15 Best Multi-Sport College Athletes of All Time
If you’ve been to college, you understand how utterly minute the time you spend in an actual classroom is. Raised on 40 hours of school per week since early elementary school, you’d be forgiven to feel like the “real world” doesn’t start with your first job, it begins with the first grade.
For a dozen years you wake up early, and go to sleep late. You do work at school, only to be given extra for home. And just when it seems like there is no end to it all, high school graduation comes. You’re given a worthy reward: a land with no parental supervision, parties every night, and classes that are over before noon on a Tuesday.
While that reward is eventually offset (see: repaid, with interest) by tuition/student loan payments, it also gives you spare time unlike any other period in your life—outside of summer break, of course. What you do with that freedom is up to you. Getting a job, studying, or sitting around all day are all excellent choices, but this list of student-athletes maxed out their schedules. Playing two or more sports gave them little free time to do anything—including, in a few cases, going to class.
In a world where year-round competition presses many people to choose their game as early as their preteens, this collection of sportsmen kept their options open until a time when we’re all forced to finally make a decision on the future. Here’s The Best Multi-Sport College Athletes of All Time:
Julius PeppersSchool: University of North Carolina
Sports: Football, BasketballAs a sophomore, Julius Peppers ripped down quarterbacks 15 times to lead the entire country in sacks. His relentless pass rushing campaign was rewarded, and he was named a second-team All-American. The only way to improve upon that, obviously, is to be named to the first-team, something he did as a unanimous choice the very next season. That ended up being his last year before leaving Chapel Hill, N.C., early, but at that point there was nothing left to prove. Especially when you consider that he also won the Bednarik Award, a trophy given annually to the top defender in the nation.
Not content with one sport, Peppers utilized his imposing 6’7” 250-plus-pound frame by walking on to the Tar Heels’ basketball team. He played a reserve role for a squad that made it all the way to the Final Four. The next year they didn’t make it quite that far, but they still got an invite to the Big Dance. In his final game, Peppers posted a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds) before leaving the sport for good to focus on football. As of this writing, Peppers ranks as the fourth highest earner in NFL history.
So yeah, we’d say he made a good call on that one.
Kirk GibsonSchool: Michigan State University
Sports: Baseball, FootballThe man who hit a World Series home run so famous it has its own Wikipedia page never would’ve hobbled his way up to that batter’s box if he didn’t play college football (hold up…what?).
It’s true. You see, Kirk Gibson was an All-American wide receiver at Michigan State who established team and conference records before being picked by the (now) Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL Draft. But, while still a Spartan, Gibson’s football coach suggested Kirk play baseball. After a single year at the collegiate level, the Detroit Tigers selected Gibson in the first round of their draft. Since he was college educated, Kirk knew first was better than seventh. He chose baseball over football, which eventually led to—you guessed it—nightmares for life, for Dennis Eckersley.
C.J. SpillerSchool: Clemson University
Sports: Football, Track and FieldWhile an underclassman, C.J. Spiller was recognized as an All-American as both an outdoor track star (4x100m relay) and an indoor one (60m). Two years later he duplicated his spot on the outdoor list by making a reappearance for his accomplishments in the 4x100. That same year, on the football field, Spiller topped 2,500 total yards and was the only player in the nation to score a touchdown in every one of his team’s games. With those feats it was a no-brainer, he was named a unanimous All-American (sense a pattern?).
If you’re an All-American in one sport, then it’s likely your school will honor you with your own banner. If you’re an All-American in two sports, you get a spot on this list. Which one’s more distinguished? The banner. You decide.
Jeff SamardzijaSchool: University of Notre Dame
Sports: Baseball, FootballJeff Samardzija took a few years to develop into a game-breaking college football talent, but his success as a baseball player was immediate. His first year on the diamond in South Bend, Ind., Samardzija was named a freshman All-American. A couple years later Baseball America labeled him the second-most athletic college prospect in the 2006 draft, but he tumbled down draft boards out of fear that he’d bail from the mound in favor of the NFL.
That was a valid concern because, as Jeff became an upperclassman, he dominated the football field. As a junior he was a first-team All-American, setting records for a program that had accumulated a mighty impressive history for more than a century. In his last two years as a member of the Fighting Irish’s football team, Samardzija was a finalist for the award given to the best wideout in the country. He couldn’t bring it home, even as a senior. But hey, can you really hold it against a guy for losing out to Calvin Johnson? Yes, but he still makes the list.
Herschel WalkerSchool: University of Georgia
Sports: Football, Track and FieldNowadays you likely know him as the only 53-year-old you couldn’t take down with a five-iron and a taser. But, back in the early '80s, he was more than just a man who could beat up people half his age (though he could have certainly still done that), he was also an All-American in both track (twice) and football (a three-time unanimous pick). Walker’s current middle-aged bodybuilding physique has likely convinced you of his inherent athleticism, but he’s been breaking new ground since he was a youngster. In fact, he was the first player ever to be named an All-American in his first “true” season on campus (no redshirting for this guy).
