Fans Vote Allyson Felix Greatest Olympian in USC History
Aubrey Kragen
8/19/2020
USC has produced more Olympians, Olympic medals and Olympic golds than any other college in the nation.
With that many impressive athletes, it's hard to single out just one as the greatest Olympian to come out of USC. But we asked our fans on Twitter and Instagram to do just that.
1. Allyson Felix (USA, track & field)
It's no surprise that Felix ended up on top of this list; She'll go down as one of the greatest athletes in history.
Felix has won nine Olympic medals (six gold, three silver), making her the most decorated female track & field Olympian of all time.
Felix did not compete on the track team at USC, but got her degree from USC's Rossier School of Education in 2003.
Nicknamed “Chicken Legs” because of her small frame, Felix has earned the USATF Athlete of the Year five times — more than any other person.
| GOLD | 4×400m relay | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| GOLD | 4×100m relay | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| GOLD | 4×100m relay | 2012 London |
| GOLD | 4×400m relay | 2012 London |
| GOLD | 200m | 2012 London |
| GOLD | 4×400m relay | 2008 Beijing |
| SILVER | 400m | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| SILVER | 200m | 2008 Beijing |
| SILVER | 200m | 2004 Athens |
2. Louis Zamperini (USA, track & field)
Though Zamperini's Olympic accomplishments might not stack up to others on this list, his life story is one of the most remarkable.
Zamperini, a hometown hero who grew up in Torrance, Calif., excelled in distance running. While he was still in high school, he earned a trip to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. He finished eighth in the 5000m.
After the Olympics, Zamperini came to USC. He won the NCAA 1600m title twice.
After USC, Zamperini enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He crashed into the ocean on a mission and spent 47 days adrift at sea before being captured by enemy troops. He was held as a prisoner of war, tortured and starved, for two-and-a-half years before he was finally rescued.
Upon his return, Zamperini launched the Victory Boys Camp to inspire local youth to emulate his life.
He was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999 and passed away at the age of 97 on July 2, 2014.
3. Janet Evans (USA, swimming)
Like Zamperini, Evans burst on to the scene as a teenager.
After making her Olympic debut at age 17, she went on to earn five Olympic medals — four gold and one silver.
Evans, who was known for her unorthodox “windmill” stroke, became the first female American swimmer to win four individual Olympic gold medals.
Evans began her collegiate career at Stanford, but transferred to Texas before coming to USC and graduating with a degree in communication in 1994.
She was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004.
| GOLD | 800m freestyle | 1992 Barcelona |
| GOLD | 800m freestyle | 1988 Seoul |
| GOLD | 400m freestyle | 1988 Seoul |
| GOLD | 400m medley | 1988 Seoul |
| SILVER | 400m freestyle | 1992 Barcelona |
4. John Naber (USA, swimming)
Like Evans, Naber swam his way to five Olympic medals — four gold and one silver.
Remarkably, they all came at one Olympic Games (1976 Montreal), making him the most decorated Olympian that summer.
He became the first swimmer to earn two individual medals on the same day of Olympic competition.
While Naber was at USC, he led the Trojans to four straight NCAA titles (1974-77).
Naber was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984 and the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.
| GOLD | 100m backstroke | 1976 Montreal |
| GOLD | 200m backstroke | 1976 Montreal |
| GOLD | 4x200m freestyle | 1976 Montreal |
| GOLD | 4x100m medley | 1976 Montreal |
| SILVER | 200m freestyle | 1976 Montreal |
5. Lisa Leslie (USA, basketball)
One of the greatest women's basketball players of all time comes in at No. 5 on our list.
Leslie played in four straight Olympic games, winning gold at each one.
The Los Angeles native is still Team USA's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
That comes as no surprise to anyone who watched her play ball at USC — she set Pac-10 records in those same three categories.
Leslie was named to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019.
| GOLD | 2008 Beijing |
| GOLD | 2004 Athens |
| GOLD | 2000 Sydney |
| GOLD | 1996 Atlanta |
6. Cheryl Miller (USA, basketball)
Another legendary women's basketball player backs up Leslie on this list.
Miller had an outstanding career at USC, winning the Naismith College Player of the Year award three times, the Honda Sports Award twice and leading USC to back-to-back national titles in 1983 and 1984.
After graduating, she won gold with Team USA in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
| GOLD | 1984 Los Angeles |
7. April Ross (USA, beach volleyball)
Ross began her career as an indoor volleyball player at USC before taking her talents to the beach.
She led the Trojans to back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003 and won the Honda Sports Award in 2004.
As an Olympic beach volleyball player, she has earned one silver medal and one bronze.
Ross won silver alongside fellow Trojan Jennifer Kessy and bronze alongside the legendary Kerri Walsh Jennings.
“The Boss” will go for gold to round out her collection at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
| SILVER | 2012 London |
| BRONZE | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
8. Katinka Hosszu (Hungary, swimming)
“The Iron Lady” has proven to be yet another dazzling Olympic swimmer to come out of USC.
She burst onto the scene at the 2016 Games in Rio, winning three gold medals and one silver in world record fashion.
Hosszu won more individual medals than any other swimmer that summer.
| GOLD | 100m backstroke | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| GOLD | 200m individual medley (Olympic record) | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| GOLD | 400m individual medley (World record) | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| SILVER | 200m backstroke | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
9. Bryshon Nellum (USA, track & field)
Like Zamperini, Nellum's story is one of tremendous perseverance.
In the early hours of Oct. 31, 2008 — ahead of Nellum's sophomore year at USC — Nellum was injured in a drive-by shooting. He was struck in both legs by a total of three bullets, and doctors wondered if he would ever walk again, let alone run at a high level.
Nellum took a year to recover and got back on his feet, later winning a Pac-12 title and earning All-American honors.
He went on to make the Olympic team and earn a silver medal at the 2012 London Games.
Nellum's fellow Americans chose him to bear the U.S. flag at the closing ceremonies in London to celebrate everything he had overcome.
| SILVER | 4x400m relay | 2012 London |
10. Andre De Grasse (Canada, track & field)
The last Trojan on this list is also the youngest.
De Grasse won the NCAA 100m and 200m in 2015 before going pro.
In his Olympic debut in Rio the next year, he earned one silver medal and two bronze medals. He earned the respect of the track world by going toe-to-toe with the legendary (and much more experienced) Usain Bolt.
| SILVER | 200m | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| BRONZE | 100m | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
| BRONZE | 4x100m relay | 2016 Rio de Janeiro |
