100 Notable alumni of
West Virginia University
Updated:
West Virginia University is 293rd in the world, 121st in North America, and 114th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from West Virginia University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
-
Steve Harvey
- Occupations
- television actorfilm actortelevision producerfilm producervoice actor
- Biography
-
Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, and producer. He hosts The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, Family Feud Africa, and the arbitration-based court comedy Judge Steve Harvey, and formerly hosted the Miss Universe competition. His accomplishments include seven Daytime Emmy Awards, two Marconi Awards, and fourteen NAACP Image Awards.
-
Katherine Johnson
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 1939-1940
- Occupations
- military flight engineerteacherphysicistcomputer scientistmathematician
- Biography
-
Creola Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist".
-
Taylor Kinney
- Occupations
- film actormodelstage actorart modeltelevision actor
- Biography
-
Taylor Jackson Kinney is an American actor and model. He played Jared in Zero Dark Thirty, Phil in The Other Woman, and Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Kelly Severide on the American drama Chicago Fire. He also played Craig, one of Fiona's love interests, on Shameless.
-
Cheryl Hines
- Occupations
- directoractor
- Biography
-
Cheryl Ruth Hines is an American actress. She is best known for playing Cheryl in HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024), for which she received two Emmy Award nominations. She has also starred as Dallas Royce on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory (2011–2014), and made her directorial debut with the 2009 film Serious Moonlight. Hines is married to lawyer, and former 2024 United States presidential candidate and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
Jerry West
- Occupations
- sports executivebasketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
-
Jerry Alan West was an American basketball player and executive. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His nicknames included "the Logo", in reference to his silhouette being the basis for the NBA logo; "Mr. Clutch", for his ability to make a big play in a key situation such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; "Mr. Outside", in reference to his perimeter play with the Lakers and "Zeke from Cabin Creek" for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia.
-
Pat McAfee
- Occupations
- professional wrestlerassociation football playersports analystcolor commentatorcomedian
- Biography
-
Patrick Justin McAfee is an American sports analyst, color commentator, and former professional football punter and kickoff specialist. He serves as an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay, is the host of the sports talk show The Pat McAfee Show, and is signed to WWE as the color commentator for Raw and occasional wrestler.
-
Don Knotts
- Occupations
- film actorscreenwritervoice actortelevision actor
- Biography
-
Jesse Donald Knotts was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on the 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, for which he earned five Emmy Awards. He also played Ralph Furley on the sitcom Three's Company from 1979 to 1984. He starred in multiple comedic films, including leading roles in The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966). In 2004, TV Guide ranked him number 27 on its "50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time" list.
-
Conchata Ferrell
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorstage actoractor
- Biography
-
Conchata Galen Ferrell was an American actress. She played Berta the housekeeper on the sitcom Two and a Half Men from 2003 to 2015, and she received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the role (in 2005 and 2007). Ferrell had previously been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in L.A. Law (in 1992).
-
Chris Sarandon
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm produceractortelevision actorfilm actor
- Biography
-
Christopher Sarandon is an American actor. He is well known for playing Jerry Dandrige in Fright Night (1985), Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride (1987), Detective Mike Norris in Child's Play (1988), and Jack Skellington’s speaking voice in The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Leon Shermer in Dog Day Afternoon (1975).
-
Joe Manchin
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- In 1970 graduated with Bachelor in Business Administration
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
-
Joseph Anthony Manchin III is an American coal baron and a retired politician who served as a United States senator from West Virginia from 2010 to 2025. He was West Virginia's only congressional Democrat until he registered as an independent in 2024. Manchin served from 2005 to 2010 as the 34th governor of West Virginia and from 2001 to 2005 as the 27th secretary of state of West Virginia. Before entering politics, he co-founded and was president of Enersystems, a coal brokerage company his family owns and operates.
