# Faces in the Crowd (Sports Illustrated)

Faces in the Crowd is a long-running segment from Sports Illustrated. Starting in the January 9, 1956, issue, the segment was originally titled These Faces in the Crowd. The predecessor to These Faces... was a segment called Pat on the Back. It differed in that it did not just focus on unknown or amateur athletes. Contrary to Faces in the Crowd, it featured professional athletes who set milestones and celebrities who undertook an athletic endeavor. Slight deviations from its basic format are rare. One such example was in the college football preview issue on September 5, 1977 when the segment was temporarily retitled Freshmen in the Crowd and featured six incoming gridiron prospects from major NCAA Division I programs. From 1956 to 2006, a total of 15,672 athletes have been featured.

## Video Faces in the Crowd

Video Faces in the Crowd is segment from Sports Illustrated and TAKKLE.com, which features up-and-coming high school athletes and their sports videos. The athletes are featured in the Sports Illustrated magazine, on the Sports Illustrated website and on the TAKKLE website.

## Famous Faces in the Crowd
### The 1950s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Bobby Fischer | Chess | April 30, 1956 | At age 15, became youngest International Grandmaster |
| Althea Gibson | Tennis/Golf | May 21, 1956 | Became first African American to win Wimbledon, and later became the first African American on the LPGA tour |
| Wilma Rudolph | Track and Field | September 3, 1956 | First African American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics |
| Jack Nicklaus | Golf | September 2, 1957 | Winner of 18 professional golf majors, plus 8 senior majors |
| Elgin Baylor | Basketball | February 10, 1958 | Named in 1996 as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Later became general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers |
| Kris Kristofferson | Rugby, Football, Boxing | March 31, 1958 | (published as Kristoffer Kristofferson) |
| Al Oerter | Track and Field | April 14, 1958 | First of only two track and field athletes to win the same event in four consecutive Olympics |
| Bobby Unser | Motor Sports | July 14, 1958 | Won the Indianapolis 500 three times |

### The 1960s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Marv Levy | Football | February 15, 1960 | Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame |
| Arthur Ashe | Tennis | December 12, 1960 | Only African American man to win the U.S. Open, Australian Open, or Wimbledon |
| Billie Jean King | Tennis | July 17, 1961 | (published as Billie Jean Moffitt) Won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 19 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Also won a combined 20 titles at Wimbledon. |
| Evonne Goolagong | Tennis | February 3, 1964 | Won seven Grand Slam singles titles |
| Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) | Basketball | April 27, 1964 | Won three NCAA titles and six NBA championships |
| Lanny Wadkins | Golf | July 20, 1964 | Won 21 times on the PGA Tour, including one PGA Championship |
| Johnny Miller | Golf | August 24, 1964 | Won 25 times on the PGA Tour, including one U.S. Open (with a final-round 63) and one Open Championship |
| Rollie Fingers | Baseball | September 14, 1964 | Had 341 career saves |
| Bob Beamon | Track and Field | May 10, 1965 | Won the gold medal in the long jump at the 1968 Olympics by setting a world record that would stand for over 20 years |
| Calvin Murphy | Basketball | January 31, 1966 | 1993 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee; point guard with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1970–1983). |
| Tim Sheehy | Hockey | March 14, 1966 | Right wing with four teams in World Hockey Association and National Hockey League in seven seasons during 1970s. |
| Terry Bradshaw | Football | April 11, 1966 | 1989 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee; quarterbacked Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl wins (IX, X, XIII, XIV). |
| Jeff Petrie | Baseball | May 30, 1966 | Shooting guard with Portland Trail Blazers (1970–1976). Given name misspelled and featured for another sport. |
| Tom Clements | Basketball | January 9, 1967 | Starting quarterback with Notre Dame's 1973 NCAA Division I national championship football team. Featured for another sport. |
