This is a list of notable people associated with the University of Kentucky in the United States.
Notable alumni (non-sports)
Academia and research
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Akers | PhD 1966 | Professor Emeritus of Criminology at the University of Florida | [1] |
| Diogenes Allen | BA 1954 | Professor of Philosophy at Princeton Theological Seminary; Rhodes Scholar | [2] |
| W. David Arnett | BS 1961 | Regents Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Arizona | [3] |
| Robert A. Baker | BA 1948, MA 1949 | Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky; UFO skeptic | [4] |
| William M. Bass | MS 1956 | Professor of Forensic Anthropology at the University of Tennessee | [5] |
| George Billman | PhD 1980 | Professor of physiology at The Ohio State University | [6] |
| Charles E. Bishop | MS 1948 | Chancellor of the University of Maryland, College Park, President of the University of Arkansas, Chancellor of the University of Houston System | [7] |
| Sarah Gibson Blanding | BA 1923 | First female president of Vassar College | [8] |
| Meir Bialer | post-doctoral studies 1979-80 | David H. Eisenberg Professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel | [9] |
| Amy L. Bondurant | BA 1973 | Former U.S. Ambassador to the OECD | [10] |
| M. Christopher Brown II | MS 1994 | President of Alcorn State University and Kentucky State University | [11] |
| Robert A. Bryan | MA 1951, PhD 1956 | President of the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, and University of South Florida | [12] |
| Francisco Xavier Castellanos | R 1991 | Director of Research at the New York University Child Research Center | [13] |
| Lois Mai Chan | PhD 1980 | Professor of Library Science at the University of Kentucky | [14] |
| Dale T. Chapman | BS | President of Lewis and Clark Community College | [15] |
| Philip B. Coulter | 1961–1962 (did not graduate) | Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former Dean at the University of New Orleans | [16] |
| Matt Cutts | BS 1995 | Software engineer | [17] |
| Paul W. Davenport | PhD 1980 | Professor of Physiology at the University of Florida | [18] |
| Mark E. Davis | BS 1977, MS 1978, PhD 1981 | Professor of Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology | [19] |
| Brady J. Deaton | BS 1966, MA 1968 | Chancellor of the University of Missouri | [20] |
| Peter Dendle | BA 1990, MA 1993 | Professor of English at Penn State Mont Alto | [21] |
| Robert Denhardt | PhD 1968 | Professor of Public Policy at the University of Southern California | [22] |
| Vijay K. Dhir | PhD 1972 | Former Dean of the University of California, Los Angeles Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science | [23] |
| Joseph T. DiPiro | PharmD 1981 | Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy | [24] |
| C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. | BS 1971 | Herpetologist and conservationist | [25] |
| Charles M. Dollar | MA 1963, PhD 1966 | Electronic records program manager at the National Archives and Records Administration and Professor at the University of British Columbia | [26] |
| Herman Lee Donovan | BS 1914, LLD 1933 | Former President of the University of Kentucky | [27] |
| Michael Dorff | PhD 1997 | Mathematician at Brigham Young University, President of the Mathematical Association of America, and Founder of the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics | [28] |
| Ronald Enroth | MA 1963, PhD 1967 | Professor of Sociology at Westmont College | [29] |
| Lori Stewart Gonzalez | B.A. | 23rd President of Ohio University | [30] |
| Virginia Griffing | BS, 1937 | Physicist and chemist; first woman on the faculty of Catholic University of America's physics department | [31] |
| Bradlee L. Heckmann | BS 2009 | Neuroimmunologist and cell biologist | [32] |
| Edward H. Kass | AB 1939; MS 1941 | physician, medical school professor, medical researcher in infectious diseases, medical journal editor, and historian of medicine | [33] |
| A. D. Kirwan | AB 1926 | Former President of the University of Kentucky | [34] |