-
Antoine Fuqua
- Occupations
- directorfilm directorfilm producer
- Biography
-
Antoine Fuqua is an American film director known for his work in the action and thriller genres. He was originally known as a director of music videos, and made his film debut in 1998 with The Replacement Killers. His critical breakthrough was the 2001 crime thriller Training Day, winning the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Director.
-
Josh Stewart
- Occupations
- actorfilm actorfilm directortelevision actorvoice actor
- Biography
-
Joshua Regnall Stewart is an American actor who is best known for his role as Holt McLaren in the TV series Dirt and as Detective William LaMontagne Jr., on the series Criminal Minds. He was also cast as Brendan Finney in the final season of the TV series Third Watch and as Barsad in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, for whom he also appeared in small roles in Interstellar and Tenet. Other roles include War Machine and a major antagonist in The Punisher (2019).
-
Geno Smith
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Eugene Cyril Smith III is an American professional football quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers, leading them to multiple bowl games, breaking numerous passing records, and garnering multiple awards before being selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.
-
Billy Mays
- Occupations
- television personalitytelevision presentersalesperson
- Biography
-
William Darrell Mays Jr. was an American television direct-response advertisement salesperson. Throughout his career, he promoted a wide variety of products, including OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom, Zorbeez, and Mighty Mendit. His promotions aired mainly on the Home Shopping Network through his company, Mays Promotions, Inc., although they have aired on other syndicated networks. Mays's infomercials were known for his catch phrase "Hi, Billy Mays here", and his shouted delivery of lines.
-
Steve Murphy
- Occupations
- special agentspy
- Biography
-
Stephen E. Murphy is an American retired federal agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who, along with Javier Peña, was one of the lead investigators in the manhunt of Colombian drug lord and leader of the Medellín Cartel, Pablo Escobar. The story of this was told in the Netflix series Narcos, with actor Boyd Holbrook portraying Murphy. Murphy and Peña also worked on the show as consultants.
-
Heath Slater
- Occupations
- professional wrestler
- Biography
-
Heath Wallace Miller is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE under the ring name Heath Slater. He also performed in Impact Wrestling, under the mononymous name Heath.
-
Joe Mazzulla
- Occupations
- basketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
-
Joseph Mazzulla is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for West Virginia University as a point guard.
-
Will Grier
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 2016
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
William Grier is an American professional football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida Gators and West Virginia Mountaineers and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the third round in the 2019 NFL draft.
-
Paul Dooley
- Occupations
- stage actoractortelevision actorscreenwriterfilm actor
- Biography
-
Paul Dooley is an American character actor. He is known for his roles in Breaking Away, Popeye, Strange Brew, Sixteen Candles and various Christopher Guest mockumentaries. He co-created the PBS children's show The Electric Company.
-
Rich Rodriguez
- Occupations
- head coachAmerican football player
- Biography
-
Richard Alan Rodriguez, also known as Rich Rod, is an American college football coach and former player. He is the current head football coach at West Virginia University, his second stint with his alma mater. Rodriguez previously was the head football coach at Salem University, Glenville State College, the University of Michigan, the University of Arizona, and Jacksonville State University. In 2011, Rodriguez worked as an analyst for CBS Sports.
-
Anthony McAuliffe
- Occupations
- soldier
- Biography
-
General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe was a senior United States Army officer who earned fame as the acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division defending Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He is celebrated for his one-word reply to a German surrender ultimatum: "Nuts!"
-
Bill Hayes
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- film actorsingertelevision actor
- Biography
-
William Foster Hayes III was an American actor and recording artist. His song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" hit the top of the Billboard charts between March and May 1955.
-
David Selby
- Occupations
- film producerfilm actorstage actortelevision actorwriter
- Biography
-
David Lynn Selby is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins on the daytime soap Dark Shadows (1968–71) and Richard Channing on the prime-time soap Falcon Crest (1982–90). Selby also had prominent roles in the television series Flamingo Road (1981–82) and the feature film Raise the Titanic (1980).
