Murray State University is a public university in Murray, Kentucky. Following are some of its notable alumni.

Art NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesJeff Easley1977PaintingOil painter who creates fantasy artwork for role-playing games, comics, and magazinesAlma Lesch1941TeachingFiber artistJoe Staton 1970Comic book artist

Athletics NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesRex Alexander1949College basketball and tennis coachShane Andrus2004Business and marketingProfessional football player with the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Francisco 49ersIvan Aska2012Health and physical educationProfessional basketball player in the Israeli National LeagueLeva Bates2003Theater, radio, and televisionProfessional wrestler with All Elite Wrestling known as The LibrarianMarcus Brown1996Professional basketball player and college basketball coach Shaq Buchanan2017Integrated studies-health and exerciseProfessional basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier LeagueTodd Buchanan1995Physical education and psychologyHead coach of women's basketball at the University of HoustonChester Caddas1957Head football coach at the University of the Pacific and Colorado State UniversityIsaiah Canaan2013AdvertisingProfessional basketball player with the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls and Phoenix SunsMike CherryProfessional football player with the New York GiantsEd Daniel2013Healthcare administrationProfessional basketball player with the Israeli team Maccabi AshdodBud Foster1981College football coach at Virginia TechTony Franklin 1979, 1989History, M.A. educationOffensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Middle Tennessee State UniversityJustin Fuente1999Head football coach at Virginia Tech, University of Memphis, and Texas Christian UniversityJoe FulksNon-degreeProfessional basketball player and inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Ron Greene1962Health and physical educationHead basketball coach of Mississippi State University and Murray State UniversityPete Gudauskas1940Professional football player with the Chicago BearsRod Harper2008Social scienceProfessional football player with the New Orleans Saints and Super Bowl championRob Hart1999American historyProfessional football player with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, and the Miami DolphinsMorgan Hicks20042004 Summer Olympics in three-position smallbore shooting and head coach of Nebraska Cornhuskers rifleRon Hopkins1982Professional football player with the Canadian Football LeagueEmily Hoskins2011M.A., clinical psychology2004 and 2008 U.S. Paralympian Basketball gold medalist; USOPC Hall of FameUSOPC Hall of FamePopeye Jones1992Professional basketball player with the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Washington Wizards and assistant coach with the Denver NuggetsRuth JonesMEd physical educationHead coach for Purdue University women's basketballIrby KoffmanHead football coach at Murray State UniversityWesley KorirNon-degreedWinner of the 2012 Boston Marathon and Kenyan Member of Parliament Austen Lane2009JournalismProfessional football player with the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville JaguarsGil MainsProfessional football player with the Detroit Lions and professional wrestlerJeff Martin1989Professional basketball playerJa MorantNon-degreedProfessional basketball player with the Memphis GrizzliesCameron PayneNon-degreedUndeclaredProfessional basketball player with the Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland CavaliersPat PitneyEngineering physics1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist in rifle and president of the University of Alaska systemWalt Powell2013AdvertisingProfessional football playerMichael Proctor1990Safety engineering and healthProfessional football player with the Canadian Football LeagueBennie Purcell1952, 1961B.A., M.A.Professional basketball player with the Harlem Globetrotters and college tennis coachJohnny Reagan1947College baseball coach and minor league baseball player Mark RigginsPitching coach for Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati RedsKirk Rueter1991Professional baseball player with the Montreal Expos and San Francisco GiantsHeather SamuelSprinter at the 1992 Summer Olympics, 1996 Summer Olympics, and 2000 Summer OlympicsJames Singleton2003Professional basketball playerFred Sowerby19731976 Summer Olympics track and field athlete and head track and field coach of Delaware State UniversityReggie SwintonProfessional football player with the Detroit Lions and Dallas CowboysChuck Taylor2011Professional wrestlerClaude VirdenProfessional basketball playerQuincy Williams2018Public relationsProfessional football player with the Jacksonville JaguarsRoger Withrow1984 Summer Paralympics rifle gold medalistJared WolfeProfessional golfer

Clergy NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesBrian Lee Cole1989Business administrationEpiscopal bishop of East TennesseeHartman Rector Jr.General authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)

Education NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesAdron Doran1938, 1948B.A., M.A.President of Morehead State University, director of the Division of Teacher Education and Certification for the Kentucky Department of Education, namesake of the Adron Doran University CenterBob Jackson1985Finance and economicsPresident of Murray State University and Kentucky SenatePatricia J. JohnsonBiologyProfessor of Microbiology at University of California, Los AngelesAlison Marr2002MathematicsProfessor of mathematics and computer science at Southwestern University in TexasPat PitneyEngineering physicsPresident of the University of Alaska system and 1984 Summer Olympics gold medalist in rifleForrest Pogue1931Director of the George C. Marshall Foundation and the Marshall Library at Virginia Military Institute; United States Army historianKenneth W. Winters1957Industrial artsKentucky Senate and president of Campbellsville University