| Vera Wang | Figure Skating | January 8, 1968 | Became a world-famous fashion designer |
| Hubert Green | Golf | April 22, 1968 | Won 19 times on the PGA Tour, including one U.S. Open and one PGA Championship |
| Howard Stevens | Football | January 20, 1969 | Return specialist with New Orleans Saints (1973–1975) and Baltimore Colts (1975–1977). |
| Johnny Neumann | Basketball | February 24, 1969 | Small forward in American Basketball Association (1971–1976) and National Basketball Association (1976–1977). |
| Chris Evert | Tennis | April 14, 1969 | Won 18 Grand Slam singles titles |
| Earnie Shavers | Boxing | May 5, 1969 | Heavyweight contender in the late 1970s; regarded as one of the hardest punchers ever |
| Steve Prefontaine | Track and Field | June 2, 1969 | Long-distance runner who competed at 1972 Summer Olympics. Feature films Prefontaine and Without Limits based on his life. |
| Nancy Lopez | Golf | September 15, 1969 | Won 48 times on the LPGA tour, including three majors. Married to World Series MVP Ray Knight. |
| Gary Gabelich | Motor Sports | October 20, 1969 | Set then-Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) Land Speed Record (LSR) in 1970. |

### The 1970s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Karl Douglas | Football | January 19, 1970 | Quarterback in Canadian Football League with BC Lions (1973–1974) and Calgary Stampeders (1974–1975). |
| Tony Dungy | Football/Basketball/Track | January 26, 1970 | 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee; head coach of Super Bowl XLI Champion Indianapolis Colts. |
| Bill Walton | Basketball | January 26, 1970 | 1993 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee; won NBA Titles with Trail Blazers and Celtics. |
| Robbie Ftorek | Hockey | April 13, 1970 | Center with five teams in WHA and NHL in thirteen seasons during 1970s and 1980s. |
| Andre McCarter | Basketball | April 13, 1970 | Won NCAA title at UCLA (1975) and played professionally with Kings (1976–77) and Bullets (1980–81). |
| Billy Martin | Tennis | April 27, 1970 | Played World Championship Tennis (1975–1982). |
| Roy Jackson | Baseball | May 11, 1970 | Relief pitcher with Mets, Blue Jays, Padres and Twins in late-1970s and 1980s. |
| Al Trost | Soccer | June 15, 1970 | Midfielder with three teams in North American Soccer League and New York Arrows (1979–80). |
| Ken Kravec | Baseball | July 6, 1970 | Starting pitcher with Chicago White Sox (1975–1980) and Chicago Cubs (1981–1982). |
| Harold Solomon | Tennis | July 20, 1970 | 1976 French Open Men's Singles finalist. |
| Dr. Delano Meriwether | Track and Field | August 17, 1970 | US Public Health Service’s National Influenza Immunization Program director during 1976 swine flu outbreak. |
| Jay Haas | Golf | September 7, 1970 | Played on PGA Tour (1976–2003). Currently on PGA Tour Champions since 2004. |
| Samuel Snead | Golf | October 19, 1970 | 82 PGA Tour wins include PGA Championship and Masters Tournament three times each and The Open Championship once. |
| Mike Miley | Football | November 16, 1970 | LSU quarterback in early-1970s. Shortstop with California Angels (1975–1976). |
| Glenn Warner | Soccer | November 30, 1970 | Winningest coach in Navy Midshipmen men's soccer history, including National Championship in 1964. |
| Mike Thomas | Football/Basketball | December 21, 1970 | Running back with Washington Redskins (1975–1978) and San Diego Chargers (1979–1980). |
| Craig Virgin | Track and Field | November 29, 1971 | Competed at 1976 and 1984 Summer Olympics. |
| Quinn Buckner | Basketball | April 17, 1972 | Won NCAA title and Olympic gold medal in 1976 |
| Tracy Austin | Tennis | October 15, 1973 | Won the US Open twice |
| Wilbert Montgomery | Football | November 12, 1973 | Philadelphia Eagles starting running back in Super Bowl XV. |
| Bill Cartwright | Basketball | February 4, 1974 | Six-time NBA Champion with Chicago Bulls in 1990s, three each as a player and assistant coach. |
| Bart Conner | Gymnastics | April 29, 1974 | 1984 Summer Olympics double Gold Medalist in men's team all-around and parallel bars. |
| Mary Lou Piatek | Tennis | May 20, 1974 | Played on WTA Tour during 1980s and early-1990s. |
