The 50 Most Influential Latter-day Saints in the World of Sports
We see them on television breaking records and lifting trophies.
They are revered for their unparalleled talent, and many have starred in the world’s most prestigious sporting events, such as the Olympic Games or the Super Bowl, but among the crowds and the cameras, their faith reigns supreme in their hearts.
We talk about Latter-day Saints in the world of sports.
From the soccer fields of Brazil to the rinks of New Zealand, the influence of these athletes, coaches, and executives extends beyond their sporting achievements and reflects their values and faith.
Below is a list of 50 influential Latter-day Saints in sports:
1. Andy Reid (USA)
With three Super Bowl rings on his finger, Reid’s legacy as a top-notch coach and player developer is even more influential than his titles. The Chiefs coach fell just short of his fourth Super Bowl title this year, which would have been his third consecutive title for the first time in NFL history. Reid joined the Church while playing for BYU.
2. Dame Valerie Adams (New Zealand)
Possibly the most dominant shot putter in history with four Olympic medals. She was also the flag bearer for her country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. An absolute legend in her discipline and an emblem of sport for her nation. She has participated in devotionals with young people in her country to encourage them to pursue their dreams with the company of God.
3. Ryan Smith (USA)
Owner of the Utah Jazz (NBA), Real Salt Lake (MLS), and Utah Royals (NWSL), Smith is a prominent figure in American professional sports, with three teams competing in the top leagues in their disciplines and with international figures in each of them. He served as a missionary in Mexico and frequently tweets quotes in the #SundayThought format from Latter-day Saints and other spiritual leaders.
4. Ponipate “Poni” Loganimasi (Fiji)
A silver medallist with the Fiji rugby sevens team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, ‘Poni,’ as he is affectionately known, made the brave decision to dedicate two years of his life to serving a full-time mission during his years of training and professional preparation.
5. Kenneth Rooks (USA)
An Olympic medalist in steeplechase, Rooks sprinted from behind to win silver in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final with a time of 8 minutes, 6.41 seconds, a personal best during the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also served a full-time mission to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ during his formative years.
6. Puka Nacua (USA)
From his early days in Utah, people were excited about his future. Nacua, at 23, is considered one of the best receivers in football. After waiting until the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft to be selected, he set league rookie records for receiving yards and receptions and earned second-team All-Pro honors.
7. Bryce Harper (USA)
Major League Baseball player with two National League Most Valuable Player Awards and a total of eight All-Star selections. He is considered one of the highest-paid players in the world of sports, and his teachers at school remember that, at 16, he did not miss a single practice or any of his “religious education classes almost every morning.”
8. Gail Miller (USA)
After selling the Utah Jazz to Ryan Smith in 2020, some believed Gail Miller and her family-owned company were out of the major league sports business, but that was not the case. Now, they are looking to bring a Major League Baseball franchise to Salt Lake City. They also own the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees and are nearing completion of a new stadium in southwest Salt Lake County at Daybreak.
9. Joshua Dominguez Ramos (Dominican Republic)
Swimmer who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Domínguez Ramos competed in the 50-meter breaststroke and 200-meter breaststroke races, finishing in 39th and 34th place, respectively. In an interview with the Church Press Room, he said that the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity have strengthened him throughout his career and that the greatest achievement of his life has been serving a mission.
10. Bruna Benites (Brazil)
A Copa America champion with Brazil in 2014, where she was the captain of her team, she was also part of the national team that placed sixth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the third in her career. Bruna has shined in different clubs in her country and also in Europe. In addition, she has participated as a speaker at RootsTech, the largest family history event in the world, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ.
11. Peter Bol (Australia)
Runner who competed in the 800 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In Tokyo, he finished fourth in the final.
12. Tony Finau (USA)
Professional PGA golfer with multiple PGA tournament victories and Ryder Cup participation.
13. Kalani Sitake (USA)
BYU football coach. After struggling in their first season in the Big 12, the 2024 Cougars finished on the brink of a conference title game and finished their season with an 11-2 record with a highlight-reel win in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado.
14. Tom Holmoe (USA)
BYU Athletic Director. Holmoe has guided BYU’s athletic program from the Mountain West Conference through the lonely world of college football independence and finally to its successful entry into the Big 12 Conference in 2023.
15. Fred Warner (USA)
NFL All-Pro Assistant. The Latter-day Saint and three-time NFL First Team All-Pro has played his way to the top of the NFL linebacking elite.
16. Jimmer Fredette (USA)
Former BYU basketball star injured at 2024 Olympics. He was injured during the team’s second group stage game against Poland, tearing two ligaments, and will be out for six months.
17. Semi Radradra (Fiji)
A key player in the Fiji rugby sevens team, helping them defend their Olympic gold at Rio 2016. Radradra plays professionally in England and has been part of the Fiji national rugby team.
18. Stephanie Rovetti (USA)
Part of the U.S. rugby sevens team, she won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The former BYU women’s basketball player was born in Nevada and lives in California. She is a scrum-half on Team USA, and this was her first Olympics. She is considered one of the great promises of women’s sport.
19. Mark Pope (USA)
Kentucky men’s basketball coach. After competing on Kentucky’s 1996 national title team, Pope played professionally for nearly a decade and played for four different NBA teams.
20. Kyle Whittingham (USA)
Utah football coach. During his 19 seasons as Utah’s head coach, Whittingham has presided over unparalleled milestones for his teams, including back-to-back Pac-12 titles and appearances in the Sugar Bowl and two Rose Bowls.
21. Taysom Hill (USA)
Known as the “Swiss Army Knife” of the NFL, Hill’s versatility makes him a real-time folk hero in the Big Easy.
