5 Super Athletes With Ties To Avon

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Avon area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch is celebrating five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. This list is just a snapshot, with countless other athletes helping shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Madison Kennedy (Swimming)

Madison Kennedy was a five-time high school All-American at Avon High School before becoming a nine-time All-American at Cal. She won the U.S. national championship in the 50-meter freestyle in 2015 and collected seven world championship medals, including four golds, during her international career. Kennedy also competed at four U.S. Olympic Trials and represented the United States at three Pan American Games. The Avon Athletic Hall of Fame notes that she still holds four Avon school records.

2. Lindsay Horbatuck (Basketball)

A three-sport standout at Avon High School, Lindsay Horbatuck finished her prep career as the school's all-time leading scorer in girls basketball with 1,365 points and career rebounding leader with 1,166. She helped the Falcons win their first state championship in 2008 and later became a captain at Bucknell, where she finished with 805 career rebounds. Horbatuck then played professionally in Bulgaria and Australia, averaging 20 points and 21 rebounds per game during her 2014 season in Australia's Big V Conference. Bucknell Athletics reported when she signed her first professional contract.

3. Dan Goldberg (Tennis)

Dan Goldberg was the top-ranked high school tennis player in New England while attending Kingswood-Oxford in Avon and finished his senior year ranked No. 12 nationally. At Michigan, he became a three-time All-American, reached the 1987 NCAA singles final and finished his collegiate career with a school-record 127 singles victories. Goldberg later played professionally and reached a career-high No. 276 in the ATP singles rankings. The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor inducted him in 2024.

4. Brian Brown (Soccer)

Brian Brown helped Avon win back-to-back Class M state championships in 1988 and 1989, scoring 27 goals during his senior season. He earned All-State, All-New England and All-American honors and was named Connecticut State Player of the Year by both the New Haven Register and Gatorade. Brown continued his career at Penn and later played for the Cape Cod Crusaders, a predecessor to Major League Soccer. The Avon Athletic Hall of Fame calls him the most decorated boys soccer player in Avon High School history.

5. Evan Deckers (Football)

Evan Deckers turned his multi-sport career at Avon Old Farms into a spot in the NFL, where he currently plays long snapper for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He earned 10 varsity letters at Avon Old Farms across football, golf, basketball, hockey and squash before playing college football at UMass and Duke. Deckers appeared in 53 college games and helped on more than 490 combined kicks and punts before signing with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

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