In the heart of the East Coast, Maryland has produced some of the best athletic talent across the country. From football to swimming, from lacrosse to basketball, athletes have gone on to achieve great heights in their respective fields.
This spans the past century, as players like Babe Ruth, Chuck Foreman and Katie Ledecky have revolutionized sports and become everlasting legends.
From these athletes, USA TODAY Sports is seeking to answer a question: Who is the best all-time Maryland high school athlete? Who defines the state's prep scene?
As the United States continues to ring in its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, aiming to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state.
From fans' votes,
five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.
Here are the Maryland high school athlete nominees. The 17 players (listed in alphabetical order) were all standouts at the high school level.
Carmelo Anthony, Towson Catholic and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Virginia), Boys Basketball
After being named Baltimore's County Player of the Year, All-Metropolitan Player of the Year and Baltimore Catholic League Player of the Year as a junior, Carmelo Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy for his senior year. There, he further established himself as one of the best players in the country, competing in national tournaments, the McDonald’s All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic while helping Oak Hill going 32-1 while being named to USA Today All-USA First Team.
Tavon Austin, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore), Football
Nobody has done it quite like Tavon Austin, who broke Maryland’s record in career offensive yards (9,258), rushing yards (7,962), touchdowns (123) and points (790) and was twice named the Maryland Offensive Player of the Year, according to Herald-Mail Media. He dominated at West Virginia University and played in the NFL.
Len Bias, Northwestern High School (Hyattsville), Boys Basketball
One of the greatest what-ifs in basketball history, Len Bias started playing basketball in eighth grade and emerged as a star by graduation. He averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds on 68% shooting as a senior, according to the Washington Metropolitan Basketball Hall of Fame, and was co-MVP of the 1982 Capital Classic.
Mike Curtis, Richard Montgomery High School (Rockville), Football
Four-time Pro Bowler Mike Curtis started as a do-it-all fullback at Montgomery, named to the Washington Post’s All-Metro team, known for accomplishments like rushing for three touchdowns in a quarter while serving kicking and punting duties and recovering a fumble.
Adrian Dantley, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville), Boys Basketball
Adrian Dantley led DeMatha to a 57-2 record over his high school career, being named Mr. Basketball USA and First-team Parade All-American in 1973. He went on to be a six-time NBA all-star, two-time scoring champ and Rookie of the Year.
Kevin Durant, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson), Montrose Christian School (Rockville), Boys Basketball
One of the top-ranked recruits of his class and greatest basketball players ever, Kevin Durant’s senior season at Montrose is full of accolades: He was co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game, MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic, and named first-team All-American by USA Today and Parade Magazine as he averaged 23.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.6 blocks per game, according to his Texas bio.
Chuck Foreman, Frederick High School, Football
Chuck Foreman, who revolutionized the way the running back position is played, was versatile in high school, competing in basketball and track as well as football, in which he primarily played wide receiver. He received collegiate offers for basketball, but instead when to the NFL, where he became a five-time Pro Bowler.
Kyle Harrison, Friends School (Baltimore), Boys Lacrosse, Boys Soccer, Boys Basketball
Kyle Harrison was a highly acclaimed three-sport athlete, being named all-conference in soccer and basketball while winning a combined three championships between those two sports, but lacrosse was where he thrived. As an All-American, he led Friends School to three straight championships from 1997-99.
Katie Ledecky, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart (Bethesda), Swimming
At the age of 15, Kate Ledecky won a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics. She then returned to high school to compete with those her age. While in high school, she set the American and U.S. Open 500-yard freestyle records (twice), the national high school 200-yard freestyle record (twice), and graduated with every Stone Ridge swimming record except the 100-meter backstroke, according to the MoCo Show.
Helen Maroulis, Magruder High School (Rockville), Wrestling
The first female member of the Maryland State Wrestling Hall of Fame, Helen Maroulis went 99-26 over her three years of wrestling at high school, primarily competing against boys. She was the first girl to place in the Montgomery Region 3A/4A West and the Maryland State Wrestling Tournaments, according to the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame, and was named Outstanding Wrestler after pinning the previous year’s male winner.
Angel Reese, St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), Girls Basketball, Girls Volleyball
One of the top recruits in her class, Angel Reese was a double-double throughout high school. She averaged 11 points and rebounds apiece as a freshman, including a 20-point, 24-rebound performance in the DICK’S Sporting Goods High School Nationals; by sophomore year, she led her team in points, rebounds, assists and blocks. She averaged 22.6 points and 19.3 rebounds per game as a junior, and as a senior led St. Frances to its fourth straight IAAM A Conference championship.
Babe Ruth, St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys (Baltimore), Baseball
There are few verified statistics for Babe Ruth from his amateur baseball days. It’s clear he played several positions. A local newspaper’s game recap said he played third base, caught, struck out six while pitching, and hit a double, triple and home run. Ruth later said he hit .450 or .500. He said he tracked one season and reached over 60 home runs. It’s not confirmed, but what is another legend to add to his lore?
Paul Rabil, DeMatha (Hyattsville), Lacrosse
Paul Rabil transferred to DeMatha ahead of his sophomore year, and helped his team dominate across three years with the program, winning three Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships and scoring 288 career points, being named to two All-American teams and two All-State teams.
Cal Ripken Jr., Aberdeen High School, Baseball
Cal Ripken Jr. remains one of the best high school players to come out of Maryland, and his senior season ranks among any performance on the diamond — he led Aberdeen to a championship while hitting .496 while pitching a 7-2 record with a 0.79 ERA, according to SABR.
Kyle Snyder, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (Olney), Wrestling
Over three years on the mat at Our Lady Good Counsel, Kyle Snyder never lost, going 179-0 and winning three national championships. He was ranked the No. 1 wrestler in his class across the nation when he turned his attention to the international stage, training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as a senior. While in college, became the youngest wrestler to win the world, NCAA, and Olympic championships in the same year
Reggie Williams, Paul Laurence Dunbar School (Baltimore), Boys Basketball
It’s tough to choose just one player from the early 1980s Dunbar Poets that dominated basketball. Reggie Williams, Muggsy Bogues, David Wingate and Reggie Lewis were stars of a team that went 60-0 between 1981-83 (Wingate graduating in 1982), and Williams was at the core, averaging 24.3 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior and 25.3 points and four assists as a senior, per Hoop Scoop. They were top-ranked in the nation and among the greatest high school basketball teams ever.
Quincy Wilson, Bullis School (Potomac), Track and Field
In 2024, Quincy Wilson became the youngest American track & field male Olympian ever, competing in the 4x400-meter relay at the age of 16. He has consistently broken records and won championships throughout high school, including at the New Balance Nationals Indoor, and holds the u-18 indoor and outdoor 400-meter records.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is the Maryland high school athlete GOAT? Vote now in 'USA 250' poll
