Calling all sports fans! Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and is a time to acknowledge and celebrate trailblazers in the Hispanic community. Theogony has compiled a list of influential Hispanic athletes, past and present, in the Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Women’s Tennis Association and the National Football League.
National Football League
Fred Warner, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers who is of Mexican and Panamanian heritage, is regarded as one of the best linebackers in the NFL. In the 2024 season, Warner had a record of 131 tackles, five tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. In 2024, Warner also earned his fourth Pro bowl selection. On Monday, Oct. 13 Warner suffered a dislocated and fractured right ankle injury, ending his season.
Nik Bonitto, outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos, is of Cuban heritage. Bonitto went to Oklahoma for college football, and went on to become the sixth Broncos edge rusher to be named all pro by the Associates press. Bonnito was the first Bronco since Bradley Chubb and Von Miller in 2018 to have a record with double digit sacks in a season. Also, in 2018 Bonnito became the fourth player in NFL history to have a record with 13 or more sacks and two defensive touchdowns in a single season.
Mexican-American Anthony Muñoz is regarded as the greatest if not one of the greatest offensive lineman in all of NFL history. Muñoz played in the NFL from 1980-1992, and played for the Cincinnati Bengals for his entire career. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Muñoz was “an exceptional straight-on blocker. Muñoz was agile, quick and strong. He had great foot quickness and the mobility necessary to block quick defensive ends.”
Women’s National Basketball Association
Rebecca Lobo, a center in the WNBA from its launch in 1997 to 2003, is nothing short of a basketball legend. Lobo is of Cuban descent on her fathers side, and grew up in Hartford, Connecticut. She attended the University of Connecticut,and led the 1995 team to the National Championship with a 35-0 record. In 1996, Lobo was the youngest member of the US Olympic women’s basketball team and helped the team win a gold medal. This victory paved the way for the launch of the WNBA, where Lobo was assigned to New York Liberty. Lobo also played for the Springfield Spirit in the National Women’s Basketball League during the WNBA offseason. In April of 2002, Lobo was traded to the Houston Comets from New York. She was then traded to the Connecticut Suns where she played her last WNBA season. Lobo has been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame and has had her jersey retired at the University of Connecticut. Today, Lobo works as a basketball analyst for ESPN.
Major Baseball League
Juan Soto, who currently plays for the New York Mets, is a 26-year-old Dominican outfielder. Soto was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and spent his early years playing indoor baseball with improvised equipment. With the help of his father as his childhood coach, Soto was able to get signed to the Washington Nationals when he was 16. Soto was then traded to the San Diego Padres, then moved to the New York Yankees, and, most recently, to the New York Mets in a 15-year and $765 million contract. He has 769 career walks, record-breaking for his young age.
William Contreras, the catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and previously for the Atlanta Braves, is from Venezuela. His brother, Wilson Contreras, is also a catcher, but for the St. Louis Cardinals. Last season he recorded 167 hits and 23 home runs. With these stats Contreras was able to participate in the All-Star Game and earned a Silver Slugger Award in 2023. In the 2025 season Contreras has had 17 home runs and a .250 batting average.
Elly de la Cruz is a shortstop and third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, born in Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic. Last season, he had 160 hits and 25 home runs in 160 games, an impressive achievement for the 23-year-old. In the 2025 season he has had 166 hits, 22 home runs and a .264 batting average. As an ode to his parents, de la Cruz has been wearing a locket with their faces around his neck each game, starting from the day he got signed.
Women’s Tennis Association
Camila Osorio is a Colombian professional tennis player. She was born in Cúcuta, Colombia into a highly athletic family and moved to Florida at 11 years old to pursue tennis. Osorio won the US Open girls’ singles title in 2019 and reached No. 33 in the world on April 4, 2022. She is currently ranked No. 85, however she is also currently the No. 2 singles player from Colombia. Her Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles titles include three championship wins from Copa Colsanitas in Bogotá, Colombia, her home country. She won them in 2021, 2024 and 2025.
Paula Badosa is a Spanish professional tennis player who is currently ranked 23rd in the WTA rankings. Her highest ranking was No. 2 in early 2022. She was born in Manhattan, New York and –after relocating to Barcelona at age seven– began her tennis journey by competing in junior championships. She has won four WTA singles titles: Indian Wells and Belgrade in 2021, Sydney in 2022 and Washington DC in 2024.
Solana Sierra is the number one ranked Argentinian tennis player in the WTA. Her career high on the tour is No. 64 on July 12, 2025 but has a current ranking of No. 71. She grew up in Mar del Plata, Argentina where she played on clay courts, ultimately developing a preference for the surface. After turning pro in 2019, Sierra reached the Junior Grand Slam final in 2022 where she lost to Lucie Havlíčková. On Sunday, Oct. 12 Sierra defeated Lola Radivojević to win the Mallorca Women’s Tennis Championship.
