Host Shane Gillis brought his combative humor to the monologue of the ESPY Awards, drawing a mixed response on a night dominated by female winners.

An emotional Katie Schumacher-Cawley accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance with her husband and children looking on. The Penn State women’s volleyball coach was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in September. She continued coaching without missing a practice and became the first woman to guide a team to the NCAA national championship.

The 2025 ESPYs featured some highlight moments from host comedian Shane Gillis, with the opening monologue jumping into jokes about President Donald Trump and the hot-topic Epstein files. One Trump joke involved New York Yankees star Juan Soto, who is from the Dominican Republic, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.