List of University of Mississippi alumni

The following is a list of notable alumni of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

Activists

• Abelhaleem Hasan Abdelraziq Ashqar, Palestinian political scientist, activist
• Angela McGlowan (born 1970), Republican political commentator, author, and consultant
• James Meredith, first African American student at Ole Miss; leader in the American civil rights movement

Actors and models

• Susan Akin-Lynch, Miss America 1986
• Tate Ellington, actor
• Cynthia Geary, actress
• Anthony Herrera (1944–2011), actor
• Kate Jackson, actress
• Tom Lester, actor
• Heather McMahan, actress and comedian
• Gerald McRaney, actor
• Mary Ann Mobley (1937–2014), Miss America 1959; actress
• Lynda Mead Shea, Miss America 1960
• Tate Taylor, director of The Help
• Larry A. Thompson, film producer and talent manager

Artists

• William Eggleston, photographer
• Ron Gorchov (1930–2020), artist
• William R. Hollingsworth Jr. (1910–1944), painter
• Lawrence Arthur Jones (1910–1996), muralist and printmaker
• Glennray Tutor, photorealist painter

Athletics

• Tyji Armstrong, NFL tight end
• Kent Austin, CFL quarterback and head coach
• Shakira Austin (born 2000), basketball center for the Israeli Elitzur Ramla
• Coolidge Ball, college basketball coach
• Doby Bartling (1913–1992), college football, basketball and baseball coach
• Reginald Becton, professional basketball player
• Gwen Berry, hammer thrower
• Mahesh Bhupathi, professional tennis player
• George Blair, AFL defensive back
• Pete Boone, college athletic director
• Billy Brewer, college football coach
• Johnny Brewer (1937–2011), NFL tight end, linebacker
• Alundis Brice, NFL cornerback
• A. J. Brown, NFL wide receiver
• Jeff Calhoun, major league pitcher
• Mickey Callaway, major league pitcher; manager
• Van Chancellor, women's basketball coach
• Chris Coghlan, major league outfielder
• Charlie Conerly, NFL quarterback
• James "Bus" Cook, NFL sports agent
• Bill Courtney, high school football coach, subject of documentary film Undefeated
• Zack Cozart, baseball shortstop and third baseman for the San Francisco Giants
• Bobby Crespino, NFL tight end
• Doug Cunningham (1945–2015), NFL running back
• Roland Dale, NFL end
• Terence Davis, NBA basketball player
• Eagle Day, NFL punter, CFL quarterback
• Tony Dees, field and track, Olympic medalist
• David Dellucci, major league outfielder
• Jim Dunaway, NFL defensive tackle
• Perry Lee Dunn, NFL running back
• Patrick Eddie, NBA basketball player
• Tim Elko, MLB first baseman
• Doug Elmore (1939–2002), NFL punter
• Evan Engram, NFL tight end
• Jeff Fassero, major league pitcher
• Charlie Flowers, AFL football player
• John Fourcade, NFL quarterback
• Bobby Franklin, NFL safety, college football coach
• Rufus French, NFL tight end
• Jake Gibbs, major league catcher, college baseball coach
• Kline Gilbert (1930–1987), NFL offensive tackle
• Jennifer Gillom, Olympic medalist, professional basketball player
• Larry Grantham, NFL, AFL linebacker
• Parker Hall (1916–2005), NFL quarterback
• Greg Hardy, NFL defensive end
• Gene Hickerson (1935–2008), NFL offensive guard
• Antwon Hicks, Olympic hurdler
• Stan Hindman (1944–2020), NFL defensive lineman
• Gunnar Hoglund, MLB pitcher
• Candice Holley (born 1981), basketball player
• Von Hutchins, NFL defensive back
• Peria Jerry, NFL defensive end
• Chad Kelly, professional football player
• Sam Kendricks, pole vaulter, Olympic medalist
• Don Kessinger, MLB shortstop, All-Star, and Gold Glove Award winner, and Ole Miss head baseball coach
• Grae Kessinger, MLB shortstop
• Keith Kessinger, MLB shortstop and head baseball coach for Arkansas State Red Wolves
• Bobby Kielty, major league outfielder
• Frank Kinard (1914–1985), NFL offensive tackle
• Dawson Knox, NFL tight end
• Greg Little, NFL offensive tackle
• Ken Lucas, NFL cornerback
• Archie Manning, NFL quarterback, father of NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning
• Eli Manning (class of 2003), NFL quarterback
• Deuce McAllister, NFL running back
• Dexter McCluster, NFL wide receiver
• DK Metcalf, NFL wide receiver
• Cary Middlecoff (1921–1998), professional golfer
• Donte Moncrief, NFL wide receiver
• Alex Mullen, three-time world memory champion
• Doug Nikhazy, MLB pitcher
• Michael Oher, NFL offensive tackle
• Ashlee Palmer, NFL linebacker
• Jermey Parnell, NFL offensive tackle
• Pat "Gravy" Patterson, college baseball coach
• Jimmy Patton (1933–1973), NFL defensive back
• Drew Pomeranz, major league pitcher
• Barney Poole (1923–2005), NFL end
• James E. "Buster" Poole (1915–1994), NFL wide receiver
• Ray Poole (1921–2008), NFL end
• Armintie Price, pro basketball player
• Kelvin Pritchett, NFL defensive tackle
• Brittney Reese, long jumper, Olympic gold medalist
• Ricky Robertson, Olympic high jumper
• Ryan Rolison, MLB pitcher
• Carol Ross, NCAA and WNBA women's basketball coach
• Jamarca Sanford, NFL safety
• Seth Smith, MLB outfielder
• Chris Snopek, major league infielder
• Rafaelle Souza, Brazilian soccer player
• Savanté Stringfellow, world champion and Olympic long jumper
• Marvin Terrell, AFL guard
• Matt Tolbert, major league infielder
• Sean Tuohy, sports commentator, restaurateur
• Guy Turnbow (1908–1975), NFL tackle
• Todd Wade, NFL offensive tackle
• Gee Walker (1908–1981), major league outfielder
• Mike Wallace, NFL wide receiver
• Wesley Walls, All-Pro NFL tight-end
• Terrence Watson (born 1987), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israeli Premier League
• Skeeter Webb (1909–1986), major league infielder
• Michael White, college basketball coach
• Romello White (born 1998), basketball player for Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Patrick Willis, NFL linebacker
• Isiah Young (born 1990), Olympic sprinter

