This list of La Salle University people includes alumni, faculty, presidents, and other individuals associated with La Salle University.
Alumni Note: Individuals may be listed in more than one category.
Government, law, and public policy
Francis L. Bodine – former member of New Jersey General Assembly Kevin J. Boyle – member of Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2011 William J. Burns – U.S. ambassador to Jordan; deputy secretary of state 2011–2014; head of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace John F. Byrne Sr. – Pennsylvania state senator for the 8th district 1951–1952, Philadelphia city councilman Billy Ciancaglini – Republican nominee for mayor of Philadelphia, 2019 Tina Davis – member of Pennsylvania House of Representatives Madeleine Dean – U.S. congresswoman Joseph DeFelice – former chair of Philadelphia GOP, current Trump appointee Joseph T. Doyle – Pennsylvania state representative for the 163rd district 1971–78 Michael Driscoll – businessman, member of Philadelphia City Council since 2022, founder of the iconic Philadelphia Irish pub Finnigan's Wake Dwight Evans – U.S. congressman from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district Edward Fenlon – former member of Michigan House of Representatives and jurist Brian Fitzpatrick – U.S. congressman from Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district Tom Gola – NBA Naismith Hall of Fame basketball player; Philadelphia city controller 1970–71 William F. Harrity – national chairman of Democratic Party (1892–1896) Tom Houghton – former Pennsylvania state representative William F. Keller – member of Pennsylvania House of Representatives Jim Kenney – mayor of Philadelphia 2016–2024 Emmett Joseph Leahy (1910–1964) – archivist and entrepreneur, pioneer in the discipline of records management Joanna E. McClinton – Pennsylvania state representative since 2015 Tom Murt – Pennsylvania state representative from the 152nd district Dennis M. O'Brien – speaker of Pennsylvania House of Representatives; Philadelphia city councilman Michael H. O'Brien – Pennsylvania House of Representatives Mark Squilla – member of Philadelphia City Council Michael J. Stack III – lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania alongside Tom Wolf John Waldron – criminal defense lawyer Sarah Wescott-Williams – first prime minister of Country Saint Maarten (2010–2014) Chris Wogan – former Pennsylvania representative and judge
Business Tom Curley – co-creator, former president of USA Today Larry Miller – president of the Jordan Brand
Academia & education Stephen Andriole – Thomas G. Labrecque Chair of Business Technology at Villanova University John D. Caputo – Thomas J. Watson Professor of Humanities at Syracuse University; founder of weak theology Naomi Halas – Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor in Chemistry at Rice University Paula Krebs – executive director of the Modern Language Association (MLA), 2017–present Michael McGinniss – president of Christian Brothers University, 1994–1999, and La Salle University, 1999–2014
Literature Michael F. Flynn – science fiction author Charles Fuller – playwright, winner of the Pulitzer Prize Jack McDevitt – science fiction author Matthew Quick – author
Fine arts John McShain – builder of The Pentagon, Jefferson Memorial, and Kennedy Center
Entertainment
Jessica Barth – actress Peter Boyle – Emmy Award-winning actor Ralph Garman – actor, voice actor Kevin Wildes – sports television personality, producer
Journalism and media Adam Bagni – sportscaster Bob Brinker – nationally syndicated radio broadcaster and host of Moneytalk Tom Curley – founder of USA Today, former CEO of AP A.J. Daulerio – editor-in-chief of Gawker, Deadspin, The Small Bow Brady Hicks – wrestling journalist Jack Jones - journalist and television news anchor Tim Legler – NBA, ESPN analyst Meredith Marakovits – YES Network reporter Jillian Mele – former host at Fox News, current host at WPVI-TV Bill Raftery – ESPN and CBS Sports college basketball analyst Gary Smith – sportswriter
Miscellaneous
Michael William Brescia – convicted bank robber, part of the Midwest Bank Robbers group Johnny Dougherty – labor leader Ellwood Kieser – priest; producer, Insight, Romero Walter P. Lomax Jr. – medical practitioner
Athletics
American football Mike Mandarino – NFL George Somers – NFL
