63 Notable alumni of Middle Tennessee State University
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
Middle Tennessee State University is ranked #1,082 in the world and #280 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 63 notable alumni from Middle Tennessee 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 Middle Tennessee State University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Nick Levay
1977-2021 (aged 44)
scientist
Nick Levay also known as Rattle was an American computer security expert and hacker. He was the Chief Security Officer at the Council on Foreign Relations and other organizations such as Carbon Black and the Center for American Progress. From 2018–2021 he was the President of the NGO-ISAC, an Information Sharing and Analysis Center nonprofit serving US-based non-governmental organizations.
+ show more
2. Lowell Russell
1975-. (aged 51)
politician
Larry Lowell Russell is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for the 21st district, encompassing parts of Loudon County and Monroe County.
+ show more
3. Doug Holder
1966-. (aged 60)
politician
Doug Holder is a Republican politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014, representing the 70th District from 2006 to 2012, and the 74th District, which included Englewood, North Port, and Venice in Sarasota County, from 2012 to 2014. He was a candidate for the Florida Senate in 2018 but lost in...
+ show more
4. Rupert Smith
1897-1959 (aged 62)
American football player
Rupert McAdoo "Rupe" Smith was an American football and baseball player from Tennessee. Smith was the leading scorer on Dan McGugin's 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores football team which shared a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) title, and was retroactively selected for a national title by Clyde Berryman. Smith had previously played for the Middle Tennessee State football team.
+ show more
5. Ken Roberts
1988-. (aged 38)
baseball player
Kenneth Elwin Roberts is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies. He made his big league debut with the Rockies, on May 3, 2015.
+ show more
6. Tony L. Cothron
1955-. (aged 71)
military officer
Rear Admiral Tony Lee Cothron was the Director of Intelligence for the Chief of Naval Operations and the 62nd Director of Naval Intelligence. He is currently a professor at Liberty University.
+ show more
7. Shane Reeves
1968-. (aged 58)
politician
Shane Reeves is an American businessman, pharmacist and politician who is the State Senator for the 14th District of Tennessee, which is composed of Bedford County, Moore County, Cannon County, Tennessee and part of Rutherford County. Reeves campaigned as a conservative Republican in the Tennessee State Senate District 14 Special Election in 2018. The special election was mandated because of...
+ show more
8. Janet Amponsah
1993-. (aged 33)
athletics competitor
Janet Amponsah is a Ghanaian sprinter. She represented her country at the 2013 World Championships without qualifying for the semifinals. She won medals in the 4 × 100 metres relay at two African Championships and at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She was selected as Ghana's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and voted the 2015...
+ show more
9. Marynell Meadors
1943-. (aged 83)
basketball coach
Marynell Meadors is an American women's basketball coach at the college and professional level. She most recently served as head coach and general manager of the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association and was one of the original eight head coaches when the WNBA started in 1997.
+ show more
10. Houston Fancher
1966-. (aged 60)
basketball coach
Houston Fancher is an American basketball coach, previously the interim head coach of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team. Prior to that, he worked for a summer in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Later, he also worked for four years at the University of Tennessee, including as the Director of Basketball Operations for the last two of those years. From 2000 to...
+ show more
11. Bob Freeman
politician
Bob Freeman is a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing the 56th District, a part of Davidson County.
12. Brooke Barrettsmith
1982-. (aged 44)
composer
singer-songwriter
pianist
guitarist
Brooke Barrettsmith is a singer, songwriter, and musician originally from Spring Grove, Illinois. She was a former contestant of the reality television show American Idol during its 5th season in 2005–2006.
+ show more
13. Andreas Siljeström
1981-. (aged 45)
tennis player
Andreas Siljeström is a Swedish former professional tennis player who specialized in doubles and a pickleball player. He has a career doubles high-ranking of world No. 57 achieved on 14 May 2012 and a singles ranking of No. 964 achieved on 8 March 2010.
+ show more
14. F. Reid Shippen
1974-. (aged 52)
record producer
audio engineer
composer
F. Reid Shippen is a mixer, engineer and producer, currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. He has mixed a wide variety of records including Cosmic Hallelujah by Kenny Chesney, Lights Out by Ingrid Michaelson, The Mountain by Dierks Bentley, When I Was Younger by Colony House, and Eye On It by TobyMac. Shippen has mixed nine Grammy Award winning projects and...