| Dave Stegman | Baseball | June 3, 1974 | Outfielder with Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox in late-1970s and 1980s. |
| Butch Edge | Baseball | June 24, 1974 | Blue Jays' sixth selection (twelfth overall) in 1976 Major League Baseball expansion draft from Brewers. |
| Orlando González | Baseball | August 5, 1974 | First baseman/corner outfielder with Indians (1976), Phillies (1978) and Athletics (1980). |
| Roy Hamilton | Basketball | September 9, 1974 | Played collegiately at UCLA and professionally with Pistons (1979–80) and Trail Blazers (1980–81). |
| Bryan E. Haas | Baseball | September 9, 1974 | Starting pitcher with Brewers (1976–1985) and Athletics (1986–1987); appeared in 1982 World Series. |
| Leslie Townes Hope | Golf | September 16, 1974 | Comedian known as Bob Hope; listed under his birth name. |
| David Santee | Figure Skating | September 16, 1974 | Competed at 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics. |
| Paul Krumpe | Soccer | September 23, 1974 | United States men's national soccer team defender at 1990 FIFA World Cup. |
| Jim Zorn | Football | October 14, 1974 | Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback during franchise's first seven seasons. |
| Tony Nathan | Football | November 4, 1974 | Starting running back with 1978 national champions at Alabama and in Super Bowls XVII and XIX with Dolphins. |
| Don Hardeman | Football | December 2, 1974 | Running back with Houston Oilers (1975–1977) and Baltimore Colts (1978–1979). |
| Billy Sims | Football | December 23, 1974 | 1978 Heisman Trophy recipient with Oklahoma; first overall selection in 1980 NFL draft by Detroit Lions. |
| Kyle Macy | Basketball | January 6, 1975 | 1978 NCAA Division I Champion with Kentucky; point guard with Suns, Bulls and Pacers in 1980s. |
| Ray Burse | Rugby/Basketball/Track and Field | January 27, 1975 | Two-term President of Kentucky State University (1982–1989, 2014–2016). Actually played football and not basketball. |
| Bill Willoughby | Basketball | February 3, 1975 | Bypassed college to play in NBA with Hawks, Braves, Cavaliers, Rockets, Spurs and Nets from 1975 to 1984. |
| Phil Mahre | Skiing | March 17, 1975 | Silver and Gold Medalist in men's slalom at 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics respectively. |
| Hal Fishman | Aviation | March 17, 1975 | Primary evening news anchor at KTLA from 1975 to 2007. |
| Dave Cottle | Lacrosse | June 9, 1975 | Head coached Loyola to a Final (1990) and Semifinal (1998) and Maryland to three Semifinals (2003, 2005 and 2006). |
| Steve Kemp | Baseball | June 30, 1975 | Left fielder with Tigers, White Sox, Yankees, Pirates and Rangers in late-1970s and 1980s. |
| Pat Underwood | Baseball | July 7, 1975 | Relief pitcher with Detroit Tigers from 1979 to 1983. Younger brother of Tom Underwood. |
| Bill Bordley | Baseball | July 28, 1975 | Starting pitcher with San Francisco Giants in 1980. |
| Tim Wilkison | Tennis | September 22, 1975 | Touring pro from 1979 to 1993; US Open quarterfinalist in 1986. |
| Ed Blankmeyer | Baseball | September 29, 1975 | Head coach of St. John's Red Storm baseball team from 1996 to 2019. |
| David Overstreet | Football | November 17, 1975 | Halfback collegiately at Oklahoma and professionally with CFL Alouettes/Concordes and NFL Dolphins in early-1980s. |
| Amos Lawrence | Football | December 15, 1975 | Reserve running back with Super Bowl XVI Champion San Francisco 49ers. |
| Jimmy Jordan | Football | January 12, 1976 | Reserve quarterback in all three seasons of United States Football League's Tampa Bay Bandits from 1983 to 1985. |
| John Tyma | Soccer | January 19, 1976 | Reserve forward with Soccer Bowl '81 Champion Chicago Sting. |
| Barry Crane | Bridge | January 26, 1976 | Television producer and director recognized by the ACBL as the top matchpoint player of all time. |
| Scott Simpson | Golf | February 9, 1976 | Winner of 1987 U.S. Open. |
| Dave DeBol | Hockey | March 1, 1976 | Center with WHA's Cincinnati Stingers (1977–1979) and NHL's Hartford Whalers (1979–1981). |
| Mike Gminski | Basketball | March 22, 1976 | Center collegiately at Duke and professionally with Nets, 76ers, Hornets and Bucks from 1980 to 1994. |
| Johnny Jones | Track and Field | April 19, 1976 | 1976 Summer Olympics Gold Medalist; second overall selection in 1980 NFL draft by New York Jets. |
