59 Notable alumni of Niagara University
Updated: June 13, 2026 EliteDegrees
Niagara University is ranked #2,885 in the world and #746 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 59 notable alumni from Niagara 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 Niagara University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Jan Pitass
1844-1913 (aged 69)
Rev. Jan Pitass was a Polish priest who was the founder and first pastor of the oldest Polish parish (St. Stanislaus - Bishop & Martyr Church) in the diocese of Buffalo, New York. He was a graduate of Niagara University before moving to Buffalo.
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2. Ed Kelleher
1894-1945 (aged 51)
head coach
basketball coach
Edward Ambrose Kelleher was an American college basketball head coach. He served as the head coach at St. John's University, Fordham University, and the United States Military Academy and amassed an overall career record of 257 wins and 105 losses.
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3. John J. Hanlon
1854-1902 (aged 48)
The Rev. John Joseph Hanlon was chancellor of the Diocese of Albany and pastor of St. Vincent De Paul Parish at Madison Avenue and Partridge Street in west Albany's Pine Hills neighborhood.
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4. Vince Molyneaux
1888-1950 (aged 62)
baseball player
Vincent Leo Molyneaux was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Browns (1917) and Boston Red Sox (1918). Listed at 6' 0", 180 lb., Molyneaux batted and threw right-handed. A native of Lewiston, New York, he attended Niagara University and Villanova University.
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5. Thomas F. Burchill
1882-1955 (aged 73)
politician
Thomas Francis Burchill was an American businessman and politician who served one term as a United States representative from New York from 1943 to 1945.
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6. Micah Mariano
1992-. (aged 34)
association football player
Micah Paulino is a Guamanian footballer who plays as a defender for the American club the Niagara Purple Eagles and the Guam national team.
7. Vince Rocco
1987-. (aged 39)
ice hockey player
Vincent Rocco is a Canadian-born Italian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for IF Troja/Ljungby in the Swedish second tier HockeyAllsvenskan ice hockey league, previously playing for Alleghe Hockey in the Italian top tier Serie A.
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8. John J. Feely
1875-1905 (aged 30)
lawyer
politician
John Joseph Feely was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.
9. Theodore B. Basselin
1851-1914 (aged 63)
businessperson
Theodore B. Basselin was an American lumber magnate, best remembered for an endowed scholarship he created at the Theological College of the Catholic University of America. The Basselin scholarship has funded the philosophical education of many notable American churchmen.
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10. Dusty Miller
1868-1945 (aged 77)
baseball player
Charles Bradley Miller was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of seven seasons in the majors, between 1889 and 1899, for the St. Louis Browns/Perfectos, Cincinnati Reds, and Baltimore Orioles.
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11. Thomas Francis Lillis
1861-1938 (aged 77)
Catholic priest
Catholic bishop
Thomas Francis Lillis was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Leavenworth in Kansas (1905–1910) and as bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City in Missouri (1913–1938).
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12. Jim Doyle
1881-1912 (aged 31)
baseball player
James Francis Doyle was an American professional baseball infielder. He played for two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs. Doyle played in college at Niagara University. Doyle's appendix burst early in 1912, killing him.
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13. Earl Brydges
1905-1975 (aged 70)
politician
Earl William Brydges was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Temporary President and Majority Leader of the State Senate from 1966 to 1972.
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14. Alfred F. Beiter
1894-1974 (aged 80)
politician
Alfred Florian Beiter was an American businessman and politician who served four terms as a United States representative from New York from 1933 to 1939 and from 1941 to 1943. He was a Democrat.
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15. Walter Kross
1942-. (aged 84)
military officer
General Walter Kross is a retired United States Air Force four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Transportation Command/Commander, Air Mobility Command from 1996 to 1998.
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16. Shad Barry
1878-1936 (aged 58)
baseball player
John Charles "Shad" Barry, known also as "Jack" Barry, was an American professional baseball player who spent ten seasons, from 1899 to 1909, in Major League Baseball. Barry was a utility player, having played every position with the exception of catcher and pitcher during his career.
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17. Leo William O'Brien
1900-1982 (aged 82)
politician
Leo William O'Brien was an American journalist, radio and television commentator, and politician. A Democrat, he was most notable for his seven terms of service as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1952 to 1966.
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18. Ray Keating
1893-1963 (aged 70)
baseball player
Raymond Herbert Keating was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Highlanders / Yankees of the American League from 1912 to 1916 and in 1918 and for the Boston Braves of the National League in 1919. In 1914, Keating was caught throwing an emery ball, and the pitch was declared to be...
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19. Edmund Michael Dunne
1864-1929 (aged 65)
Catholic priest
Catholic bishop
Edmund Michael Dunne was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois from 1909 until his death in 1929.
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20. Matt Ryan
1997-. (aged 29)
basketball player
Matthew Ryan is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played for several teams in Europe as well as the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL.
