Who's South Jersey's all-time greatest athlete? VOTE now

Who is the best athlete from South Jersey?

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As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states.

In July, we will showcase our list of the top 250 overall athletes in South Jersey history.

Here's a list of the top athletes from each of their respective sports:

Jordan Burroughs, Winslow, wrestling

One of the most recognizable and successful wrestlers on the planet, Burroughs has the medals to prove it because all he sees is gold. He won an Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games. Burroughs is a six-time World Champion and has garnered nine medals total (three bronze) at the World Championships. Burroughs had a humble beginning in high school — he didn’t reach the top of the podium at the state tournament until his senior season when he won the 135-pound title, earning the title with a four-point move in the final 19 seconds to secure the win. He finished with 115 career wins with the Eagles.  Burroughs’ career took off at his next stop when he became a two-time national champion and three-time Big 12 titlist at Nebraska.

Rachel Dawson, Eastern, field hockey

One of the greatest players to ever wear a kilt in South Jersey, the 2003 Eastern graduate went on to play collegiately at the University of North Carolina. IN 2007, Dawson was named the nation's top collegiate field hockey player in 2007. Her No. 9 jersey was retired by the Tarheels in 2008.

Dawson began her USA Hockey career as a member of the Under-21 national team, eventually playing in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams. Dawson retired from play after 298 international appearances with the U.S. Women's National Team.

Franco Harris, Mount Holly, football

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Harris was a four-time Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowl selection during his legendary career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After playing at Penn State, Harris was a first-round pick (13th overall) and played 13 seasons in the NFL (12 with the Steelers) and rushed for 12,120 yards and 91 TDs.

Crystal Langhorne, Willingboro, women’s basketball

A champion at every level, Langhorne is the gold standard for South Jersey basketball. A 2,776-point scorer as a 2004 Willingboro graduate, Langhorne led the Chimeras to the 2002 NJSIAA Group 3 championship. After playing in the McDonald’s All-America Game, Langhorne took her talents to the University of Maryland, where she led the Terrapins to the 2006 NCAA Championship.

Langhorne scored 2,247 points and 1,229 career rebounds at College Park. The sixth pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, Langhorne played 13 seasons, appearing in two All-Star Games with the Washington Mystics and winning two titles with the Seattle Storm. Langhorne was named the 2005 USA Basketball Women’s Player of the Year after leading the Under-19 team to the FIBA World Cup title.

Carl Lewis, Willingboro, men’s track and field

The third son born into an athletic family in Willingboro, Lewis’ outsized talents stretched across the entire world. By the time he left high school, the Chimeras’ star was the fourth-ranked long jumper in the world. Lewis is the Chimeras' record holder in the 100, 200 and long jump to this day.

Lewis won the gold medal in the long jump in four consecutive Olympic Games and nine gold medals in all, even after missing out on the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games. His four golds in the 1984 Los Angeles Games (long jump, 100, 200, 4x100 relay) ranks as one of the greatest accomplishments in history. Lewis returned to his alma mater, the University of Houston, in 2025 as its track and field coach.

Carli Lloyd, Delran, women’s soccer

The 2000 Courier-Post Player of the Year, Lloyd was not content to limit her talents to South Jersey. A born midfielder, Lloyd scored 26 goals as a senior, leading Delran to an 18-3 record and a state finals appearance. At Rutgers University, Lloyd graduated as the all-time leader with 50 points and 114 points.

Lloyd played three seasons for the Chicago Red Stars of the former Women's Professional League. She played for the Western New York Flash, Houston Dash and Sky Blue FC in nine NWSL season, plus a season on loan to Manchester City.

Lloyd made her greatest impact with the United States Women's National Team, where she won World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019 and scored the winning goals in the Gold Medal Games of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. The 2015 and 2016 FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, Lloyd finished second in career appearances (316), third in goals and fifth in assists for the USWNT.

Lisa (Sweeney) Van Ackeren, Rancocas Valley, softball

A two-time Courier-Post Softball Player of the Year, Sweeney set the standard for work in the circle. She went 31-2 with a 0.15 ERA as a senior, firing a no-hitter against J.P. Stevens in her final scholastic start in the state Group 4 championship. She set state records for strikeouts in a season (520) and career (1,262). Sweeney went on to star at Lehigh University where she became the only player in Patriot League history to win four Pitcher of the Year awards, along with numerous league records including career wins (94), shutouts (31) and career strikeouts (928). Her four no-hitters, including two in 2007, were also a Patriot League record. She has been a longtime head coach at Princeton, winning 287 games over 14 seasons.

Mike Trout, Millville, baseball

Many regard the Millville native as the best player on the planet for over a decade. After setting a New Jersey single-season home run record (18) as a senior at Millville High in 2009, Trout was selected in the first round (25th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels. Trout is in the middle of his 16th season with the Angels, a career that includes three American League MVP awards, 11 All-Star appearances and nine Silver Slugger Awards. He has accumulated over 1,800 hits over his career and should be a lock to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Peter Vermes, Delran men’s, soccer

Vermes delivered 109 career goals at Delran High School, with his final marker coming in overtime in the state Group 2 final in 1983. Following a season at Loyola College, Vermes shined at Rutgers University, including a senior season when he finished runner-up for the National Player of the Year award. He played 14 seasons of professional soccer and scored 11 goals in 66 games for the United States national team, playing in the 1998 Summer Olympics, 1990 FIFA World Cup and 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Dajuan Wagner, Camden, men's basketball

The greatest scorer in New Jersey scholastic basketball history, Wagner scored 3,462 career points, including one of just two 1,000-point seasons in South Jersey history. On January 16, 2001, Wagner scored 100 points against Camden County Tech, including 10 3-pointers.

Wagner scored 21.2 points per game in his only season at the University of Memphis, scoring 32 points on two different occasions. Wagner was the sixth pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 13.4 points per game as a rookie. His NBA career was limited to four seasons due to injury and illness.

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Who’s the greatest South Jersey high school athlete of all time?

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Who's South Jersey's all-time greatest athlete? VOTE now

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