Academics, leadership and service have garnered mass adulation for “The Mecca.” But athletics have also been crucial to the university’s success and growth.
Multiple Bison athletes have somewhat thanklessly dominated the collegiate sports world for generations.
From acquiring a 20-year partnership with the Jordan brand in 2022 to various teams winning MEAC and NEC Championships between 2019 and 2024 and athletes pursuing professional and Olympic careers, athletics at Howard have shone brightly on the biggest of stages.
In honor of the centennial homecoming in the centennial year of The Hilltop, it is only fitting to present these trailblazers with their flowers.
After a quest to find and do justice to the greatest athletes in the history of Howard, which began varsity competition in 1893, these are the athletes that have stood above the rest.
This list was compiled with contributions from former Howard sports information director, Ed Hill Jr., Health Human Performance and Leisure Studies professor, Alois “Ricky” Clemons, and Ron Harris.
The criteria for this ranking is a combination of a few things, and each metric is not weighed equally.
1. Individual Achievement in Howard Athletics (50%)
This includes personal accolades like All-American selections, MVP awards, records held and individual honors in their respective sports and statistics. With this being an individual athletes list, this is at the top.
2. Professional Career Success (35%)
Athletes who went on to have successful, professional careers, whether in the NFL, NBA, international leagues or other professional sports.
3. Team Success (15%)
Consideration for team achievements while at Howard, such as conference titles, national championships or significant postseason success.
First Team (Men)
David Oliver (Track and Field)
- World Champion Outdoor 110m Hurdles
- Olympic Bronze Medalist 110m Hurdles
- U.S. Indoor Champion 60m Hurdles
- NCAA First Team All-American
- Eight-time MEAC Champion 60m Hurdles/110m Hurdles
- MEAC Hall of Fame
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Larry Spriggs (Basketball)
- Seven years in the NBA (Played on “Showtime” Lakers)
- Three-time MEAC Tournament MVP
- MEAC Player of the Year
- MEAC Hall of Fame
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Antoine Bethea (Football)
- Three-time NFL Pro Bowler
- Super Bowl Champion
- Black College Football Hall of Fame Player of the Year
- Three-time All-MEAC selection
- Three-time Black College All-American
- Two-time All-American
- MEAC Hall of Fame
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Harvey Reed (Football)
- Drafted by Chicago Bears
- Division 1-AA All American
- MEAC Player of the Year
- MEAC all-time leading rusher at end of career
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Keith Aqui (Soccer)
- 1971 National Champion*
- One-time First team All-American
- One-time Second team All-American
- Three-year senior career
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Second Team (Men)
Al Henderson (Soccer)
- 1971 National Champion*
- Two-time First team All-American
- One-time Second team All-American
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
- Two-year senior career
Michael Banks (Football, Baseball)
- MEAC Player of the Year
- All-MEAC
- Hit .326 at bat
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Tracy White (Football)
- Nine-year NFL career
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team
- Two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Year
- MEAC Hall of Famer
- Black College Defensive Player of the Year
Bill Ritchie (Track and Field)
- Seven-time All-American
- Individual National Champion
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Shaka Hislop (Soccer)
- 15-year senior career
- First HBCU soccer player to play in Premier League
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Third Team (Men)
Staley Jackson (Baseball, Football, Wrestling)
- Batted .487 junior season
- Three-time Wrestling Champion
- All-American (Baseball)
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Tracy Singleton (Football)
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team Selection
- Two-time MEAC Offensive Player of the Year
- Led Division I-AA with 24.7 yards-per-catch
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Richard Massey (Track and Field)
- Nine-time All-American
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Norvel Lee (Boxing)
- Olympic Light Heavyweight Division boxing Gold Medalist
- Two-time Central Division Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion
- Olympic Bronze medalist
- D.C. Boxing Hall of Fame
- New York City Golden Gloves champion
- Chicago Golden Gloves title
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Jimmie Johnson (Football)
- Nine-year NFL Career
- First team All-MEAC
- Super Bowl Champion
- Two-time Sheridan Broadcasting Black College All-American
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Honorable Mentions:
Oliver Bridges (Track and Field)
Steve Wilson (Football)
Ted White (Football)
Gerald Glover (Basketball)
Ian Bain (Soccer)
Miles Simon (Swim)
Ron Bartell (Football)
Charles Williams (Basketball)
Jay Walker (Football)
James Ratiff (Basketball)
First Team (Women)
Saadia Doyle (Basketball)
- MEAC all-time leading scorer in basketball
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
- MEAC Hall of Fame
Courtney Young (Softball)
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team
- MEAC Player of the Year
- MEAC Rookie of the Year
- MEAC tournament MVP
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Jessika Gbai (Track and field)
- Olympic 200m finalist
- Three-time All-American
Sharon Jewell (Tae Kwon Do)
- Olympic Bronze medalist
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Andrea Gardner (Basketball)
- Two-time MEAC Player of the Year (2001, 2002)
- MEAC Tournament MVP
- Two-time First-team All-MEAC
- NCAA season rebounding leader
- MEAC Rookie of the Year
- Over 1k points and 1k rebounds at Howard
- At the time, highest-drafted player to the WNBA from an HBCU
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Second Team (Women)
Brenda Bailey (Track and Field)
- Three-time All-American Track and Field
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Robin Duncan-Chisholm (Basketball)
- First 1,000-point scorer
- First all-conference player in Howard’s history
Jessica Wright (Track and Field)
- World Indoor Championships silver medalist
- Four-time All-American
Dale McNeal (Softball)
- Two-time All-MEAC First Team
- One-time All-MEAC Second Team
- One-time MEAC All-Tournament Team
Raneika Bean (Soccer)
- Nationwide top five finisher in goals per match and points per match
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Third Team (Women)
Esther Stroy (Track and Field)
- Pan American Games gold medalist
- Youngest competitor at 1968 Olympic Games (15).
Darlene Beale (Basketball)
- All-time leading rebounder in MEAC history
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Alisha Hill (Basketball)
- 1998 NCAA rebounds leader
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team
- MEAC Player of the Year
- MEAC All-Rookie team
Denique Graves (Basketball)
- Three-time All-MEAC First Team
- School leader in blocks
- First player in the WNBA to be drafted from an HBCU
Donna Wood (Basketball and Track)
- Howard University Athletics Hall of Fame
Honorable Mentions:
Yolanda Lockamy (Women’s Basketball)
Winsome (Skinny) Davidson (Volleyball and basketball)
Breshawn Nicole Harris (Volleyball)
Debra Holloway (Tae Kwon Do)
Karen Wilkins (Basketball)
Stephanie Johnson (Basketball)
Sandra Arrington Rich (Swimming)
Miriam Lynch (Swimming)
Katelyn Stokes (Tennis)
Michelle Brown (Tennis)
Copy edited by Jalyn Lovelady