-
Heather Bresch
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied international studies and political science
- Occupations
- business executive
- Biography
-
Heather Bresch is an American business executive. In 2012, she was named as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Netherlands-based pharmaceutical company Mylan, becoming the first woman to run a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company. Bresch retired in 2020, upon the closing of Mylan’s combination with Upjohn. Bresch has been a central figure in two controversies: a 2007 accusation of inflating her resume with an unearned MBA degree, and as the CEO of Mylan during the 2016 controversy over pricing of the company's EpiPen products. In 2015, she was listed as #22 in Fortune magazine's “Most Powerful Women” list.
-
Oliver Luck
- Occupations
- executiveAmerican football player
- Biography
-
Oliver Francis Luck is an American business executive and former professional football player. He is currently the executive director of the United Athletic Conference, a new NCAA Division I FCS conference starting play in 2023 as a football-only merger of the ASUN Conference and Western Athletic Conference. He was the CEO and Commissioner of the XFL until it suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, he was Director of Intercollegiate Athletes at West Virginia University (WVU), his alma mater, and an executive with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in charge of the organization's regulatory functions. Luck played football professionally as a quarterback for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers (1982–1986). He was also the first president and general manager of the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer (MLS). Under his watch, the Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.
-
Jevon Carter
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 2014
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Leroy Jevon Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A point guard for the Mountaineers, Carter was known as one of the top defensive players in college basketball, winning the NABC Defensive Player of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Award after both his junior and senior seasons, and winning the inaugural Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in his final season.
-
Little Jimmy Dickens
- Occupations
- musiciansingersongwriter
- Biography
-
James Cecil Dickens, better known by his stage name Little Jimmy Dickens, was an American country music singer and songwriter famous for his humorous novelty songs, his small size (4'10" [150 cm]), and his rhinestone-studded outfits (which he is given credit for introducing into live country music performances). He started as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983. Before his death he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry.
-
Jeff Hostetler
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
William Jeffrey Hostetler is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. He won Super Bowl XXV with the Giants after taking over midseason for an injured Phil Simms. His nickname is "Hoss."
-
David Sills
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
David Sills V is an American professional football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL).
-
Bill Eadie
- Occupations
- professional wrestler
- Biography
-
William Reid "Bill" Eadie is an American retired professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar. He was a high school teacher and coach at Cambridge High School in Cambridge, Ohio, and at East Liverpool, Ohio.
-
Emily Calandrelli
- Occupations
- aerospace engineerscience communicatorwritertelevision presenter
- Biography
-
Emily Dawn Calandrelli is an American science communicator, engineer, author, and television presenter. She is the host and an executive producer of Xploration Outer Space and previously Emily's Wonder Lab.
-
Dustin Nippert
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Dustin David Nippert is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, and the Doosan Bears and KT Wiz of the KBO League. Nippert won the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award in 2016. With eight seasons in the KBO, Nippert holds the record for the longest career of any foreign player.
-
Oscar Tshiebwe
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 2019-2020
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Oscar Tshiebwe is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Kentucky Wildcats. In 2022, Tshiebwe was the consensus national player of the year.
-
עמית מועלם
- Occupations
- computer scientistentrepreneur
- Biography
-
John Thomas Chambers is the former executive chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems.
-
Kadeisha Buchanan
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Kadeisha Buchanan is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for English Women's Super League club Chelsea and the Canada women's national team. Born in Toronto and raised in Brampton, Ontario, she is the youngest of seven girls in a single-parent home. Buchanan was only 17 when she made her debut for the national team on January 13, 2013.
-
Asra Nomani
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
-
Asra Quratulain Nomani is an Indian American journalist and author. Born in India to Muslim parents, she earned a BA from West Virginia University in liberal arts in 1986 and an MA from the American University in international communications in 1990. She subsequently worked as a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal with her colleague Daniel Pearl in Pakistan post-9/11. Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by Islamist terrorists while following an investigative lead. Nomani later became the co-director of the Pearl Project, a faculty-student investigative-reporting project which has looked into Pearl's murder.
