List of Mississippi State University people

The following is a list of notable people associated with Mississippi State University, located in the American city of Starkville, Mississippi.

Notable alumni

Politics and government

• Sharion Aycock, first female federal district court judge in Mississippi
• Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senator from Tennessee
• Randy Boyd, forester who serves as a Republican in the Mississippi House of Representatives for District 19 in his native Itawamba County^[1]
• Jenifer Branning, Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate^[2]
• Videt Carmichael, Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate^[3]
• Cynthia Cooper
  , whistleblower, 2002 Time Person of the Year
• Leonard B. Cresswell, major general in the Marine Corps; World War II Navy Cross recipient
• Jess Dickinson, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice^[4]
• Charles D. Easley, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice^[5]
• Josh Harkins, Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate^[6]
• Horace Harned, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
• Bill Hawks, former USDA Undersecretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs
• Todd Jordan, Mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi
• Mark Keenum
  , USDA Undersecretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service
• Rhonda Keenum, Assistant to President George W. Bush and director of White House Public Liaison
• Billy McCoy, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives^[7]
• Troy H. Middleton, World War II corps commander (lieutenant general) and president of Louisiana State University
• G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, former U.S. Representative and author of the Montgomery G.I. Bill
• Brandon Presley, former Democratic Public Service Commissioner for Mississippi's northern district
• John C. Stennis, former U.S. Senator; "father of the Modern Navy"
• Amy Tuck, Mississippi Lieutenant Governor
• William Waller Jr., Mississippi Supreme Court Justice^[8]
• Albert H. Wilkening, Adjutant General of Wisconsin

Academia

• James E. Cofer, Fulbright Scholar and former president of Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, and former president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe
• Frances Lucas, vice president and campus executive officer of the University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Coast
• Damir Novosel, Fulbright Scholar, founder and president of Quanta Technology in Raleigh, North Carolina, former vice president of ABB Automation Products, and former president of IEEE Power & Energy Society
• Malcolm Portera, former chancellor of the University of Alabama System
• Priscilla Slade, former president of Texas Southern University

Business

• Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
• George W. Bryan, senior vice president of Sara Lee Corporation, CEO of Sara Lee Foods, and founder of Old Waverly Golf Club
• Haas Outdoors, Inc. (Mossy Oak
  )
• Martin F. Jue, amateur radio inventor; entrepreneur; founder of MFJ Enterprises^[9]
• Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Electronics
• RCA Laboratories
• Arthur L. Williams, Jr.
  , insurance magnate, #583 on Forbes' list of the world's billionaires

Media and arts

• Kevin Benson, meteorologist for WPXI in Pittsburgh
• Turner Catledge, former vice president of The New York Times
• Jerry Clower, comedian
• Bill Evans, meteorologist for WABC-TV, ABC affiliate in New York City
• John Grisham, author of more than two dozen novels, many of which have been made into screenplays
• Matthew F. Jones, novelist
• Gregory Keyes, author
• Donna Ladd, journalist
• Sean McLaughlin, MSNBC Chief Meteorologist
• Lewis Nordan, author
• Audrey Puente, New York City meteorologist; daughter of salsa singer Tito Puente
• Frank K. Spain, founder of Tupelo television station WTVA; broadcasting pioneer
• Joe M. Turner, magician, mentalist, professional speaker
• Brad Watson (born 1955), author

