Famous Athletes

Virginia has produced some ballers, racers, swimmers and putters. Be surprised by which great athletes call Virginia home.

These professionals and Olympians have represented Virginia in their various sports.

Baseball

• David Wright (1982- ) Norfolk; New York Mets (2004-present); BIO
• Justin Verlander (1983- ) Manakin-Sabot; Detroit Tigers (2005-present; Rookie of the Year; 2011 league MVP; 2011 Cy Young Award Winner); BIO

Basketball

• Moses Malone (1955-2015) Petersburg; Philadelphia 76ers (1983 league MVP) BIO
• Ralph Sampson (1960- ) Harrisonburg; Houston Rockets (1983-1988, Rookie of the Year); Golden State Warriors (1987-1989); Sacramento Kings (1989-1991); Washington Bullets (1991-1992) BIO
• Alonzo Mourning (1970- ) Chesapeake; Charlotte Hornets (1992-1995); Miami Heat (1995-2008; 1999, 2000 Defensive Player of the Year); Olympic Gold Medalist (Sydney 2000) BIO
• Allen Iverson (1975- ) Hampton; Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006; Rookie of the Year, 2001 league MVP); Denver Nuggets (2007-2008); Detroit Pistons (2009). Olympic Bronze Medalist (Athens 2004) BIO

Boxing

• Pernell Whitaker (1964- ) Norfolk; aka "Sweet Pea"; multi Welterweight and Lightweight championships; International Boxing Hall of Fame (2007) BIO
• Norvel Lee (1924-1992) Eagle Rock; Olympian awarded the gold medal at the 1952 Helsinki Games; AAU's national heavyweight champion in 1950, 1951, and 1952; student of Howard University in D.C.; served in WWII as a Tuskegee Airman. BIO

Football

• Bill Dudley (1921- 2010) Bluefield; Pittsburgh Steelers; pro football Hall of Fame (1966) BIO
• Heath Miller (1982- ) Honaker; Pittsburgh Steelers (2005-2015); Super Bowl XL and XLIII winner BIO
• Willie Lanier (1945- ) Clover; Kansas City Chiefs (1960-70); pro football Hall of Fame (1986) BIO
• Bruce Smith (1963- ) Norfolk; Outland Trophy winner at Virginia Tech (1984); Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins. BIO
• Lawrence Taylor (1959- ) Williamsburg; New York Giants (1981-1993); pro football Hall of Fame (1999) BIO
• Fran Tarkenton (1940- ) Richmond; Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants; pro football Hall of Fame (1986) BIO
• Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-ah "Tiki" Barber (1975- ) Roanoke; New York Giants (1997-2006); sports broadcaster; author BIO
• Jamael Orondé "Ronde" Barber (1975- ) Roanoke; Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997-present); Super Bowl XXXVII winner; author BIO
• James Farrior (1975- ) Richmond; New York Jets (1997-2001); Pittsburgh Steelers (2002-present); Super Bowl XL and XLIII winner BIO
• Plaxico Burress (1977- ) Norfolk; Pittsburgh Steelers (2000-2004); New York Giants (2005-2008); New York Jets (2011) BIO
• Michael Vick (1980- ) Newport News; Atlanta Falcons (2001-2007); Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2013); New York Jets (2013-2015) BIO
• DeAngelo Hall (1983- ) Chesapeake; Atlanta Falcons (2004-2007); Oakland Raiders (2008); Washington Redskins (2008-present)BIO
• Danny Aiken (1988- ) Roanoke; New England Patriots (2011-2014); New York Giants (2015) BIO
• Percy Harvin (1988- ) Virginia Beach; Minnesota Vikings (2009-2012); Seattle Seahawks (2013); New York Jets (2014); Seattle Seahawks (2014); Buffalo Bills (2015-2016) BIO
• Darren Sharper (1975- ) Richmond; Green Bay Packers (1997-2004); Minnesota Vikings (2005-2008); New Orleans Saints (2009-2010) BIO
• Erron Kinney (1977- ) Ashland; Tennessee Titans (2000-2005) BIO
• Michael Robinson (1983- ) Richmond; San Francisco 49ers (2006-2009); Seattle Seahawks (2010-2014); Super Bowl XLVIII winner. BIO
• Kam Chancellor (1988- ) Norfolk; Seattle Seahawks (2010-present); Super Bowl XLVIII winner. BIO
• Russell Wilson (1988- ) Richmond; Seattle Seahawks (2012-present); Super Bowl XLVIII winner. BIO
• Chandler Fenner (1990- ) Virginia Beach; Seattle Seahawks (2012-2013), Super Bowl XLVIII winner; New York Giants (2014). BIO
• Torrey Smith (1989- ) Richmond; Baltimore Ravens (2011-2014), San Francisco 49ers (2015-2016); Philadelphia Eagles (2017-present), BIO
• Database of Football