Authors

• Howard Bahr, novelist
• Larry Brown (1951–2004), author
• Hubert Creekmore (1907–1966), author
• Ellen Douglas (pen name of Josephine Haxton, 1921–2012), novelist
• Winifred Hamrick Farrar (1923–2010), Mississippi poet laureate
• John Faulkner (1901–1963), plain-style writer, brother of William Faulkner
• William Faulkner (1897–1962), author, Nobel laureate
• John Grisham, author, attorney, state representative
• Carolyn Haines, author
• Greg Iles, novelist, screenwriter
• Florence King, humorist and political columnist (attended graduate school but did not complete the program)
• Prakash Kona, essayist, poet
• Florence Mars (1923–2006), author
• Jonathan Miles, journalist, novelist
• Melany Neilson, author
• Stel Pavlou, British author, screenwriter (studied as an exchange student)
• Genevieve Pou (1919–2007), author
• Patrick D. Smith, author
• Robert Bruce Smith, IV, Mississippi historian
• Donna Tartt, author, attended but transferred before graduation
• Paige Williams, author and staff writer for The New Yorker
• Stark Young, playwright, novelist, and drama critic

Business figures

• James L. Barksdale (born 1943), businessman
• Dixie Carter (born 1964), businesswoman
• Barry Dixon (born 1959), interior designer
• Ernest Duff (1931–2016), businessman, lawyer and bishop
• Thomas F. Frist Sr. (1910–1998), businessman and physician
• Bill Jordan, businessman and host
• William Bonner McCarty, businessman
• Leigh Anne Tuohy (born 1960), businesswoman and interior designer

