Notable Alumni of Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Tim Ryan 1973–

Former U.S. representative from Ohio

Bachelor of Science · Political science · Class of 1995

Also attended: University of New Hampshire-Franklin Pierce School of Law

Danny Ayalon 1955–

Israeli diplomat and former Deputy Foreign Minister

Bob Latta 1956–

US representative from Ohio

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1978

Also attended: University of Toledo

Father: Del Latta (University of Findlay, Ohio Northern University)

Pierre-Célestin Rwigema 1953–

Prime Minister of Rwanda from 1995 to 2000

John N. Abrams 1946–2018

United States Army four-star general

Also attended: Norwich University

Tom Luken 1925–2018

Former Democratic U.S. Representative from Ohio

Also attended: Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University

Brenda Hollis 2000–

Lawyer, prosecutor of Special Court for Sierra Leone

Also attended: University of Denver

Shantanu Narayen 1963–

Chairman and CEO of Adobe

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Carole Kariuki 1975–

CEO of Kenya Private Sector Alliance

Otara Gunewardene 1964–

Sri Lankan entrepreneur and founder of ODEL

William Easterly 1957–

Development economist and NYU professor

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Russell Barkley 1949–

Clinical neuropsychologist and ADHD expert

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1977

Also attended: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wayne Community College

William Julius Wilson 1935–

Harvard sociologist and professor emeritus

Master of Arts · Sociology · Class of 1961

Also attended: Wilberforce University, Washington State University

Child: Paula Wilson (Washington University in St Louis, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Stefan Rinke 1965–

German historian, professor at Freie Universität Berlin

Master of Arts · Class of 1989

James Baldwin 1924–1987

Writer and civil rights activist

Also attended: The New School

Tim Conway 1933–2019

Comedian and regular on The Carol Burnett Show

Eva Marie Saint 1924–2026

Actress and Academy Award winner

Robert Patrick 1958–

Actor known for villains and authority figures

Anthony Doerr 1973–

Author of All the Light We Cannot See

Also attended: Bowdoin College

James Pickens Jr. 1954–

Actor

Quinton Flynn 1964–

Voice actor, voice of Raiden in Metal Gear

Also attended: Kent State University at Kent

Marian McPartland 1918–2013

Jazz pianist and host of Piano Jazz

Bernie Casey 1939–2017

Professional football player and actor

Jennifer Higdon 1962–

Composer, 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Music winner

Also attended: Curtis Institute of Music

James Purdy 1914–2009

Novelist, poet and playwright

Also attended: University of Chicago

Sally Miller Gearhart 1931–2021

Teacher, radical feminist and science fiction writer

Master of Arts · Class of 1953

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sweet Briar College

Judson Laipply 1976–

American internet personality and dancer

Also attended: Bluffton University

Ric Reitz 1955–

Actor, writer, composer, director and producer

Tim Hagans 1954–

Jazz trumpeter, arranger and composer

Bob Hartman 1949–

Founder of Christian rock band Petra

Carolyn Forché 1950–

Poet, professor and human rights advocate

Also attended: Michigan State University

George Afedzi Hughes 1962–

Ghanaian-born artist and poet

Ladi Ladebo 1942–2021

Nigerian filmmaker and Nollywood pioneer

Matt Zimmerman 1934–2022

Canadian actor and voice of Alan Tracy

Lexi Allen 1967–

Gospel singer, producer and screenwriter

Mary Bridget Davies 1978–

Singer and actress, interpreter of Janis Joplin

Also attended: Kent State University at Kent

Fernando Alegría 1918–2005

Chilean poet, writer and literary critic

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Mike Emrick 1946–

Hockey play-by-play sportscaster

Also attended: Manchester University, Miami University-Oxford

Terry Ryan 1946–2007

Writer, author of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

Scott Hamilton 1958–

Figure skater, 1984 Olympic gold medalist

Nate Thurmond 1941–2016

NBA player, mostly with the Golden State Warriors

Dave Wottle 1950–

1972 Olympic 800 meters gold medalist

Richaun Holmes 1993–

Professional basketball player, played at Bowling Green

Rob Blake 1969–

Canadian former NHL player and executive

Antonio Daniels 1975–

Former NBA player and broadcast analyst

Chuck Share 1927–2012

NBA player, first ever NBA draft pick

Orel Hershiser 1958–

Former MLB pitcher and Dodgers broadcast analyst

Mark Wells 1957–2024

Member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team

Dan Bylsma 1970–

Ice hockey coach, former Penguins head coach

Ken Morrow 1956–

Ice hockey player on 1980 Miracle on Ice team

Alissa Czisny 1987–

Figure skater, two-time U.S. national champion

Kevin Bieksa 1981–

Former NHL defenceman and TV host

Greg Parks 1967–2015

Canadian hockey player, 1994 Olympic silver medalist

Al Bianchi 1932–2019

Basketball player, coach and general manager

Sean Walker 1994–

Canadian ice hockey defenceman

Ralfs Freibergs 1991–

Latvian ice hockey defenceman

Ken Klee 1971–

Former NHL defenseman, head coach of Minnesota Frost

Bob Hill 1948–

American basketball coach

Ted Sator 1949–

Ice hockey player and coach, former Rangers head coach

Andrew Hammond 1988–

Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played in the NHL