| William English Kirwan | AB 1960 | Chancellor of the University System of Maryland | [35] |
| John E. Leland | PhD 1994 | Director of the University of Dayton Research Institute | [36] |
| Helen Matthews Lewis | PhD 1970 | Sociologist, historian, and activist | [37] |
| William Lipscomb | BS 1941 | 1976 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry | [38] |
| Deanna B. Marcum | MLS 1971 | President of the Council on Library and Information Resources and Associate Librarian at the Library of Congress | [39] |
| Anne Hazen McFarland, M.D. | Physician and medical journal editor | [40] | |
| Thomas Hunt Morgan | BS 1886 | Natural scientist and winner of the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine | [41] |
| Thomas Volney Munson | BS 1870, MS 1893, DSc 1906 | Horticulturalist | [42] |
| Lee T. Todd Jr. | BS 1968 | Former president of the University of Kentucky; inventor; entrepreneur | [43] |
| Nancy Tomes | BA 1974 | Author and eminent historian of public health; recipient of the Bancroft Prize in 2017; Distinguished Professor, Stony Brook University | [44] |
- Albert Balows (1921–2006), clinical microbiologist and the president of the American Society for Microbiology
- Irving Millman (1923–2012), virologist and microbiologist
Business
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Ball | Received honorary degrees in 2016 | Founder of Ball Homes | [45] |
| Wendell Cherry | BA 1957, LLB 1959 | Founder of Humana | [46] |
| Joe Craft | BS 1972, JD 1976 | CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, a large coal producer, and philanthropist | [47] |
| Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton | BS 1954 | Businessman and major contributor to the university; namesake of College of Business and Economics | [48] |
| Rodney McMullen | BS 1981, MS 1982 | CEO of The Kroger Company | [49] |
| Sadiqa Reynolds | JD | CEO of the Perception Institute; former president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League | [50][51] |
| Chris T. Sullivan | BS 1972 | Founder of Outback Steakhouse | [52] |
| Paul C. Varga | Bachelor of Business Admin | Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Brown–Forman | [53] |
Entertainment
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adunni Ade | BS 2008 | Actress and model | [54] |
| Sara Bradley | Chef | [55] | |
| Ramsey Carpenter | BA 2013 | Miss Kentucky 2014 | [56] |
| Leticia Cline | BS 2000 | Model | [57] |
| Wes Cowan | MA | Auctioneer and appraiser for Antiques Roadshow and History Detectives | [58] |
| Joseph David-Jones | (did not graduate) | Actor | [59] |
| Clark Janell Davis | BA 2018 | Miss Kentucky 2015 | [60] |
| Jenna Day | BA 2014 | Miss Kentucky 2013 | [61] |
| Jimmy Dunne | BA 1977 | Songwriter, recording artist, composer, film and television producer, and entrepreneur | [62][63] |
| Chris Easterly | BA 1998 | Screenwriter | [64] |
| Miss Elizabeth | BA | WWF and WCW professional wrestling manager, wife of Randy Savage | [65] |
| Richard Bunger Evans | (did not graduate) | Composer and pianist | [66] |
| Lyndsey Gough | 2015 | On-air TV sports anchor | [67] |
| Ashley Judd | BA 2007 | Actress; celebrity fan of the Wildcats (men's) basketball team | [68] |
| Glenn Kotche | BM 1994 | Percussionist and composer, best known as drummer for Chicago rock band Wilco; named the 41st greatest drummer of all time by Gigwise in 2008 | [69] |
| Jean Ritchie | AB 1946 | Folk musician, singer, and songwriter who plays the Appalachian dulcimer | [70] |
| Reshma Shetty | MM, 2003 | Singer, actress, Royal Pains | [71] |
| Harry Dean Stanton | Actor known for playing Roman Grant on Big Love | ||
| Kristine Sutherland | Actress, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids | ||
| Rudy Vaughn | BM 2003 | Musician, singer-songwriter | [72] |
| Sullivan Canaday White | BA 1988 | Theater producer, director, and educator | [73] |
Government, law, and public policy
- Note: Individuals who belong in multiple sections appear in the first relevant section.
