​With the United States marking its 250th birthday, the USA Today Network has identified its top 250 athletes from across Michigan. This list truly spans the state, though it excludes Detroit and Lansing areas, whose own papers will publish separate rosters. Rather than presenting a strict ranking of the top 250, the feature highlights a top 10 from each region outside those metro areas, delivering a balanced snapshot of athletic excellence from all corners of Michigan and underscoring that greatness arises far from the usual hubs.
The athletes are organized by region, including Holland, the Grand Rapids–Muskegon area, Battle Creek–Kalamazoo–Benton Harbor, Livingston, Flint, Ann Arbor–Jackson, Adrian, Monroe, Sturgis, Mid-Michigan, Northern Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula. The compilation was led by USA Today sports editors Dan D’Addona (Holland), Drew Kochanny (Petoskey), Dylan Jesperson (Gaylord), Jared Greenleaf (Cheboygan), Bill Broderick (Battle Creek), Brandon Watson (Sturgis), Niles Kruger (Monroe), and Brenden Welper (Port Huron).
Here is a look at the USA Today Michigan 250, starting with some of the standouts from across the region:
Kirk Cousins, Holland Christian
A Holland Christian graduate, Cousins starred as quarterback at Michigan State before a NFL career that has earned him four Pro Bowl selections with Washington, Minnesota, Atlanta, and Las Vegas.
Chris DeJong, Holland
A Holland High School product, DeJong claimed three state swimming championships, earned All-American honors at Michigan, and earned a spot on Team USA, narrowly missing the 2004 Olympics by mere hundredths of a second.
Vic Amaya, Holland
After making his mark on Holland’s tennis courts and at the University of Michigan, Amaya reached world No. 15 in tennis in 1980, collecting three singles titles on the ATP tour and six doubles titles, including the 1980 French Open title, with a runner-up finish in doubles at the 1982 U.S. Open.
Jim Kaat, Zeeland
The left-handed pitcher from Zeeland pitched for Hope College before spending 25 seasons in the major leagues, primarily with the Minnesota Twins. He tallied 283 career wins, 16 Gold Glove Awards, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. Jim Kaat and Kirk Cousins first connected in Chicago this weekend.
Blake Dunn, Saugatuck
A four-sport All-State athlete, Dunn excelled in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was a state champion hurdler, the top quarterback in the state, and the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball. Dunn played baseball at Western Michigan University before advancing to Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds.
Jay Riemersma, Zeeland
A Zeeland multi-sport standout who transitioned from quarterback to tight end at Michigan, Riemersma enjoyed an eight-season NFL career, scoring 23 touchdowns.
Ron Essink, Zeeland
Essink was a state champion wrestler who played football at Grand Valley State before spending six years in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks.
Grant Wolfram, Hamilton
A three-sport standout in high school, Wolfram earned all-state recognition in baseball, all-conference accolades in basketball, and distinguished himself as one of the state’s top doubles players in tennis. He later pursued a college baseball career and continued to leave a lasting impact in athletics across Michigan.