Athletics

• Jim Ashmore, former NBA player
• Denico Autry, DE, Oakland Raiders
• Vick Ballard, NFL running back, Indianapolis Colts
• Johnthan Banks, cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Korey Banks, CFL DB BC Lions
• Kevin Bouie, NFL player
• Timmy Bowers, professional basketball player, 2006 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP
• Jimmy Bragan
  , former MLB coach with Cincinnati, Montreal, and Milwaukee 1967–1977
• Jeff Brantley, former Major League Baseball relief pitcher; commentator for the Cincinnati Reds
• Rickey Brown, C for Golden State, Atlanta Hawks
• Titus Brown, NFL defensive end, Cleveland Browns
• Shawn Byrdsong, football player
• Van Chancellor, former head coach of women's basketball at Louisiana State University, at the University of Mississippi, and of the Houston Comets of the WNBA
• Ed Chapman, P for the Washington Senators in 1933
• Bubba Church, pitcher for the Phillies, Reds, and Cubs from 1950 to 1955
• Will Clark, former first baseman for San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers
• John Cohen
  , Mississippi State University Head Coach
• Keo Coleman, former NFL linebacker
• Michael Connell, PGA golfer 2001–2006^[10]
• Johnie Cooks, NFL linebacker, Super Bowl XXV Champion
• Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League
• Hughie Critz, second baseman for Cincinnati Reds (1920s) and the New York Giants (1930s)
• Quinton Culberson, NFL linebacker, St. Louis Rams
• Erick Dampier, former NBA player
• Charlie Davidson, football player
• Art Davis, NFL player, college football coach
• UFC^[11]
• Harper Davis, NFL player, college football head coach
• Anthony Dixon, NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers
• Kevin Dockery, NFL Super Bowl XLII Champion
• Dominic Douglas, NFL linebacker, Denver Broncos
• Frank Dowsing, first black football player at MSU^[12]
• Eric Dubose
  , P for Baltimore and Cleveland from 2002 to 2006
• Sammy Ellis, former Major League Baseball pitcher, 7 seasons
• Bobby Etheridge, former MLB player
• Rags Faircloth, P for Phillies in 1919
• Dave "Boo" Ferriss, former Major League Baseball player
• Ronald Fields, NFL DT, Denver Broncos
• Joe Fortunato, five-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears
• Steve Freeman, former Buffalo Bills
  defensive back for 13 seasons; NFL game official
• Willie Gay, NFL linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs
• Chuck Gelatka, NFL player
• Matt Ginter, pitcher for the Houston Astros
• De'Mon Glanton, football player
• Tom Goode, former NFL center and Super Bowl
  veteran
• Alex Grammas, former Major League infielder
• Hoyle Granger, former NFL running back
• Paul Gregory, pitcher in Major League Baseball, played 1932–1933 for the Chicago White Sox
• Justin Griffith, NFL running back, Oakland Raiders
• Michael Haddix, former NFL running back
• Mario Haggan, NFL linebacker, Denver Broncos
• Tang Hamilton, Miami Heat
• Walt Harris, NFL cornerback, San Francisco 49ers
• Bunny Hearn, former MLB player; college coach
• Ron Hill, vice president of the NFL
• John Hilliard, NFL player
• Jim Howarth, Major League Baseball outfielder; played all or part of four seasons in the majors, 1971–1974, for the San Francisco Giants
• Bailey Howell, NBA Hall of Famer
• Kent Hull, former NFL C, Buffalo Bills
• Kirby Jackson, NFL DB Buffalo Bills
• Justin Jenkins, NFL wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
• Morley Jennings, former head football coach of the Baylor Bears; former Athletic Director of the Texas Tech Red Raiders
• Alan Johnson, Colorado Rockies
• Chris Jones, NFL defensive tackle, Kansas City Chiefs
• Chris Jones, American player of Canadian football
• Dontae' Jones, Celtics
• James Jones, NFL running back, Dallas Cowboys
• Todd Jordan, football player
• Tommy Kelly, NFL defensive end, Oakland Raiders
• Tyrone Keys, NFL linebacker, Super Bowl XX Champion
• Jon Knott, former Major League Baseball outfielder with the Padres and Orioles
• California Angels
• Donald Lee, NFL tight end, Green Bay Packers; Super Bowl XLV Champion
• D. D. Lewis, former All-Star linebacker Dallas Cowboys; member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Carlton Loewer, retired Major League Baseball player
• Lance Long, NFL wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals
