Panther Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Huntsville High School

Sports run deep in Huntsville, and Huntsville High School has long been at the heart of it. It’s no surprise some standout talent once wore the Panther uniform. Today we're celebrating five unforgettable athletes from Huntsville High School who made a name for themselves well beyond the hometown field.

1. Bobby Luna – NFL Football Player

A graduate of Huntsville High School, Bobby Luna went on to star at the University of Alabama before playing in the NFL as a defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He later served as an assistant coach under Paul “Bear” Bryant, helping the Crimson Tide secure multiple championships. Luna passed away in 2008 at the age of 74, leaving behind a legacy that still resonates in Alabama football. (Source: Tuscaloosa News).

2. Margaret Hoelzer – Olympic Swimmer

Three-time Olympic medalist Margaret Hoelzer earned two silvers and a bronze for Team USA at the 2008 Games in Beijing. A backstroke specialist and multi-time national champion, she captured a World Championship title in the 200 m backstroke in 2007 and set a world record in the event at that year’s U.S. Olympic Trials. A graduate of Huntsville High School, Hoelzer’s success in the pool continues to inspire swimmers across the country. (Source: TeamUSA.com)

3. Nicholas Morrow – NFL Linebacker

In January 2025, Nicholas Morrow was waived by the Buffalo Bills and soon after joined the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad to help fill a gap at linebacker. Elevated for the Divisional Round, the NFC Championship, and Super Bowl LIX, he contributed on special teams throughout the postseason, including in the Eagles’ championship victory. Morrow, a graduate of Huntsville High School, has built a career defined by adaptability and perseverance in the NFL. (Source: CBS Philadelphia)

4. Brewer Hicklen – MLB Outfielder

Brewer Hicklen turned heads at Huntsville High School as a multi-sport athlete before choosing baseball. A seventh-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 2017 draft out of UAB, he’s since made his MLB debut—first with the Royals and later appearances with Milwaukee and Detroit into 2025. Beyond his on-field play, Hicklen hosts an annual “Homers for Hope” fundraiser back home in Huntsville, linking every home run with charitable donations to youth sports. (Source: MLB.com)

5. Victoria Frederick – Professional Soccer Player

She helped steer Huntsville High School’s soccer team to a 5A state championship in 2005 and was named Alabama’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year, as well as Birmingham News Player of the Year. A prolific scorer who shattered her school’s single-season goals record with 48, Frederick earned numerous honors — including First-Team All-State and All-Metro selections — before shining at the University of Alabama. She went on to play professionally with the Seattle Sounders Women in the USL W-League and for Seattle Reign FC in the NWSL. (Sources: Rolltide.com, EqualizerSoccer.com)

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