagnosis and how they treat it. But it’s that type of research and that type of giving to do that type of research that makes a huge difference. The effect of what they’re able to do for me is just incredible. It seemed like a good opportunity for me; I’m in a spot where I can help out and I’m proud to be a donor for the V Foundation.”
2025 ESPYS Celebrity Golf Classic and the Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament in Celebration of Norm MacDonald at Sherman Oaks Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA
This incredible event brings together sports and entertainment stars to raise critical funds for cancer research.
On Monday, July 14th, players will take the course to participate in an afternoon of golf with athletes, comedians, and celebrities followed by an awards ceremony. Proceeds from the event will benefit the V Foundation. Some of the celebrities scheduled to attend are boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, actor Joe Mantegna, dance pro Maskim Chmerkovskiy, WNBA champion Angel McCoughtry, NHL defenseman Josh Manson, musician Harry Hudson, sports media personality Ari Chambers and many more!
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance 2025
Over the last three decades, the V Foundation has maintained a strong presence at the ESPYS. Annually since 2007, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance has been presented to a deserving member of the sports community who has overcome great obstacles. This year’s honoree will be recognized at the ESPY Awards ceremony on Wednesday, July 16, at 8 PM ET on ABC and ESPN+.
Additional ESPYS Programming (all times listed are ET)
- SportsCenter Special: Don’t Ever Give Up on ESPN2 – July 4 at 4 p.m.; July 6 at 6 p.m.; July 7 at 4 p.m.; July 10 at 11 p.m.
- SportsCenter Feature: The Speech on ESPN2 – July 4 at 5 p.m.; July 5 at 1 p.m.; July 6 at 7 p.m.; July 8 at 7 p.m.; July 10 at 10 p.m.
- ESPN Films Presents: Dickie V on ESPN2 – July 4 at 10 p.m.; July 5 at 5:30 p.m.; July 6 at 4:30 p.m.; July 9 at 9 p.m.
- Survive and Advance Special on ESPN2 – July 6 at 8 p.m.
- The 2025 ESPYS Nomination Special Presented by Capital One – Saturday, June 28 at 12 p.m. on ESPN
- SportsCenter (from the ESPYS) – Wednesday, July 16 at 6 p.m. on ESPN
- The 2025 ESPYS Preview Show Presented by Capital One – Wednesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. on ESPN
- The ESPYS Red Carpet Show Presented by TJ Maxx – Wednesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+
- The 2025 ESPYS Presented by Capital One – Wednesday, July 16, 8-11 p.m. on ABC and ESPN+ (available to stream on demand the next day on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+)
Sports Humanitarian Awards
The 2025 Sports Humanitarian Awards, benefiting the V Foundation, celebrate athletes who use their power for good. See this year’s nominees and finalists.
