36 Notable alumni of McNeese State University
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
McNeese State University is ranked #3,221 in the world and #835 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 36 notable alumni from McNeese State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with McNeese State University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Dick Harris
1937-. (aged 89)
American football player
Dick Harris is an American former professional football cornerback who played six seasons in the American Football League (AFL) with the Los Angeles / San Diego Chargers from 1960 to 1965. He was selected to the 1960 and 1961 AFL All-League teams. Harris had a total of 25 interceptions in the Chargers' first four seasons.
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2. Adrien Mörk
1979-. (aged 47)
golfer
Adrien Mörk is a French professional golfer. In 2006 he recorded the first ever sub 60 round on any tour run by the PGA European Tour.
3. James W. Bryan
1874-1956 (aged 82)
lawyer
politician
James Wesley Bryan was a U.S. Representative from Washington state.
4. Sara Blackwell
attorney at law
Sara Blackwell is an American attorney and is the founder of Protect US Workers, a non-profit organization. Blackwell gained national media attention when she represented hundreds of United States citizens and permanent residents who were replaced by recipients of H-1B temporary work visas. In 2018, she represented New Orleans Saints cheerleader, Bailey Davis, who was fired for an Instagram post...
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5. Ray Fontenot
1957-. (aged 69)
baseball player
Silton Ray Fontenot is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four seasons between 1983 and 1986. He played for three teams in those four years – the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins.
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6. Paul Rainwater
politician
Paul W. Rainwater is an American former local and state government official from Louisiana who served as an aide to Governor Bobby Jindal and played a prominent role in Louisiana during its recovery from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike and the recovery of the state from the 2010 British Petroleum Oil Spill.
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7. Sha'markus Kennedy
1998-. (aged 28)
basketball player
Sha'markus Kennedy is an American basketball player for Gurjaani Delta. During the 2024/2025 season he played for Bora in the Kosovo Superleague.
8. Danny Ardoin
1974-. (aged 52)
baseball player
Daniel Wayne Ardoin is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 to 2008 for the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
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9. Douglas B. Fournet
1943-1968 (aged 25)
military personnel
Douglas Bernard Fournet was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
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10. Willie Mount
1949-. (aged 77)
businessperson
politician
Willie Landry Mount is an American politician from Louisiana who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from 2000 to 2012. She represented District 27, which includes parts of her native Lake Charles and the surrounding cities of Sulphur and Westlake. From 1993 to 1999, Mount was the first woman to serve as the mayor of Lake...
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11. Stephen Starring
1961-2025 (aged 64)
American football player
Stephen Dale Starring was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the McNeese State Cowboys.
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12. Christopher Catrambone
1981-. (aged 45)
entrepreneur
Christopher Paul Catrambone is an Italian American entrepreneur and humanitarian, best known for founding the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a global humanitarian organization dedicated to responding quickly and efficiently to emerging crises.
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13. Clay Condrey
1975-. (aged 51)
baseball player
Clayton Lee Condrey is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies. Condrey featured five pitches: a sinker, cutter, curveball, changeup, and a four-seam fastball.
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14. Erika Piancastelli
1996-. (aged 30)
softball player
Erika Piancastelli is an Italian-American professional softball player for the El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican Softball League. She plays international softball for Italy and competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Born in Italy, Piancastelli eventually went to play college softball at McNeese State, where she holds multiple career records.
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15. Luke Lawton
1980-. (aged 46)
American football player
Richard Luke Lawton is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football for the McNeese Cowboys.
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16. James D. Cain Jr
1964-. (aged 62)
lawyer
judge
James David Cain Jr. is a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
17. Demond Mallet
1978-. (aged 48)
basketball player
Dayon Demond Mallet is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at McNeese State University. Mallet spent 17 seasons as a professional player, in multiple European leagues afterwards, and won multiple championships and was named the Most Valuable Player of several competitions.
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18. Keith Frank
1972-. (aged 54)
musician
Keith Frank is an American singer, accordion player, and producer. Dubbed the "Zydeco Boss," Frank is one of the most well-known figures in zydeco music, especially in the nouveau zydeco sound, which was influenced by other genres such as R&B and hip-hop. He is most known for his work with the Soileau Zydeco Band, which was established in 1990.
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19. Bob Howry
1973-. (aged 53)
baseball player
Bobby Dean Howry is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher.
20. B. J. Sams
1980-. (aged 46)
American football player
Bradley Jamar Sams is an American former professional football player who was a running back, wide receiver, cornerback and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football at McNeese State University. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004, and also played for the Kansas City Chiefs...