21. Walter C. Young
1922-2016 (aged 94)
politician
Walter Croston "Walt" Young was an American educator and politician.
22. Benny Bengough
1898-1968 (aged 70)
baseball player
Bernard Oliver "Benny" Bengough was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Yankees during the 1920s when the team garnered the nickname of Murderers' Row, due to their potent batting lineup. He played the final two seasons of his career with the St....
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23. Manny Leaks
1945-. (aged 81)
basketball player
Emanuel Leaks Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Leaks was a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) forward/center who played at Niagara University from 1965 to 1968. He averaged 17.3 points and 15.1 rebounds per game over his collegiate career.
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24. Vincent E. Boles
1954-. (aged 72)
military officer
Vincent E. Boles is a retired major general in the United States Army and served as the 33rd Chief of Ordnance and Commandant of the U.S. Army Ordnance School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
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25. George Fell
1849-1918 (aged 69)
inventor
surgeon
George Edward Fell was an American surgeon and inventor. He was an early developer of artificial ventilation and also investigated the physiology of electrocution, a line of research that led to Fell creating the final design for the first electric chair.
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26. Dave Levac
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
David Joseph Levac OOnt is a retired Canadian politician who was the 41st speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2018. Levac was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1999 as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party. He served as the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Brant until 2018 and is the Ontario legislature's longest...
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27. Chris Watson
1975-. (aged 51)
basketball player
Chris Watson is an American–Israeli former basketball player, who has played on the Israel national basketball team, and whose positions have been power forward and center. He is 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) tall.
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28. Alexandra Sahlen
1982-. (aged 44)
association football player
Alexandra Elizabeth Sahlen is an American former professional soccer player and entrepreneur. She played for the Western New York Flash of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and was also the club's president.
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29. Tahjere McCall
1994-. (aged 32)
basketball player
Tahjere McCall is an American professional basketball player for Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the Niagara Purple Eagles and Tennessee State Tigers.
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30. Antoine Mason
1992-. (aged 34)
basketball player
Antoine Mason is an American basketball player for KW Titans of the Basketball Super League. He spent his first three years of college eligibility at Niagara University. He then transferred to Auburn University. Mason went undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft and subsequently signed with Apollon Limassol in Cyprus.
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31. Daniel Schaefer
1936-2006 (aged 70)
consultant
politician
Daniel Schaefer was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 6th congressional district from 1983 to 1999.
32. Dennis H. Holtschneider
1962-. (aged 64)
Dennis Henry Holtschneider CM is an American Catholic priest who most recently served as president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities with his term ending June 30, 2024.
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33. Nelson Baker
1841-1936 (aged 95)
Catholic priest
Nelson Henry Baker was an American Catholic monsignor in Lackawanna, New York, whom the Vatican has declared as venerable.
34. Joe McCarthy
1887-1978 (aged 91)
baseball player
Joseph Vincent McCarthy was an American manager in Major League Baseball, most renowned for his leadership of the "Bronx Bombers" teams of the New York Yankees from 1931 to 1946. The first manager to win pennants with both National and American League teams (doing so with the Chicago Cubs in 1929 and the Yankees in 1932), he won a total...
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35. Earle Mack
1890-1967 (aged 77)
baseball player
Earle Thaddeus McGillicuddy, known as Earle Mack, was an American player and coach in Major League Baseball, and, during parts of two seasons, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics when his father, Connie Mack, was too ill to manage. He also became a part-owner of the franchise. His nephew Connie Mack III became a U.S. Senator.
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36. David M. O'Connell
1955-. (aged 71)
university president
Catholic bishop
Catholic priest
David Michael O'Connell CM is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Trenton since 2010. He is a member of the Congregation of the Mission and a past president of the Catholic University of America (CUA).
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37. Tremmell Darden
1981-. (aged 45)
basketball player
Tremmell Lequincy Dushun Darden is an American professional basketball player. Standing at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), he plays at the small forward and power forward positions.
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38. Ben Harpur
1995-. (aged 31)
ice hockey player
Ben Harpur is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Shanghai Dragons of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round, 108th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
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39. John P. Bobo
1943-1967 (aged 24)
military officer
John Paul Bobo was a United States Marine Corps second lieutenant who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Vietnam War on March 30, 1967.
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40. Larry Costello
1931-2001 (aged 70)
basketball player
basketball coach
Lawrence Ronald Costello was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Philadelphia Warriors and the Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, and the Wilkes-Barre Barons of the EPBL. He served as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls.
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41. Nick Langworthy
1981-. (aged 45)
politician
Nicholas Andrew Langworthy is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 23rd district since 2023. He was formerly the chair of the New York State Republican Committee. Langworthy was named chair of the committee in July 2019 after having chaired the Erie County, New York Republican Committee since 2010. He was the youngest state chair in...
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42. T. J. Cline
1994-. (aged 32)
basketball player
Timothy Joseph Cline is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for Ironi Ness Ziona of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for the Richmond Spiders and the Niagara Purple Eagles. Cline is the son of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame player Nancy Lieberman.