By the time he felt he’d be better off getting paid to get tackled, Walker quit with a year left. In his final season at Georgia he took home the Heisman. He collected it with dignity and grace, by taking the school’s bulldog mascot to the ceremony with him. They wore matching tuxes.
Wilt ChamberlainSchool: University of Kansas
Sports: Basketball, Track and FieldWilt Chamberlain had legs long enough to lead the world in rebounds, hurdle over obscene heights in the high jump, or gallop past the competition on the track. He didn’t get the opportunity to continue the latter two after college, but while he was still a Jayhawk, Chamberlain repped the school in the 100m dash and brought home three Big Eight high jump titles. For good measure, he could also chuck a shotput well over 50 feet.
As for the sport you actually know him for, Chamberlain was every bit as dominant as you’d expect a dude who poured in 100 percent to be. He set the tone for his career immediately, making his freshman debut in a scrimmage against KU’s varsity. On that night Chamberlain scored 42 points and collected 29 rebounds. It didn’t take him long to set single-game school records in each of those categories, and by that we mean he did it in his first games (going for 52 and 31, respectively). Ultimately Wilt only played two years at Kansas’ top level, but was named a consensus All-American in both of them. This despite the fact that he was routinely triple-teamed throughout his time in Lawrence.
John ElwaySchool: Stanford University
Sports: Football, BaseballJohn Elway avoided playing for the Baltimore Colts because he had options, namely the ability to leave the sport entirely in favor of joining the New York Yankees. After a breakout sophomore season for Stanford’s baseball team, Yanks owner George Steinbrenner envisioned a future with John Elway’s rocket-launcher arm-cutting down runners from right field. John was drafted out of college half-a-dozen slots ahead of Tony Gwynn. He spent the summer before his senior year on the other side of the country (in Oneonta, N.Y.) keeping his choices open, but returned to Palo Alto, Calif., in the fall so he could continue playing football, which is why you know him for, well, playing football.
Elway never made a bowl game in his four seasons at Stanford (it wasn’t exactly a football powerhouse in the '80s, instead flourishing at academics…or something) but he still dominated behind center. He left school third all-time on the NCAA list for passing touchdowns. As a senior he finished runner-up to Herschel Walker for the Heisman Trophy. He was a consensus All-American, and was later enshrined in college football’s Hall of Fame. When it was all said and done, Elway had compiled himself a massive list of personal milestones and, all athlete clichés aside, we all know those are what really matter.
Charlie WardSchool: Florida State University
Sports: Basketball, FootballWhen you win the Heisman and Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback in the country) and then don’t go pro in that sport, odds are you’re a phenomenal athlete. Charlie Ward can claim that distinction, in fact he’s the only person who’s ever existed who’s won a Heisman Trophy and then gone on to play in the NBA. Though he’s long since graduated, and FSU has added an additional two National Titles to the side of their stadium, Ward can still hold his head high as the quarterback who captained the team that did it first.
Oh, plus he’s still the basketball program’s all-time leader in steals.
Robert Griffin IIISchool: Baylor University
Sports: Football, Track and FieldBlessed with the speed of a sprinter, and the arm strength of…a sprinter with a potato gun attached, RGIII was destined to make an impact at Baylor, and he even got a head start by graduating from high school early. That allowed him to play as a true freshman, where he garnered Big 12 Frosh of the Year honors. But, frankly, that award is likely stuffed in a box in his attic, because by the time he graduated to second overall pick in the NFL his trophy rack needed space. As a senior he won the Davey O’Brien Award, AP Player of the Year, and (most impressively) the Heisman.
Since college pigskin overshadows all other amateur sports, it’s easy to miss that Griffin was nearly as dominant on the track as he was on the gridiron. He only ran one season at Baylor (his freshman year) but it was a commanding one. He was an NCAA All-American at the 400m hurdles. And, in that same event, he was the Big 12 champion. From there he advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional (which he won) and eventually finished third at the NCAA meet. He also qualified for the Olympic trials, where he came one place shy of being eligible for in the Finals. Remember how we told you he graduated from school early? Under normal circumstances Griffin would’ve been a high school senior when this all went down.
Dave WinfieldSchool: University of Minnesota
Sports: Baseball, BasketballDescribed by future NBA coach Bill Musselman (who later coached Bill Laimbeer) as the “best rebounder [he’s] ever coached,” Dave Winfield has the eye-popping honor of being drafted by four teams in three different sports, one of which (football) he didn’t even play.
Winfield was on the 1972 Golden Gophers basketball team that became the first Minnesota squad in 53 years to be crowned Big Ten champs. In 1973, Winfield took home All-American honors for baseball and was named the MVP of the College World Series. His performance was so impressive that the San Diego Padres took him fourth overall in that year’s draft, though they selected him with the belief that he’d be a big league pitcher. In 22 seasons at the sport’s top level, Winfield never did pitch. Instead he became a Gold Glove outfielder who was inducted into the Hall of Fame the first time his name appeared on the ballot.