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21. Ben Broussard
1976-. (aged 50)
baseball player
Benjamin Isaac Broussard is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He is currently a musician and Leadership Development Coordinator for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. Broussard was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. During a 7-year baseball career, he played from 2002 to 2008 for the...
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22. Patrick Richard
1990-. (aged 36)
basketball player
Patrick Neal Richard II is an American-born naturalised Romanian professional basketball player for U-BT Cluj-Napoca of the Romanian Liga Națională. He played collegiately with the McNeese State Cowboys for four seasons before playing professionally in Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Israel, Spain and New Zealand.
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23. Kerry Joseph
1973-. (aged 53)
Canadian football player
American football player
Kerry Tremaine Joseph is an American football coach and former player. He is the special assistant to the head coach for the Texas Longhorns. He played college football for the McNeese Cowboys as a quarterback and was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1996.
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24. Fabulous Flournoy
1973-. (aged 53)
basketball player
basketball coach
Fabulous Flournoy MBE is a former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was previously the player-coach for the Newcastle Eagles, who compete in the British Basketball League.
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25. Matt Viator
1963-. (aged 63)
head coach
American football coach
Matt Viator is an American football coach. He is currently in his second stint as the head football coach at McNeese State University, having previously served there from 2006 to 2015 and then the University of Louisiana at Monroe from 2016 to 2020. Viator began his coaching career in 1986 as a high school assistant coach, before leading several high...
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26. Andre Dubus
1936-1999 (aged 63)
novelist
teacher
writer
Andre Jules Dubus II was an American writer of short stories, novels, and essays.
27. R. C. Slocum
1944-. (aged 82)
head coach
American football player
Richard Copeland Slocum is an American former football player and coach who is currently a special assistant to the president at Texas A&M University. He has also served as interim athletic director at the university from January through June 2019 and again from January through March 2024, and previously served as the head football coach there from 1989 to 2002....
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28. Adam Johnson
1967-. (aged 59)
writer
academic
novelist
university teacher
Adam Johnson is an American novelist and short story writer. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2012 novel, The Orphan Master's Son, and the National Book Award for his 2015 story collection Fortune Smiles. He is also a professor of English at Stanford University with a focus on creative writing.
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29. Bobby Kimball
1947-. (aged 79)
singer
songwriter
Robert Troy Kimball is an American retired singer and musician, best known as original frontman of the rock band Toto from 1977 to 1984 and again from 1998 to 2008. He has also performed as a solo artist and session singer.
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30. Joe Dumars
1963-. (aged 63)
basketball player
Joe Dumars III is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is the head of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans. He could play either shooting guard or point guard on offense and was a highly effective defender. He played his entire 14-year career with the Detroit Pistons. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dumars and...
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31. Doug Kershaw
1936-. (aged 90)
songwriter
fiddler
singer
musician
Douglas James Kershaw is an American fiddle player, singer, and songwriter from Louisiana. Active since 1948, he began his career as part of the duo Rusty and Doug, along with his brother, Rusty Kershaw. He had an extensive solo career that included 15 albums and singles that charted on the Hot Country Songs charts. He is also a member of...
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32. Vic Stelly
1941-2020 (aged 79)
teacher
politician
Victor Theodore Stelly was an American politician who was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, best known for the since repealed Stelly Plan tax-shifting amendment. He was also a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education from 2007 through 2013, resigning before his term ended because he was dismayed at cuts to higher education.
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33. Damond L. Williams
1980-. (aged 46)
basketball player
Damond L. Williams is an American former professional basketball player, author, and sports executive. Standing 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), he played primarily as a combo guard, alternating between the point guard and shooting guard positions. Williams played collegiate basketball in the United States before beginning an international professional career that included competition in the Middle East and Asia....
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34. Erin Entrada Kelly
1977-. (aged 49)
university teacher
writer
children's writer
literary theorist
novelist
Erin Entrada Kelly is an American writer of children's literature. She was awarded the 2018 John Newbery Medal by the Association for Library Service to Children for her third novel Hello, Universe. She won the award a second time in 2025 for her novel The First State of Being.
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35. Donald W. Washington
1955-. (aged 71)
military officer
lawyer
engineer
Donald Wayne Washington is an American attorney who served as the 11th director of the United States Marshals Service from March 2019 to September 2021. He previously served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, from to 2001 to 2010.
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36. John Thomson
1973-. (aged 53)
baseball player
John Patrick Thomson is an English comedian, narrator and actor best known for his roles in The Fast Show, Men Behaving Badly, Cold Feet, 24 Hour Party People, Grimsby and Coronation Street.
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