5 Super Athletes With Ties To Saline

Sports have a way of teaching invaluable life lessons — building character, fostering teamwork and strengthening the bonds within a community. In the Saline 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. Dori Cook (Water Polo/Cross Country)

A standout student-athlete at Saline High School, Dori Cook excelled in both academics and athletics, graduating in the top five percent of her class. She was captain of the school's water polo and cross country teams and received the prestigious Woodie Merchant Award, recognizing her as an outstanding female scholar-athlete. Cook has continued her athletic and academic journey at Michigan State University, where she studies computational data science.

2. Chris Baker (Football)

Chris Baker, a Saline High School graduate, made his mark as a tight end in the NFL after being selected in the third round of the 2002 draft. A former Michigan State standout, he spent eight seasons in the league, playing for the Jets, New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Over his career, Baker recorded 168 receptions, 1,763 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns, cementing his legacy as a reliable offensive player.

3. Lisa Bonder (Tennis)

A former professional tennis player, Saline’s own Lisa Bonder reached a career-high ranking of No. 9 in the world during the 1980s. Over her decade-long career, she won four WTA singles titles and competed in the quarterfinals of the French Open, as well as the fourth round of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. With victories over tennis greats like Chris Evert and Mary Joe Fernandez, Bonder remains one of Saline’s most accomplished athletes.

4. Bobby Korecky (Baseball)

Saline High School graduate Bobby Korecky has made his mark in Major League Baseball. A University of Michigan alum, he went on to play for the Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays, excelling as a relief pitcher across multiple teams. Korecky also made history as the first Minnesota Twins pitcher to record a hit in an American League game since the designated hitter rule was introduced.

5. Taybor Pepper (Football)

Saline native Taybor Pepper carved out a successful career as an NFL long snapper after playing at Michigan State University. Following a series of stints with various teams, including the Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins and New York Giants, he secured a spot with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020. Known for his reliability and precision, Pepper has since signed a multi-year contract extension with the 49ers, solidifying his role as a key special teams player.

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