Governors
Members of the US Congress
US federal and state judges
Other US political and legal figures
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Babbage | MA 1988 | Former Secretary of State of Kentucky | [146][147] |
| Allison Ball | JD 2008 | Kentucky State Treasurer | [148] |
| Danny Bentley | BS PharmD | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [149] |
| Robert Benvenuti | BS 1988, MPA 1991, JD 1998 | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [150][151] |
| Richard Briggs | MD 1978 | Tennessee State Senator | [152] |
| John Young Brown III | JD 1992 | Former Secretary of State of Kentucky | [153] |
| Nick Casey | BS 1974 | Former Chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party | [154] |
| Russell Coleman | BA 1998, JD 2004 | United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky | [155] |
| Oscar M. Corbin Jr. | BS 1940 | Former Mayor of Fort Myers, Florida | [156] |
| Will Coursey | BA | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [157] |
| Kelly Knight Craft (née Guilfoil) | BA 1984 | United States Ambassador to the United Nations and United States Ambassador to Canada | [158] |
| Jesse Crenshaw | JD 1974 | Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [159] |
| Robert Damron | BA, MBA | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [160] |
| James J. Davidson | 1883 | US Representative-elect, died before taking the oath | [161] |
| Mike Denham | 1972 | Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [162] |
| Bob DeWeese | BS 1957 | Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives | [163] |
| James C. Duff | BA 1975 | Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts | [164] |
| Mike Duncan | JD 1974 | Former chairman of the Republican National Committee and current governor of the US Postal Service | [165] |
| Robert M. Duncan Jr. | JD 2003 | United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky | [166] |
| Adam Edelen | Auditor of Public Accounts for Kentucky | [167] | |
| A. M. Edwards | JD 1929 | Secretary of Guam | [168][169] |
| Christine A. Elder | BA 1989 | US Ambassador to Liberia | [170] |
| C. B. Embry | (did not graduate) | Member of the Kentucky State Senate | [171] |
| Gatewood Galbraith | BA 1974, JD 1977 | Activist and five-time candidate for Governor of Kentucky | [172] |
| Sara Beth Gregory | BA 2003, JD 2007 | Former member of the Kentucky State Senate, former state representative; lawyer in Monticello | [173] |
| Kerry B. Harvey | JD 1982 | Former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky | [174] |
| Jerry Lundergan | 1969 | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party | [175][176] |
| Russ Mobley | BA, MA | Former state representative from Taylor and Adair counties | [177] |
| Daniel Mongiardo | MD 1986 | Former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | [178] |
| Steve Pence | JD 1981 | Former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | [179] |
| Timothy N. Philpot | BS 1974, JD 1977 | Two-term State Senator of Kentucky (1991–98), family court circuit judge (2004–present) | [180] |
| Mary Ann Tobin | BS 1963 | Four-term member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (1976–84), Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts (1984–88) | [181] |
| Max Wise | MA 1999 | FBI agent, member of the Kentucky Senate | [182][183] |
| Joe Wright | BS 1962 | Kentucky State Senator (1976–92); party floor leader (1981–92); 1996 party nominee for U.S. Congress; businessman | [184] |
| Debbie Warner | BS | Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates | [185] |
- Karen Berg (born 1961), physician, professor, and member of the Kentucky State Senate
- Whitney Westerfield, politician
Journalism and literature
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Abbott | 1967–1968 (did not graduate) | Whiting Award-winning Novelist | |
| Sam Abell | BA 1969 | National Geographic photographer | [186] |
| Wendell Berry | BA 1956, MA 1957 | Poet, essayist and farmer | [187] |
| Maxine Cheshire | 1949–1950 (did not graduate) | Reporter for The Washington Post | [188] |
| Elizabeth Gould Davis | MA 1951 | Author of The First Sex | [189] |
| Charles Dickinson | BA 1973 | Author | |
| Michael Eaves | BA 1994 | Sportscaster | |
| Tom Hammond | BS 1967 | Sportscaster | [190] |
| Elizabeth Hardwick | AB 1938, MA 1939 | Writer | [191] |
| David Winfield Huddleston | BA 1971 | Christian author and minister | [192] |
| Kim Yong-ik | MA 1953 | Author | [193] |
| Elizabeth Madox Roberts | 1900 (did not graduate) | Poet and novelist | [194] |
| Don Rosa | BS 1973 | Eisner Award-winning writer and artist of Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comic books | [195] |
| Anne Shelby | MA 1981 | Children's book writer | [196][197] |
| Michael M. York | BA 1974 | Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting | [198][199] |
Military
