University of Memphis athlete

TIGER

This school’s mascot shares its name with a striped big cat found in the wild.

The University of Memphis uses "Tigers" as its official mascot and team name, so any athlete representing the school would be called a Tiger. The clue is straightforward—no wordplay or tricks—just a direct reference to the nickname for Memphis sports teams. If you know college sports or the school’s branding, this one’s an easy fill.