+ show more
15. Lisa-Marie Woods
1984-. (aged 42)
association football player
Lisa-Marie Woods is a Norwegian retired professional football midfielder and current assistant coach at Creighton University. She last played at Asheville City SC of the Women's Premier Soccer League as a forward. She has previously played for Asker SK and LSK Kvinner in the Toppserien FC Indiana & Ottawa Fury in North America's USL W-League as well as Kolbotn, Stabæk,...
+ show more
16. Bob Tillman
1937-2000 (aged 63)
baseball player
John Robert Tillman was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox (1962–67), New York Yankees (1967), and Atlanta Braves (1968–70). He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and weighed 205 pounds (93 kg). As a Nashville high school athlete in 1955, he...
+ show more
17. Brice Long
1971-. (aged 55)
singer-songwriter
Brice Long is an American country music singer-songwriter. Signed to Columbia Records in 2005, Long charted one single on the Billboard country chart that year: "Anywhere but Here", which was also released by Chris Cagle a year later. In addition, Long co-wrote Gary Allan's 2004 Number One single "Nothing On but the Radio", Jon Pardi's Number One single "Heartache on...
+ show more
18. Josh Robbins
1983-. (aged 43)
talent agent
HIV/AIDS activist
Joshua W. Robbins is an American HIV/AIDS activist, blogger, talent agent, writer, and social media marketer. His work has been featured on The Advocate, Human Rights Campaign, POZ and a myriad of additional publications. Robbins was named to the POZ 100 List in 2013.
+ show more
19. Tim Blue
1984-. (aged 42)
basketball player
Tim Blue is an American former basketball player. He is mostly known for his stint with the Antibes Sharks of the French LNB Pro A, where his number was retired. Blue usually played as power forward or small forward. In his professional career, he has played in the Netherlands, Germany, Finland and France.
+ show more
20. Christin Baker
television producer
screenwriter
film director
Christin Marie Baker is an American producer, director, and screenwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. She is the founder and CEO of Tello Films, a streaming network, production, and distribution company of films and web series with a lesbian focus.
+ show more
21. Frédéric Niemeyer
1976-. (aged 50)
tennis coach
tennis player
Frédéric Niemeyer is a Canadian retired, professional tennis player and was tennis coach at Tennis Canada for 10 years and he is now a freelance Tennis Consultant and Coach.
+ show more
22. Rick Insell
1951-. (aged 75)
basketball coach
Rick Insell is the current head coach for the Middle Tennessee State University women's basketball team.
23. Charles M. Robinson
1984-. (aged 42)
video editor
music video director
Charles Mariano Robinson is a music video and commercial director, and musician. Robinson is known for shooting videos for artists such as Waka Flocka, Young Buck, and Shawty Lo.
+ show more
24. John Wheeler
1970-. (aged 56)
singer
songwriter
multi-instrumentalist
record producer
musician
John Wheeler is an American musician, songwriter and, music producer. While he is best known as the creator and frontman of the internationally-known "rockgrass" band Hayseed Dixie, Wheeler also performs solo and has produced and performed on albums by many other artists. He is the second cousin of bluegrass music pioneer Lester Flatt. An avid motorcycle enthusiast, Wheeler has rode...
+ show more
25. James Percy Priest
1900-1956 (aged 56)
teacher
politician
journalist
James Percy Priest was an American teacher, journalist and politician who represented Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives from 1941 until his death.
+ show more
26. Zac Curtis
1992-. (aged 34)
professional baseball player
Zachary Aaron Curtis, is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers.
+ show more
27. Reggie Upshaw
1995-. (aged 31)
basketball player
Reginald Eugene Upshaw Jr. is an American professional basketball player. He competed in college for Middle Tennessee State University.
28. Jess Neely
1898-1983 (aged 85)
head coach
American football player
Jesse Claiborne Neely was an American football player, a baseball and football coach. He was head football coach at Southwestern University (now Rhodes College) from 1924 to 1927, at Clemson University from 1931 to 1939 and at Rice University from 1940 to 1966, compiling a career college football record of 207–176–19. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of...
+ show more
29. Bart Gordon
1949-. (aged 77)
lawyer
lobbyist
politician
Barton Jennings Gordon is an American politician and former U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district, serving from 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing suburbs east of Nashville. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He announced on December...
+ show more
30. Shawn Jones
1992-. (aged 34)
basketball player
Shawn Jones is an American-born professional basketball player who last played for Legia Warsaw of the Polish Basketball League. He played college basketball for Middle Tennessee State University, where he was named the Conference USA Men's Basketball Player of the Year in 2014.
