 Across the world young college athletes aspire to make it big. To feel the rush of the crowd running out onto the football field, or the sound of the buzzer after a tie breaking slam dunk on the basketball court, or the feel of the base sliding in for a homerun on the baseball diamond. Universities across the states are home to some of the most talented athletes. In there twenties dreams of worldwide fame and big fat multi-million dollar contracts are not far from their grasp. Below are 4 of many young talented college athletes with high hopes and names we will sure see in headlines across sports sections in years to come.
Mark Sanchez (23, University of Southern California, Football)
Mark Travis John Sanchez is a new quarterback for the New York Jets of
the NFL. He was drafted by the Jets fifth overall in the 2009 NFL
Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern
California (USC). As a third-generation Mexican-American, Sanchez found
himself thrust into the spotlight as a symbol of Mexican-American
identity and a role model for children. In his single season as the
starting quarterback, Sanchez led the Trojans to a 12–1 season and No.
2 ranking in the Coaches Poll and No. 3 in the AP Poll, while capturing
the 2009 Rose Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player award. After
announcing his intention to leave school early to enter the 2009 NFL
Draft, Sanchez selected his older brother and business litigator, Nick
Sanchez, to be his agent. Going into the draft, he was ranked as one of
the top two quarterbacks. No longer at USC, Sanchez is looking forward
to starting his professional football career with New York and will
remain a college legend at USC.
 Candace Parker (23, University of Tennessee, Basketball)
Candace Nicole Parker is a basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008 and is best known for being the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game. She is mainly a forward, but was listed on Tennessee's roster as a forward, center, and guard. She was the Southeastern Conference Rookie of the Year and helped the Lady Vols win the 2006 SEC Tournament Championship. With 17 seconds remaining in the 2006 SEC Tournament Championship Game against LSU, Parker hit the game-winning shot. She was named Tournament MVP and was named to the 2006 Kodak All-America team, making her one of the few to ever receive the award as a freshman. Parker was the only college player named to the USA squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women in Brazil. The USA squad finished in third place.
 Stephen Strasburg (21, San Diego State University, Baseball)
Stephen Strasburg is a baseball player and was recently drafted to the New York Jets. In 2008, as a sophomore at San Diego State University, Strasburg went 8–3, with a 1.57 earned run average and 133 strikeouts in 97⅓ innings for the San Diego State Aztecs. Four of his thirteen starts in 2008 were complete games, two of which were shutouts. On April 11, he struck out 23 batters in a game versus the University of Utah. Strasburg finished the 2009 season 13–1 with a 1.32 ERA, 59 hits allowed, 16 earned runs, 19 walks and 195 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. In his final home start on May 8, 2009, Strasburg threw his first career no-hitter and struck out 17 Air Force batters. Strasburg was the first overall pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. His advisor, Scott Boras, is reportedly looking for a contract in the range of six years, $50 million.
 Courtney Kupets (23, University of Georgia, Gymnast)
Courtney Anne Kupets is currently enrolled at the University of Georgia
and is best known for her individual Bronze Medal on the uneven bars at
the 2004 Olympics. Kupets trained 35 hours a week at Hill’s Angels,
former gym of Olympians Dominique Dawes and Elise Ray, for 35 hours
each week. The uneven bars are what she is best at, however, her
balance beam routine was rated a 10.0. She also had a reputation as one
of the USA's most versatile tumblers, performing, at various points in
her career, the double layout, triple twist, double Arabian, double
front, double pike and various combination tumbling passes.
 Quote this article on your site
|