| Todd Bell | Track and Field/Football | May 17, 1976 | Strong safety and linebacker with Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles respectively in 1980s. |
| Bruce Kimball | Diving | May 24, 1976 | 1984 Summer Olympics Silver Medalist. |
| Matt Franco | Soccer | June 14, 1976 | Corner infielder with Cubs, Mets and Braves in 1990s and early-2000s. Featured for another sport. |
| Terry Francona | Baseball | July 12, 1976 | Manager of World Series Champions with Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007. |
| Brad Arnsberg | Baseball | August 23, 1976 | Pitching coach of World Series Champion Florida Marlins in 2003. |
| Brad Faxon | Golf | September 20, 1976 | Played on PGA Tour (1983–2010). Currently on PGA Tour Champions since 2011. |
| Steve Cauthen | Horse Racing | November 1, 1976 | Youngest U. S. Triple Crown-winning jockey; only one to win both Kentucky and Epsom Derbies. |
| John McEnroe | Tennis | November 8, 1976 | Winner of 17 Grand Slam titles (7 men's singles, 9 men's doubles, 1 mixed doubles) from late-1970s to early-1990s. |
| Mike Aulby | Bowling | November 8, 1976 | First bowler to complete career "Super Slam" (win all five PBA Tour major tournaments at least once). |
| John Houska | Soccer | December 13, 1976 | Goalkeeper in North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League in late-1970s and early-1980s. |
| Ken Easley | Football | January 10, 1977 | 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee; strong safety with the Seattle Seahawks (1981–1987). |
| Lynette Woodward | Basketball | April 4, 1977 | 2004 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee. First female Harlem Globetrotter. Surname misspelled. |
| Lance Nethery | Hockey | April 4, 1977 | Center with New York Rangers (1980–1982) and Edmonton Oilers (1981–82). |
| Dave Taylor | Hockey | April 11, 1977 | Right wing on Los Angeles Kings' Triple Crown Line in early-1980s. |
| Mike McGee | Basketball | April 18, 1977 | Reserve small forward on two NBA Championship teams with Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and 1985. |
| Paul Mellon | Horse Racing | May 16, 1977 | One of only five people ever designated "Exemplar of Racing" by National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. |
| Earvin Johnson | Basketball | May 23, 1977 | 2002 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee; 1992 Summer Olympics Gold Medalist. |
| Keith Atherton | Baseball | May 23, 1977 | Relief pitcher with 1987 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins. |
| Rodney Holman | Football | May 30, 1977 | Three-time All-Pro tight end with Cincinnati Bengals (1988, 1989, 1990) and starter in Super Bowl XXIII. |
| Jimmy Arias | Tennis | June 13, 1977 | 1981 French Open Mixed Doubles Champion; US Open semifinalist in 1983. |
| Jimmy Hines | Golf | June 20, 1977 | Winner of nine PGA Tour events from 1933 to 1945. |
| Hart Lee Dykes Jr. | Baseball/Football | August 8, 1977 | Wide receiver with New England Patriots (1989–1990). |
| Jackie Joyner | Track and Field | August 29, 1977 | Three-time Olympic Gold Medalist (two in 1988, one in 1992); holder of top six heptathlon performances to date. |
| Cindy Nicholas | Swimming | September 19, 1977 | First woman to swim the English Channel both ways non-stop. |
| Bobby Dodd | Tennis | October 17, 1977 | 1993 College Football Hall of Fame Inductee; Georgia Tech football head coach from 1945 to 1966. |
| Art Schlichter | Football | November 28, 1977 | Quarterback collegiately at Ohio State (1978–1981) and in NFL with Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts (1982–1985). |
| Carl Lewis | Track and Field | February 6, 1978 | Won four gold medals at the 1984 Olympics, and the only other track and field athlete (after Oerter) to win the same event at four consecutive Olympics |
| Gary Kubiak | Football | November 6, 1978 | Played for Denver Broncos and was their head coach when the franchise won Super Bowl 50. |
| Sam Bowie | Basketball | January 29, 1979 | Second overall selection in 1984 NBA draft by Portland Trail Blazers. |
| Darren Daye | Basketball | March 12, 1979 | Small forward collegiately at UCLA and professionally with Bullets, Bulls and Celtics in 1980s. |
| Anne Donovan | Basketball | April 2, 1979 | 1995 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee; two-time Summer Olympics Gold Medalist in 1984 and 1988. |
