List of University of Kentucky alumni
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
This is a list of encyclopedic people associated with the University of Kentucky in the United States of America.
Contents
Notable alumni (non-sports)
| Name | Degree / Years attended | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Abell | National Geographic photographer | |
| Scotty Baesler | Former U.S. Representative from Kentucky | |
| Percival Baker | Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1921 | |
| Mark Berger | Economist | |
| Wendell Berry | Poet, essayist and farmer | |
| George Billman | Ph.D. (1980) | Professor of physiology at The Ohio State University |
| Sarah Gibson Blanding | First female president of Vassar College | |
| Robert A. Bryan | M.A., PhD | President of the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, and University of South Florida |
| Albert B. "Ben" Chandler | Former U.S. Representative from Kentucky's Sixth Congressional District | |
| Albert B. "Happy" Chandler | Governor of Kentucky, U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Commissioner of Major League Baseball responsible for integration and was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Emily Cox | Miss Kentucky 2008 | |
| Elizabeth Gould Davis | M. in Librarianship | author, librarian |
| Brady J. Deaton | Chancellor of the University of Missouri | |
| David Dick | B.A., M.A. in English literature | CBS News correspondent; Kentucky author and publisher; UK journalism faculty member, 1985-1996 |
| James Patrick Dunne | Songwriter, recording artist, composer, film and television producer, and entrepreneur | |
| Leonard S. Echols | Represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives | |
| Edward A. Eckenhoff | M.A. in Education | Founder and president of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. |
| Mark P. Finlay | Architect | |
| Ernie Fletcher | Former Governor of Kentucky | |
| Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton | Businessman and major contributor to the university; namesake of College of Business and Economics | |
| Betty Jane Gorin-Smith | B.A. and M.A. | Historian |
| Sara Beth Gregory | B.A. (2003) and Law (2007) | Current member of the Kentucky State Senate, former state representative; lawyer in Monticello |
| Tom Hammond | Sportscaster | |
| Elizabeth Hardwick | Writer | |
| M. E. Hart | Played "MC Double Def DP" in the Software Publishers Association video Don't Copy That Floppy | |
| Gordon Henderson | Director of the UCLA Bruin Marching Band | |
| Andy Jackson | University of Florida men's tennis coach | |
| Ashley Judd | Actress; celebrity fan of the Wildcats (men's) basketball team | |
| Kim Yong-ik | M.A. | Author |
| William English Kirwan | Chancellor of the University System of Maryland; son of former university president A. D. Kirwan | |
| Glenn Kotche | A percussionist and composer, best known as drummer for Chicago rock band Wilco; named the 41st greatest drummer of all time by Gigwise in 2008 | |
| John E. Leland | Director of the University of Dayton Research Institute | |
| William Lipscomb | 1976 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry | |
| Ken Lucas | Former U.S. representative from Kentucky's fourth congressional district | |
| Jerry Lundergan | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party[1] | |
| Mitch McConnell | U.S. Senator from Kentucky, current Senate Majority Leader | |
| Rodney McMullen | CEO of The Kroger Company | |
| Hugh M. Milton II | United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1958 to 1961 | |
| Russ Mobley | Former state representative from Taylor and Adair counties | |
| Read Morgan | 1950–1952 | Actor (The Deputy); Wildcats basketball player |
| Thomas Hunt Morgan | Natural scientist and winner of the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine | |
| Thomas Volney Munson | graduated 1870 | Horticulturalist |
| Story Musgrave | Astronaut | |
| Paul E. Patton | Two-term governor of Kentucky | |
| Beverly Perdue | Former governor of North Carolina | |
| Jean Ritchie | Folk musician, singer, and songwriter who plays the Appalachian dulcimer | |
| Elizabeth Madox Roberts | Kentucky poet and novelist | |
| Don Rosa | Eisner Award winning writer and artist of Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comic books | |
| John T. Scopes | Defendant in the Scopes Trial | |
| Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. | 1932–36 | Secretary of the Army under President John F. Kennedy, President of Indiana University and West Virginia University, and President of The National Audubon Society |
| Harry Dean Stanton | Actor known for playing Roman Grant on Big Love | |
| Ted Strickland | Former Governor of Ohio | |
| Chris T. Sullivan | Founder of Outback Steakhouse | |
| Kristine Sutherland | Actress, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids | |
| Tom Jefferson Terral | Governor of Arkansas from 1925 to 1927 | |
| Lee T. Todd, Jr. | Former president of the University of Kentucky; inventor; entrepreneur | |
| Rudy Vaughn | Musician, singer-songwriter | |
| Frank Vogel | Current head coach for the Indiana Pacers | |
| Edwin O. Ware, Sr. | Baptist clergyman and principal founder of Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana | |
| Ed Whitfield | U.S. Representative from Kentucky's First Congressional District | |
| Yang Sung-chul | 1970 (Ph.D.) | Political scientist, South Korean ambassador to the United States (2000–2003)[2] |
| Michael York | Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting |
Sports alumni
Basketball
| Derek Anderson | 1994–97[b 1] | Former NBA player (2005–06 NBA champion) |
| Kelenna Azubuike | 2002–05 | Former NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player |
| Eric Bledsoe | 2009–10 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA Draft and current player for the Phoenix Suns |