You may wonder why he chose baseball’s minor leagues over the instant fame/fortune associated with the NFL or NBA. But, the truth is, riding buses and staying in motels was nary a concern since Winfield was so immediately Major League ready that he got to skip them entirely.
Deion SandersSchool: Florida State University
Sports: Football, Baseball, Track and FieldAs a freshman it was likely that you celebrated your newfound freedom by partying/sitting around/adding 15 pounds. That’s fairly standard. Deion Sanders went an alternate route and immediately started at cornerback for the 15th-ranked Florida State Seminoles football team. That following spring he started in the outfield for the (even better) fifth ranked baseball team.
Between his time on the diamond/gridiron, Sanders ran track. And when we say that it was “between his time” we mean it literally. In the middle of a doubleheader in South Carolina Sanders unwound by running a leg in a 4x100 relay, before coming back in time to start game two.
As he became more and more accustomed to college sports, he developed into a greater player. In 1987 and ’88 he was a consensus All-American cornerback. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior as the best DB in college football. And he led the nation in punt return average on top of that.
It’s one thing to get your jersey retired (which Sanders did) it’s another to have an entire law named after you. Sure, it had to do with banning players from playing in the postseason if they didn’t successfully finish a semester. But hey, it’s still kind of cool.
Jackie RobinsonSchool: UCLA
Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Track and FieldRemembering Jackie Robinson solely as a baseball player doesn’t properly acknowledge just how well rounded an athlete he was. In college he lettered in four sports, baseball is obvious, but he also starred on the hardwood (leading the Pacific Coast Conference twice in scoring), the gridiron (leading the nation in punt return average, and playing the Chicago Bears as a member of a college All-Star team) and the track (winning the broad jump/long jump title in 1940). The fact that he remembers the sport where he was immortalized in the Hall of Fame as his “worst” when he was a student should fill you in on just how damn good he was at every other game he tried.
Jim BrownSchool: Syracuse University
Sports: Football, Lacrosse, Basketball, Track and FieldDepending on how old your dad (or how young your grandpa) is, they might very well consider Jim Brown the greatest football player to ever slap on a pair of cleats and an old-timey facemask. That legacy began in college where he earned Consensus All-American honors and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
However, Brown’s greatest sport might’ve been lacrosse. As both a junior and senior he earned All-American honors (note: that’s one more All-American team then he made as a football player). If lacrosse contracts could pay any bills in the ’50s/’60s we might remember Brown as a legend in that sport instead of football. Still, the lacrosse world remembers him, and that’s what matters. They inducted him into their HOF in 1983.
Also, is it too late to mention he led the basketball team in scoring as a sophomore? Because he still found time to fit that into what was probably already a pretty hectic schedule.
Bo JacksonSchool: Auburn University
Sports: Football, Baseball, Track and FieldWhen graduation finally comes around, and you’re about ready to hit the job market, you know it’s best to have options. For normal people (examples: you and I) it’s good to have two job offers so you can leverage a better deal for your entry level position. Bo Jackson had options too, but instead of, say, negotiating an extra thousand dollars to his salary, he passed up being the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL so he could become an eventual All-Star in Major League Baseball.
Bo’s athletic exploits are nearly legends at this point. It can (at times) be hard to differentiate fact from fiction. What we do know is that he was a two-time All-American running back who won the 1985 Heisman Trophy. What we think we know is that he ran that fastest 40-yard dash in Combine history, with a (hand-clocked) time of 4.12 seconds.
When he had time between baseball, football and, you know, school, Jackson also ran track for the Tigers, where he qualified for the NCAA Nationals in the 100m dash as both a freshman and sophomore. After pondering whether or not he should be a Track and Field professional, Bo realized the cons (making no money) outweighed the pros (nothing), and decided to stick with his initial combo instead.
Jim ThorpeSchool: Carlisle
Sports: Football, Lacrosse, Track and Field, Baseball, Ballroom Dancing (Wait…does that count?)Thorpe originally made his foray into collegiate athletics by embarrassing his school’s track team. He walked past the track, saw them practicing the high jump, and them bested them all. He was wearing street clothes.
After that he decided to be the greatest at another sport he was just winging it at. Too small for football (even by early 1900s standards) Pop Warner (the actual man, not the league) didn’t want Thorpe on the gridiron. He figured Thorpe would try, get walloped, and quit. So, the great coach he was, Warner let Thorpe give it a shot. Thorpe scored two immediate touchdowns, meaning Warner had found himself a running back. Then, for good measure, he also made him a defensive back, kicker and punter.
In his final year at Carlisle, Thorpe led the team to the national title. Said Dwight Eisenhower about Thorpe “He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw.” Although that philosophy apparently worked for Thorpe, we still would not recommend it.
Furthermore, that same year, Jim began training for the Olympics. This is basically like you deciding on a whim that you’re going to be elected governor of your state.
By the time of the closing ceremonies he had two gold medals, though they were later revoked due the fact that Thorpe’s ability to accomplish anything he wanted made everybody feel bad.
Also he previously accepted money for playing baseball.
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