Maroon Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Champaign Central High School

Sports run deep in Champaign, and Champaign Central High School has long been at the heart of it. It’s no surprise some standout talent once wore the Maroon uniform. Today we're celebrating five unforgettable athletes from Champaign Central High School who made a name for themselves well beyond the hometown field.

Tyler McGill – Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer

An elite butterfly swimmer, Tyler McGill rose from a Champaign Central High School standout to an Olympic champion. He was a three-time state champion and 12-time high school All-American before continuing his dominance at Auburn University, where he won NCAA and SEC titles. Internationally, McGill earned medals at multiple World Championships and secured gold for Team USA in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the 2012 London Olympics. (Source: SwimSwam)

Rod Fletcher – Two-Time NCAA Final Four Basketball Star

Rod Fletcher helped put Champaign basketball on the national stage. After starring at Champaign Central, the 6-foot-4 guard led the University of Illinois to consecutive Final Four appearances in 1951 and 1952, earning consensus All-American honors in his senior year. He was later drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, though he never played in the NBA. (Source: College Hoopedia)

Babette Bradley – Record-Breaking Swimmer

Even emergency surgery couldn’t keep Babette Bradley from showing up for her teammates. A three-time News-Gazette Girls’ Swimmer of the Year at Champaign Central, Bradley broke multiple school records and helped lead the Maroons to four straight sectional titles. Though sidelined just before the state meet her senior year, she showed up poolside to support her team and now competes for NYU. (Sources: The News Gazette, NYU Bio)

Jeremy Leman – NFL Linebacker & College Football All-American

A tackling machine at Champaign Central, Jeremy “J” Leman went on to become a consensus All-American linebacker at the University of Illinois. He played in over 40 games and ranks sixth in school history for total tackles. After leading the Illini to a Rose Bowl appearance in 2007, Leman had stints with several NFL teams and is now a Big Ten Network analyst. (Sources: University of Illinois Athletics, ESPN Bio)

Laura Litchfield – UIC Basketball Standout and Collegiate Coach

Laura Litchfield carved out a steady basketball career beginning at Champaign Central and extending through stops at Southwestern Illinois, Parkland College and UIC. After earning All-American honors at Parkland and playing Division I ball at UIC, she returned to the JUCO ranks as a coach. She now serves as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Otterbein University. (Sources: UIC Athletics, Otterbein Cardinals)

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