Rams Pride: 5 Unforgettable Athletes From Ladue Horton Watkins High School

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

1. Jehu Chesson – NFL Wide Receiver (Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins)

Chesson is a Liberian-born wide receiver who attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School, excelling in football and track before playing at the University of Michigan, where he recorded 114 receptions for 1,639 yards and 12 touchdowns and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, Chesson played in 24 NFL games with the Chiefs and Washington Redskins (now Commanders) and has remained active in football and related endeavors since retiring. (Sources: Chiefs.com, NFL.com)

2. Jack Fox – NFL Punter (Detroit Lions)

Fox is an elite NFL punter who attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School, earning first-team All-State honors as a punter and showcasing versatility as a kicker and quarterback. He played at Rice University, earning Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year and All-Conference recognition before joining the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Fox has become one of the league’s top specialists with the Detroit Lions, earning multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors while setting franchise and NFL punting records. (Sources: SI.com, Heavy.com)

3. Marty Hogan – Racquetball Star

Hogan, a 1976 graduate of Ladue Horton Watkins High School, is one of the most iconic figures in racquetball, winning over 100 national and international titles, including six U.S. Indoor Professional Championships, and holding the No. 1 or No. 2 world ranking from the mid‑1970s through 1990. After retiring, he was inducted into multiple halls of fame and continues to influence the sport as a coach, ambassador and founder of The Legends Racquetball Tour. (Sources: JewishSportsHof.org, USARacquetball.com)

4. Becky Sauerbrunn – Olympic Soccer Defender

Sauerbrunn is a legendary American soccer defender who attended Ladue Horton Watkins High School, where she excelled in soccer, volleyball and basketball before playing collegiately at the University of Virginia. She became a cornerstone of the U.S. Women’s National Team, winning multiple FIFA Women’s World Cup titles, Olympic medals and earning numerous individual honors. After a storied professional career in the NWSL and abroad, Sauerbrunn remains a respected leader and advocate for the sport. (Source: VirginiaSports.com, The Equalizer, LadueNews.com)

5. Charmin Smith – WNBA Player

Smith graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School, where she earned Missouri First Team All-State honors before playing collegiately at Stanford University, helping the Cardinal to three Pac-10 titles and three Final Four appearances. She went on to play professionally in the ABL, the WNBA and overseas, then transitioned into coaching and has been the head coach of the California Golden Bears women’s basketball team since 2019. (Sources: WNBA.com, CalBears.com, Basketball Reference)

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