-
Mike Florio
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
-
Michael James Florio is an American sportswriter, author, radio host, and television commentator. He writes for Profootballtalk.com which he created and owns. He also hosts the daily NFL talk show PFT Live on Peacock with Chris Simms.
-
Sam Huff
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. He is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1982).
-
Joe Alexander
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Joseph Anthony Alexander is a Taiwan-born American-Israeli professional basketball player who last played for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Alexander, who at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) plays both forward positions, was selected for the 2007 All-Big East squad during his collegiate career with West Virginia and was an All-American Honorable Mention. He was selected eighth overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He is the first-ever Taiwanese-born NBA player.
-
Earl Ray Tomblin
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
Earl Ray Tomblin is an American politician who served as the 35th governor of West Virginia from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the West Virginia Senate from 1980 to 2011 and as president of the West Virginia Senate from 1995 to 2011. Tomblin became acting governor in November 2010 following Joe Manchin's election to the U.S. Senate. He won a special election in October 2011 to fill the unexpired term ending on January 14, 2013, and was elected to a full term as governor in November 2012.
-
Ben Schwartzwalder
- Occupations
- American football playercoach
- Biography
-
Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder was a football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League (NFL) stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. He is in the school's Hall of Fame
-
Wendell Smallwood
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Wendell Lynn Smallwood Jr. is an American former professional football running back. He played college football at West Virginia and was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Smallwood was also a member of the Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
-
Gayle Conelly Manchin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Gayle Conelly Manchin is an American educator and government official who was the First Lady of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 and has served as the Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission since 2021. Manchin previously served as the president of the West Virginia Board of Education from 2013 to 2014 and West Virginia Secretary of Education and the Arts from 2017 until her termination in March 2018. She is the wife of former governor and former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
-
Ken Kendrick
- Occupations
- businesspersonbaseball player
- Biography
-
Earl Gentry "Ken" Kendrick, Jr. is an American billionaire businessman who is the principal owner and managing general partner of the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks. He became part-owner with the team's inception in 1995. He has been managing general partner since 2004, overseeing day-to-day operations and acting as the organization’s designated representative when the Major League Baseball owners convene.
-
Noel Devine
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Noel Devine is a former American football running back. Devine played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers and holds the record for career-all purpose yardage (5,761 yards).
-
Rod Thorn
- Occupations
- baseball playerbasketball coachbasketball playercoach
- Biography
-
Rodney King Thorn is an American basketball executive and a former professional player and coach, Olympic Committee Chairman, with a career spanning over 50 years. In 2018, Thorn was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
-
Jedd Gyorko
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Jedd Lindon Gyorko is an American former professional baseball second baseman and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He was previously the manager of the West Virginia Black Bears of the MLB Draft League.
-
Ryan McBroom
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Ryan P. McBroom is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
-
Doc Holliday
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
John "Doc" Holliday is an American former college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Marshall University from 2010 to 2020, compiling a record of 85–54.
-
Niccolò Campriani
- Occupations
- sport shooter
- Biography
-
Niccolò Campriani is an Italian sport shooter and shooting coach. He competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in the men's 10 metre air rifle, men's small-bore rifle, three positions, 50 metres and men's small-bore rifle, prone, 50 metres, and at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the men's 10 metre air rifle, winning silver, and in the men's 50 metre rifle three positions, where he won gold with a total of 1278.5 points.
-
Rod Hundley
- Occupations
- journalistbasketball player
- Biography
-
Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers and was selected by the Cincinnati Royals with the first overall pick of the 1957 NBA draft. In 2003, Hundley received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
-
Devin Ebanks
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Devin Maurice Ebanks is an American professional basketball player for Al-Ahli Jeddah of the Saudi Basketball League. The forward was selected 43rd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA draft. He played college basketball for two seasons at West Virginia University.
-
Kevin Jones
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Kevin Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player for Sun Rockers Shibuya of the B.League in Japan. He played college basketball for West Virginia University, where he was an All-American.
