More Sports

Syracuse's Top Athletes

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 27, 2007

Syracuse's Top Athletes

Marvin Harrison

The 1995 All-American holds the school record for most receiving yards in a season (1,131) and career (2,278). He was also a special teams stand-out and was voted Big East Special Team Player of the Year in 1995.

Julia McBride

McBride is Syracuse's all-time leader in scoring (1,605), scoring average (14.2), three-point field goals made (229), assists (574) and assist average (5.1). She was the first woman in SU history to record over 1,600 career points and 500 career assists.

John Mackey

Perhaps the greatest tight end in NFL history, Mackey wasn't a slouch in college either. He was Syracuse's starting tight end from 1960-62 and was selected to SU's All-Century team in 1999.

Dave Bing

In three varsity seasons, Bing led the Orange in scoring with 24.6 points per game. He earned All-American honors as a senior before being drafted second-overall by the Detroit Pistons. He was also the first Syracuse player to have his number (22) retired.

Ernie Davis

His untimely death from Leukemia in 1963 prevented Davis from playing in the NFL, but his Syracuse career was illustrious. He helped lead the Orange to a National Championship in 1959 and two bowl victories, broke Jim Brown's SU career rushing record and helped build the legend of the number "44" at the school. In 1961 he became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Derrick Coleman

The top-pick in the 1990 NBA draft was a four-time All-American at Syracuse, Big East Rookie of the Year in 1987, Big East Player of the Year in 1990, National Player of the Year in 1990 and a Wooden Award, Eastman Award and USBAWA Trophy finalist. His 1,537 rebounds was an NCAA record.

Donovan McNabb

In amassing huge offensive statistics -- 8,389 passing yards and 1,561 rushing yards -- McNabb earned himself numerous honors, including Big East Rookie of the Year in 1995 and Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 1996, 97 and 98. He also led the Orange to three straight Big East championships from 1996 to 1998.

Carmelo Anthony

Though he entered the NBA draft after his freshman year, Anthony established himself as a legend in his one year at Syracuse. He won Big East Rookie of the Year honors as well as multiple Freshman of the Year awards and was named NCAA Final Four MVP for the first-time champions.

Mike Powell

Powell led the Orange to two National Championships. When he graduated in 2004, his 307 points were a Syracuse record and second-best on the NCAA's all-time list. He was a two-time Tewaaraton Trophy winner, a four-time first-team All-American and the only NCAA lacrosse player to be named National Attackman of the Year four times.

Jim Brown

Before he became the greatest running back in the NFL, Brown was an All-American in football and lacrosse, a letterman in basketball and an occasional contributor to the track and field team at Syracuse. Brown -- along with fellow running backs Ernie Davis and Floyd Little and eight others -- make up the Legend of No. 44 (the uniform number they all wore).

Scroll to Continue