This is a list of notable people associated with Bowling Green State University, located in the American city of Bowling Green, Ohio.
Arts and entertainment
Authors and writers Fernando Alegría, Chilean poet Tony Ardizzone, novelist James Baldwin, author, poet (writer in residence) Matt Bell, author Mary Biddinger, poet James Carlos Blake, author Philana Marie Boles, author of Glitz, Little Divas, In the Paint, and Blame It on Eve Scott Cairns, poet Gary Cohn, comic book writer Jennifer Crusie, writer Jim Daniels, poet and writer Tom De Haven, writer Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Frank Dungan, television producer and writer Edmundo Farolan, author and actor David Feldman, author of Imponderables Robert Ferrigno, writer Carolyn Forche, writer Charles Fort, poet Sally Miller Gearhart, science fiction writer, women's studies pioneer, and early gay rights activist Diana Pavlac Glyer, author and expert on J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and the Inklings Darrell Hamamoto, writer Joseph D. Haske, author Alan Heathcock, fiction writer Steve Heller, fiction author Brad Hurtado, television producer Jack LoGiudice, television writer and producer Sandra Markle, children's book author
Susan Neville, short story writer Charles Nicol, writer, expert on Vladimir Nabokov William Patrick Patterson, author and fourth way teacher Barbara Paul, author James Purdy, author Arnold Rampersad, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Terry Ryan, writer Marc Sumerak, freelance writer, often works on Marvel Comics series Jean Thompson, fiction writer Anne Valente, author Allen Wier, author Dara Wier, poet Kayla Williams, linguist and author Theresa Williams, writer Michael Kennedy, screenwriter and producer
Actors Lexi Allen, singer, actress, television personality Bernie Casey, former professional football player, actor, and visual artist Tim Conway, Emmy Award-winning actor Frank Dungan, television producer and Primetime Emmy Award winner Quinton Flynn, voice actor Robert Patrick, actor James Pickens, Jr., actor Ric Reitz, actor Kathia Rodriguez, actress Eva Marie Saint, Academy Award-winning actress Ron Sweed, television actor Matt Zimmerman, actor
Musicians and composers Uzee Brown Jr, composer Chris Castle, folk musician David Conte, composer Hildward Croes, Aruban musician Joseph Dangerfield, composer Minnita Daniel-Cox, soprano Ray Davis, bass singer and founding member of The Parliaments John Douglas, conductor Tim Hagans, jazz musician Bob Hartman, Christian rock artist and founder of the band Petra Jennifer Higdon, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music composer Michael Holmes, saxophonist Eglė Janulevičiūtė, Lithuanian classical pianist Marian McPartland, jazz musician Mildred Miller, mezzo-soprano, received an honorary degree Ric Ocasek, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for The Cars Griffen Palmer, country singer-songwriter Rich Perry, jazz musician Bill Randle, DJ, received an honorary doctorate James Swearingen, concert band literature composer William Takacs, musician
Artists Robert Archambeau, ceramic artist; worked in the studio of Jun Kaneko; colleague of painter Don Reichert Kathrine Baumann, handbag designer, model, and actress Barbara Bosworth, large format photographer George O. Hughes, painter, poet, performance artist Tony Kern, film director, directed A Month of Hungry Ghosts Dominick Labino, glass artist, scientist, honorary doctorate Tim McCreight, metal smith Jason Nelson, pioneering net artist, digital poet Ed Sayles, theater director William Silvers, wildlife artist, painter for Walt Disney, Industrial Light and Magic, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, and Warner Brothers Douglas Steakley, metal smith and photographer; winner of the 2003 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography Rick Valicenti, graphic designer
Dancers Mary Jo Freshley, Korean dance instructor at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Judson Laipply, creator of the "Evolution of Dance"
Athletes
Olympians Rob Blake, Hall of Fame ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 2001; three-time member of the Canadian Olympic hockey team, winning a gold medal in 2002 Ralfs Freiberg, played in two Olympics for Latvia. https://www.wtol.com/article/sports/olympics/northwest-ohio-to-olympics-ice-hockey-ralfs-freibergs-latvia/512-bbde1918-ff3a-4bbd-89c5-2ebd75727252 Scott Hamilton, professional figure skater and Olympic gold medalist Margarita Kalmikova, two-time Olympian swimmer from Latvia Ken Morrow, former professional ice hockey player and member of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team Mark Wells, former professional ice hockey player and member of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team Dave Wottle, won an Olympic gold medal for the 800 meter run at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Soccer Bud Lewis, former professional soccer player and head coach at Wilmington College 1975–2017 Dennis Mepham, former professional soccer player for the Cleveland Force (1978–1988) Dana Veth, former professional soccer player
Basketball Kate Achter, collegiate basketball coach Harold Anderson, former college basketball coach; Basketball Hall of Fame member Tom Collen, collegiate basketball coach Antonio Daniels, former professional basketball player Tom Hancock, basketball coach Bob Hill, professional basketball coach Richaun Holmes, professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards Howard Komives, former professional basketball player for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Buffalo Braves, and Kansas City Kings Jay Larranaga, former professional basketball player and current member of the Los Angeles Clippers coaching staff Keith McLeod, former professional basketball player Steve Merfeld, basketball coach Charlie Parker, basketball coach Daeqwon Plowden, professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association Isaac Rosefelt, American-Israeli former basketball player Richard Skeel, basketball coach Nate Thurmond, former professional basketball player; seven-time NBA All-Star; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
