The first edition of The ESPN Sport Science Newton Awards, named in honor of science’s first MVP Sir Isaac Newton, will premiere on ESPN on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m. and will air on ABC on Saturday, Feb. 22. The ESPN Sport Science Newton Awards, hosted by John Brenkus, will honor athletic achievements in nine categories, including “Best Catch,” “Best Flight,” “Outstanding Agility,” “Outstanding Reaction,” “Best Projectile Launch” and “Outstanding New Limit.”

While most awards shows are based on a voting process, The ESPN Sport Science Newton Awards are judged on unprecedented scientific analysis of thousands of athletic performances from the world of sports during 2013. The unique ESPN Sport Science metric accounts for numerous factors and variables in human performance, based on intensive video analysis and the huge database created through years of testing in its sports lab. The awards will honor a variety of sports including basketball, football, baseball, tennis, skateboarding, skiing, hockey and even base jumping.

Among the ESPN Sport Science Newton Awards nominees are Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate, Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, tennis player Serena Williams, Florida Gulf Coast University basketball team, skateboarder Mitchie Brusco and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

Scheduled presenters include actor and comedian David Koechner, ESPN personality Marcellus Wiley, former NFL player Jason Sehorn, scientist, inventor and author Bill Nye, MMA Hall of Famer Randy Couture, professional skateboarder Chris Cole and three-time U.S. Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin.

ESPN Sport Science Newtown Awards Categories and Nominees:

BEST CATCH

Ben Revere, Outfielder / Philadelphia Phillies

Revere goes full Superman for one of the Major League Baseball’s top plays of the year.

Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver / Detroit Lions

Megatron goes up for a jump ball, peaking over 11 feet above ground, and brings it down, beating three defenders for six points.

J.J. Worton, Wide Receiver / University of Central Florida

Worton makes a full extension grab, stretching his body more than 8 feet in the final minutes against Temple, propelling UCF to their first-ever BCS appearance.

Kodi Whitfield, Wide Receiver / Stanford University

Whitfield makes a stunning backhand snag, giving UCLA their first loss and sending the Cardinal to the Rose Bowl.

Golden Tate, Wide Receiver / Seattle Seahawks

While dragging his toes to stay in bounds, Tate utilizes less than 20 pounds of force on his helmet to make a one-handed snag for a TD against Atlanta.

BEST PROJECTILE LAUNCH

Zach Johnson, Golfer / Northwestern Mutual World Challenge

After dumping his approach shot in the drink, Zach Johnson holes out from the fairway on the 72nd hold to force a playoff with Tiger Woods.

Matt Prater, Kicker / Denver Broncos

Prater sets an NFL record with a 64-yard field goal in 14-degree weather to help the Broncos down the Titans in Mile High.

Steph Curry, Guard / Golden State Warriors

Curry becomes the NBA’s new 3-point king with the most in a single season.

Keegan Balle, Midfielder / Rutgers University-Camden

Leading Rutgers University-Camden to the Division 3 National Championship, Keegan Balle launches a free kick more than 230 feet to find the goal.

Evan Gattis, Catcher / Atlanta Braves

Against the Phillies, Gattis jacks the ball 486 feet, the longest homer of the year in MLB.

OUTSTANDING REACTION

Jose Fernandez, Pitcher / Miami Marlins

Rookie of the Year winner snags a 100+ mph comebacker.

Kofi Sarkodie, Defender / Houston Dynamo

His goalie’s best friend, Kofi Sarkodie makes two incredible consecutive goal line saves.

Bryan Brothers, Tennis / Australian Open Finals

Bob and Mike Bryan display their elite teamwork in a high-speed rally at the net in the Australian Open Finals.

Tony Stewart, Driver / Nationwide at Daytona

With cars colliding behind and to his side, Tony Stewart makes an incredible move at 180 mph to avoid a close call 12 car wreck and win the Nationwide Drive4COPD at Daytona.

Tuukka Rask, Goalie / Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask stops 5 shots during chaos in the crease in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

BEST THROW

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback / Green Bay Packers

Rodgers finds wide receiver Jordy Nelson with a laser, releasing the ball at nearly 60 mph to dissect the 49ers.

Manny Machado, Third Baseman / Baltimore Orioles

Ranging to his right, well past the 3rd baseline, Machado releases the ball with an angular velocity of 1300 degrees per second, to burn a Yankee with his hot corner heave.

Jameis Winston, Quarterback / Florida State University

The eventual Heisman Trophy winner fights off Boston College defenders, and launches a 57-mph Hail Mary just .06 seconds before contact to bum out B.C.

Yasiel Puig, Outfielder / Los Angeles Dodgers

Rookie sensation Yasiel Puig releases a 95-mph throw from right field to gun down a baserunner from over 200 feet away.

