Generals Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Riverside High School

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

Mark McCumber – PGA Tour Winner and Golf Broadcaster

A graduate of Riverside High School (formerly Robert E. Lee High), Mark McCumber enjoyed a successful career on the PGA Tour, earning 10 tour wins between 1979 and 1994. Highlights include victories at The Players Championship and Tour Championship, as well as a World Cup title with Ben Crenshaw in 1988. McCumber also represented the U.S. in the Ryder Cup and later worked as a golf analyst and course architect. (Source: PGATour.com)

Jaheim Singletary – Elite College Cornerback

Riverside High alum Jaheim Singletary was one of the top cornerback recruits in the nation, earning five-star rankings and Under Armour All-American honors. He began his college career at Georgia in 2022, transferred to Arkansas and most recently joined Iowa State. Known for his shutdown coverage skills, Singletary was a dominant high school player with 10 interceptions and 20 pass breakups over three seasons. (Source: 247Sports)

Catie Ball – Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Holder

Jacksonville native Catie Ball was a world-record-setting swimmer by the time she reached the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Despite illness, she won gold in the 400-meter medley relay and held every world breaststroke record during her career. She later coached at the University of Florida and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1976. (Source: Florida Sports Hall of Fame)

LeRoy Butler – Super Bowl Champion and NFL Hall of Famer

LeRoy Butler overcame childhood physical challenges to become a star defensive back at Riverside High and Florida State University, where he was a Consensus All-American. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1990, Butler played 12 NFL seasons, helped win Super Bowl XXXI and famously invented the Lambeau Leap. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022, cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. (Source: NoleFan.org)

Don Bessent – World Series Pitcher for the Dodgers

Don Bessent, a Jacksonville-born pitcher, played four seasons in the major leagues with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. He posted an 8–1 record in his rookie year and threw 3.33 scoreless innings during the Dodgers' 1955 World Series win — the franchise’s first title. Bessent later battled injuries and retired in 1962. He eventually returned to Jacksonville, where he lived until his death in 1990. (Source: SABR.org)

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