Baseball Larry Arndt, infielder for the Oakland Athletics; BGSU Baseball Hall of Fame member Burke Badenhop, former MLB pitcher Doug Bair, former professional baseball player Jon Berti, professional baseball player currently with the Miami Marlins Orel Hershiser, former professional baseball player, currently an analyst for the Los Angeles Dodgers Jim Joyce, former MLB umpire Roger McDowell, former professional baseball player and coach Nolan Reimold, former MLB baseball player Andy Tracy, former professional baseball player; current manager for the Columbus Clippers of the International League Chet Trail, former professional baseball player
Football Martin Bayless, former professional football player Karl Brooks, professional football player currently with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League Khary Campbell, former professional football player Jeff Genyk, current tight ends coach and special teams coordinator for the University of Wisconsin football team Joe Green, former professional player for the New York Giants Jeff Groth, former professional football player Josh Harris, professional football player, last with the New York Giants Omar Jacobs, professional football player currently with the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League Chris Jones, professional football player with the New England Patriots Kamar Jorden, professional football player currently with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League Kory Lichtensteiger, professional football player currently with the Washington Redskins Scotty Miller, professional football player, Super Bowl LV champion Quintin Morris, professional football player currently with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League Scott Mruczkowski, professional football player Don Nehlen, former player who became a highly successful coach at West Virginia University and college football hall of fame member Kevin O'Brien, former professional football player Dean Pees, NFL defensive coordinator Doyt Perry, former college football coach and college football hall of fame member Dave Preston, former professional football player Robert Redd, professional football player Bob Reynolds, former professional football player Jamie Rivers, former professional football player Bob Schnelker, former professional football player Bob Seaman, football coach Doug Smith, former professional football player Fred Sturt, former professional football player Shaun Suisham, professional football player currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers Vince Villanucci, former professional football player Phil Villapiano, former professional football player; four-time Pro Bowler Mike Weger, former professional football player Charlie Williams, former professional football player Bob Wolfe, football coach
Hockey Kevin Bieksa, professional ice hockey player currently with the Anaheim Ducks Aris Brimanis, professional ice hockey player currently with the Hannover Scorpions Dan Bylsma, former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Seattle Kraken Gino Cavallini, former professional hockey player, scorer for the Falcons NCAA National Championship, winning overtime goal Greg de Vries, former professional ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 2001 Dave Ellett, former professional ice hockey player Nelson Emerson, former professional ice hockey player Alex Foster, professional ice hockey player Mark Friedman (born 1995), NHL player Garry Galley, former professional ice hockey player Andrew Hammond, professional ice hockey player Brian Hills, former professional ice hockey player, current associate head coach of the RIT Tigers men's hockey team Brian Holzinger, former professional ice hockey player and Hobey Baker Award winner Mike Johnson, former professional ice hockey player, currently an analyst for the NHL Network, and TSN and color commentator for the Winnipeg Jets Dan Kane, former professional ice hockey player Ken Klee, former professional ice hockey player Mike Liut, former professional ice hockey player Brian MacLellan, professional ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 1989; current General Manager of the Washington Capitals Jon Matsumoto, professional hockey player currently with the San Jose Sharks George McPhee, former professional ice hockey player, Hobey Baker Award winner, General Manager of NHL's Vegas Golden Knights and former GM of Washington Capitals Todd Reirden, former professional ice hockey player and current head coach for the Washington Capitals; won Stanley Cup in 2018 Dan Sexton, professional ice hockey player currently with the Tampa Bay Lightning Jonathan Sigalet, professional ice hockey player playing for Brynäs IF in the Swedish Hockey League Jordan Sigalet, former professional ice hockey player; currently the goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League Wayne Wilson, current head coach of the RIT Tigers men's hockey team Paul Ysebaert, former professional ice hockey player
Other Alissa Czisny, figure skater and 2009 US Figure Skating National Champion Mike McCullough, professional golfer Nick Mileti, former owner of Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Crusaders, and writer of Closet Italians Kurt Weaver, rugby match official
Politics
Ambassadors Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Leonardo Neher, US ambassador to Upper Volta
Judicial John R. Adams, federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio James Henry Gorbey, United States federal judge Brenda Hollis, chief persecutor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone James R. Knepp II, United States district judge Sara Elizabeth Lioi, United States district judge