-
Arch A. Moore
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Arch Alfred Moore Jr. was an American lawyer and Republican politician from West Virginia. He began his political career as a state legislator in 1952. He was elected the 28th and 30th governor of West Virginia, serving from 1969 until 1977 and again from 1985 until 1989, he is the longest-serving West Virginia Governor in state history with 12 years of service. He is the father of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito and the grandfather of US Representative Riley Moore.
-
Philander C. Knox
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomatlawyer
- Biography
-
Philander Chase Knox was an American lawyer, bank director, statesman and Republican Party politician. He represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1904 to 1909 and 1917 to 1921. He was the 44th United States Attorney General in the cabinet of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt from 1901 to 1904 and the 40th United States Secretary of State in the cabinet of William Howard Taft from 1909 to 1913.
-
Da'Sean Butler
- Occupations
- basketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
-
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for West Virginia University. Butler was drafted 42nd overall by the Miami Heat in the 2010 NBA draft.
-
Jon McBride
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 1960-1964
- Occupations
- fighter pilotmilitary flight engineerastronautmilitary officer
- Biography
-
Jon Andrew McBride was an American naval officer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator for NASA.
-
Sarah Culberson
- Occupations
- film actordancertelevision actor
- Biography
-
Princess Sarah Jane Culberson, Lady of Bumpe is an American actress, public speaker, educator, and writer. By birth she is a Mende princess of the Bumpe–Gao Chiefdom in Sierra Leone.
-
Virginia Thrasher
- Occupations
- sport shooter
- Biography
-
Virginia "Ginny" Thrasher is an American sports shooter who won a gold medal in the women's 10 meter air rifle at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won the first gold medal awarded at the 2016 Olympics.
-
Quinton Spain
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Quinton Lamar Spain is an American former professional football guard. He played college football at West Virginia and was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2015.
-
Hunter Armstrong
- Occupations
- swimmer
- Biography
-
Joseph Hunter Armstrong is an American competitive swimmer. He is the world record holder in the long course 50 meter backstroke. At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, he won a silver medal in the 50 meter backstroke, a bronze medal in the 100 meter backstroke, gold medals in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay and 4×100 meter mixed medley relay, and a silver medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay, swimming backstroke in the preliminaries, and placed ninth in the 100 meter backstroke.
-
William Bishop
- Occupations
- actortelevision actor
- Biography
-
William Paxton Bishop was an American television and movie actor from Oak Park, Illinois.
-
Fuzzy Knight
- Occupations
- film actorsongwritertelevision actoractor
- Biography
-
John Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight was an American film and television actor. He was also a singer, especially in his early career. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1928 and 1967, usually as a cowboy hero's comic sidekick.
-
Jack Elliott
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Jack Stuart Elliott is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer.
-
Cecil H. Underwood
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
Cecil Harland Underwood was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia, known for the length of his career.
-
Henry T. Yang
- Occupations
- engineermilitary flight engineer
- Biography
-
Henry Tzu-Yow Yang is a Taiwanese-American mechanical engineer, university administrator, and the fifth and current chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara, a post he has held since 1994.
-
Omid Namazi
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football manager
- Biography
-
Omid Namazi is an Iranian-American former professional soccer player and coach. Namazi is a USSF “Pro” coaching license holder. Namazi played professionally as a defender in the American Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, Major League Soccer, USISL and National Professional Soccer League where he was the 2001 Defender of the Year and he played for United States national futsal team. He is a two-time Coach of the Year in the Major Indoor Soccer League and coached in the Women's United Soccer Association. As assistant coach of Iran, he led the team to qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
-
Clayster
- Years
- 1992-.. (age 33)
- Occupations
- professional gamer
- Biography
-
James Clayton Eubanks, better known as Clayster or Clay, is an American professional Call of Duty coach and former player. He is currently a coach for the Vegas Falcons of the Call of Duty League. Eubanks announced his retirement as a player on October 23, 2024.