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| William VanMeter Alford Jr. | BA, JD | Chief of Staff for the United States Pacific Command | [200] |
| John A. Dabney | BA 1926 | Lieutenant General, United States Army | [201] |
| Hugh M. Milton II | BS 1919, MS 1922 | United States Under Secretary of the Army, 1958–1961 | [202] |
| Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. | AB 1936 | Secretary of the Army under President John F. Kennedy, President of Indiana University and West Virginia University, and President of The National Audubon Society | [203] |
Miscellaneous
| Name | Years attended/ degree received | Notability | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Adkins | MFA 1979 | Interdisciplinary artist and musician | [204] |
| Joyce Hamilton Berry | MA 1967, PhD 1970 | Clinical psychologist | [205] |
| Madeline McDowell Breckinridge | 1890–1894 (did not graduate) | Leader of the women's suffrage movement | [206] |
| Stephen Bright | BA 1971, JD 1974 | President of the Southern Center for Human Rights | [207] |
| David Horace Clift | BS 1930 | President of the American Library Association | [208] |
| P. J. Conkwright | BA 1928 | Graphic designer and typographer | [209] |
| Gracyn Courtright | Senior | Federally charged participant in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol | [210] |
| Brenda Cowan | 1986 | Lexington's first black female firefighter; died in the line of duty | [211] |
| G. Lindsey Davis | MS 1972 | Methodist bishop | [212] |
| Mary Desha | (did not graduate) | Founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution | [213] |
| Edward A. Eckenhoff | MA 1968 | Founder and president of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. | [214] |
| Aaron Elam (OpTic Ace) | 2015 | Professional gamer | [215] |
| Pam Elam | BA 1972, JD 1975 | Feminist activist | [216] |
| Mark P. Finlay | B.Arch 1977 | Architect | [217] |
| Belinda Mason | BA 1980 | AIDS activist and member of the U.S. National Commission on AIDS | [218] |
| Story Musgrave | MS 1966 | Astronaut | [219] |
| Henderson Ryan | 1877 | Architect | [220] |
| John T. Scopes | BA 1924 | Defendant in the Scopes Trial | [221] |
| Yang Sung-chul | PhD 1970 | Political scientist, South Korean ambassador to the United States (2000–2003)[222] | [223] |
Sports alumni
Basketball
| Name | Years attended | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Anderson | 1994–97[b 1] | Former NBA player (2005–06 NBA champion) |
| Kelenna Azubuike | 2002–2005 | Former NBA Golden State Warriors player |
| Edrice Adebayo | 2016–2017 | 14th pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Miami Heat |
| Eric Bledsoe | 2009–2010 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft and current player for the Portland Trail Blazers |
| Keith Bogans | 1999–2003 | Former NBA player |
| Devin Booker | 2014–2015 | NBA player for the Phoenix Suns, 2018 3 point champion |
| Sam Bowie | 1979–1984[b 2] | 2nd pick in 1984 NBA draft (ahead of Michael Jordan) |
| Isaiah Briscoe | 2015–2017 | NBA player |
| Ramel Bradley | 2004–2008 | Playing for Hapoel Holon in the Israeli Super League[224] |
| Dwane Casey | Former Minnesota Timberwolves; current head coach for the Detroit Pistons | |
| Rex Chapman | 1986–1988 | Former NBA player and first-ever draft choice in Charlotte Hornets franchise history |
| Bill Cofield | MS 1967 | Basketball coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team[225] |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 2009–2010 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft |
| Joe Crawford | 2004–2008 | Former NBA New York Knicks player; 2nd round draft; 58th pick overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers |
| Louis Dampier | 1965–1967 | Played for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA; scored the most points in ABA history |
| Erik Daniels | 2000–2004 | NBDL Fayetteville Patriots player |
| Anthony Davis | 2011–2012 | Consensus men's college player of the year in 2011–12; now in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers[226] |
| Tony Delk | 1992–1996 | Former NBA player |
| Victoria Dunlap | 2007–2011 | WNBA player with the Washington Mystics |
| Fabulous Five | N/A | 1948 Olympic basketball gold medalists |
| Richie Farmer | 1988–1992 | Never played professional basketball; former Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, 2003–2011; spent two years in federal prison for crimes committed while Commissioner of Agriculture |
| Gerald Fitch | 2000–2004 | TBL Galatasaray Cafe Crown player |
| Travis Ford | 1990–1994[b 3] | Oklahoma State University men's basketball head coach |
| De'Aaron Fox | 2016–2017 | 5th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings |
| Jack Givens | 1974–1978 | 1978 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player |
| Kevin Grevey | 1972–1975 | Former NBA player |
| Josh Harrellson | 2008–2011 | Former NBA player |
| Chuck Hayes | 2001–2005 | Former NBA player |