22. MyKayla Skinner (USA)
An Olympic silver medalist in gymnastics, Skinner seized her unexpected opportunity and finished second after teammate Simone Biles dropped out due to mental health issues.
23. Ed Eyestone (USA)
An Olympic distance runner and BYU cross country coach. Two-time Olympian, multiple-event NCAA champion, and returned missionary (Spain), Eyestone has coached and developed dozens of All-Americans.
24. Jennifer Rockwood (USA)
BYU Women’s Soccer Coach. An honor earned through hard work and years of dedication, considering Rockwood has been the Cougar soccer coach for three decades.
25. Burgess Owens (USA)
A U.S. Representative and former NFL safety, Owens is from Utah’s 4th District and was a safety on the Oakland Raiders’ Super Bowl XV championship team in 1980.
26. Penei Sewell (USA)
NFL All-Pro offensive lineman. ESPN analyst Mike Greenberg recently called Latter-day Saints offensive lineman Penei Sewell “the best offensive player in the National Football League.”
27. Cael Sanderson (USA)
Olympic wrestling gold medalist and NCAA Coaches’ Champion. Since being named head coach at Penn State, Sanderson’s Nittany Lions have won 11 NCAA titles.
28. Ashley Hatch (USA)
After a prolific career at BYU, the forward quickly made an impact in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where she earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2017. She later claimed the league’s Golden Boot award as the top scorer, played a key role in the Washington Spirit’s 2021 NWSL title run, and took home an ESPY Award as the country’s top female soccer player. She has also represented the United States internationally.
29. Sam Merrill (USA)
Professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bounty native Sam Merrill served a deployment in Nicaragua before beginning a basketball career that began in Logan before moving on to NBA cities such as Milwaukee, Memphis, and currently, Cleveland.
30. Bronco Mendenhall (USA)
College football coach at Utah State. Mendenhall enjoyed multiple double-digit winning seasons in Provo.
31. Taylor Randall (USA)
President of the University of Utah. Like his counterpart at BYU, President C. Shane Reese, Randall serves on the Big 12 Conference board of directors and was instrumental in Utah’s transition from the PAC-12 to the BIG-12.
32. Ken Niumatalolo (USA)
College football coach at San Jose State University. The former U.S. Naval Academy coach remains beloved in Crabtown and the Navy fleet for his 10-5 record — that’s 10 wins to just five losses in the historic Army-Navy rivalry game.
33. Olivia Moultrie (USA)
Professional soccer player for the Portland Thorns. Olivia Moultrie, 19, made her professional debut with the Portland Thorns at the age of 15, becoming, at the time, the youngest player to compete in an NWSL regular season game.
34. Anson Dorrance (USA)
A retired college soccer coach with 21 NCAA championships. He coached some of the most celebrated women’s soccer players, including Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, Tobin Heath, and Crystal Dunn.
35. Liz Darger (USA)
BYU senior associate athletic director Darger’s bridge-building skills are often cited as a key factor in helping BYU secure a spot in the Big 12 Conference.
36. Dale Murphy (USA)
Retired MLB star. The church convert was a two-time National League MVP and perennial All-Star who hit 398 home runs during his 18-year career, mostly with the Atlanta Braves.
37. Eric Weddle (USA)
Retired NFL player Weddle’s successful NFL career should make him a shoo-in for Canton.
38. Kellen Moore (USA)
NFL head coach for the New Orleans Saints. He joins a short list of Latter-day Saints who have held the top position on an NFL team.
39. Greg Wrubell (USA)
A BYU sportscaster, Wrubell broadcasts football, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, and baseball to the school’s alumni and global audience.
40. Blair Buswell (USA)
Pro Football Hall of Fame Bust Sculptor. From the confines of his studio in Pleasant Grove, Utah, Blair Buswell has sculpted bronze busts of dozens of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees in Canton, Ohio.
41. Taylor Booth (USA)
United States men’s national soccer team player at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the group stage, they defeated New Zealand and Guinea and lost to France.
42. Make Unufe (USA)
Rugby player for the United States national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The team finished eighth in the overall standings, with a win against Uruguay, a loss to Fiji, and a draw with France in the group stage.
43. Alexis “Lexi” Lagan (USA)
Shooter for the United States team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Lagan also competed at the Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021.
44. Rhyan E. White (USA)
Team USA swimmer, she won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. White helped Team USA win a silver in the 4×100-meter medley.
45. Courtney Wayment (USA)
She was a runner who competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Wayment had a successful collegiate career at Brigham Young University, has been on two Team USA senior national teams, and has competed at the World Athletics Championships.
46. Conner Mantz (USA)
Marathon runner who placed 8th at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Mantz’s time was 2 hours, 8 minutes and 12 seconds, one minute and 46 seconds off the gold medal time.
47. Clayton Young (USA)
Marathon runner who placed 9th at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Young’s time was 2:08:44, trailing the winner by 2 minutes and 18 seconds.
48. Whittni Morgan (USA)
She was a runner who competed in the 5,000-meter final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She posted a personal best time of 14 minutes, 53.57 seconds, almost 10 seconds faster than her qualifying time.
49. James Corrigan (USA)
Steeplechase runner competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Corrigan, 22, had to run an Olympic time after placing third at trials, faster than his personal best this season, and did so a day before the qualification deadline.
50. Leilani Mitchell (Australia)
She was a basketball player for the Australian Opals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which was her second Olympics. She has excelled since university tournaments and always proudly highlights her membership in the Church, as well as her indigenous roots.
They are an example that the most important titles are not found in praise or awards but in the integrity and principles they honor.
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