-
Patrick Beilein
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Patrick Jonathan Beilein is an American former basketball player and current coach. He is the head coach of the Baldwinsville Bees boys varsity basketball team in Baldwinsville, New York.
-
Sagaba Konate
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Sagaba Konate is a Malian professional basketball player for BC Körmend of the Hungarian first division. He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A native of Bamako, he moved to the United States to play at Kennedy Catholic High School starting in his junior season. As a sophomore at West Virginia, he was named third-team All-Big 12 and made the conference All-Defensive Team.
-
Bantz J. Craddock
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
-
Bantz John Craddock is a former United States Army general. His last military assignment was as Commander, United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from December 2006 to 30 June 2009. He also served as Commander, United States Southern Command from 9 November 2004 to December 2006. After his retirement in 2009, he became chief executive of Military Professional Resources, Inc. (MPRI).
-
Mel Welles
- Occupations
- film directoractorscreenwriterwriterclinical psychologist
- Biography
-
Ira W. Meltcher, known by the stage name Mel Welles, was an American actor, voice artist and film director. He was best known to for his work with filmmaker Roger Corman, most notably as hapless flower shop owner Gravis Mushnick in the original 1960 film version of The Little Shop of Horrors. He also had a prolific career as an English-language dubber, mainly in the Italian film industry.
-
Jordan McCabe
- Years
- 1998-.. (age 27)
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Jordan Ray McCabe is an American assistant basketball coach for the Green Bay Phoenix. He is also a former college basketball player at West Virginia and UNLV.
-
Jayne Anne Phillips
- Occupations
- writernovelist
- Biography
-
Jayne Anne Phillips is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and short story writer who was born in the small town of Buckhannon, West Virginia. She is a former English professor at Rutgers-Newark from 2005 to 2020 and helped establish the MFA program at Rutgers University-Newark.
-
Natalie Tennant
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
-
Natalie E. Tennant is an American politician who served as the Secretary of State of West Virginia from 2009 to 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Tennant was the 2014 Democratic Party nominee for West Virginia's open U.S. Senate seat, which she lost to Republican Shelley Moore Capito. In 2016 she was defeated for re-election by Republican Mac Warner, and left office on January 16, 2017. In a historic win in 2024, Tennant was elected as the first female commissioner on the Kanawha County Commission in its 236 years.
-
Ashley Lawrence
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Ashley Elizabeth Marie Lawrence is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a full-back or a midfielder for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the Canada national team. She has been described as "one of the best attacking full-backs in the world."
-
John Raese
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
John Reeves Raese is an American businessman and perennial Republican Party candidate for political office in West Virginia. He lost campaigns to represent West Virginia in the United States Senate in 1984, 2006, 2010, and 2012. He was also defeated in the Republican primary in the election for Governor of West Virginia in 1988.
-
Tim Mahoney
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- In 1978 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
-
Timothy Edward Mahoney is an American politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 16th congressional district from 2007 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected in November 2006 after his opponent, six-term Republican incumbent Mark Foley, resigned on September 29, 2006, after questions were raised about an email exchange with a congressional page.
-
A. James Manchin
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
Antonio James Manchin was a West Virginia Democratic politician who served as a member of the House of Delegates (1948–50; 1998–2003), as Secretary of State (1977–85), and as State Treasurer (1985–89). A colorful and controversial figure, he was the uncle of former West Virginia Governor and former U.S. Senator Joe Manchin.
-
R. Booth Goodwin
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
-
Robert Booth Goodwin II is an American attorney with Goodwin & Goodwin LLP in Charleston, West Virginia. He served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia from 2010 until 2015. Goodwin was a candidate for Governor of West Virginia in 2016.
-
Patrice Harris
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- In 1986 graduated with master's degree
- Occupations
- psychiatrist
- Biography
-
Patrice Harris is an American psychiatrist and the first African-American woman to be elected president of the American Medical Association. She was elected the 174th president in June 2019.
