5 Super Athletes With Ties To Birmingham

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Birmingham area, these values have shaped some truly remarkable athletes from different eras, whose accomplishments continue to inspire.

Patch has teamed up with T-Mobile to spotlight five standout athletes whose achievements have left a lasting mark on our community. While this list is just a snapshot, there are countless others who have helped shape the rich sports culture in our area.

1. Vonetta Flowers (Bobsledding)

A Birmingham native and former track and field standout at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Vonetta Flowers made history at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Serving as the brakeman for Jill Bakken, she helped secure the gold medal in the first-ever women’s Olympic bobsled event, becoming the first Black athlete to win a gold medal at a Winter Olympics. She continued competing with new driver Jean Racine-Prahm, finishing sixth at the 2006 Winter Olympics and earning a bronze medal at the 2004 World Championships.

2. Tina Hutchinson (Basketball)

Birmingham-born Tina Hutchinson was a dominant high school basketball star before her collegiate career at San Diego State University. At East St. Louis Lincoln High School, she scored over 3,000 career points and averaged over 35 points and 15 rebounds per game in her senior year. Recognized as the Parade Magazine National Player of the Year and a USA Today All-American, Hutchinson continued her success at San Diego State, where she set NCAA freshman records with 898 points in 30 games, averaging 29.9 points per game—still one of the highest marks in Division I history.

3. Smylie Kaufman (Golf)

Birmingham native Smylie Kaufman grew up in a golf-centric family, with his grandfather, Alan Kaufman, serving as the head coach of the men's golf team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Kaufman found early success on the Web.com Tour in 2015, securing his first professional win at the United Leasing Championship and earning his PGA Tour card. He later competed in the 2016 Masters Tournament, where he played in the final pairing alongside Jordan Spieth after shooting the best round of the day in tough conditions. Now a sports commentator, Kaufman has transitioned from competing on the PGA Tour to covering the game he loves.

4. Cat Whitehill (Soccer)

Born in Richmond, Virginia but raised in Birmingham, Cat Whitehill was a standout defender for the U.S. Women’s National Team from 2000 to 2010, earning 134 caps and helping the U.S. win gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She played in the 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cups, making history as the only defender to score two goals in a World Cup game. Whitehill also had a successful club career in the WPS and NWSL before transitioning into broadcasting, serving as an analyst for major tournaments, including the 2011 and 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cups.

5. Andre Tippett (Football)

Birmingham’s own Andre Tippett is considered one the NFL’s greatest linebackers, spending his entire 12-year career with the New England Patriots. Tippett was named Defensive Player of the Year for the AFC Champion Patriots in 1985 and later earned induction into both the Patriots Hall of Fame (1999) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2008). Since retiring, he has remained with the Patriots organization, serving as Executive Director of Community Affairs while also coaching youth football.

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.