Notable Alumni of Washington State University

Patty Murray 1950–

US senator from Washington since 1993

Bachelor of Arts · Physical education · Class of 1972

Mike Lowry 1939–2017

20th Governor of Washington

Dan Newhouse 1955–

U.S. representative for Washington's 4th district

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1977

Denny Rehberg 1955–

Former Montana lieutenant governor and U.S. representative

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1977

Also attended: Montana State University Billings

George Nethercutt 1944–2024

Lawyer, author, and politician

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1967

Also attended: Gonzaga University

Michael Baumgartner 1975–

US representative from Washington, former diplomat

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1999

Also attended: Harvard University

Etsujirō Uehara 1877–1962

Japanese politician and postwar cabinet minister

Walter Franklin Horan 1898–1966

Washington congressman for 22 years

Attended until 1925

Mike McCormack 1921–2020

U.S. Representative from Washington, 1971 to 1981

Paul Allen 1953–2018

Co-founder of Microsoft

Also attended: Harvard University

Sibling: Jody Allen (Whitman College)

LaVar Ball 1967–

Businessman and father of Lonzo and LaMelo Ball

Also attended: Long Beach City College, West Los Angeles College

Child: Lonzo Ball (University of California-Los Angeles)

Timothy Leary 1920–1996

Psychologist and advocate of psychedelic drugs

Also attended: The University of Alabama, University of California-Berkeley, College of the Holy Cross

Hary Gunarto 1954–

Computer engineer, emeritus professor at Ritsumeikan APU

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Philip Abelson 1913–2004

Physicist and editor of the journal Science

Chemistry, Physics

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Spouse: Neva Abelson (Johns Hopkins University, Washington State University)

John M. Fabian 1939–2026

NASA astronaut and Air Force officer

Bachelor of Science · Mechanical engineering · Class of 1962

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Charles Piper 1867–1926

American botanist and agriculturalist

Also attended: Harvard University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Charles Glen King 1896–1988

Biochemist who isolated vitamin C

Also attended: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Göte Turesson 1892–1970

Swedish botanist who coined the term ecotype

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

William Julius Wilson 1935–

Harvard sociologist and professor emeritus

Doctor of Philosophy · Sociology · Class of 1966

Also attended: Bowling Green State University-Main Campus, Wilberforce University

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

Adolph Daniel Edward Elmer 1870–1942

Botanist and plant collector in the Philippines

Also attended: Stanford University

Simon S. Lam 1947–

Computer scientist and Internet pioneer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Jizhong Zhou 1959–

Microbial ecologist and National Academy of Sciences member

Doctor of Philosophy · Molecular biology · Class of 1993

Also attended: Michigan State University

Dolph Lundgren 1957–

Actor who played Ivan Drago in Rocky IV

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Clemson University

Edward R. Murrow 1908–1965

CBS broadcast journalist and war correspondent

Patrick Rothfuss 1973–

Fantasy author of The Kingkiller Chronicle

Master of Arts

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Gene Deitch 1924–2020

Illustrator, animator and film director based in Prague

Child: Kim Deitch (Pratt Institute-Main)

Sherman Alexie 1966–

Novelist, poet, screenwriter and filmmaker

Bianca Kajlich 1977–

Actress in CBS comedy Rules of Engagement

Gary Larson 1950–

Cartoonist who created The Far Side

Eleazar de Carvalho 1912–1996

Brazilian conductor and composer

Tod Andrews 1914–1972

Stage, screen and television actor

Terence Knox 1946–

Film, stage and television actor

Also attended: Portland State University

Lowell Lo 1950–

Hong Kong singer-songwriter and film composer

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Scott MacDonald 1959–

Actor known for Dexter and Star Trek: Enterprise

Also attended: California Institute of the Arts

Tom McTigue 1959–

Actor and comedian known for Baywatch

George Frederick McKay 1899–1970

Prolific American composer

Also attended: University of Rochester, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Art Gilmore 1912–2010

Radio and television announcer and actor

Klay Thompson 1990–

NBA player, Warriors' Splash Brother

Father: Mychal Thompson (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Sibling: Mychel Thompson (Pepperdine University)

Peter Snell 1938–2019

New Zealand middle-distance runner, three-time Olympic champion

Also attended: University of California-Davis

Bernard Lagat 1974–

Kenyan-American middle and long-distance runner

Sibling: Viola Cheptoo Lagat (Florida State University)

Aron Baynes 1986–

Australian former professional basketball player

Pete Rademacher 1928–2020

Heavyweight boxer, 1956 Olympic gold medalist

Julius Korir 1960–

Kenyan 1984 Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion

Josh Akognon 1986–

Nigerian-American former professional basketball player

Ebba Jungmark 1987–

Swedish high jumper

Ralph Mann 1949–2025

American sprinter and hurdler

Doctorate · Biomechanics

Also attended: Brigham Young University-Provo

Gabriel Tiacoh 1963–1992

Ivorian sprinter, nation's first Olympic medalist

Taylor Rochestie 1985–

Former basketball player, naturalized Montenegrin

Also attended: Tulane University of Louisiana

James Donaldson 1957–

Basketball player with 14 NBA seasons

Henry Rono 1952–2024

Kenyan distance runner and steeplechase record holder

Ed Viesturs 1959–

Mountaineer, first American to climb all 14 eight-thousanders

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Malachi Flynn 1998–

Professional basketball player for Bahçeşehir Koleji

Attended until 2018

Also attended: San Diego State University

Brock Motum 1990–

Australian professional basketball player

Peter Koech 1958–

Kenyan runner, 1988 Olympic steeplechase silver medalist

Louie Hinchliffe 2002–

British sprinter, 2024 NCAA 100m champion

Also attended: University of Houston

Gene Conley 1930–2017

MLB pitcher who also played pro basketball

Drew Bledsoe 1972–

Former NFL quarterback, mainly with the Patriots

Kyle Weaver 1986–

Basketball player, 38th pick in 2008 NBA draft

Ron Cey 1948–

Former MLB third baseman for the Dodgers

Li Tong 1967–

Chinese hurdler and two-time Olympian

William S. Skylstad 1934–

Former Catholic bishop of Spokane

Mark Driscoll 1970–

Evangelical pastor and author

Also attended: Western Seminary