SAM Magazine-Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 22, 2010-The U.S. Olympic Committee has bestowed its highest honors on three U.S. Ski Team athletes on the eve of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn was named 2009 USOC SportsWoman of the Year, Nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick was honored as SportsMan of the Year, and monoskier Stephani Victor earned Paralympic SportsWoman of the Year.

"These award recipients stood apart from a distinguished list of nominees both on and off the field of play and their accomplishments provide inspiration and excitement for all Americans," said USOC chief of sport performance Mike English.

SportsWoman of the Year Lindsey Vonn dominated in 2009 en route to becoming one of the most successful female skiers in U.S. history. Vonn was crowned overall champion of the 2009 Audi FIS World Cup, including titles in downhill and super G. She recorded a U.S. record nine World Cup wins in a single season and surpassed Tamara McKinney's records for the most World Cup victories (19) and World Cup podium finishes (45). She's continued to shine this year, too; Friday she won her 29th career World Cup in Italy, cementing her as one of the favorites in the Games in Whistler.

Vonn becomes the first U.S. Ski Team athlete to win SportsWoman of the Year since Picabo Street in 1998.

SportsMan of the Year Todd Lodwick returned from a two-year retirement to win a pair of gold medals in Nordic combined at the 2009 FIS World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, becoming only the second American to win a Nordic combined world title. His rise coincides with the rest of the U.S. Nordic Combined Team, which is stronger than ever heading into Vancouver.

Lodwick becomes the first Nordic combined skier ever to win SportsMan of the Year, and the first U.S. Ski Team athlete to win the award since Jonny Moseley in 1998.

Paralympic SportsWoman of the Year Stephani Victor won three gold medals and a silver at the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in High 1 Resort, Korea. Victor added a gold medal in the slalom at the U.S. Adaptive Alpine Ski Championships to her World titles in slalom, giant slalom and super combined.

Teammate Laurie Stephens won the award in 2005.