| Keith Bogans | 1999–2003 | NBA Boston Celtics player |
| Devin Booker | 2014–15 | NBA player for the Phoenix Suns |
| Sam Bowie | 1979–84[b 2] | 2nd pick in 1984 NBA Draft (ahead of Michael Jordan) |
| Dwane Casey | Former Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Rex Chapman | 1986–88 | Former NBA player and first-ever draft choice in Charlotte Hornets franchise history |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 2009–10 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA Draft and current player for the Sacramento Kings[3] |
| Joe Crawford | 2004–2008 | NBA New York Knicks player; 2nd round draft; 58th pick overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers |
| Erik Daniels | 2000–04 | NBDL Fayetteville Patriots player |
| Anthony Davis | 2011–12 | Consensus men's college player of the year in 2011–12; now in the NBA with the New Orleans Pelicans |
| Tony Delk | 1992–96 | NBA Detroit Pistons player |
| Victoria Dunlap | 2007–11 | WNBA player with the Washington Mystics |
| Fabulous Five | N/A | 1948 Olympic basketball gold medalists |
| Richie Farmer | 1988–92 | Never played professional basketball; former Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, 2003–2011; federal inmate for crimes committed while Commissioner of Agriculture |
| Gerald Fitch | 2000–04 | TBL Galatasaray Cafe Crown player |
| Travis Ford | 1990–94[b 3] | Oklahoma State University men's basketball head coach |
| Taylor Fowler | 1948–1957 | NBA Miami Heat player |
| Anthony Epps | Former NCAA basketball champion | |
| Jack Givens | 1974–78 | 1978 NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player |
| Kevin Grevey | 1972–75 | Former NBA player |
| Josh Harrellson | 2008–11 | NBA player for the Detroit Pistons |
| Chuck Hayes | 2001–05 | NBA player with the Toronto Raptors |
| Dan Issel | 1966–70 | All-time leading men's scorer and former Denver Nuggets head coach |
| Terrence Jones | 2010–12 | 18th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and current player for the Houston Rockets |
| Enes Kanter | 2010–11[b 4] | 3rd pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and current player for the Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 2011–12 | 2nd pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and current player for the Charlotte Bobcats |
| Doron Lamb | 2010–12 | NBA player for the Orlando Magic |
| Brandon Knight | 2010–11 | 8th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and current player for the Phoenix Suns |
| Trey Lyles | 2014–15 | NBA player for the Utah Jazz |
| Kyle Macy | 1976–79[b 5] | Former Morehead State University men's basketball head coach |
| Jamaal Magloire | 1996–2000 | NBA Toronto Raptors player |
| Jamal Mashburn | 1990–93 | Former NBA All-Star; current ESPN basketball analyst |
| Steve Masiello | 1996–2000 | Current head coach at Manhattan College |
| Walter McCarty | 1992–96[b 6] | Former NBA player; current assistant coach at the University of Louisville |
| Ron Mercer | 1995–97 | Current NBA free agent who has played with 7 different teams |
| Darius Miller | 2008–12 | NBA player for the New Orleans Pelicans |
| Dirk Minniefield | 1979–83 | Former NBA player |
| Nazr Mohammed | 1995–98 | NBA Chicago Bulls player; member of the 2004–05 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs |
| Randolph Morris | 2004–07 | Former NBA player |
| Cotton Nash | 1961–64 | Former NBA player and MLB outfielder |
| Nerlens Noel | 2012–13 | 6th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and current player for the Philadelphia 76ers |
| Daniel Orton | 2009–10 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA Draft |
| Scott Padgett | 1994–99[b 7] | Former NBA and ACB player; current head coach at Samford University |
| Patrick Patterson | 2007–10 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA Draft and current player for the Toronto Raptors |
| John Pelphrey | 1988–92 | Current assistant at the University of Florida; former head coach at the University of Arkansas |
| Mark Pope | 1993–96[b 8] | Former NBA player; current head coach at Utah Valley University |
| Tayshaun Prince | 1998–2002 | NBA Memphis Grizzlies player; member of the 2003–04 NBA champion Detroit Pistons |
| Frank Ramsey | 1950–54 | Seven-time NBA champion |
| Julius Randle | 2013–14 | NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers |
| Pat Riley | 1963–67 | NBA Miami Heat former coach, and current team president; coached the 2005–06 NBA champion Miami Heat |
| Rajon Rondo | 2004–06 | NBA Sacramento Kings player; member of the 2007–08 NBA champion Boston Celtics |
| Jeff Sheppard | 1993–98[b 9] | 1998 NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player |
| Valerie Still | 1979–83 | Leading scorer in UK basketball history, male or female; played professionally in Europe and the ABL before briefly playing for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA; younger sister of UK football great Art Still |
| Marquis Teague | 2011–12 | NBA player for the Brooklyn Nets |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 2014–15 | 1st pick of the 2015 NBA draft; current player for the Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Wayne Turner | 1995–99 | ANBL New Zealand Breakers player; ended his UK career as the all-time NCAA leader in games played (record since surpassed) |
| Antoine Walker | 1994–96 | Retired NBA player with several teams (2005–06 NBA champion with the Miami Heat) |
| Kenny Walker | 1982–86 | 1985–86 All-American and 5th pick in the 1986 NBA Draft |
| John Wall | 2009–10 | 1st pick of the 2010 NBA draft; current player for the Washington Wizards |
| Bobby Watson | Former NBA player | |
| Sean Woods | 1988–92 | Current head coach at Morehead State University |
Notes
- For players who enrolled from 1954 through 1971, their actual playing career did not start until a year after they first attended. At that time, freshmen were ineligible to play at varsity level.