Entertainment NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesDee BartonJazz trombonist and big band drummer known with the Stan Kenton OrchestraW. Earl Brown1986Theater and radio/televisionActorJerry CrutchfieldNon-degreedSinger, songwriter, and record producerTericka DyeFormer pornographic actress and teacherS.G. GoodmanSinger-songwriterAlex Harvey1964M.A. in music and educationCountry music singer and songwriterThomas Rickman1965EnglishFilm director, playwright, and screenwriterHal Riddle1942ActorChrishell Stause2003TheaterActress, best known for All My Children and Selling SunsetChris ThileNon-degreedMusicMusician and member of Nickel Creek and Punch BrothersJilon VanOver 2001Theater artsActorJ. D. WilkesStudio artsMusician, visual artist, filmmaker

Law NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesBill Cunningham1962Justice of the Kentucky Supreme CourtSteven H. David1979Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court

Literature and journalism NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesKevin Brown2012MFA poetryPoet and authorJohn Mack Carter1948Editor of Ladies’ Home Journal and Good Housekeeping, president and CEO of Hearst Magazines EnterprisesJude Deveraux1970ArtHistorical romance novelistTaghreed El-Khodary2000M.S. mass communicationsCorrespondent in Gaza for The New York TimesJohn Fetterman1948Journalist and winner of the Pulitzer PrizeGene Graham1948Journalist and co-winner of the Pulitzer Prize for National ReportingMike Long Physics and mathematicsSpeechwriter and authorRichard Thomas2012MFA creative writingAuthor of speculative fiction

Military NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesMary A. Marsh1951MusicBrigadier general in the United States Air Force

Politics NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesDavid L. Armstrong1966Mayor of Louisville, KentuckyBill Bailey1970Indiana House of Representatives and mayor of Seymour, IndianaJoseph L. Bocchini Jr.EducationNew Jersey General AssemblyMarion E. Burks1935Illinois House of Representatives and circuit court judge for Cook County, IllinoisMyron DossettKentucky House of RepresentativesLarry ElkinsKentucky House of RepresentativesFats Everett1936United States House of RepresentativesEd Gallrein1981 (bachelor's), 1984 (masters) Agricultural economicsFarmer, former Navy SEAL officer, Republican Party nominee in the U.S. House of Representatives election for Kentucky's fourth congressional district in 2026Milton H. Hamilton Jr.1955Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee Senate, and Tennessee commissioner of Environment and ConservationRichard HeathAgricultural education, M.A. agricultureKentucky House of RepresentativesMelvin Henley1961, 1964ChemistryKentucky House of RepresentativesLarry J. HopkinsUnited States House of RepresentativesStanley H. Humphries1992EducationKentucky SenateKenny ImesKentucky House of RepresentativesBob JacksonFinanceKentucky Senate and president of Murray State University Wesley KorirNon-degreedWinner of the 2012 Boston Marathon and Kenyan member of Parliament Adam Moore 2007 International affairsKentucky House of RepresentativesWilliam F. PaxtonMayor of Paducah, KentuckyBill Redmond1976Political science and accountingUnited States House of RepresentativesSteven Rudy2000Agriculture educationKentucky House of RepresentativesHarry Lee Waterfield1932Lieutenant governor of Kentucky Gerald Watkins1981, 1984Business administration, MBAKentucky House of RepresentativesWade WilliamsMPAKentucky House of RepresentativesKenneth W. Winters1957Industrial artsKentucky Senate and president of Campbellsville University Evan WynnWisconsin State AssemblyBrent Yonts1971Political scienceKentucky House of Representatives

Science and medicine NameClassMajorNotabilityReferencesVicki Funk1969Biology and historyBotanist and curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural HistoryRex Geveden1983, 1984Engineering physics, M.S. physics Deputy director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and CEO of BWX TechnologiesJ. Paul Hogan1942Chemistry and physicsResearch chemistEdward G McFarlandBiologyProfessor of shoulder surgery at Johns Hopkins School of MedicineLois Ann Pfiester1970BiologyPhycologist and protistologist, specializing in freshwater dinoflagellate speciesJerry A. Shields1960BiologyOphthalmologist with the Wills Eye InstituteFrances Strickland1963Health and physical educationEducational psychologist and former First Lady of Ohio

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