List of University of Central Missouri people

The following is a list of notable people associated with the University of Central Missouri, located in the American city of Warrensburg, Missouri.

Notable alumni

Politics and government

• Rex Barnett (born 1938), politician and former officer of the Missouri State Highway Patrol
• Wallace H. Graham, physician to the President (1945–1953); major general
• James Kirkpatrick, served as 32nd Missouri secretary of state
• Phill Kline, former Kansas attorney general; law professor at Liberty University
• Randy Pike, member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Darrell Pollock, former member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• James B. Potter Jr., member of the Los Angeles City Council (1963–1971)
• Carl Turner, member of the Kansas House of Representatives

Arts and media

• David R. Bunch, author of short stories and poetry who works primarily in science fiction, satire, surrealism, and literary fiction
• Dale Carnegie, author of How to Win Friends and Influence People
• Tolga Çevik, actor from Turkey
• David Cook, 2008 American Idol winner
• Grant Curtis, executive producer of Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3
• Thomas Hollyman, photojournalist
• David Holsinger, wind ensemble composer
• Allan Kayser, actor who played Bubba Higgins on Mama's Family
• Erich "Mancow" Muller, host of Mancow's Morning Madhouse, a Chicago-based radio show syndicated across the U.S.
• Brian Thomas Smith, actor known for The Big Bang Theory

Education

• Christopher Bell (1974–2009), scholar, author, and president of the Society for Disability Studies
• Robert P. Foster, president of Northwest Missouri State University 1964–1977
• Lawrence Walkup (1914–2002), president of Northern Arizona University

Science and technology

• Curtis Cooper, mathematician known for discovering largest known prime number
• Thomas Kunz, researcher notable for insights into bat ecology
• Gregg Miller, inventor of Neuticles and author; 2005 recipient of Ig Nobel Prize for Medicine
• Richard Schelp, mathematician; frequent research collaborator with Paul Erdős
• David Steward, billionaire CEO of World Wide Technology, Inc., the world's largest African American-owned company

Sports

Athletes

• Jim Chaney, offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Volunteers
• Mark Curp, former world and American record-holder in the half-marathon
• Zach Davidson, tight end and punter for the Buffalo Bills, drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings
• Todd Devoe, wide receiver in the NFL and Arena Football League
• Anna Glennon, jet ski racer
• Roderick Green, defensive end and linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
• Maury John, basketball coach at Drake University (1958–1971) and Iowa State University (1971–1974)
• Vern Kennedy, former pitcher of the Chicago White Sox, best known for throwing the first no-hitter in Comiskey Park
• Toby Korrodi, quarterback signed by the Arizona Cardinals in 2007 and cut in training camp
• Chuck Palumbo, professional wrestler
• Butch "Hacksaw" Reed, professional wrestler
• Jerry Reuss, former pitcher best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Katie Sowers, offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers; first openly gay coach in NFL history and first female coach to coach in a Super Bowl
• Ron Tabb, marathon runner
• Delanie Walker, tight end for the Tennessee Titans
• Colston Weatherington, former NFL and AFL player
• Jeff Wright, former nose tackle for the Buffalo Bills

Owners and executives

• Russ Ball, NFL executive
• Jim Crane, owner of Houston Astros baseball team

Other

• Jeffrey Lundgren, self-proclaimed prophet; former leader of a cult group and convicted murderer
• James O. McKinsey, founder of McKinsey & Company
• Carrie Nation, leader of the temperance movement

Notable faculty

• Phog Allen, basketball coach known as the "father of basketball coaching"; spent majority of career at the University of Kansas and namesake of Allen Fieldhouse
• Kim Anderson, replaced Frank Haith as head basketball coach of the Missouri Tigers
• Gene Bartow, replaced John Wooden as basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins
• Mildred Barnes, basketball coach 1971–1980, member of the U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Committee 1965–1972 (chair 1974–1976), inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000
• Curtis Cooper, mathematics
• Joe B. Hall, replaced Adolph Rupp as basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats
• Christopher Jargocki, physics
• Jim Johnson, associate athletic director (2003 to 2005); current athletic director for Pittsburg State University
• Mike Racy, vice president for law, policy, and strategy (2013–2016); current commissioner of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association

External links

• University of Central Missouri Alumni Association website