Athletes and their jersey numbers are forever linked.
 
See No. 23, and your mind immediately flashes to Michael Jordan.  Numbers can become symbols — of greatness, legacy, and moments that define programs.  
 
At Louisiana Tech, generations of stars have worn a wide range of digits, but the question I asked myself was which jersey number is the most iconic in Louisiana Tech history?  Which number has been worn by the greatest collection of talent to ever take the field, court, or diamond in Ruston?
 
No. 22
 
The number 22 has some serious range.  In numerology, it's known as the "Master Builder" — a symbol of vision, precision, and balance.  On a snooker table, 22 balls complete the frame.  On the football field or soccer pitch, it's the total number of players in action.
 
At Louisiana Tech, 22 has built a legacy all its own.  It's more than just a number — it's a badge of greatness worn by Bulldogs and Lady Techsters who turned it into something legendary.
 
MIKE GREEN – Men's Basketball (1970-73)
It's almost criminal that Mike Green never got to be a Dunkin' Dog — but don't blame him, blame the NCAA.  Dunking was outlawed during his days in Ruston, but that didn't stop the 6-foot-10 center from McComb, Mississippi from turning Memorial Gymnasium into his personal art gallery. Green packed the house and stuffed the stat sheet.  By the time he hung up his jersey, he had etched his name permanently atop the program record books — still sitting as LA Tech's all-time leader in points (2,340) and rebounds (1,575). He earned all-conference honors four times, racked up numerous All-American accolades, and in 1973, averaged a jaw-dropping 30.9 points per game — second in the nation — en route to being named the AP College Division Player of the Year. Simply put, Mike Green was a marvel. Or as the legendary Leon Barmore put it during Green's LA Tech Athletics Hall of Fame induction, "No one was better than Mike Green."
 
PAM GANT – Women's Basketball (1981-85)
Speaking of Leon Barmore, he once called Pam Gant "the smoothest shooting guard in the history of the Lady Techster program."  And when the Hall of Famer talks, LA Tech nation listens.  Gant was a certified bucket-getter before she got to Ruston, torching Illinois nets for 3,205 points in high school.  Once she landed in Louisiana, all she did was help LA Tech go an eye-popping 125-10 from 1981 to 1985, reach three Final Fours, and snag the 1982 NCAA national championship.  But it wasn't just the wins—it was how she did it.  The 5-foot-7 Gant was pure silk, shooting a ridiculous 55 percent for her career (yes, a shooting guard hitting better than most centers).  Her scoring arc looked like a NASA launch: 4.3 PPG as a freshman, 8.9 PPG as a sophomore, 16.3 PPG as a junior, and then a rocket ship to 23.6 PPG as a senior — third-most in program history.  That senior season earned her 1985 Kodak All-American honors and included an unforgettable explosion against Penn State: 42 points on 17-of-26 shooting, plus a perfect 8-for-8 at the line.  Shots up.  Shots made.  That was Pam Gant.
 
RICHIE LEBLANC – Baseball (1985-87)
What Richie LeBlanc lacked in height, he more than made up for in grit, guts, and a wicked right arm.  Standing just 5-foot-8, the Lafayette native wasn't exactly intimidating on the mound — until he started throwing.  Then it was game over.  LeBlanc arrived in Ruston in 1985 and wasted no time carving out a name for himself.  Over three seasons as a Bulldog, he racked up a jaw-dropping 29-9 record, a 3.18 ERA, and 194 strikeouts.  From the jump, the freshman phenom showed he belonged, going 7-2 in 13 appearances. But that was just a warm-up.  In 1986, he leveled up — posting a 10-5 record and a 3.39 ERA, earning Southland Conference Outstanding Pitcher of the Year and helping LA Tech capture the league crown and punch a ticket to an NCAA Regional.  But it was his junior year in 1987 when Richie went full-on legend.  That season?  Arguably the best by a pitcher in Bulldog history.  A dominant 12-2 record, a 3.16 ERA, and 103 Ks.  He opened the year 10-0, notching marquee wins over Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and the unforgettable 10-inning masterpiece against LSU.  Five hits allowed.  Nine strikeouts.  One 5-4 win.  Forever remembered in Bulldog lore.  The man was a gamer.  The guy you handed the ball to when it mattered most. And more times than not, he flat-out delivered.  Back-to-back SLC Pitcher of the Year honors.  An unforgettable legacy.  
 
JOHN HENRY WHITE – Football (1974-77)
Legendary head coach Maxie Lambright once called John Henry White "one of the best all-around players I have ever coached."  The numbers tell the story, but the legend lives in the way White ran the rock.  Before he was running over defenders in Ruston, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Haynesville hammer was leading his hometown high school to two state titles.  By the time he got to LA Tech, he had already mastered the art of winning.  As a freshman, he played behind Charles "Quick Six" McDaniel which meant limited carries but plenty of learning.  Still, he made the most of his 48 totes, racking up 248 yards and setting the stage for what was to come.  Once he took over as the feature back, White was a nightmare for defenses.  He rushed for a then-school record 2,944 career yards, a number that sat atop the LA Tech record books for 17 years.  He became the first Bulldog to break the 1,000-yard barrier in a single season, piling up 1,094 as a senior in 1977 — even without getting to play in the Independence Bowl.  That year, White gashed Illinois State for 186 yards and torched Arkansas State for 223 — at the time, the second-most ever by a Bulldog.  A two-time All-Southland Conference pick and the 1977 SLC Co-Outstanding Offensive Player, White was a record-breaker, and often just plain unstoppable.
 
