5 Super Athletes With Ties To Chico

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Chico 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.

Aaron Rodgers (Football)

Aaron Rodgers is a renowned NFL quarterback who hails from Chico. A four-time league MVP and Super Bowl XLV champion, Rodgers spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers before joining the New York Jets. Known for his precision passing, record-setting touchdown-to-interception ratio and clutch performances, he has led the league in numerous statistical categories. As a former California Golden Bear, Rodgers set college records before being drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

Ava Knight (Boxing, MMA)

Chico native Ava Knight is a world-class boxer and mixed martial artist who held the IBF female flyweight title from 2011 to 2012. Known for her aggressive style and technical skill, she has fought for world titles in three weight divisions and won the WBC Diamond belt in 2012. Knight later transitioned to MMA, making her debut with Bellator in 2019. In 2024, she joined the Las Vegas Hustle in Team Combat League, boxing’s first squad-based format. Knight is also a former WWE Tough Enough finalist.

Brian Cage (Wrestling)

Chico-born professional wrestler Brian Cage, known for his powerhouse style, competes in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH). The former Impact World Champion and FTW Champion has built a reputation as one of wrestling’s most dominant figures. Before AEW, he gained recognition in Lucha Underground, Impact Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. He is a 2002 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School.

Emily Azevedo (Bobsled)

Emily Azevedo, a Chico native and former UC Davis track athlete, became a U.S. Olympic bobsledder and competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Specializing in the two-woman event, she placed fifth in Vancouver and won silver and bronze medals at the FIBT World Championships. Azevedo, a former 100m hurdler, switched to bobsled after being inspired by the 2006 Winter Olympics, quickly excelling in the sport.

Kurt Kitayama (Golf)

A standout golfer from Chico, Kurt Kitayama has made a name for himself on the PGA Tour with a victory at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. A former Chico High School basketball star, Kitayama transitioned to golf and played at UNLV before turning pro in 2015. After gaining experience on international tours, he became the fastest player in European Tour history to win two events, capturing the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and the Oman Open in 2019. Now competing on the PGA Tour, Kitayama continues to rise as a top contender.

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