| Tyler Herro | 2018–2019 | 13th pick in the 2019 NBA draft, NBA player for the Miami Heat |
| Dan Issel | 1966–1970 | All-time leading men's scorer and former Denver Nuggets head coach |
| Terrence Jones | 2010–12 | Former NBA player |
| Enes Kanter Freedom | 2010–2011[b 4] | 3rd pick in the 2011 NBA draft and current player for the Boston Celtics |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 2011–2012 | 2nd pick in the 2012 NBA draft |
| Brandon Knight | 2010–2011 | 8th pick in the 2011 NBA draft and current player for the Dallas Mavericks |
| Doron Lamb | 2010–2012 | Former NBA player |
| James Lee | 1975-1978 | Second round draft pick and former CBA player |
| Trey Lyles | 2014–2015 | NBA player for the Sacramento Kings |
| Skal Labissière | 2015–2016 | NBA player |
| Kyle Macy | 1976–1979[b 5] | Former Morehead State University men's basketball head coach |
| Jamaal Magloire | 1996–2000 | Former NBA player |
| Jamal Mashburn | 1990–1993 | Former NBA All-Star; current ESPN basketball analyst |
| Steve Masiello | 1996–2000 | Current head coach at Manhattan College |
| Walter McCarty | 1992–1996[b 6] | Former NBA player; current assistant coach at the University of Louisville |
| Ron Mercer | 1995–1997 | Current NBA free agent who has played with seven different teams |
| Malik Monk | 2016–2017 | 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings |
| Darius Miller | 2008–2012 | Former NBA player; currently playing in Germany with Brose Baskets |
| Dirk Minniefield | 1979–1983 | Former NBA player |
| Nazr Mohammed | 1995–1998 | Former NBA player; member of the 2004–05 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs |
| Randolph Morris | 2004–2007 | Former NBA player |
| Jamal Murray | 2015–2016 | 7th pick in the 2016 NBA draft for the Denver Nuggets, holds the record for most consecutive games with a three pointer |
| Cotton Nash | 1961–1964 | Former NBA player and MLB outfielder |
| Nerlens Noel | 2012–2013 | 6th pick in the 2013 NBA draft |
| Bernard Opper | 1936–1939 | All-American basketball player for the Wildcats and professional player |
| Daniel Orton | 2009–2010 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft |
| Scott Padgett | 1994–1999[b 7] | Former NBA and ACB player; current head coach at Samford University |
| Patrick Patterson | 2007–2010 | One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft |
| John Pelphrey | 1988–1992 | Current assistant at the University of Florida; former head coach at the University of Arkansas |
| Mike Phillips | 1975–1978 | Third Round draft pick and former Liga ACB player |
| Mark Pope | 1993–1996[b 8] | Former NBA player; current head coach at Utah Valley University |
| Alex Poythress | 2012–2016 | American-Ivorian basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier Basketball League, former NBA player |
| Tayshaun Prince | 1998–2002 | Former NBA player; member of the 2003–04 NBA champion Detroit Pistons |
| Frank Ramsey | 1950–1954 | Seven-time NBA champion |
| Julius Randle | 2013–2014 | NBA player for the New York Knicks |
| Pat Riley | 1963–1967 | NBA Miami Heat former coach, and current team president; coached the 2005–06 NBA champion Miami Heat |
| Rick Robey | 1975-1978 | Third overall draft pick in 1978; played with the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns; member of the Celtics' 1981 NBA Championship team |
| Rajon Rondo | 2004–2006 | NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player; member of the 2007–08 NBA champion Boston Celtics and 2019-20 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers |
| Nate Sestina | Israeli Basketball Premier League player | |
| Jeff Sheppard | 1993–1998[b 9] | 1998 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player |
| Valerie Still | 1979–1983 | 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 | 2011–2012 | Former NBA player |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 2014–2015 | 1st pick of the 2015 NBA draft; current player for the Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Wayne Turner | 1995–1999 | ANBL New Zealand Breakers player; ended his UK career as the all-time NCAA leader in games played (record since surpassed) |
| Tyler Ulis | 2014–2016 | NBA player |
| Frank Vogel | BS 1998 | Former head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers[227] |
| Antoine Walker | 1994–1996 | Former NBA player; member of the 2005–06 NBA champion Miami Heat |
| Kenny Walker | 1982–1986 | 1985–1986 All-American and 5th pick in the 1986 NBA draft |
| John Wall | 2009–2010 | 1st pick of the 2010 NBA draft; current player for the Houston Rockets[228] |
| Bobby Watson | Former NBA player | |
| Derek Willis | 2013–2017 | Former NBA player |
| Sean Woods | 1988–1992 | Former head coach at Morehead State University |
| James Young | NBA player; 2019–2020 top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League |
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.