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| Name | Years attended | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Abney | NFL, former Chicago Bears wide receiver | |
| George Blanda | American Football League MVP, 1961, two-time AFL champ, and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame | |
| Shane Boyd | Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback | |
| Chuck Bradley | Gridiron football offensive tackle | |
| Neal Brown | University of Kentucky offensive coordinator | |
| Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns | Former NFL Indianapolis Colts defensive end | |
| Jerry Claiborne | 1946–1950 | Former head football coach |
| Randall Cobb | 2008–2016[5] | Current wide receiver and return specialist with the Green Bay Packers; first person born in the 1990s to play in the NFL |
| Tim Couch | 1996–1999 | Former Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback |
| Dermontti Dawson | Former NFL offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012 | |
| David De La Peralle | Former CFL offensive lineman | |
| Mark Higgs | Former NFL running back | |
| Glenn Holt | NFL Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver | |
| Christian Johnson | Arena Football League player | |
| Dennis Johnson | Former San Francisco 49ers defensive end; currently with the Lexington Horsemen | |
| Don King | Former NFL defensive tackle | |
| Kelly Kirchbaum | Professional football player | |
| Jared Lorenzen | Former New York Giants quarterback | |
| Ricky Lumpkin | NFL player | |
| Tim Masthay | Current punter for the Green Bay Packers | |
| Marlon McCree | Former San Diego Chargers, current Denver Broncos safety | |
| Rick Nuzum | Former NFL center | |
| Babe Parilli | Three-time American Football League all-star and 1968 Super Bowl champ | |
| Joe "Joker" Phillips | 1981–85 | Former wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts; former UK head coach |
| Artose Pinner | Former Minnesota Vikings running back | |
| Derrick Ramsey | 1974–78 | Former tight end for three NFL teams; athletic director at Coppin State University, 2008–present |
| Dewayne Robertson | Former New York Jets, former Denver Broncos defensive tackle | |
| Howard Schnellenberger | Retired football coach, most recently with Florida Atlantic; former head coach of the NFL's Baltimore Colts, and of Miami, Louisville, and Oklahoma in the college ranks | |
| Art Still | Former Kansas City Chiefs player and 4-time Pro Bowler; older brother of Valerie Still (see basketball alumni) | |
| Jeff Van Note | Former Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman and 6-time Pro Bowler | |
| Moe Williams | Former Minnesota Vikings running back | |
| Ken Willis | Former Dallas Cowboys kicker | |
| Earl Wilson | NFL and CFL player | |
| Craig Yeast | 1995–1998 | Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver |
Baseball
| Name | Years attended | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Blanton | Major League Baseball pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates; member of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies, winner of Game 4 of the 2008 World Series | |
| Collin Cowgill | Outfielder with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | |
| Andy Green | Currently with the New York Mets, former player of the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| Jason Kipnis | Second baseman for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Jim Leyritz | Former Major League Baseball player, most notably for the New York Yankees | |
| A. J. Reed | 2011–2014 | Current Minor League Baseball player in the Houston Astros organization; consensus NCAA Division I player of the year in 2014 |
| Brandon Webb | Pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner |
Golf
- Russ Cochran, Golfer on the PGA Champions Tour[6]
- Steve Flesch, Golfer on the PGA Tour
- J. B. Holmes, Golfer on the PGA Tour
Gymnastics
- Jenny Hansen, 13-time All-American gymnast, who continues to hold every individual gymnastics record in UK school history; selected as the "NCAA 25th Anniversary Most Outstanding Gymnast"
Soccer
- Andy Gruenebaum, MLS goalkeeper
- Barry Rice, American soccer defender
References
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- ↑ Left full-time study at UK for the NFL in 2011; received degree in 2016.[4]
- ↑ [1]
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