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43. John Katko
1962-. (aged 64)
lawyer
employee
politician
John Michael Katko is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for New York's 24th congressional district, based in Syracuse, from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was an Assistant United States Attorney who led the organized crime division at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Syracuse. In that role, he helped...
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44. Eric Gale
1938-1994 (aged 56)
jazz guitarist
guitarist
jazz musician
musician
Eric Gale was an American jazz and jazz fusion guitarist.
45. Michael J. McGivney
1852-1890 (aged 38)
Catholic priest
Michael Joseph McGivney was an American Catholic priest based in New Haven, Connecticut. He founded the Knights of Columbus at a local parish to serve as a mutual aid and insurance organization, particularly for immigrants and their families. It developed through the 20th century as the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization.
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46. Frank Layden
1932-2025 (aged 93)
basketball player
general manager
coach
basketball coach
Francis Patrick Layden was an American basketball head coach and executive for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named both the NBA Coach of the Year and NBA Executive of the Year in 1984. Layden was also head coach of the Utah Starzz of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
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47. Calvin Murphy
1948-. (aged 78)
baton twirler
basketball player
basketball coach
Calvin Jerome Murphy is an American former professional basketball player who after a prolific collegiate career at Niagara University, where he averaged 33.1 points per game over his three years, played in the National Basketball Association as a guard for the San Diego/Houston Rockets from 1970 to 1983. He is currently a member of the Houston Rockets' Space City Home...
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48. John O'Hara
1905-1970 (aged 65)
film screenwriter
novelist
columnist
journalist
screenwriter
John Henry O'Hara was an American writer. He was one of America's most prolific writers of short stories, credited with helping to invent The New Yorker magazine short story style. He became a best-selling novelist before the age of 30 with Appointment in Samarra and BUtterfield 8. While O'Hara's legacy as a writer is debated, his work was praised by...
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49. William J. Donovan
1883-1959 (aged 76)
military officer
politician
lawyer
diplomat
intelligence officer
William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat. He is best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Bureau of Intelligence and Research and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), during World War II. He is regarded as the founding father of the CIA, and...
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50. Jim Hutton
1934-1979 (aged 45)
film actor
actor
television actor
Dana Scott James Hutton was an American actor in film and television best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen in the 1970s TV series of the same name, and his screen partnership with Paula Prentiss in four films, starting with Where the Boys Are. He was the father of actor Timothy Hutton.
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51. Hubie Brown
1933-. (aged 93)
coach
basketball player
basketball coach
Hubert Jude Brown is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors separated by 26 years. Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
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52. David Franczyk
politician
David A. "Dave" Franczyk is a councilmember of the Buffalo Common Council, which is the representative legislative branch of the government of Buffalo, New York. He is also a former Liberal Party and Democratic Party nominee for the United States House of Representatives.
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53. Joseph L. Carrigg
1901-1989 (aged 88)
lawyer
politician
Joseph Leonard Carrigg was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
54. Peter Makuck
1940-2023 (aged 83)
poet
Peter Makuck was an American poet, short story writer, and critic. He was a distinguished professor emeritus of English at East Carolina University, where he was also the first distinguished professor of arts and sciences; he also served as visiting writer in residence at Brigham Young University, visiting distinguished professor at North Carolina State University, and visiting distinguished writer-in-residence at...
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55. Kristen Richards
1992-. (aged 34)
athlete
ice hockey player
Kristen Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. She is currently a member of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), following four seasons with the Markham Thunder (formerly the Brampton Thunder) of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). Prior to that, she played NCAA Division I hockey for Niagara and Robert Morris.
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56. Louis Iasiello
1950-. (aged 76)
Latin Catholic priest
military officer
Louis V. Iasiello, OFM, USN is a Catholic priest and retired US Navy officer who served as the 23rd Chief of Chaplains of the United States Navy from 2003 to 2006.
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57. John Beilein
1953-. (aged 73)
basketball coach
John Patrick Beilein is an American professional basketball coach who currently serves as a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network. Before being hired by the Big Ten Network, Beilein served as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Prior to joining the Cavaliers, he coached the Michigan Wolverines (2007–2019), West Virginia Mountaineers...
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58. Bill Press
1940-. (aged 86)
writer
journalist
radio personality
television producer
William H. Press is an American talk radio host, podcaster, liberal pundit and author. He was chairman of the California Democratic Party from 1993 to 1996, and is a senior political contributor on CNN. He hosts The Bill Press Pod podcast, and his weekly column is syndicated by Tribune Content Agency.
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59. Venla Hovi
1987-. (aged 39)
ice hockey player
ice hockey coach
Venla Hovi is a Finnish ice hockey coach and former ice hockey forward. She is an assistant coach for the Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey program, and was head coach of the Metropolitan Riveters in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) during the 2022–23 PHF season.
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