- Willie Cauley-Stein (born 1993), NBA basketball player
- Sacha Killeya-Jones (born 1998), American-British basketball player for Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Football
| Name | Years attended | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Abney | NFL, former Chicago Bears wide receiver | |
| Josh Hines-Allen | 2015–2018 | Current outside linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 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 | Former offensive coordinator at Troy University, Texas Tech, and UK; current head coach at Troy | |
| Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns | Former NFL Indianapolis Colts defensive end | |
| Jerry Claiborne | 1946–1950 | Former head football coach |
| Randall Cobb | 2008–2011[230] | 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 |
| Jamin Davis | 2017–2020 | Linebacker; drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team |
| 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 | |
| Cory "Poop" Johnson | 2014–2016 | Former NFL and current CFL defensive lineman |
| 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 | Former punter for the Green Bay Packers; Super Bowl XLV Champion | |
| 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 | |
| Joker Phillips | 1981–1985 | 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 | 1974–1978 | Former tight end for three NFL teams; athletic director at Coppin State University, 2008–2015; Kentucky Secretary of Labor, 2015–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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Black | BA 1942 | Player-coach for the Wildcats[231] |
| Joe Blanton | Former Major League Baseball pitcher; member of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies, winner of Game 4 of the 2008 World Series | |
| Derek Bryant | 1971–1973 | Outfielder for the Oakland Athletics[232] |
| Collin Cowgill | Former Major League Baseball outfielder, 2011–2016 | |
| Greg Gibson | Major League Baseball umpire | |
| Trevor Gott | 2011–2013 | Pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, and formerly the Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, and Milwaukee Brewers |
| Andy Green | Former Major League Baseball player with the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks, and manager of the San Diego Padres | |
| Jason Kipnis | Second baseman for the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs | |
| Jim Leyritz | Former Major League Baseball player, most notably for the New York Yankees | |
| Luke Maile | Catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, and formerly the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays | |
| Randy Marsh | Former Major League Baseball umpire | |
| A. J. Reed | 2011–2014 | Minor League Baseball player in the Houston Astros organization; consensus NCAA Division I player of the year in 2014 |
| Mark Thompson | Former Major League Baseball pitcher | |
| Brandon Webb | Former Major League Baseball pitcher, 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner |
Other
- Simidele Adeagbo, Olympic athlete
- J. Elliott Burch, horse trainer
- Russ Cochran, golfer on the PGA Champions Tour[233]
- Michael D'Agostino, soccer midfielder[234]
- Steve Flesch, golfer on the PGA Tour
- Larry Glover, sports radio announcer
- Andy Gruenebaum (born 1982), MLS goalkeeper
- Jenny Hansen, 13-time All-American gymnast
- J. B. Holmes, golfer on the PGA Tour
- Kelli Hubly, NWSL defender 2017–present (currently with Portland Thorns FC)
- Andy Jackson, former tennis coach for Mississippi State and the University of Florida
- Josh Mulvany, English soccer midfielder
- Chase Parker, golfer
- Barry Rice, soccer defender
- Mary Tucker, Olympic sports shooter, world champion in 10 meter air rifle
Notable faculty
| Name | Joined | Left/retired | Position | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert A. Baker | 1969 | 1988 | Professor Emeritus of Psychology | [4] |
| Mark Berger | 1981 | 2003 | Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and William B. Sturgill Professor of Economics | [235] |
| Lois Mai Chan | 1970 | 2011 | Professor of Library Sciences | [14] |
| John Sherman Cooper | 1935 | 1946 | Member of the Board of Trustees | [236] |
| Guy Davenport | 1963 | 1990 | Professor of English | [237] |
| Lewis L. Walker | 1908 | 1915 | Member of the Board of Trustees | [238] |
| Benjamin Warf | 1992 | 2000 | Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Director of Surgical Education | [239] |
References
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