-
Luke Bonner
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Luke James Bonner is a retired American professional basketball player.
-
Mark Funkhouser
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Mark Funkhouser is an American academic, author, and former politician who served as the 53rd mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, serving one four-year term from May 1, 2007, until May 2, 2011. Prior to serving as the city's mayor, Funkhouser served as Kansas City's city auditor. He also served as the publisher of Governing magazine. He is also the author of the blog "Bring on the Funk," and the book Honest, Competent Government: The Promise of Performance Auditing. In 2016, Funkhouser was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.
-
Mac Warner
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
-
Andrew McCoy "Mac" Warner is an American attorney and veteran who previously served as the West Virginia secretary of state from 2017 to 2025. He announced his candidacy for Governor of West Virginia in 2024 on January 10, 2023.
-
Megan Mischler
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Megan Kathleen Mischler is an American professional soccer player who last played for Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played for Hammarby
-
Allison Miller
- Occupations
- composermusicianpercussionistsingersinger-songwriter
- Biography
-
Allison Miller is an American, New York City-based drummer, composer, and teacher.
-
Earl E. Anderson
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
-
Earl Edward Anderson was a U.S. Marine four-star general. He was the youngest active duty Marine ever promoted to the rank of general and the first active duty Marine Naval Aviator to be promoted to a 4-star rank. He became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on April 1, 1972. He was promoted to general on March 31, 1972. General Keith B. McCutcheon had been promoted to four-star rank the day of his retirement for medical reasons on July 1, 1971. During his 35-year Marine career, he served in combat actions in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
-
Gary Browne
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Gary Browne Ramírez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player who last played for the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL). He also represents the Puerto Rican national team.
-
Scott Seabol
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Scott Anthony Seabol is an American former Major League Baseball player.
-
Steve Kline
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Steven James Kline is an American college baseball coach for the IUP Crimson Hawks. He is also a former professional relief pitcher who pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB) over an 11-year career. Kline attended West Virginia University, where he played college baseball for the Mountaineers.
-
Joe Stydahar
- Occupations
- American football coachAmerican football player
- Biography
-
Joseph Lee Stydahar nicknamed "Jumbo Joe", was an American professional football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
-
Tarik Phillip
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Tarik Phillip is a British-American professional basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League and EuroCup. He played college basketball for West Virginia.
-
Keith Tandy
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Jordan Keith Tandy is a former American football safety and coach who is currently coaching with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He played college football at West Virginia.
-
Jarrod Smith
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Jarrod Brian Stockley Smith is a New Zealand professional footballer.
-
Charles Marstiller Vest
- Occupations
- engineer
- Biography
-
Charles "Chuck" Marstiller Vest was an American mechanical engineer and academic administrator. He served as president of the National Academy of Engineering from 2007 to 2013, the 15th president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1990 to 2004, 7th provost of the University of Michigan from 1989 to 1990, and the 11th dean of the University of Michigan College of Engineering from 1986 to 1989.
-
Matthew M. Neely
- Enrolled in West Virginia University
- Studied in 1901
- Studied in 1902
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Matthew Mansfield Neely was an American Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the 21st governor of West Virginia. He is also the only person to have held a full term in both Senate seats from the state.
-
Devin Williams
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Devin Jamar Williams is an American professional basketball player for the Taoyuan Taiwan Beer Leopards of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He played college basketball at West Virginia.
-
Alex Ruoff
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Alexander Marc Ruoff is a retired American professional basketball player who is an assistant coach for the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League. In college, he played shooting guard for the West Virginia Mountaineers basketball team. Ruoff set school records for the most 3-pointers made in a game and most career 3-point field goals.
-
Ray Gaddis
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
-
Raymon "Ray" Gaddis is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender.
-
Teddy Allen
- Years
- 1998-.. (age 27)
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Teddy Allen is an American basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the New Mexico State Aggies, West Virginia, Western Nebraska Community College, and Nebraska Cornhuskers.
