Top 10 UMBC Athletes of All Time: Retrievers Who Built a Maryland Sports Legacy

UMBC athletics has produced NCAA champions, Olympians, MLS players, MLB pitchers, All-Americans, professional lacrosse stars and one of the most famous March Madness heroes ever. The Retrievers may not always get the same statewide attention as Maryland, Navy or Towson, but the athletic history in Catonsville is deep.

Here is Maryland Sports Blog’s ranking of the top 10 UMBC athletes of all time, based on college dominance, records, championships, national impact and professional success.

10. Jay Greene, Men’s Basketball

Jay Greene was one of the best pure point guards in UMBC basketball history. Greene finished his career with 683 assists, which ranks first in UMBC history and third in America East history. He averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 122 games.

Greene helped lead UMBC to a 24-9 record in 2007-08, which at the time was the best season in program history. He was a two-time All-Conference player and earned First-Team All-America East honors in 2007-08.

9. Taylor Calheira, Men’s Soccer

Taylor Calheira is one of the best modern UMBC soccer players. The Towson native scored 32 goals with 16 assists in 61 college appearances for the Retrievers. He became the first UMBC player since 2013 to earn America East First-Team honors three straight years.

Calheira’s professional rise has been just as impressive. UMBC reported that he produced 38 goals and 10 assists in 69 professional matches between NYCFC II and FC Tulsa before earning an MLS contract with Sporting Kansas City.

8. Wayne Franklin, Baseball

Wayne Franklin gave UMBC one of its strongest professional baseball résumés. Franklin was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 36th round of the 1996 MLB Draft after attending UMBC.

Franklin pitched in the majors for seven seasons and appeared in 143 MLB games, including 40 starts. Baseball Almanac lists his career totals at 143 games, 40 starts and 971 outs recorded.

7. Mohamed Hussein, Men’s Swimming

Mohamed Hussein was one of the greatest swimmers UMBC has ever had. Hussein qualified for the NCAA Championships twice and broke school records in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard backstroke.

UMBC’s own bio credits Hussein with school records in several events, including the 100 free, 100 butterfly and 200 IM, while also helping multiple relays break school records.

Hussein later represented Egypt on the international stage, including the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 200-meter individual medley.

6. Dan Marohl, Men’s Lacrosse

Dan Marohl was a two-time All-American and one of the greatest lacrosse players in UMBC history. Marohl finished his UMBC career with 103 goals, 89 assists and 192 points.

Marohl was UMBC’s Outstanding Male Athlete in 2000 and helped lead the Retrievers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998 and 1999.

His professional career was also excellent. StatsCrew credits Marohl with 150 goals and 282 assists in 120 professional indoor/outdoor lacrosse games.

5. Steve Marohl, Men’s Lacrosse

Steve Marohl deserves a top-five spot because his numbers are historic. Marohl finished his UMBC career with 105 goals, 137 assists and 242 points, making him one of the most productive players in program history.

His 1992 season remains legendary. Marohl produced 37 goals and 77 assists for 114 points in 15 games, and his 77 assists set a Division I single-season record.

4. Levi Houapeu, Men’s Soccer

Levi Houapeu was one of the most explosive offensive players UMBC soccer has ever produced. In 2009, Houapeu recorded 15 goals and 13 assists for 43 points, a total that made him the nation’s leading scorer.

MLS credits Houapeu as the 2009 ECAC Offensive Player of the Year, the 2009 America East Midfielder of the Year, the 2010 America East Striker of the Year, and a player who led the nation in points from 2009-10.

Houapeu helped lead UMBC to its first NCAA Tournament win in 2010 and was drafted by the Philadelphia Union in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.

3. Jairus Lyles, Men’s Basketball

Jairus Lyles owns the most famous individual performance in UMBC history. Lyles scored 28 points on 9-for-11 shooting when UMBC shocked Virginia, 74-54, becoming the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament history.

Lyles ranks second in UMBC men’s basketball history with 1,751 career points, trailing only Larry Simmons. He also owns two of the top five single-season scoring totals in program history with 665 points in 2017-18 and 604 points in 2016-17.

No UMBC athlete has ever had a bigger national moment.

2. Emily Escobedo, Women’s Swimming

Emily Escobedo is one of the most decorated athletes UMBC has ever produced. UMBC called her the most decorated swimmer in program history, and her résumé backs that up.

Escobedo finished her career with six school records, six America East gold medals and an NCAA bronze medal.

She qualified for the NCAA Championships all four years and finished her career with two NCAA bronze medals, two All-America honors and three Honorable Mention All-America honors.

Escobedo’s 2016-17 bio also notes that she became the first America East swimmer to qualify and swim at the NCAA meet, placing third in the 200 breaststroke with a career-best 2:05.20.

1. Cleopatra Borel, Women’s Track and Field

Cleopatra Borel is the greatest athlete in UMBC history.

Borel became UMBC’s first Division I national champion when she won the NCAA indoor shot put title in 2002 with a throw of 17.50 meters.

She was a three-time All-American at UMBC and still holds school records in the indoor shot put, outdoor shot put, weight throw and hammer throw.

Borel’s career after UMBC was even more impressive. She represented Trinidad and Tobago in the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics, reached the Olympic final in 2016, and finished seventh in Rio with a throw of 18.37 meters.

World Athletics also credits Borel as an Olympic top-eight finisher, Pan American Games winner and Commonwealth Games medalist.

Honorable Mentions

Jon Bell deserves mention after building a long MLS career with New England, St. Louis, Seattle and Austin. Reuters reported that Bell had played 61 MLS matches with 39 starts, scored three goals and added two assists before signing with Austin FC.

Kadeem Dacres also belongs in the conversation. MLS notes that Dacres scored seven goals with four assists in 19 starts for UMBC in 2013, while helping the Retrievers remain unbeaten in games where he scored.

Cassidy Dewey is one of UMBC women’s basketball’s best players. Dewey finished with 1,627 points, 248 three-pointers and helped UMBC win its first America East women’s basketball championship.

MSB Final Take

UMBC athletics has a much stronger history than casual Maryland sports fans may realize. The Retrievers have produced Olympians, NCAA champions, MLS players, MLB pitchers, professional lacrosse stars and March Madness legends.

Cleopatra Borel takes the top spot because she combined NCAA dominance with elite international success. Emily Escobedo is close behind as one of the best swimmers ever produced by an America East school. Jairus Lyles owns the biggest moment in UMBC history, and the soccer/lacrosse pipeline shows how deep the athletic tradition runs in Catonsville.

UMBC may be a mid-major, but this list proves the Retrievers have produced major talent.