List of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo people

This article lists notable alumni of the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

Arts and media



 * Pedro Armendáriz (1912–1963), character actor, award-winning leading man in dozens of films from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema
 * Michael Berryman (born 1948), actor
 * Dave Carnie (born 1969), writer, artist, former editor of Big Brother Magazine
 * Irene Chan (born 1965), artist
 * Margo Chase (1958–2017), graphic designer
 * Luke Chueh, contemporary artist
 * Michelle Franzen (born 1968), television and radio journalist for NBC News and ABC News
 * Danny Gans (1956–2009), Las Vegas entertainer
 * Nathan L. Good (born 1954), architect
 * Paula Huston (born 1952), author
 * Cam Inman, San Francisco 49ers reporter for Bay Area News Group
 * John Madden (1936-2021), Pro Football Hall of Fame broadcaster, head coach, and player
 * Cassie McFarland (born 1985), artist, designed the obverse of the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coin
 * Andy Paiko (born 1977), contemporary glass artist
 * George Ramos (1947–2011), three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
 * Suzanne Roberts (born 1970), poet, travel writer, and photographer
 * Zach Shallcross (born 1996), reality television personality, The Bachelor
 * M. Ward (born 1973), folk musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist
 * "Weird Al" Yankovic (born 1959), rock parodist and entertainer

Business

 * James Griffin Boswell, chairman of the board, J.G. Boswell Company
 * Jamie Evans, cannabis professional
 * Noel Lee, President and founder, Monster Cable
 * Bob Mazzuca (B.S. History, 1970), Chief Scout Executive of Boy Scouts of America
 * Farzad Nazem (B.S. Computer Science, 1981), former Chief Technology Officer of Yahoo!
 * Peter Oppenheimer (B.S. Ag Business, 1985), former Chief Financial Officer of Apple Computer
 * William H. Swanson (B.S. Industrial Engineering, 1973) (born 1950), Chairman and CEO of Raytheon
 * Jack Trimble (B.S. Psychology, 2024), current Chief Executive Officer of Copper & Crystal, Bar Service

Politics and government

 * Tom Berryhill, Stanislaus County Supervisor, former California State Senator
 * Warren Church, Monterey County Board of Supervisors
 * Jeff Denham, former United States Representative for California's 10th congressional district
 * Dennis Hollingsworth (born 1967), former California State Senator
 * Doug LaMalfa, United States Representative for California's 1st congressional district
 * Abel Maldonado (born 1967), 47th Lieutenant Governor of California
 * Bruce McPherson (born 1944), 30th California Secretary of State
 * Mohammadreza Nematzadeh, Minister of Labour and Minister of Industry and Mine in the Islamic Republic of Iran
 * Devin Nunes, former United States Representative for California's 22nd Congressional District
 * George Radanovich, former United States Representative for California's 19th congressional district
 * Robert C. Tapella, 25th Public Printer of the United States

Science and technology

 * Michael Alsbury, commercial astronaut, Virgin Galactic test pilot; killed in the 2014 Virgin Galactic crash
 * Tory Bruno, rocket scientist and CEO of United Launch Alliance
 * Greg Chamitoff (born 1962), astronaut
 * Robert L. Gibson (born 1946), astronaut
 * Victor J. Glover (born 1976), astronaut
 * David Haussler, professor at University of California, Santa Cruz
 * Mark Lucovsky, software architect and a part of the team that designed Windows NT
 * Kristen Maitland, optical scientist and Fellow of SPIE
 * Alison Murray, biochemist and Antarctic researcher
 * Aaron Peckham, owner and creator of UrbanDictionary
 * Burt Rutan (born 1943), designer of SpaceShipOne and Rutan Voyager
 * Peter Siebold, commercial astronaut, Virgin Galactic test pilot
 * Frederick W. Sturckow (born 1961), astronaut

Baseball

 * Justin Bruihl (born 1997), MLB pitcher
 * Kevin Correia (born 1980), MLB pitcher
 * Casey Fien (born 1983), MLB pitcher
 * Mitch Haniger (born 1990), MLB outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
 * Mike Krukow (born 1952), former MLB pitcher and current broadcast announcer
 * Bud Norris (born 1985), MLB pitcher
 * Garrett Olson (born 1983), former MLB pitcher
 * John Orton (born 1965), former MLB catcher
 * Ozzie Smith (born 1954), MLB Hall of Fame shortstop
 * Dean Treanor (born 1947), manager of the Indianapolis Indians
 * Joey Wagman (born 1991), pitcher
 * Bryan Woo (born 2000), MLB pitcher for the Seattle Mariners