Soccer Cesidio Colasante – MLS draft pick John McCarthy – goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Union Courtney Niemiec – defender for the Portland Thorns FC Ryan Richter – defender for Ottawa Fury FC
Basketball Michael Brooks – NBA and Europe; professional career lasted 1980–2008 Joe Bryant – NBA and Europe, father of Kobe Bryant, former head coach of Los Angeles Sparks of WNBA Rasual Butler – last played for the San Antonio Spurs; died on January 31, 2018 Larry Cannon – ABA player Fran Dunphy – head coach for La Salle Explorers men's basketball Larry Foust – 8-time NBA All-Star (1951–1956, 1958–1959) Ramon Galloway – professional basketball player Tom Gola – enshrined in Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976; NBA champion (1956); 5-time NBA All-Star (1960–1964); No. 15 retired by La Salle
B.J. Johnson – current NBA player Tim Legler – NBA, analyst for ESPN's NBA coverage Ralph Lewis – NBA player Joe Mihalich – head coach of Hofstra University men's basketball Larry Miller – former president of NBA's Portland Trail Blazers; president of Jordan Brand Jeff Neubauer – head coach of Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball Doug Overton – NBA, played in 11 NBA seasons for eight different teams; head coach for Springfield Armor Jim Phelan – basketball player and coach Tom Piotrowski – basketball, NBA, FIBA, CBA Bill Raftery – ESPN and CBS Sports college basketball analyst Cheryl Reeve – head coach of WNBA's Minnesota Lynx; by percentage the winningest coach in league's history, most postseason games of any WNBA coach Lionel Simmons – NBA, third-leading scorer in NCAA history; drafted 7th overall by Sacramento Kings in 1990 Steven Smith – NBA, Serie A player Christian Standhardinger – BBL player Fatty Taylor – ABA, NBA player Randy Woods – NBA player Stephen Zack (born 1992) – basketball player for Hapoel Holon in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Olympians La Salle Olympians have won a total of seven medals (five gold, and two bronze) in 12 Olympic Games.
Diane Bracalente – field hockey, Seoul 1988 Al Cantello – track and field, Rome 1960 Stan Cwiklinski – rowing, gold medal, men's eight, Tokyo 1964 Hugh Foley – rowing, gold medal, men's eight, Tokyo 1964 Charles Kieffer – rowing, gold medal, men's pair with coxswain, Los Angeles 1932 Kathy McGahey – field hockey, bronze medal, Los Angeles 1984 Diane Moyer – field hockey, Moscow 1980; bronze medal, Los Angeles 1984 Cheryl Reeve – USA women's basketball, Paris 2024, head coach of the Olympic gold-medal team John Uelses – first person to pole vault 16' (4.88 m), setting the world record (failed to qualify at trials) Joe Verdeur – swimming, gold medal, in 200 meter breaststroke, London 1948
Faculty Former faculty Austin App – considered America's first major Holocaust denier Madeleine Dean – English writing and ethics professor for 10 years in La Salle's Arts and Sciences department Joseph DeFelice – former chair of the Philadelphia GOP John Lukacs – historian specializing in populism Paul Westhead – English professor at La Salle 1972–1979 and NBA head coach for the 1980 championship-winning Los Angeles Lakers
Selected men's basketball head coaches Head coachTenureKen Loeffler1949–1955Tom Gola1968–1970Paul Westhead1970–1979William "Speedy" Morris1986–2001Billy Hahn2001–2004John Giannini2004–2018Ashley Howard2018–2022Fran Dunphy2022–present
University presidents
PresidentTenureBrother Teliow 1863Brother Oliver 1863–1872Brother Noah1872–1875Brother Joachim of Mary 1875–1876Brother Stephen of Jesus 1876–1878Brother Romuald 1878–1883Brother Clementian1883–1885Brother Fabrician 1885–1887Brother Isidore John 1887–1889Brother Abraham of Jesus1889–1890Brother Isidore John 1890–1900Brother Wolfred of Mary 1900–1903Brother Abdas John1903–1911Brother Denis Edward 1911–1917Brother Ennodius Richard 1917–1922Brother Galbert Lucian1922–1925Brother Dorotheus Lewis 1925–1928Brother Elzear Alfred 1928–1932Brother Edwin Anselm 1932–1941Brother Emilian James 1941–1945Brother Dominic Luke 1945Brother Gregorian Paul1945–1952Brother Erminus Stanislaus 1952–1958Brother Daniel Bernian 1958–1969Brother Daniel Burke1969–1976Brother Patrick Ellis1977–1992Brother Joseph Burke1992–1998Nicholas Giordano1998–1999 (interim)Brother Michael McGinniss1999–2014Dr. James Gallagher2014–2015 (interim)Dr. Colleen Hanycz2015–2021Tim O’Shaughnessy 2021–2022 (interim)Dr. Daniel J. Allen 2022–present
References