CHRIS SHERMAN – Softball (1986-89)
When Bill Galloway found himself staring down his toughest rebuild yet in 1986, the legendary skipper landed a crew of Californians, including blue-chip gem Chris Sherman.  The 5-foot-11 outfielder was already a known name as a high school teammate of Lady Techster twins Laura and Shirley Moir.  Galloway had a hunch she'd be a difference-maker.  Spoiler alert: he was right.  Sherman wasted no time making noise in Ruston.  As a freshman, she was a highlight reel in cleats — batting .321 (second best on the team) and crossing home plate a then school-record 38 times.  She earned NFCA All-South Region honors that year … and just kept collecting them for the next three seasons.  By the time she wrapped up her career, Sherman wasn't just one of the best hitters on the team — she was one of the best to ever wear the LA Tech uniform.  Her senior season saw her hitting a jaw-dropping .370 with a nation-leading 22 doubles, helping power the Lady Techsters to four straight NCAA appearances and a trip to the 1986 Women's College World Series.  Her name topped the record books in both hits and batting average for two decades and still lives in the top five for batting average (.334), hits (233), doubles (63), triples (12), and total bases (336). 
 
OTHERS
ISAIAH CRAWFORD – Men's Basketball (2019-24)
If you needed a bucket, a board, a block, a steal, a defensive stop — Crawford had you covered.  The 6-foot-6 Swiss Army knife from Fort Worth, Texas checked every box on the stat sheet.  He's the only Bulldog in history with at least 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 steals, 100 blocks, and probably a few floor burns that never made it into the record books.  Oh, and he did all that despite two season-ending knee injuries.  Most would've tapped out.  Crawford?  He came back stronger, returning for a fifth year in 2023-24 and walking away with the hardware — both CUSA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
 
KYLE GIBSON – Men's Basketball (2006-10)
Straight out of Los Angeles, Kyle Gibson traded palm trees for pine trees when he brought his game to the other LA — Louisiana.  And once he settled in, he lit it up.  Pull-ups, floaters, daggers from deep, he scored any and every which way.  After a freshman year of growing pains, Gibson caught fire and never cooled off, pouring in 1,677 career points — good for 10th all-time in Bulldog history.  Over his final three seasons, the smooth-scoring guard averaged 17 a night, earning two-time All-WAC and NABC All-District honors.  
 
DONYA SALOMON-ALI – Soccer (2014-15)
A native of Canada, Donya Salomon-Ali transferred to Louisiana Tech in 2014.  She spent only two seasons in Ruston, but it was plenty enough to realize the 5-foot-10 enforcer had some serious game.  If you needed her at center back as a defensive stopper, pay heed to all who try to enter the 18-yard box.  If you needed her up top at striker, goals were provided.  If you needed a primary target for free kicks, she was lethal in the air.  Salomon-Ali suited up for the Bulldogs 39 times, earning All-CUSA honors twice while also being named NSCAA All-Central Region. 
 
TRAMON WILLIAMS – Football (2002-05)
From Assumption High School down in the bayou to the bright lights of the NFL, Tramon Williams' story is the stuff of football folklore.  A three-sport stud in south Louisiana, Williams walked on at LA Tech.  Fast forward a few years — the 5-foot-11, 190-pound defensive back was locking down receivers, snagging seven career picks, and earning First Team All-WAC honors in 2005.  But he wasn't done.  Not even close.  That walk-on turned all-conference corner became an All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion over a 14-year NFL career.
 
Also considered …
 
No. 1 – Michale Kyser (Men's Basketball), Amberly Waits (Softball), Charlie Montoyo (Baseball), Matt Stover (Football)
 
No. 5 – Olu Ashaolu (Men's Basketball), Angela Turner (Women's Basketball), Jazlyn Crowder (Softball), Trent Taylor (Football), Cole McConnell (Baseball)
 
No. 6 – Phillip Livas (Football), Stacey Johnson (Softball), Sarah Oesterling (Volleyball), Elizabeth Doll (Soccer)
 
No. 11 – Lonnie Cooper (Men's Basketball), Luke McCown (Football), Teresa Weatherspoon (Women's Basketball), Nomvula Kgoale (Soccer)
 
No. 14 – Katie Dow (Volleyball), Brian Rike (Baseball), Denny Duron (Football), Mickey Slaughter (Football)
 
No. 20 – Kim Mulkey (Women's Basketball), Ryan Moats (Football), Lea Ann Jarvis (Softball), Nate Harris (Baseball)
 
No. 21 – Monica Maxwell (Women's Basketball), Morgan Turkoly (Softball), Amik Robertson (Football), John Causey (Football)
 
No. 33 – Willie Simmons (Men's Basketball), Adrienne Johnson (Women's Basketball), Roland Harper (Football), Doug Evans (Football)