Sports
Chancellors Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Tucson High Magnet School
From local fields to national fame, these stars got their start in Tucson.
Sports run deep in Tucson, and Tucson High Magnet School has long been at the heart of it. It’s no surprise some standout talent once wore the Badger uniform. Today we're celebrating five unforgettable athletes from Chatsworth High School who made a name for themselves well beyond the hometown field.
1. Abdi Abdirahman - Track and Field Olympian
Abdi Abdirahman is one of the most celebrated athletes from Tucson High. A 1995 graduate, Abdirahman went on to compete collegiately at Pima Community College and the University of Arizona, where he was a multiple All-American and Pac-10 champion. He competed in five Olympic Games (2000–2020) in the 10,000 m and marathon, becoming the oldest American runner ever to make a U.S. Olympic team at age 43. He has also placed on podiums at the New York City Marathon and is a multiple USA Track & Field champion. (Sources: World Athletics, USATF)
2. Dave Baldwin - Former MLB Pitcher
Dave Baldwin is a Tucson High alumnus who continued his baseball career at the University of Arizona before playing in the MLB from 1966 to 1973. The relief specialist pitched for the Washington Senators, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox, compiling a solid career. He has been inducted into both the University of Arizona and Pima County Sports Halls of Fame. (Sources: MLB, PCSHF)
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3. Delaney Schnell - Olympic Diver
Another Olympian, Delaney Schnell is a Tucson alum who competed for Team USA as a diver. She participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics, medaling in 2020 in the women’s 10 m synchronized platform, marking a historic U.S. podium in that event. Schnell continued her success in collegiate diving at the University of Arizona, earning multiple Pac-12 titles, All-America honors and conference awards. She has also medaled at the World Championships and Pan American Games. (Sources: Team USA, Arizona Wildcats)
4. Rashida Jeffery - Tucson High Badger “T” Club Hall of Famer
Rashida Jeffery was a standout multi-sport athlete at Tucson High, lettering in volleyball, basketball and track and field all four years. As captain of the basketball team, she earned multiple city and state All-Star honors and helped lead a state championship in the 300 m hurdles. Jeffery went on to play college basketball on a full scholarship at the University of Southern California, where she was part of a Pac-10 championship squad. She was later inducted into the Tucson High Badger “T” Club Hall of Fame for her remarkable high school career. (Sources: PCSHF, Tucson High Alumni Club)
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5. Mike Dawson - Former NFL Defensive Lineman
Mike Dawson was an NFL defensive lineman and Tucson High graduate. A four-year starter at THS, he excelled in both football and wrestling before competing collegiately at the University of Arizona, where he earned All-Conference honors. Dawson was selected in the 22nd overall in the 1976 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and played nine seasons in the NFL with the Cardinals, Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. Over the course of his career, he played in over 100 career games. (Sources: NFL, PCSHF)This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.