| Tracee Talavera | Gymnastics | April 2, 1979 | 1984 Summer Olympics Silver Medalist. |
| Quintin Dailey | Basketball | April 9, 1979 | Shooting guard with Bulls, Clippers and SuperSonics in 1980s and early-1990s. |
| Marvis Frazier | Boxing | April 16, 1979 | Heavyweight with a 19–2 professional record; only losses to Larry Holmes in 1983 and Mike Tyson in 1986. |
| Clark Kellogg | Basketball | April 30, 1979 | Power forward with Indiana Pacers from 1982 to 1987. |
| Don Mattingly | Baseball | July 16, 1979 | 6 Time A.L All Star, and 1985 A.L. MVP |
| Payne Stewart | Golf | July 16, 1979 | Won 11 times on the PGA Tour, including two US Opens and one PGA Championship |
| Herschel Walker | Track and Field/Football | September 10, 1979 | Played in USFL and NFL |
| Greg LeMond | Cycling | November 12, 1979 | Won Tour de France three times |

### The 1980s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Keith Gretzky | Hockey | May 5, 1980 | Younger brother of Wayne Gretzky. |
| Marcus Dupree | Football | October 27, 1980 | Played in USFL and NFL |
| Cheryl Miller | Basketball | March 9, 1981 | Winner of Olympic Gold Medal and two NCAA titles |
| Michael Andretti | Motor Sports | June 8, 1981 | Longtime CART driver and winner of 1991 CART title; now owner of the successful Andretti Green Racing team in the IRL |
| Shawon Dunston | Baseball | June 7, 1982 | Played with the Cubs and the Giants |
| Spud Webb | Basketball | May 24, 1982 | Won NBA Slam Dunk Competition |
| Darrell Green | Football | July 5, 1982 | Super Bowl Champion who won the NFL's Fastest Man competition |
| Vince Coleman | Baseball/Football | July 12, 1982 | Played in 1985 World Series |
| Mark Breland | Boxing | November 22, 1982 | 1984 Summer Olympics Gold Medalist; WBA Welterweight Champion (February-August 1987, February 1989-July 1990). |
| Rodney Peete | Football | December 20, 1982 | Host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period |
| Steve Alford | Basketball | February 21, 1983 | Won one NCAA title, played four years in the NBA, now head coach at UCLA |
| Pernell Whitaker | Boxing | May 16, 1983 | Gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics, and world champion in four weight classes as a professional |
| Jesse Jackson, Jr. | Football | February 13, 1984 | Son of Jesse Jackson, and United States Representative 1995-2012 |
| Al Leiter | Baseball | June 4, 1984 | Starting pitcher on World Series Champions with Toronto Blue Jays (1993) and Florida Marlins (1997) |
| Michael Grier | Hockey | June 18, 1984 | Right wing with Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres from late-1990s to early-2010s, later general manager for the Sharks |
| Emmitt Smith | Football | January 13, 1986 | All-time leading rusher in NFL History |
| Jennifer Capriati | Tennis | March 30, 1987 | Won gold medal at 1992 Olympics, and came back from personal problems to win three Grand Slam events in the 2000s |
| Kristi Yamaguchi | Figure Skating | February 1, 1988 | Won gold at 1992 Olympics |
| Raghib Ismail | Football/Track and Field | July 25, 1988 | Won national championship with Notre Dame and the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts |
| John Olerud | Baseball | August 15, 1988 | Winner of two World Series |
| Dorsey Levens | Football | October 24, 1988 | Played with the Green Bay Packers |
| Michelle Akers | Soccer | March 13, 1989 | Winner of Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1996 Olympics, winner of 1991 and 1999 FIFA Women's World Cups with Team USA, and one of only two women named to the FIFA 100 list of the 125 greatest living soccer players in 2004 |
| Lisa Fernandez | Softball | May 8, 1989 | Three-time Summer Olympics Gold Medalist in 1996, 2000 and 2004. |
| Tracy Murray | Basketball | May 15, 1989 | Small forward with six NBA teams in twelve seasons in 1990s and early-2000s; reserve with 1995 Champion Houston Rockets. |
| Dominique Dawes | Gymnastics | December 25, 1989 | Member of the gold-medal winning USA team at the 1996 Olympics |

### The 1990s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Tiger Woods | Golf | Sept. 24, 1990 | Winner of 57 PGA Tour events to date, including 14 majors. Also the only person to hold all four professional major titles simultaneously. |
| Corliss Williamson | Basketball | April 20, 1992 | Drafted by the Sacramento Kings |