Golf

• Sam Snead (1912-2002) Hot Springs; three Masters titles, three PGA titles, one British Open title BIO
• Curtis Strange (1955- ) Norfolk; U.S. Open champion (1988,1989); winner, Canadian Open (1985) BIO
• Lanny Wadkins (1949- ) Richmond; PGA title (1977) BIO

Gymnastics

• Gabrielle Douglas (1995- ) Virginia Beach; Gymnast. Olympic Gold Medalist (London 2012). First African-American all-around gymnastics champion. BIO

Martial Arts

• Terrence Jennings (1986- ) Alexandria; Taekwondo. Member US Olympic Team (London 2012). BIO

Racing

• Wendell Scott (1921-1990) Danville; First (and only, as of this publication) African-American to win a NASCAR race (1963); "State Hero" Resolution by the Virginia General Assembly (1991); International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee (1999); Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (2000) BIO
• Ward Burton (1961- ) South Boston; Daytona 500 Winner (2002) BIO
• Jeff Burton (1967 -) South Boston; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year (1994) BIO
• Stacy Compton (1967- ) Hurt; record average start position (4.9) for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (1999) BIO
• Denny Hamlin (1980- ) Chesterfield; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year (2006) BIO
• Danny O'Quinn (1985- ) Coeburn; NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year (2006) BIO
• Ricky Rudd (1956- ) Chesapeake; NASCAR's "Iron Man" with a Sprint Cup-record 788 consecutive starts (1981-2005); NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year (1977) BIO
• Elliott Sadler (1975- ) Emporia; runner-up for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year (1999) BIO
• Hermie Sadler (1969- ) Emporia; SpeedTV analyst and advocate for Autism; Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year (1993) BIO
• Jon Wood (1981- ) Stuart; Homestead-Miami 2007 Bud Pole Award Winner for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; Currently a free agent BIO

Swimming

• Whitney Hedgepeth (1971- ) Colonial Heights; Three-time NCAA Champion, Gold and Silver Olympic Medalist (Atlanta 1996) BIO
• Rada Owen& (1978- ) Chesterfield; member US Olympic Team (Sydney 2000) BIO
• Matt McLean (1988- ) Sterling; Olympic Gold Medalist (London 2012) BIO

Tennis

• Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) Richmond; Wimbledon Champion (1975) BIO

Track & Field

• Kellie Wells (1982- ) Richmond; member US Olympic Team (London 2012) BIO
• LaShawn Merritt (1986- ) Portsmouth; Olympic Gold Medalist (Beijing 2008) BIO
• Francena McCorory (1988- ) Hampton; member US Olympic Team (London 2012). Indoor 400m World Record Holder (50.54) BIO
• T'erea Brown (1989- ) Hampton; member US Olympic Team (London 2012) BIO

Volleyball

• Reid Priddy (1977- ) Richmond; Olympic Gold Medalist (Beijing 2008) BIO