Andre Frazier
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Andre Frazier can look fondly back on a football career that
earned him two Super Bowl rings. Son of former linebacker Guy Frazier, who played for the
Bengals, Andre played for four years as a Bearcat in the same position before being signed as
an undrafted free agent in 2005.
He was badly injured in the 2006 AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos and
ended up celebrating the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL triumph on the sidelines. But he then came
back to Cincinnati as a Bengal for a year before returning to Pittsburgh – where he won another ring in 2008.
Vanessa Gilles
Originally a tennis player in her youth, Vanessa Gilles switched to soccer and ended up
becoming only the fifth Bearcat to ever win an Olympic gold medal. She started her career
playing in Canada before appearing for Cincinnati from 2014 to 2017.
Gilles won a number of individual and team awards as a Bearcat before signing professional
terms back in her native Canada. She then played in Cyprus before becoming a star at
Bordeaux in France. It was while playing for that club that she won the gold medal with Canada
at the 2020 games (held in 2021). She has since played for Angel City and Lyon.
Oscar Robertson
Robertson is now regarded as one of the greatest players ever to play in the NBA. Although his
high school and college years were plagued with racism, “The Big O” excelled on the court and
led the Bearcats to two Final Four appearances, although he had turned professional before the
famous championship title wins in the early 1960s.
Robertson was taken as a territorial draft pick by the Cincinnati Royals and ended his career as
a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team and won the MVP award in 1964. He
also led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 1971 championship.
After retiring he worked for numerous organizations helping disadvantaged people in his
hometown of Indianapolis. His playing numbers have been retired wherever he played, was
enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, and is considered by many to be the best point guard of all time.