Educators and academic administrators

• Glenn Boyce, chancellor of Ole Miss
• John L. Crain, president of Southeastern Louisiana University
• Mike Edmonds, acting president of Colorado College 2020–2021, first Black president of Colorado College
• Henry Minor Faser (1882–1960), dean, School of Pharmacy
• Charles Betts Galloway (1849–1909), Methodist bishop
• James Bruton Gambrell (1841–1921), president of Mercer University
• Thomas Hines, professor emeritus of History, University of California, Los Angeles
• Daniel Jones, physician, UM chancellor
• Robert Khayat, UM chancellor
• Rory Lee, clergyman, college president
• E. Wilson Lyon, president of Pomona College
• Edward Mayes (1846–1917), UM chancellor
• William David McCain (1907–1993), segregationist spokesman, president of University of Southern Mississippi
• Thomas K. McCraw (1940–2012), business historian
• Milburn Price, hymnologist, music educator
• Frederick G. Slabach, president of Texas Wesleyan University
• Ella King Torrey (1957–2003), scholar, academic administrator; president of San Francisco Art Institute

Journalists and media figures

• Sharyn Alfonsi, 60 Minutes, reporter
• Chris Berry, iHeartMedia
• Russ Dallen, publisher of Latin American Herald Tribune, journalist, author
• Ben Ferguson, radio host and commentator
• John Fortenberry, film and television director
• Ron Franklin, ESPN sportscaster
• Angela McGlowan, political commentator
• Donald C. Simmons, Jr., documentary filmmaker and author
• Larry Speakes, White House press secretary, journalist, author
• Curtis Wilkie, author, journalist

Jurists and attorneys

• Rhesa Barksdale (born 1944), U.S. court of appeals judge
• Neal Brooks Biggers Jr. (1935–2023), U.S. district judge
• Debra M. Brown (born 1963), U.S. district judge
• George C. Carlson Jr., chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court
• Charles Clark (1925–2011), U.S. court of appeals judge
• Glen H. Davidson (born 1941), U.S. district judge
• Bobby DeLaughter (born 1954), prosecutor, judge
• Jess H. Dickinson (born 1947), associate justice, Mississippi Supreme Court
• Jim Hood (born 1962), Mississippi attorney general
• Charles Bowen Howry (1844–1928), assistant U.S. attorney general, court of claims judge
• E. Grady Jolly (1937–2026), U.S. court of appeals judge
• Ann Hannaford Lamar (born 1952), associate justice, Mississippi Supreme Court
• Michael P. Mills (born 1956), U.S. district judge
• Mike Moore (born 1952), Mississippi attorney general
• Charles W. Pickering (born 1937), U.S. district judge
• Michael K. Randolph (born 1946), associate justice, Mississippi Supreme Court
• Richard Scruggs (born 1946), trial attorney
• Sydney M. Smith (1869–1948), chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court
• Keith Starrett (born 1951), U.S. district judge
• Phil Stone (1893–1967), attorney
• Bill Waller Jr. (born 1952), chief justice, Mississippi Supreme Court

Military figures

• Charles P. Hall (1886–1953), lieutenant general, World War II
• Paul V. Hester, Air Force general
• John S. McCain, Sr. (1884–1945), U.S. Navy admiral

Musicians

• Mildred Allen, operatic soprano
• Mose Allison, jazz and blues pianist
• Glen Ballard, songwriter, producer
• Colour Revolt, indie rock band
• Caroline Herring, singer, songwriter
• Guy Hovis, singer
• Josh Kelley, musician
• Vincent Mason, singer-songwriter
• Dent May, singer-songwriter
• George McConnell, guitarist, musician
• Rivers Rutherford, country songwriter
• John Stirratt, bassist (The Hilltops, Wilco)
• Nancy Van de Vate, composer
• Jim Weatherly, singer-songwriter

Physicians

• Carlos Manuel Chavez, heart surgeon
• Garth Fisher, plastic surgeon
• John C. Fleming (born 1951), family physician, U.S. representative
• Thomas F. Frist, Sr. (1910–1998), cardiologist, founder of Hospital Corporation of America
• Arthur Guyton (1919–2003), physiologist, author of Textbook of Medical Physiology
• Edward Hill, family physician, AMA president
• Leonard McCoy (2227–2364), fictional Star Trek character; chief medical officer, USS Enterprise, Starfleet admiral