Torrance Gibson, Quarterback / American Heritage High School

An amazing scramble results in a run and gun heave for the touchdown.

MOST IMPROBABLE

Boston Bruins

Down by 3 goals in the 3rd period, the Bruins rally to defeat Toronto in overtime for one of hockey’s greatest comebacks of all time.

Oracle Team USA

Down 1-8, the US sailers make a historic comeback by taking 8 straight races to win the America’s Cup over New Zealand, 9-8.

Khalil Edney, Guard / New Rochelle High School

After he steals back his own stolen in-bounds pass, Edney hits an insane 49-foot game winning buzzer beater from past half court.

Auburn University

Capping an incredible comeback season, led by Coach Gus Malzahn, Auburn returns a game-winning walk off field goal against Alabama with a 109-yard miracle.

Florida Gulf Coast University

One of the greatest Cinderella stories in NCAA basketball history, Florida Gulf Coast knocks off 2 seed Georgetown to become the first ever 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16.

OUTSTANDING NEW LIMIT

Valery Rozov, Base Jumper / Mt. Everest

Launching off Mount Everest at an altitude of 23,688 feet above sea level, Rozov breaks the world record for highest base jump ever.

Joey Chestnut, Competitive Eater / Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Consuming a hot dog every 8.7 seconds, Chestnut downs a world record 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Diana Nyad, Swimmer / Cuba to Florida

At the age of 64, Nyad swims 110 miles from Havana to Key West in 53 hours – without a shark cage.

Ethen Godfrey-Roberts, BMX / Nitro Circus

Godfrey-Roberts lands the first-ever Superman Double Backflip.

Garrett McNamara, Surfer / Portugal

In Portugal, Garrett McNamara surfs an estimated 100-foot wave, roughly 17 times his own height, setting what is thought to be a new world record.

GREATER THAN

Andre Williams, Running Back / Boston College

Heisman trophy candidate Andre Williams throws Maryland defender William Likely to the ground with a booming stiff-arm that generated more than 1500 pounds of force.

DeAndre Jordan, Center / Los Angeles Clippers

DeAndre Jordan posterizes Brandon Knight with a vicious throw-down, launching off the ground with roughly 1400 pounds of force.

Serena Williams, Tennis / U.S. Open

Serena Williams dominates Carla Suarez Navarro in the U.S. Open Quarter Finals, capping a 6-0 6-0 win, in less than an hour.

LeBron James, Forward / Miami Heat

In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, LeBron James rejects Tiago Splitter’s dunk attempt in a window of opportunity just .05 seconds.

Vitor Belfort / Mixed Martial Artist

With a spinning kick measured at an angular velocity of more than 700 degrees per second, Belfort goes heel over head to knock out Luke Rockhold.

BEST FLIGHT

Mitchie Brusco, Skateboarding / X Games Barcelona

On the Megaramp, Brusco lands the first Big Air 1080 in X Games history.

Javonte Douglas, Forward / College of Central Florida

Douglas becomes a web sensation by reaching 12 feet in the air to throw down a posterizing putback for the College of Central Florida.

Henrik Harlaut, Skiing / X Games Aspen

Harlaut wins X Games gold with 1620 degrees of total rotation during a trick named the Nose Butter Triple Cork.

Shaun White, Snowboarding / X Games Aspen

White soars to 24’1″, the highest recorded amplitude in X Games Snowboard Superpipe history.

OUTSTANDING AGILITY

Tony Parker, Point Guard / San Antonio Spurs

Averaging 2.6 dribbles per second, Parker ices the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA finals by getting two the hard way.

Lionel Messi, Forward / FC Barcelona

Generating an estimated 3Gs of acceleration with each cut, Lionel Messi weaves through the Athletic Bilbao defense to score a classic goal.

Jose Iglesias, Shortstop / Detroit Tigers

MLB’s Web Gem of the Year, Iglesias’ lightning fast catch and release is a result of his arm rotating at roughly 1300 degrees per second.

Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas A&M University

The Heisman Trophy winner pulls off more heroics against #1 Alabama, with a Houdini-like escape before completing a pass for a big gain.

Giovani Bernard, Running Back / Cincinnati Bengals

Rookie runner spins and slices through the Dolphins’ defense, covering more than 100 yards for a zig-zag touchdown.

About Sport Science

Hosted by John Brenkus, ESPN Sport Science brings viewers amazing insights into athletic performance from a scientific viewpoint. Currently in its seventh year of production, the innovative approach of ESPN Sport Science has made it one of the company’s most decorated properties in recent years, garnering a total of six Emmys. ESPN Sport Science is produced by ESPN and BASE Productions.

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