ATHletes: Local athletes on the global stage
Kira Doppel
Aug 8, 2025
Athens has been called home by a plethora of successful athletes. Some called it home while attending the University Georgia, while others were born and raised in the Classic City. Meet some of Athens’ best athletes.
Teresa Edwards may not have grown up in Athens, but the legacy she left on the city is lasting. Edwards’ jersey number, 5, is one of just four basketball jerseys retired by Georgia. After her time with the Bulldogs, she went on to become the first American basketball player to compete in five Olympics. As a sophomore at UGA, Edwards competed at the 1984 Olympics and played all the way through the 2000 Olympics, taking home four gold medals and one bronze.
She was ranked 22nd in the Sports Illustrated list of “100 Greatest Female Athletes of the 20th Century” and holds the record for being both the oldest and youngest Olympic gold medalist in women’s basketball at the ages of 36 and 20. In 2011, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“Being a five-time Olympian isn’t just about longevity, it’s about consistency and love for the game,” Edwards said.
From one Olympic stage to the next, Olympian and Athens native Graham Blanks has quickly become one of the best distance runners in the world. A Harvard graduate and two-time NCAA Cross Country Champion, Blanks recently achieved a personal best time of 12:48.20 in the outdoor 5,000-meter to become the third fastest in U.S. history. In 2024, he finished ninth in the Olympics representing Team USA in the 5,000-meter with a time of 13:18.67.
Recently, Blanks returned to Athens to train for the World Athletics Championships, which will be in Tokyo starting on Sept. 13.
“I think I want part of my legacy, at the very least, to be like the guy who trained in Athens and became one of the best distance runners in the world,” Blanks said.
An Athenian by birth, Brian McCann moved to Duluth, Georgia, to play high school baseball. He spent the majority of his 15-year Major League Baseball career behind the plate for the Atlanta Braves. Drafted by the Braves in 2002, McCann is a seven-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger and finished his career with 282 home runs. He became a World Series Champion with the Houston Astros in 2017, before returning home to Atlanta where he played one final season before retiring in 2019.
“I was fortunate to be able to live out my dream and play for my hometown team,” McCann said on returning to play for the Atlanta Braves.
Born in Richmond, Virginia, but raised in Athens, Fran Tarkenton became a record-setting and innovative quarterback. Known for his “scrambling quarterback” style, Tarkenton graduated from UGA in 1960. He led the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship in 1959 and led the Minnesota Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances, at Superbowls VIII, IX and XI. He played 18 NFL seasons from 1961 to 1978 with the Vikings and New York Giants and won the NFL MVP in 1975. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Upon his retirement, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in pass attempts, completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
“I love the University of Georgia. It’s the place that gave me the opportunity to get an education, to grow up and to play football. Athens is home,” Tarkenton said.
