As a graduating senior, I wanted to take a column and reflect back on my four years at LSU and make a list of my favorite athletes during that time (August 2000 to present).
I was able to narrow it down to a top 10, but there are also other players which I hold in high regard. Those players include women’s basketball players Seimone Augustus and Temeka Johnson, men’s basketball guard Darrel Mitchell, former baseball player Aaron Hill, former softball star Trina Peel and football player Michael Clayton.
The following athletes were chosen for this list for a number of qualifications, including skill in their sport, character, attitude and the quality of person they are. Keep in mind, this is not the top 10 best athletes during this time, just my favorite. All you graduating seniors should think about your own list.
10. Ronald Dupree — For three of my four years, I was blessed to watch Ronald Dupree lead the LSU basketball team on the court of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Dupree, who is now a member of the Chicago Bulls, will be remembered for his high-flying dunks and his ability to score a basket when LSU needed it the most. Dupree averaged 17.3 points per game in 2000-2001, 16.2 in 2001-2002 and 15.8 his senior season, where he helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament. Dupree was always a super nice guy, and it is good to see him being rewarded right now for all of his hard work as a Tiger.
9. Britni Sneed — In my all of my years at LSU, I have never seen a player dominate the way Britni Sneed did for the LSU softball team. I was fortunate enough to watch Sneed in 2001 and 2002, and I swear I never saw her pitch a bad game. Sneed set 17 LSU pitching records in her career, including 976 1/3 innings pitched, 120 wins, 12 saves and a 0.89 career ERA.
8. Lane Mestepey — Lane Mestepey and I emerged onto the scene as freshmen in 2001 season. That was my first semester at The Reveille and his first as a Tigers pitcher, and I think it’s fair to say Lane easily has more accolades than me. Mestepey went 11-3 that season with a 3.75 ERA and was named 2001 Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year and Collegiate Baseball’s Co-National Freshman of the Year. Mestepey followed his freshman season up with an 11-5 sophomore year and 2.59 ERA and first-team All-SEC selection. Mestepey’s got guts, and despite struggling right now in trying to rebound from shoulder surgery in 2003, his competitive nature will get him back on track.
7. Josh Reed — J-Reed is easily the best college football wide receiver I have ever seen, and in 2001 he had the best year of a wide receiver I have ever seen. That season, Reed caught 94 passes for 1,740 yards and was the Biletnikoff Award winner, which is given to the best wideout in the nation. Reed was selected as an All-American and set LSU and SEC receiving records with 3,001 career receiving yards. The No. 25 has always been my favorite, and after his 19-reception, 293-yard performance against Alabama in 2001, everybody knew who LSU’s No. 25 was.
6. Rohan Davey — If you ever stood next to Rohan Davey without his football jersey on, he didn’t look like a quarterback. In fact, I am not sure he looked like a quarterback with his jersey on either. But when he stepped on the field, he sure acted like a quarterback, and he is probably the best quarterback to play at LSU during my four years. Davey completed 217-of-367 passes for 3,347 yards, the best single season ever by an LSU quarterback. No one will ever forget what Ro did to Tennessee and Georgia Tech in 2000. He carried over that success into 2001, leading the Tigers to a 10-3 record, an SEC championship and a 47-35 win in the 2002 Sugar Bowl.
5. Collis Temple III — If you haven’t met Collis, you are really missing out on one of the finest all-around collegiate athletes to ever wear an LSU uniform. Collis also has a pretty cool nickname, C-T-3, which stems from his lethal 3-point shooting ability on the basketball court. CT3 hit 171 3-pointers in his career at LSU and averaged 14.3 points in 2000-2001, 13.4 in 2001-2002 and 10.8 in 2002-2003. But what I will remember Collis the most for is the way he handled the media. Whether it was after another loss in LSU’s 2-14 SEC record in 2000-2001 or after a game in 2002-2003 when the Tigers made the NCAA tournament, Collis answered every question and did not shy away from anything. He also earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees before he finished his eligibility and had started work on a Ph.D.
4. Matt Mauck — Matt Mauck wasn’t the greatest quarterback to play at LSU, but his success in 2003 leading the Tigers to the national championship will make him an LSU legend forever. Mauck passed for 2,825 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2003, but you’d never know it by talking to him. Mauck is probably the most humble player I have ever met. When asked about throwing four touchdown passes against Auburn in 2003, his main response centered around doing what he could to help the team out. This was also evident back in the summer when Mauck would lead 7-on-7 drills, acting as a coach, since the coaching staff is not allowed to help in the summer. Mauck may not play in the NFL, but the Jasper, Ind., native will be a success in whatever he does someday — whether it is as a dentist, a football coach or whatever he decides.
3. Domanick Davis — You know, Domanick Davis probably won’t even be mentioned when people talk of the greatest LSU football players, but Double D is absolutely one of my favorite players in LSU football history. Domanick was an all-around player for LSU, returning kicks, playing running back; he even saw a stint on LSU’s defense. Davis set school career records with 2,078 kickoff return yards and 1,126 punt return yards. As LSU’s top back in 2002, he rushed for 931 yards. All of Double D’s hard work is paying off now as he had a sensational rookie season with the Houston Texans in 2003.
2. Bradie James — When Bradie James said “jump,” his teammates asked “how high?” When Bradie James said he would do something, he did it. He was a vocal leader, but he also led by example. And for those who got to know him, he was about as fine a person you will ever meet. Bradie played Will linebacker at LSU for 2000 and 2001 before moving to Mike as a senior in 2002. He was the guts behind LSU’s “James Gang” defense and the focal point for any opposing team. In his final season, he registered 154 tackles, had 9.5 sacks, was a total force on defense and an outstanding leader. The spokesman for the Tigers in 2002, Bradie spoke for the team when the Tigers were 6-1, and also after they lost 35-20 to Texas in the Cotton Bowl and finished 8-5. Bradie was a true standup guy who should have a nice career in the NFL ahead of him.
1. Wally Pontiff — There are certain people who have touched my life, and Wally Pontiff is one of them. As a baseball player for the LSU Tigers, he had the sweetest swing of any left-handed hitter I have ever seen. Wally hit .344 for his career at LSU and was an All-SEC third baseman. As the unofficial team captain, he had powerful leadership skills. When Wally said something, everybody listened. Tragically, Wally’s life came to an end July 24, 2002 when he passed away in his sleep because of a heart abnormality in his parents’ home in Metairie. Wally was and still is a hero to many. He will never be forgotten at LSU nor will I forget him.