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62 notable alumni U.S. News #288

Notable Alumni of University of Memphis

Notable alumni of University of Memphis include Dixie Carter (Actress who starred in Designing Women), Derrick Rose (Former NBA player, 2008 first overall pick) and Michael Jeter (Actor of stage and screen).

College data and admissions

Alumni list

Politics and law

Business

Science and academia

  • Kathryn Sophia Belle 1978–

    Philosopher, associate professor at Penn State

  • József Balogh 1971–

    Hungarian-American mathematician in graph theory and combinatorics

    Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 2001

  • William R. Lucas 1922–2025

    Fourth director of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

    Bachelor of Science · Chemistry · Class of 1943

    Also attended: Vanderbilt University

  • Kenneth T. Jackson 1939–

    Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University

    Also attended: University of Chicago

Arts and media

  • Dixie Carter 1939–2010

    Actress who starred in Designing Women

    Also attended: Rhodes College, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

    Spouse: George Hearn (Rhodes College)

    Spouse: Hal Holbrook (Denison University)

  • Michael Jeter 1952–2003

    Actor of stage and screen

  • Andy Dick 1965–

    Comedian and actor

    Also attended: Columbia College Chicago, Illinois Wesleyan University

  • William Sanderson 1944–

    Actor known for Blade Runner and Deadwood

  • Stella Stevens 1938–2023

    Actress and Playboy Playmate

  • Linda Thompson 1950–

    Songwriter, former actress and beauty pageant winner

    Spouse: Caitlyn Jenner (Graceland University-Lamoni)

    Spouse: David Foster (University of Southern California)

  • Wink Martindale 1933–2025

    Disc jockey and game show host

    Bachelor of Science

  • Clare Grant 1979–

    Actress, model and producer

  • John Dye 1963–2011

    Actor known for Touched by an Angel

  • Mulgrew Miller 1955–2013

    Jazz pianist, composer and educator

  • Drumma Boy 1983–

    Record producer and rapper

  • Eric Jerome Dickey 1961–2021

    Crime novelist

    Bachelor of Science · Class of 1983

  • Olan Rogers 1987–

    Creator of the animated series Final Space

  • Larry Riley 1952–1992

    Actor and musician, A Soldier's Story

  • Carolyn D. Wright 1949–2016

    Poet, MacArthur Fellow and Rhode Island Poet Laureate

    Bachelor of Arts

    Also attended: University of Arkansas

  • Will Christopher Baer 1966–

    Author of hardboiled fiction

    Also attended: Naropa University, Tulane University of Louisiana

  • Bill Easley 1943–

    Jazz saxophonist, flutist and clarinetist

  • Yijun Liao 1979–

    Chinese-American photographer based in Tokyo

Sports

  • Derrick Rose 1988–

    Former NBA player, 2008 first overall pick

    Attended until 2008

  • Penny Hardaway 1971–

    Four-time NBA All-Star, Memphis head coach

  • Jerry Lawler 1949–

    Professional wrestler and color commentator

  • Tyreke Evans 1989–

    Former NBA player, fourth pick in 2009 draft

  • Joe Salisbury 1992–

    British former professional doubles tennis player

  • Will Barton 1991–

    Former professional basketball player

  • Tarik Black 1991–

    Former NBA player for Lakers and Rockets

  • Lorenzen Wright 1975–2010

    NBA player, seventh overall pick in 1996

  • James Wiseman 2001–

    NBA player for the New York Knicks

  • Joey Dorsey 1983–

    Former pro basketball player and coach

  • Precious Achiuwa 1999–

    Nigerian basketball player with the Sacramento Kings

  • Jalen Duren 2003–

    NBA player for the Detroit Pistons

    Attended until 2022

  • Chris Douglas-Roberts 1987–

    Former pro basketball player, played for Memphis

  • Earl Barron 1981–

    Former professional basketball player and coach

  • Shawne Williams 1986–

    Former NBA player, 17th pick in 2006

  • Dániel Kiss 1982–

    Hungarian hurdler

    Attended until 2006

  • William Bedford 1963–

    Former NBA center, sixth pick in 1986 draft

  • Dedric Lawson 1997–

    Basketball player for CBA's Xinjiang Flying Tigers

    Also attended: University of Kansas

  • Emoni Bates 2004–

    Professional basketball player

    Also attended: Eastern Michigan University

  • Josh Minott 2002–

    NBA player for the Brooklyn Nets

    Attended until 2022

  • Dajuan Wagner 1983–

    Former professional basketball player

    Attended until 2002

    Father: Milton Wagner (University of Louisville)

  • Bill Wallace 1945–

    Kickboxer nicknamed Superfoot

    Master's degree · Kinesiology · Class of 1976

    Also attended: Ball State University

  • Tim McCarver 1941–2023

    MLB catcher and television sports commentator

Other fields

  • Robert W. Marshall 1959–

    Catholic Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana

From Wikidata “educated at” records (including people who attended without graduating), ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions. Degrees and years follow Wikidata and are left out where it has none.

Alumni network

Colleges that share the most alumni with University of Memphis (people who attended both).