ESPN this week announced that the 2013 Arthur Ashe Courage award will go to news anchor Robin Roberts.

Roberts, one of the hosts of ABC’s Good Morning America, has captivated morning show audiences this past year with her battle against myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a blood disease disorder of bone marrow stem cells. Before she was the darling of morning network TV, though, she was a sportscaster for over a decade.

Roberts began working for ESPN in 1990 as one of the first black female sports journalists in the business. She earned three Emmy Awards for her work at ESPN, and now the network will be honoring her for her achievements.

The 2013 Arthur Ashe Courage award will be given to Roberts during this year’s ESPY awards, which air on July 17. Past recipients of the award have included Muhammad Ali and Dean Smith.

“Robin brings an amazing amount of energy, compassion and determination to everything she does,” said John Skipper, president of ESPN. “Those qualities made her an incredible asset during her time here at ESPN, and they have served her well as she battled the terrible health challenges that she’s had to face.”