9 Notable alumni of Western State Colorado University
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
Western State Colorado University is ranked #3,108 in the world and #805 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 9 notable alumni from Western State Colorado 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 Western State Colorado University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Barbara Szabó
1990-. (aged 36)
athletics competitor
Barbara Szabó is a Hungarian athlete specialising in the high jump. She represented her country at the 2013 World Championships without qualifying for the final. Her best outing so far is the eighth place at the European Indoor Championships. She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
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2. Elva Dryer
1971-. (aged 55)
marathon runner
Elva Dryer is an American long-distance runner who competed mostly in the 5000 and 10,000 meters, before turning to road running. She represented the United States at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
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3. Tyler Pennel
1987-. (aged 39)
marathon runner
Tyler Pennel is an American distance runner. Having grown up in Colorado, he competed in cross country and track at Golden High School and subsequently at Western State College. He runs for ZAP Fitness and is known for a competitive range from the mile to the marathon.
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4. Rutherford George Montgomery
1894-1985 (aged 91)
writer
children's writer
Rutherford George Montgomery was an American writer of children's books. In addition to his given name, he used the pseudonyms A.A. Avery, Al Avery, Art Elder, E.P. Marshall, and Everitt Proctor.
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5. Theo Colborn
1927-2014 (aged 87)
university teacher
writer
environmentalist
zoologist
ecologist
Theodora Emily Colborn was Founder and President Emerita of The Endocrine Disruption Exchange (TEDX), based in Paonia, Colorado, and Professor Emerita of Zoology at the University of Florida, Gainesville. She was an environmental health analyst, and best known for her studies on the health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals. She died in 2014.
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6. Lauren Kleppin
1988-. (aged 38)
marathon runner
Lauren Kleppin is an American long-distance runner. Kleppin competes in marathon, half-marathon, and numerous road distances. She holds the second highest American finish at the Los Angeles Marathon since 2012, having finished third in 2014. She is also a ten-time NCAA All-American, twice in cross country and eight times in track and field.
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7. Austin Ekeler
1995-. (aged 31)
American football player
Austin Ekeler is an American professional football running back for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Colorado Mountaineers, finishing as their all-time leader in rushing yards before signing with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2017. With the Chargers, Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns for...
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8. Shane Carwin
1975-. (aged 51)
mixed martial arts fighter
Shane Bannister Carwin is an American former mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is considered to be one of the hardest hitting athletes to ever fight in the UFC.
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9. Barry Clifford
1945-. (aged 81)
archaeologist
explorer
anthropologist
Barry Clifford is an American underwater archaeological explorer.