Politicians

• Thomas Abernethy (1903–1998), U.S. representative
• William Allain (1928–2013), governor
• John Mills Allen (1846–1917), U.S. representative
• Chapman L. Anderson (1845–1924), U.S. representative
• Rick Austin, Georgia state representative
• Haley Barbour, governor
• Ross Barnett (1898–1987), governor
• Earl L. Brewer (1869–1942), governor
• Ed Bryant, U.S. representative from Tennessee
• T. Jeff Busby (1884–1964), U.S. representative

• Millard F. Caldwell (1897–1984), governor of Florida
• Ezekiel S. Candler, Jr. (1862–1944), U.S. representative
• Thomas C. Catchings (1847–1927), U.S. representative
• Marvin Childers (born 1961), Arkansas state representative
• Travis Childers, U.S. representative
• Thad Cochran (1937–2019), U.S. senator
• James Collier (1872–1933), U.S. representative
• Ross A. Collins (1880–1968), U.S. representative
• Robert H. Conn, assistant secretary of the Navy
• Martin Sennett Conner (1891–1950), governor
• Walter M. Denny (1853–1926), U.S. representative
• Aubert C. Dunn (1896–1987), U.S. representative
• Winfield Dunn, governor of Tennessee
• Brad Dye, lieutenant governor
• James O. Eastland (1904–1986), U.S. senator
• Cliff Finch (1927–1986), governor
• John C. Fleming, U.S. representative from Louisiana
• William Webster Franklin, U.S. representative
• Evelyn Gandy (1920–2007), lieutenant governor
• Mary Lou Godbold (1912–2008), state senator
• James Gordon (1833–1912), U.S. senator
• Gregg Harper, U.S. representative
• Jon Hinson (1942–1995), U.S. representative
• Jim Hood, state attorney general
• Jay Hughes, state representative, candidate for lieutenant governor (2019)
• Kenny Hulshof, U.S. representative from Missouri
• Paul B. Johnson, Jr. (1916–1985), governor
• Trent Kelly, U.S. representative

• Trent Lott, U.S. senator
• William F. Love (1850–1898), U.S. representative
• Ray Mabus, governor of Mississippi; secretary of the Navy
• Dan R. McGehee (1883–1962), U.S. representative
• Frank A. McLain (1852–1920), U.S. representative
• Hernando Money (1839–1912), U.S. senator
• Mike Moore, state attorney general
• Johnny Morgan (1947–2023), Mississippi state senator
• Stanford Morse (1926–2002), state senator
• Henry L. Muldrow (1837–1905), U.S. representative; assistant secretary of the interior
• Ronnie Musgrove, governor
• Rita Potts Parks (born 1962), state senator
• Chip Pickering, U.S. representative
• John E. Rankin (1882–1960), U.S. representative
• Lee M. Russell (1875–1943), governor
• Jeanne Shaheen, governor of New Hampshire; U.S. senator
• Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Dominica
• Frank E. Smith (1918–1997), U.S. representative
• Larry Speakes (1939–2014), presidential press secretary

• Hubert D. Stephens (1875–1946), U.S. senator and congressman
• William V. Sullivan (1857–1918), U.S. senator
• Kirk Talbot, Louisiana state representative
• Gray Tollison, state senator
• William W. Venable (1880–1948), U.S. representative
• A.C. Wharton (1944–2015), mayor of Memphis, Tennessee
• Hugh L. White (1881–1965), governor
• Jamie Whitten (1910–1995), U.S representative
• William Madison Whittington (1878–1962), U.S. representative
• Roger Wicker, U.S. senator
• John Bell Williams (1918–1983), governor
• Elise Varner Winter, First Lady of Mississippi
• William Winter (1923–2020), governor
• Samuel Andrew Witherspoon (1855–1915), U.S. representative

Religious leaders

• Jackson Biggers (born 1937), bishop of the Diocese of Northern Malawi
• Duncan M. Gray III (born 1949), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi
• Alfred C. Marble, Jr. (1936–2017), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi
• C. Brinkley Morton (1926–1994), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego

Scientists

• Weston Fulton (1871–1946), meteorologist and inventor
• Pedro Rodriguez (born 1953), director of test laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Other

• Nelma Crutcher (1950–2022), president general of the United Daughters of the Confederacy

References