Basketball

 * Sean Chambers (born 1965), PBA player for the Alaska Aces
 * Chris Eversley (born 1991), ABL player for the Malaysia Dragons
 * Mike LaRoche (born 1946), ABA player for the Los Angeles Stars
 * David Nwaba (born 1993), NBA player for the Chicago Bulls
 * Joe Prunty (born 1969), NBA assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks
 * Derek Stockalper (born 1984), FIBA player for Swiss National Team
 * Drake U'u (born 1990), NBL player for the Perth Wildcats

Football

 * Marijon Ancich, high school football coach with the most wins in California history
 * Ramses Barden (born 1986), former NFL wide receiver
 * Bobby Beathard (born 1937), NFL Hall of Fame GM
 * Jordan Beck (born 1983), NFL linebacker
 * Alex Bravo (born 1930), former NFL defensive back
 * Courtney Brown (born 1984), former NFL defensive back
 * Sal Cesario (born 1963), former NFL offensive guard
 * Jim Criner (born 1940), college football head coach
 * Nick Dzubnar (born 1991), linebacker for San Diego Chargers
 * Chris Gocong (born 1983), NFL linebacker
 * Asa Jackson (born 1989), NFL cornerback
 * Mel Kaufman (1958–2009), former NFL linebacker Washington Redskins, 1981–1988
 * John Madden (1936-2021), Pro Football Hall of Fame broadcaster, head coach, and player
 * Dana Nafziger (born 1953), NFL player
 * Ted Tollner (born 1940), former NFL coach
 * Cecil Turner (born 1944), former NFL WR/KR Chicago Bears, 1968–1973, selected to 1971 NFL Pro Bowl
 * Fred Whittingham (born 1939), former NFL linebacker and coach

Other athletes

 * Kip Colvey (born 1994), professional soccer player for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer; represents his home country New Zealand in international FIFA tournaments
 * Sharon Day (born 1985), former NCAA women's high jump champion, 2011 USA outdoor national heptathlon champion
 * Sean Johnston (rally driver) (born 1990), American World Rally Championship driver
 * Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner
 * Karen Kraft, U.S. silver medalist in coxless pair rowing at the 1996 Summer Olympics and a bronze medalist in coxless pairs at the 2000 Summer Olympics
 * Gene Lenz, All-American college swimmer, 1960 Summer Olympics finalist in the 400-meter freestyle
 * Chuck Liddell (born 1969), wrestler; retired mixed martial artist, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Fame member
 * Gan McGee, professional MMA fighter
 * Chad Mendes (born 1985), 2008 NCAA wrestling runner-up at 141 lbs., professional MMA fighter, UFC featherweight contender
 * Gina Miles, U.S. silver medalist in individual eventing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
 * Borislav Novachkov, Olympic wrestler
 * Gina Oceguera (born 1977), World Cup soccer player
 * Anton Peterlin (born 1987), soccer player
 * Victor Plata (born 1973), USA Olympian in the triathlon
 * Loren Roberts (born 1955), professional golfer on the PGA Tour
 * Monty Roberts (born 1935), professional horse trainer, former rodeo rider, and author
 * Horton "Cotton" Rosser (1928-2022), 1951 All-Around National Champion, College National Finals Rodeo, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, "King of the Cowboys", owner of Flying U Rodeo Company, Cal Poly honorary doctorate, honoree of the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex at Cal Poly
 * Stephanie Brown Trafton (born 1979), U.S. gold medalist in discus throw at the 2008 Summer Olympics
 * Maggie Vessey (born 1981), professional 800-meter runner
 * Barton Williams (born 1956), NCAA All-American 400m-hurdler

Others

 * Scott C. Black (born 1952), lieutenant general (United States Army, Retired), 37th Judge Advocate General of the United States Army; the first lieutenant general to hold that position
 * Wil Dasovich, Filipino American YouTube personality
 * Maya Higa (born 1998), conservationist, falconer, wildlife rehabilitator, and Twitch streamer
 * Laci Peterson (born 1975)
 * Scott Peterson, convicted murderer
 * Kristin Smart (born 1977)
 * Gilbert H. Stork, president of Cuesta College