+ show more
31. John W. Hendrix
1942-. (aged 84)
military personnel
John Walter Hendrix is a retired United States Army four-star general who served as Commander, United States Army Forces Command from 1999 to 2001.
32. Bryce Brentz
1988-. (aged 38)
baseball player
Bryce Everett Brentz is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox. During the 2014 and 2016 seasons, he appeared in a total of 34 MLB games with Boston. He bats and throws right-handed, and is listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 215 pounds (98 kg).
+ show more
33. Bill Boner
1945-. (aged 81)
basketball player
teacher
politician
William Hill Boner is an American educator and former Democratic politician from Tennessee. He was the third mayor of the Metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County, serving from 1987 to 1991. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as the Representative from the 5th District of Tennessee, from 1979 to 1987.
+ show more
34. Erik Walden
1985-. (aged 41)
American football player
Erik Lashawn Walden is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was also a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay...
+ show more
35. Perrin Buford
1994-. (aged 32)
basketball player
Perrin Buford is an American professional basketball player for Al Riyadi Beirut of the Lebanese Basketball League. He played college basketball at Middle Tennessee.
+ show more
36. Luke Laird
1978-. (aged 48)
songwriter
record producer
Luke Robert Laird is an American country music songwriter and producer. He has written more than 20 number one Billboard singles, including Carrie Underwood's "So Small", "Temporary Home", and "Undo It"; Blake Shelton's "Gonna"; Sara Evans' "A Little Bit Stronger"; Rodney Atkins's "Take a Back Road"; Eric Church's "Drink in My Hand", "Give Me Back My Hometown", and "Talladega"; Little...
+ show more
37. Josh Kear
1974-. (aged 52)
songwriter
Josh Kear is a multi-Grammy Award winning songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee.
38. Vernice Armour
1973-. (aged 53)
helicopter pilot
military officer
Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour is a former United States Marine Corps officer who was the first African-American female naval aviator in the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps first black female combat pilot. She flew the AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and eventually served two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
+ show more
39. Benny Cunningham
1990-. (aged 36)
American football player
Benjamin Corey Cunningham is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2013.
+ show more
40. Dave Barnes
1978-. (aged 48)
singer-songwriter
guitarist
David Mckee Barnes is an American musician, singer, and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released eight studio albums, including two Christmas albums. His most recent full-length album, Featherbrained Wealth Motel, was released in 2023.
+ show more
41. Natalie Prass
1986-. (aged 40)
composer
singer-songwriter
guitarist
singer
Natalie Jean Prass is an American singer-songwriter from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her self-titled debut album was released on January 27, 2015, through Spacebomb and Columbia Records.
+ show more
42. James Wade Jr
1975-. (aged 51)
basketball player
basketball coach
James Earl Wade Jr., known as Coco, is an American-French basketball assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
+ show more
43. Cliff Ellis
1945-. (aged 81)
basketball coach
Cliff Ellis is an American former college basketball coach, who finished his career as the head coach at Coastal Carolina University. Ellis finished his career as the fourth winningest coach in NCAA Division I history.
+ show more
44. Albert Gore Sr
1907-1998 (aged 91)
educator
school superintendent
lawyer
politician
Albert Arnold Gore Sr. was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Tennessee from 1953 to 1971. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a U.S. representative from the state's 4th congressional district from 1939 to 1953. He was the father of Al Gore, who served as the 45th vice president of the...
+ show more
45. John Peers
1988-. (aged 38)
tennis player
John William Peers is an Australian professional tennis player who specialises in doubles. He has been ranked by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) as high as world No. 2 in doubles, which he achieved on 3 April 2017, and No. 456 in singles, attained on 11 June 2012. He has won 30 doubles titles on the ATP Tour.
+ show more
46. Chris Young
1985-. (aged 41)
singer
singer-songwriter
composer
musician
poet
Christopher Alan Young is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2006, he rose to fame after winning season four of the reality singing competition program Nashville Star.
+ show more
47. Brittney Spencer
1988-. (aged 38)
singer-songwriter
Brittney Spencer is an American country singer–songwriter. In 2020 Spencer received notable attention following a viral Twitter video showing Spencer singing a cover of a song by the Highwomen. The video drew praise from fellow country artists and prompted the release of her first extended play (EP) titled Compassion (2020). She has also released several singles, including 2021's "Sober &...
+ show more
48. Hardy
1990-. (aged 36)
musician
Michael Wilson Hardy, known mononymously as Hardy (stylized in all caps as HARDY), is an American country, country rock and hard rock singer and songwriter. His music incorporates heavy metal, punk rock, soul, and hip hop elements. He has written songs for Florida Georgia Line, Chris Lane, Blake Shelton, Dallas Smith, Thomas Rhett, and Morgan Wallen.