• Jim Lyle, pitcher for the Washington Senators (now the Minnesota Twins) in 1925
• Paul Maholm, LHP Atlanta Braves; formerly with Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs
• Jeff Malone, two-time All-Star as a player; coached three teams in NBA D-League
• Chris Maloney, Memphis Redbirds Manager (St. Louis Cardinals AAA)
• James H. "Babe" McCarthy, college and professional basketball coach
• Fred McCrary, NFL running back
• Alvin McKinley, NFL defensive end, Denver Broncos
• Bo McKinnis, sports agent
• Pernell McPhee, linebacker, Chicago Bears; formerly with Baltimore Ravens
• Brandon McRae, NFL wide receiver, St. Louis Rams
• Brandon Medders, MLB player
• John Miller
  , NFL linebacker, Green Bay Packers
• Leland Mitchell, New Orleans Buccaneers of the ABA
• Monroe Mitchell, Washington Senators
• Willie Mitchell, Cleveland Naps/Indians and Detroit Tigers
• Henry Monroe, NFL DB Green Bay Packers
• Mitch Moreland, first baseman, Boston Red Sox
• Eric Moulds, NFL wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
• Arnett Moultrie, Philadelphia 76ers
• Buddy Myer, Major League Baseball, two-time All-Star second baseman
• Bob Myrick, LHP for the New York Mets
• Tom Neville, former NFL offensive tackle, 14 seasons
• Malik Newman (born 1997), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Jerious Norwood, NFL running back for the Atlanta Falcons
• Romero Osby (born 1990), American basketball player for Maccabi Kiryat Gat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Walter Packer, NFL player
• Rafael Palmeiro, former Major League Baseball player
• Jonathan Papelbon, RHP Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies; All-Star in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009
• Jackie Parker, former All-Star quarterback CFL; member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Wiley Peck, Spurs, Mavericks
• Adam Piatt, played for the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Jay Powell
  , former Major League Baseball relief pitcher, 11 seasons; World Series veteran
• Dak Prescott, NFL quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
• Gary Rath, Dodgers, Twins
• Fred Reid, CFL running back, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Lawrence Roberts, Memphis Grizzlies
• Ray Roberts, played for the Philadelphia Athletics
• DelJuan Robinson, NFL defensive tackle, Houston Texans
• Jon Shave, former player for the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins
• Buck Showalter, former baseball manager
• Renardo Sidney, former NBA player
• Jeffery Simmons, NFL defensive tackle, Tennessee Titans
• Barrin Simpson, NFL linebacker
• Deontae Skinner, NFL player
• Darius Slay, cornerback for the Detroit Lions
• Don Smith, quarterback/running back for Buccaneers, Bills, and Dolphins
• Truett Smith, football player
• Fred Smoot, former NFL cornerback
• Homer Spragins, former MLB player
• David Stewart, NFL OT Tennessee Titans
• Scott Stricklin, former athletic director for Mississippi State Bulldogs, athletic director for Florida Gators
• Walter Suggs, former All-Star lineman for Houston Oilers
• Montez Sweat, NFL linebacker, Washington Redskins
• Craig Tatum, former MLB player
• Ken Tatum, former MLB player
• Bobby Thigpen, former Major League Baseball relief pitcher
• Del Unser, former Major League Baseball outfielder
• Jarvis Varnado, Miami Heat
• Victoria Vivians, WNBA Guard Indiana Fever^[13]
• Fred Walters, catcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1945
• Kendell Watkins, NFL tight end, Dallas Cowboys
• Quinndary Weatherspoon, NBA shooting guard, Golden State Warriors
• Jimmy Webb, former NFL defensive lineman, 7 seasons
• Floyd Womack, NFL OT Seattle Seahawks
• Sid Womack, former MLB player
• Marc Woodard, NFL linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles
• Ellis Wyms, NFL LT, Super Bowl Champion with the Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders
• Chris Young, pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball
• Pete Young, former MLB player
• Derrick Zimmerman, New Jersey Nets

Other

• Machine Gun Kelly, notorious criminal; studied agriculture at MSU for two years

Notable faculty

• Anthony Sean Neal, author and philosophy professor at MSU
• Horace M. Trent, noted physicist who taught at MSU in the 1930s

References