| Marion Jones | Track and Field | June 22, 1992 | Won three gold medals at the Sydney Olympics |
| Brad Friedel | Soccer | February 22, 1993 | Played in three FIFA World Cups with the United States, and was included in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year 2002/03. |
| Michelle Kwan | Figure Skating | February 22, 1993 | Winner of nine U.S. Championships and five World Championships. Appeared on cover of Sports Illustrated in 1998. |
| Shaun Alexander | Football | January 10, 1994 | Three-time Pro Bowler, 2005 NFL MVP |
| Raef LaFrentz | Basketball | March 14, 1994 | Has played in the NBA since 1998 |
| Tamika Catchings | Basketball | May 23, 1994 | 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year, twice WNBA Defensive Player of the Year |
| Chamique Holdsclaw | Basketball | January 16, 1995 | 1999 WNBA Rookie of the Year, six-time All-Star |
| Vince Carter | Basketball | February 13, 1995 | 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year, eight-time NBA All-Star |
| Antawn Jamison | Basketball | February 20, 1995 | Has played in the NBA since 1998; 2004 Sixth Man Award. Traded for Vince Carter |
| Tim Thomas | Basketball | March 13, 1995 | Played in the NBA |
| Paul Pierce | Basketball | April 24, 1995 | Set a playoff record with 21 straight free throws made in a game |
| Travis Henry | Football | October 9, 1995 | Played for Buffalo Bills |
| Mike Bibby | Basketball | June 3, 1996 | Has played in the NBA since 1998 |
| Stacy Dragila | Track and Field | July 22, 1996 | Gold medalist in the pole vault at 1999 World Championships, 2000 Olympics, and 2001 World Championships |
| Ron Dayne | Track and Field | September 16, 1996 | Won Heisman Trophy December 12, 1999 |
| Charles Howell III | Golf | December 2, 1996 | Two-time winner on the PGA Tour |
| Andy Roddick | Tennis | December 30, 1996 | Won the 2003 US Open |
| Kerri Walsh | Volleyball | January 13, 1997 | Gold medalist at 2004 Athens Olympics |
| Owen Hargreaves | Soccer | May 26, 1997 | Player in two World Cups with England. Two time Champions League winner with Bayern Munich and Manchester United |
| Shane Battier | Basketball | June 2, 1997 | Has played in the NBA since 2001 |
| James Chico Hernandez | Sombo | October 21, 1997 | Won World FIAS Silver and appeared on Wheaties box |
| Shawn Marion | Basketball | August 3, 1998 | Four-time NBA All-Star and twice on the All-NBA third team |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Football | December 6, 1999 | Two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback (XL and XLIII) for the Pittsburgh Steelers. |

### The 2000s

| Athlete | Sport | SI Cover Date | Special Notes |
| Joe Mauer | Baseball, was featured for football | December 25, 2000 | American League batting champion in 2006 and 2008. 2009 American League Most Valuable Player. |
| Ben Gordon | Basketball | March 19, 2001 | First-round selection of the Chicago Bulls |
| Allyson Felix | Track and Field | August 13, 2001 | Gold medalist in 200 meters at the 2005 World Championships |
| Michelle Wie | Golf | August 13, 2001 | Became youngest winner of any adult USGA title |
| Zach Parise | Hockey | February 18, 2002 | NHL All-Star and 2010 Olympic silver medalist |
| Jennie Finch | Softball | March 25, 2002 | Gold medalist with Team USA in 2004 Olympics. Appeared in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and hosted segments on This Week in Baseball. |
| Tim Tebow | Football | December 20, 2004 | Won 2007 Heisman Trophy, the first sophomore ever to do so, accounted for more rushing touchdowns in 2007-8 than 51 of 118 teams other than Florida in Division I-A. |
| Mike Rio | Wrestling | March 27, 2006 | 157-pounder at Lindenwood University, was the only wrestler to defend a national title, pinned all five of his opponents, was named the most outstanding wrestler of the meet. |
| Christian McCaffrey | Football | January 19, 2009 and November 25, 2013 | NCAA single-season all-purpose yards record holder, AP College Football player of the year, Heisman runner-up in 2015. |
| Summer Ross | Volleyball | October 4, 2010 | FIVB 2010 Youth Under-19 and Junior Under-21 world champion, the only athlete, male or female, to win both events in the same year. |