USA250: 10 greatest college athletes from Arizona

By admin — In News — July 20, 2026

   ​Some of the greatest athletes in modern sports history began their dominance in Arizona.So it shouldn’t be surprising that many of those athletes — including Phil Mickelson, Barry Bonds, Tedy Bruschi and more — were equally dominant in college. Hence, their inclusion on this list: the top 10 collegiate athletes in Arizona state history.It’s a listing that, despite including only entrants from Arizona and Arizona State, features a wide variety of sports, including football, basketball, men’s golf, baseball, softball and wrestling.PROGRAM RANKINGS: Top 25 | Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12PATH TO PLAYOFF: Sign up for our college football newsletterSo, who all has made the list? Here’s a look at the top 10 greatest college athletes in Arizona state history, part of USA TODAY Sports’ USA 250 initiative:Barry Bonds, Arizona StateBonds was a three-year standout at Arizona State, where fellow Baseball Hall of Fame member and distant cousin Reggie Jackson once played.Despite being disliked by teammates, his talent was undeniable (as evidenced by coach Jim Brock overriding a near-unanimous vote to kick him off the team for breaking curfew): He ranks third in school history with 45 home runs and among the top 10 in hits (247), slugging percentage (.616) and total bases (438). A 1985 All-America selection, Bonds was also part of Sun Devils teams that made the College World Series in 1983 and 1984.In his latter trip to Omaha, Bonds tied the NCAA record with seven consecutive hits, eventually being named to the all-time CWS team in 1996.Phil Mickelson, Arizona StateBefore he was one of the best golfers in the world, Phil Mickelson was the face of amateur golf in the United States, dominating the college ranks from 1989-92.A 16-time tournament winner, Mickelson was a four-time first-team All-America selection, the first amateur golfer to win consecutive NCAA titles since Southern California’s Scott Simpson in 1976-77 and, with his third consecutive individual title in 1992, tied Texas’ Ben Crenshaw for the most individual titles in NCAA history. A three-time winner of the Haskins Award and Nicklaus Award, Mickelson also helped lead the Sun Devils to their first men’s golf title in 1990.Perhaps his greatest amateur achievement was winning the Northern Telcom Open in Tucson, Arizona, in January 1991, making him just the sixth amateur to win on the PGA Tour.Terrell Suggs, Arizona StateTerrell Suggs’ talent was evident from the moment he stepped foot at Arizona State in 2000, when he became only the second true freshman in school history to start a season opener. In just two seasons, he already ranked in the Sun Devils’ top 10 with 34 tackles for loss and 20 sacks.Suggs raised the bar for all future pass-rushers in 2002, setting the official NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks and notching a nation-leading 31½ tackles for loss, earning unanimous All-America honors and the Bronko Nagurski, Lombardi and Ted Hendricks awardsHe finished his career with 163 tack  

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