California Athlete Vote
USA TODAY honors California's top high school athletes through fan votes for 250th anniversary
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USA TODAY has launched the "250 for 250" series — a nationwide project to crown the greatest homegrown athletes from every U.S. state as the country approaches its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. For California, 16 nominees have been chosen, and fans will vote to narrow that list down to just five. USA TODAY reports the California field spans more than a century of sports history, from Jackie Robinson to Allyson Felix.
The competition is fierce. The 16 nominees include Olympic champions, NFL legends, and prep phenoms who broke records that still stand today. Five athletes will ultimately represent the Golden State on the national list, to be unveiled on July 4, 2026, according to Knox News.
Jackie Robinson, Tiger Woods, and the Legends on the List
The 16 California nominees read like a sports hall of fame by themselves. Jackie Robinson attended Muir Tech in Pasadena, where he lettered in four sports — football, basketball, baseball, and track. He later broke MLB's color barrier and became one of the most important athletes in American history. Tiger Woods won three straight U.S. Junior Amateur titles from 1991 to 1993 while attending Western High School in Anaheim, a feat no other player has matched, per USA TODAY.
Cheryl Miller scored 105 points in a single game for Riverside Poly in 1982 — a number that still seems impossible today. Bill Walton led Helix High School in La Mesa to 49 straight wins. Lisa Leslie scored 101 points in just one half for Morningside High in Inglewood in 1990. These are not just California records — they are some of the most staggering prep numbers in U.S. sports history, according to Indy Star.
Jake Browning's 229 Touchdowns and Modern Record-Breakers
Folsom High School quarterback Jake Browning threw 229 career touchdown passes from 2012 to 2014 — a national high school record. He also threw 91 touchdown passes in a single season. Those numbers are widely seen as untouchable today. Sports analysts at Stadium Talk say changes in modern offensive schemes and playoff structures make Browning's records nearly impossible to break.
Allyson Felix trained at LA Baptist High School in North Hills before becoming the most decorated female track athlete in history, winning 11 Olympic medals. Marcus Allen was named Cal-Hi Sports "Mr. Football" in 1977 after starring at Lincoln High in San Diego. He later became the first NFL player to rush for 10,000 yards and receive for 5,000 yards, per Palm Beach Post.
How the Voting Works and Why It Matters
USA TODAY journalists and sports historians spent months in late 2023 and early 2024 building the long lists of candidates for each state. The California list of 16 was then released to the public for a vote. Fans choose five athletes to represent the state. The final national "250 for 250" list will be revealed on July 4, 2026, as part of official U.S. anniversary celebrations, according to Knox News.
"The '250 for 250' project is about more than just stats; it's about the athletes who defined their communities and inspired a nation," a USA TODAY Sports representative said at the series launch. Being named to the list carries real weight. Schools tied to winning athletes — like Folsom for Browning and Riverside Poly for Miller — use the recognition to boost their athletic programs and recruitment, according to Cincinnati.com.
The Debate: Societal Icons vs. Statistical Legends
Not everyone agrees on who deserves the top five spots. Traditionalists argue that Jackie Robinson is an automatic pick because of his impact far beyond sports. Data-focused fans counter that modern athletes like Felix and Browning have stats that cannot be ignored simply because they are more recent. Cal-Hi Sports historian Mark Tennis noted the list highlights the "evolution of the prep athlete" and California's consistency in producing generational talent.
California's CIF governs more than 1,600 schools — the most competitive prep sports environment in the country. That scale makes being a standout in California different from standing out almost anywhere else. The public debate has also focused on whether smaller sports like water polo or soccer are fairly represented among the 16 nominees, per Indy Star.
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