+ show more
49. Hillary Scott
1986-. (aged 40)
singer
songwriter
singer-songwriter
Hillary Dawn Scott-Tyrrell is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame as the co-lead vocalist of the country music group Lady A. She is signed to Big Machine Records.
+ show more
50. Chely Wright
1970-. (aged 56)
singer
singer-songwriter
activist
recording artist
musician
Chely Wright is an American country music artist, activist, author, and corporate executive. She initially rose to fame as a commercial country recording artist with several charting singles, including the number one hit, "Single White Female." She later became known for her role in LGBTQ activism after publicly coming out as a gay woman in 2010. She has sold over...
+ show more
51. Kevin Byard
1993-. (aged 33)
American football player
Kevin Leon Byard III is an American professional football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. In 2017, his second season in the NFL, Byard was selected to the Pro...
+ show more
52. Amy Lee
1981-. (aged 45)
singer
songwriter
Amy Lynn Lee is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, lead songwriter, and keyboardist of rock band Evanescence. A classically trained pianist, Lee began writing music at age 11 and co-founded Evanescence at 13, inspired by various musical genres and film scores from an early age. Lee has participated in other musical projects, including Nightmare...
+ show more
53. Sondra Locke
1944-2018 (aged 74)
film director
autobiographer
film producer
film actor
screenwriter
Sandra Louise Anderson, professionally known as Sondra Locke, was an American actress and director.
54. Julien Baker
1995-. (aged 31)
musician
guitarist
singer-songwriter
composer
songwriter
Julien Rose Baker is an American indie rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her music is noted for its moody quality and confessional lyrical style, as well as frank explorations of topics including Christianity, addiction, mental illness, and human nature. She has received six Grammy Award nominations and three wins as a member of Boygenius.
+ show more
55. Prince
1958-2016 (aged 58)
dancer
film score composer
singer-songwriter
record producer
film director
Prince Rogers Nelson was an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, and actor. Often credited as an influence on music and one of the greatest musicians of his era, he pioneered the Minneapolis sound and was influential in the evolution of various other genres of music.
+ show more
56. Rodney D. Bennett
1966-. (aged 60)
academic
Rodney D. Bennett is an academic administrator who most recently served as the chancellor of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He had previously served as the president of the University of Southern Mississippi. Bennett received his Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication, Master of Education, and Education Specialist degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and earned his Ed.D. from Tennessee State...
+ show more
57. Alysha Clark
1987-. (aged 39)
basketball player
Alysha Angelica Clark is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball. In college, she led the NCAA in scoring three years in a row. She was drafted in the second round of the 2010 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars. In 2018, Clark won...
+ show more
58. Darren Jernigan
1969-. (aged 57)
politician
Darren Jernigan is an American politician. A Democrat, he represented the 60th district (Hermitage, Donelson, and Old Hickory) in the Tennessee House of Representatives. He was first elected in 2012 and took office in January 2013. In 2024 Jernigan retired from state politics and Shaundelle Brooks won the seat. Jernigan also served on the Nashville City Council.
+ show more
59. James Patrick Sutton
1915-2005 (aged 90)
broker
politician
James Patrick Sutton was an American politician and a member of the United States Congress from Tennessee.
60. James M. Buchanan
1803-1876 (aged 73)
lawyer
diplomat
judge
politician
James McGill Buchanan Jr. was an American economist known for his work on public choice theory originally outlined in his most famous work, The Calculus of Consent, co-authored with Gordon Tullock in 1962. He continued to develop the theory, eventually receiving the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1986.
+ show more
61. William Estel Potts
1935-2004 (aged 69)
military officer
Major General William Estel Potts was a career officer in the United States Army and served as the 22nd Chief of Ordnance for the United States Army Ordnance Corps.
+ show more
62. Mike Turner
1960-. (aged 66)
lawyer
politician
Michael A. Turner, also known as Emtee, is an English-born Canadian musician and producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist and founding member of the band Our Lady Peace and current member of alternative rock supergroup Crash Karma.
+ show more
63. Caia Morstad
1982-. (aged 44)
Caia Morstad is a Canadian athlete who was a competitive volleyball player and Calgary Stampede Princess. She has played volleyball for the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and the SAIT Trojans. She has also played beach volleyball, competing in the 2001 Canada Games, on behalf of Saskatchewan.
+ show more