McNeese State University - Notable Alumni

Notable Alumni

• Zach Bronson – Former Safety for the San Francisco 49ers from 1997–2003
• Ben Broussard – Major League Baseball first baseman
• Tierre Brown – National Basketball Association player and MVP of the NBA Development League in 2004
• Clay Buchholz – Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Pitched a no-hitter in 2007.
• James David Cain – Former state representative and state senator from Calcasieu, Beauregard, and Vernon parishes
• Michael Ray Charles – Contemporary artist
• Jefferson J. DeBlanc – Medal of Honor recipient.
• Andre Dubus – Writer of short fiction, including the work "Killings" which was adapted into the Oscar-nominated motion picture In the Bedroom
• Joe Dumars – National Basketball Association former guard for the Detroit Pistons and MVP of the 1989 NBA Finals; Top 50 All-Time NBA Team; member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
• Dan Flavin – Lake Charles Realtor and former state representative
• Ray Fontenot – Former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1983–1986. He pitched for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, & Minnesota Twins
• Keith Frank – Zydeco musician
• Brett Geymann – state representative from District 35, Calcasieu Parish
• Kelley Brooke Gravlee, now Brooke Kelley – writer for Glamour and founder of Akashic Magazine.
• Bob Howry – Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
• Kerry Joseph – Quarterback of the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL.
• Doug Kershaw – Musician
• Chuck Kleckley – state representative from southwestern Calcasieu Parish
• Derek Lamely – professional golfer
• Luke Lawton – NFL Fullback/Half Back for Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, and now with the Oakland Raiders.
• Willie Mount – Louisiana State Senator
• Dan Morrish – Member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from Jennings
• Reginald Nelson- Former offensive Lineman and 5th round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 1999 NFL Draft. Started 52 consecutive games at McNeese, more than any other Cowboy in school history.
• Keith Ortego – Former American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was a member of the Bears team that won Super Bowl XX following the 1985 NFL season.
• Eric Pete – New York Times bestselling author
• Kavika Pittman – Former Defensive End and 2nd-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1996 NFL Draft
• Dan Richey – Former state representative and state senator and Republican political activist
• B. J. Sams – Punt and kick-off returner for the Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs
• Leonard Smith – Former 1st round draft pick, 17th overall, of the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) in the 1983 NFL Draft. He played cornerback and safety in the NFL for the Cardinals from 1983–1988 and the Buffalo Bills from 1988–1991.
• Richard Copeland Slocum – better known as R. C. Slocum, was the head football coach at Texas A&M University from 1989 until 2002. He is the coach with the most wins in Texas A&M football history.
• Victor T. "Vic" Stelly – former state representative from Calcasieu Parish and author of the Stelly Plan who also did postgraduate studies at McNeese and served as a college administrator
• Joe Gray Taylor, distinguished historian of Louisiana and the American South, was the chairman of the McNeese history department and later the dean of the College of Liberal Arts prior to his death in 1987.
• Demond Mallet – Former German Bundesliga basketball allstar (2002, 2004, 2005, 2007) and Championship MVP (2004–5 season), the highest paid professional basketball player in Belgium.
• John Thomas, Former MLB player (Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals)