List of University of Louisville people

The following is a list of people associated with the University of Louisville.

Arts and entertainment

 * Harriette Simpson Arnow (BS 1930) – former author, best known for The Dollmaker
 * Terry Bisson (BA 1964) – contemporary science fiction author
 * Nick DeMartino (BA) – former Senior Vice President, Media and Technology for the American Film Institute
 * Bob Edwards (BA 1969) –  former host of NPR's Morning Edition, host of The Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio and PRI's Bob Edwards Weekend
 * Howard Fineman (JD 1975) – Newsweek chief political analyst
 * Sam Gilliam (BFA 1955, MFA 1961) – painter, specializing in color field and abstract art
 * Sue Grafton (BA 1961) – contemporary detective novel author
 * Edward N. Hamilton Jr (BFA 1969) – sculptor, works include York, the Spirit of Freedom, and the Amistad Memorial
 * Michael Jackman – columnist, poet, essayist, fiction writer, and college professor
 * Jenny Kiefer – horror author
 * Static Major – singer, songwriter, most famous from his work with Lil Wayne on "Lollipop"
 * Delfeayo Marsalis (MA 2004) – jazz trombonist and record producer; brother of Wynton Marsalis and son of Ellis Marsalis
 * Amanda Matthews (BA) – sculptor and painter
 * Beverle Graves Myers – author of historical mystery novels and short stories
 * Mary Spencer Nay (BA 1941, MA 1960) – painter and printmaker
 * Marsha Norman (BA 1969) – Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright
 * Barbara A. Perry (BA 1978) – author; political analyst; Senior Fellow, University of Virginia Miller Center of Public Affairs; former Carter Glass Professor of Government, Sweet Briar College
 * Diane Sawyer – attended but did not graduate law school; anchor of ABC World News
 * Ben Sollee – cellist, singer, and songwriter
 * Henry Strater – painter, illustrator
 * Kevin M. Sullivan (author) – true crime author, historian
 * Kenneth Victor Young (BA, MA) – painter, designer, educator

Business

 * Owsley Brown Frazier (BA 1958, JD 1960) – former director of Brown-Forman Corporation
 * Robert Nardelli (MBA 1975) – CEO of Chrysler; former CEO of Home Depot; former CEO of General Electric Company
 * Frank Neuhauser (BS 1934) – patent attorney; winner of the first National Spelling Bee in 1925
 * James Patterson (MBA 1955) – co-founder of Long John Silvers, Rally's Hamburgers, and Chi-Chi's restaurant chains, President of Pattco Investments
 * Sadiqa Reynolds (BS 1993) – CEO of the Perception Institute; former president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League
 * Leslie Stephen Wright (1913–97) – President of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama 1958–83

Politics

 * David L. Armstrong (JD 1969) – former mayor of Louisville (1996–2002)
 * Reuf Bajrovic – former Minister of Energy of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA 2000)
 * Jared Bauman (B.S. 2008) – American politician
 * Solon Borland (MD 1841) – former U.S. Senator (D), Arkansas
 * Adrielle Camuel – American politician
 * Beverly Chester-Burton (born 1963), American politician
 * Christopher Dodd (JD 1972) – former U.S. Senator (D), Connecticut
 * James B. Edwards (DMD 1955) – former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Governor of South Carolina
 * Charles R. Farnsley (LL.B. 1926) – Kentucky General Assembly 1936–40; Mayor of Louisville 1948–53; U.S. House of Representatives 1965–67
 * Gina Haspel – Director of CIA (BA 1978)
 * Henry D. Hatfield (DMD 1900) – former U.S. Senator and Governor of West Virginia
 * David L. Huber – former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky
 * Addison James – United States Representative from Kentucky
 * Thomas Lee Judge – 18th governor of Montana
 * John A. Logan (JD 1851) – Union General in the Civil War, won Medal of Honor at Vicksburg, led Union forces at Battle of Atlanta, Senator for Illinois
 * Romano Mazzoli (JD 1960) – representative for KY's 3rd US Congressional District 1971–95
 * Mitch McConnell (BA 1964) – U.S. Senator and Majority Leader (R), Kentucky
 * Louie Nunn (JD 1950) – Governor of Kentucky (1967–71)
 * Jim Smith – member of the Indiana Senate
 * Evan B. Stotsenburg – President Pro Tempore of the Indiana Senate; Indiana Attorney General (1915–1917)
 * Troy Stubbs, member of the Alabama House of Representatives
 * Ephraim L. Van Winkle – Secretary of State of Kentucky (1863–1866)
 * John S. Van Winkle – Secretary of State of Kentucky (1866–1867)
 * Ben Waide (BS) – member of the Kentucky House of Representatives

Religion

 * Aryeh Kaplan (BA 1961) – American Orthodox rabbi, author, and translator known for his knowledge of physics and kabbalah

Science and engineering

 * James Gilbert Baker (BA 1935) – winner of Presidential Award for Merit, developed the Baker-Schmidt telescope, pushed for U2 spy plane development
 * Lawrence F. Dahl (BS 1951) – professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
 * Keith Fitzgerald (BA 1994) – political scientist and immigration policy pundit
 * Thomas L. Maddin (1826–1908) – Confederate physician, professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
 * David Meade – book author
 * Renã A. S. Robinson (B.S. 2000) – spectrometry, proteomics, Alzheimer's disease and aging
 * Gary Sullivan (B.S. 1982, MEng 1983) – researcher and standardization leader in video compression technology including H.264/AVC and HEVC
 * Chang-Lin Tien (MEng 1957) – UC Berkeley chancellor 1990–97; engineering scholar

Notable faculty

 * William Burke Belknap – economist; hardware manufacturer; philanthropist; horse breeder; Professor of Economics at the University of Louisville
 * Jim Chen – legal scholar and expert on constitutional law
 * Colin Crawford – legal scholar and dean of the University of Louisville School of Law
 * Paul W. Ewald – evolutionary biologist credited as one scientist who devised the Trade-Off Hypothesis
 * Agnes Moore Fryberger – first director of music appreciation at the university
 * Kee Chang Huang – distinguished professor of pharmacology
 * Michael Jackman – columnist, poet, essayist and fiction writer
 * Melanie B. Jacobs – legal scholar and dean of the University of Louisville School of Law
 * John LaBarbera – jazz professor, nominated for 2005 Grammy award in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble category for his CD On the Wild Side
 * Justin McCarthy – discredited Armenian genocide denier
 * Mary Spencer Nay – painter and printmaker
 * Tom Owen – Professor of Libraries and Community Relations Associate, Louisville Metro Council representative
 * James Speed – lecturer, U.S. Attorney General under President Abraham Lincoln
 * Eugenia Wang – professor with a primary focus in researching the genetic aspect of aging in humans
 * Harold Wren – legal scholar and law school dean
 * Roman Yampolskiy – computer scientist known for his work on artificial intelligence safety

Current NFL players

 * Jaire Alexander – cornerback, Green Bay Packers
 * Teddy Bridgewater (2011–2014) – Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos Miami Dolphins quarterback
 * Jamon Brown – offensive tackle, Green Bay Packers
 * Preston Brown (2010–13) – Buffalo Bills linebacker
 * Lamar Jackson (2015–2018) – quarterback for Baltimore Ravens; NFL; 2016 Heisman Trophy winner
 * DeVante Parker (2011–14) – Miami Dolphins wide receiver
 * Bilal Powell (2007–10) – New York Jets running back

Current CFL players

 * Victor Anderson
 * Otis Floyd (1995–98) – Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker
 * Adam Froman (2009–10) – Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback
 * Trent Guy – Toronto Argonauts slotback
 * Montrell Jones (2001–02) – Montreal Alouettes wide receiver
 * Joshua Tinch (2002–05) – Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver
 * Jonta Woodard (2001–02) – Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive tackle

Current AFL players

 * Donovan Arp (1999–2000) – Austin Wranglers offensive/defensive lineman
 * Kevin Gaines (1990–93) – Grand Rapids Rampage defensive back
 * Jason Hilliard (2001–04) – Columbus Destroyers offensive lineman
 * Will Rabatin (2001–04) – Columbus Destroyers offensive/defensive lineman

Current UFL players

 * Brian Brohm (2004–07) – Las Vegas Locomotives quarterback 2011–present
 * Ronnie Ghent (1997–2001) – Hartford Colonials tight end

Former pros

 * David Akers (1992–95) – San Francisco 49ers kicker; five-time Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010)
 * Bruce Armstrong (1983–86) – former New England Patriots offensive lineman; played in the NFL for 14 seasons; six-time Pro Bowl selection (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997); one of only 11 inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame; one of only seven to have his number retired
 * Deion Branch (2000–01) – New England Patriots wide receiver; Super Bowl XXXIX MVP with the New England Patriots, tied record for catches in a Super Bowl
 * Ray Buchanan (1989–91) – former Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts, and Oakland Raiders defensive back
 * Curry Burns (1998–2002) – free agent safety
 * Michael Bush (2003–06) – Chicago Bears running back
 * Mark Clayton (1979–82) – former Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers wide receiver; five-time Pro Bowl selection (1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1991)
 * Harry Douglas (2003–07) – Tennessee Titans wide receiver
 * Elvis Dumervil (2002–05) – Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens defensive end; tied the NCAA single-season sack record (24); was a first team All-American and the 2005 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner as college football's Defensive Player of the Year; 2005 Ted Hendricks Award as college football's top defensive end
 * Salem Ford (1914–16) – former Louisville Brecks halfback
 * Renardo Foster (2003–06) – free agent offensive lineman
 * William Gay (2003–06) – Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback
 * Antoine Harris (2002–05) – free agent defensive back
 * Nate Harris (2005–06) – free agent linebacker
 * Earl Heyman (2005–09) – New Orleans Saints defensive tackle
 * Ernest Givins (1984–85) – former Houston Oilers and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver; two-time Pro Bowl selection (1990 and 1992)
 * Ernie Green (1959–62) – former Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns running back and fullback
 * Jay Gruden (1985–88) – former Arena Football League quarterback for the Tampa Bay Storm, led the team to four ArenaBowl championships; League MVP in 1992 and MVP of ArenaBowl VII; first quarterback inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame in 1998; head coach of the Washington Redskins; former head coach of the Orlando Predators, led the team to titles in ArenaBowls XII and XIII
 * Tom Jackson (1970–72) – former Denver Broncos linebacker; three-time Pro Bowl selection (1977–79); analyst on ESPN's NFL Gameday; two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year (1971, 1972)
 * Joe Jacoby (1977–80) – former Washington Redskins offensive lineman; key member of "The Hogs"; member of Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XXII, and Super Bowl XXVI Championship teams; four-time Pro Bowl selection (1983–86)
 * Brandon Johnson (2002–05) – Cincinnati Bengals linebacker
 * Chris Johnson (2001–02) – Oakland Raiders defensive back
 * Joe Johnson (1990–93) – former New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers defensive end; two-time Pro Bowl selection (1998 and 2000)
 * Stefan LeFors (2000–05; played 2001–04) – former quarterback with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL and the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL; head high school football coach at the Christian Academy of Louisville
 * Lenny Lyles (1954–57) – drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the first round (11th overall) of the 1958 NFL Draft; one-time Pro Bowl selection; one of the first African American football players at the University of Louisville; often referred to as "the fastest man in football"
 * Sam Madison (1993–96) – former Miami Dolphins and New York Giants defensive back; four-time Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002)
 * Frank Minnifield (1979–82) – former Cleveland Browns defensive back; four-time Pro Bowl selection (1986–89); co-creator of the "Dawg Pound"; led nation in kickoff returns in 1981 and punt returns in 1982
 * Roman Oben (1991–95) – offensive lineman
 * Amobi Okoye (2003–06) – Chicago Bears defensive lineman
 * Richard Owens (1999–2003) – free agent tight end
 * Chris Redman (1996–99) – Atlanta Falcons quarterback; 1999 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner
 * Kerry Rhodes (2001–04) – Arizona Cardinals defensive back, 2005 NFL All-Rookie team
 * Kolby Smith (2003–06) – free agent running back
 * Jason Spitz (2002–05) – Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman
 * Montavious Stanley (2002–05) – free agent defensive tackle
 * Howard Stevens – running back, Baltimore Colts, New Orleans Saints; member of Louisville Athletic Hall of Fame
 * Johnny Unitas (1951–54) – former Baltimore Colts quarterback; Pro Football Hall of Fame member, three-time NFL Most Valuable Player
 * Dewayne White (2000–02) – Detroit Lions defensive end
 * Otis Wilson (1976–79) – first team All-American defensive end; member of the Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX Championship team

Men's basketball

 * Rakeem Buckles (2009–12) – professional basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Taqwa Pinero, formerly known as Taquan Dean (2003–05) – professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns (NBA Summer league 2008), Unicaja Málaga (2009–2010), Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez (2017–2019)
 * Trey Lewis (2015–2016) – professional basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Mangok Mathiang (born 1992) – Australian-Sudanese basketball player for Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Donovan Mitchell (2015–17) – professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz (2017–2022), Cleveland Cavaliers (2022–present)
 * Chinanu Onuaku (born 1996) – basketball player
 * Kenny Payne (1985–89) – professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers (1989–1993), coach for the University of Louisville (2022–present)
 * Derek Smith (1979–82) – professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors (1982–1983), Los Angeles/San Diego Clippers (1983–1986), Sacramento Kings (1986–1989), Philadelphia 76ers (1989–1993), and Boston Celtics (1990–1991)
 * Russ Smith – former NBA player, currently in the Israeli Basketball Premier League

All-Americans
(listed in chronological order)
 * Bob Lochmueller (1949–52)
 * Charlie Tyra (1954–57)
 * Don Goldstein (1956–59) – All-American, Pan American Games gold medalist
 * Jack Turner (1958–61)
 * Wes Unseld (1965–68) – three-time All-American; former member of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets; 5-time NBA All-Star; second person ever to win both NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA Most Valuable Player in the same season; named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988
 * Butch Beard (1966–69)
 * Jim Price (1969–72)
 * Junior Bridgeman (1972–75) – All-American in 1975
 * Allen Murphy (1972–75)
 * Phil Bond (1973–76)
 * Wesley Cox (1974–77)
 * Rick Wilson (1975–78)
 * Darrell Griffith (1976–80) – 1980 John Wooden Award winner (player of the year) and Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA basketball tournament; former member of the Utah Jazz; 1981 NBA Rookie of the Year
 * Lancaster Gordon (1981–84)
 * Pervis Ellison (1985–89) – first freshman to be named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA basketball tournament; first overall pick of the 1989 NBA Draft
 * Clifford Rozier (1991–94)
 * DeJuan Wheat (1994–97)
 * Reece Gaines (2000–03)
 * Francisco García (2003–05) – led team to 2005 Final Four; former member of Sacramento Kings; member of the Houston Rockets
 * Terrence Williams (2005–09) – led team to back to back Elite 8s; former member of Houston Rockets; member of the Boston Celtics

Women's basketball

 * Angel McCoughtry (2005–09) – Big East Player of the Year and All-American in 2007, 2008, and 2009; led the Cardinals to the 2009 NCAA final; first overall pick in the 2009 WNBA draft by the Atlanta Dream; 2009 Rookie of the Year
 * Shoni Schimmel (2010–14) – led the Cardinals to the 2013 NCAA final; chosen eighth overall in the 2014 WNBA draft by the Dream

Baseball

 * Zack Burdi – MLB pitcher in Arizona Diamondbacks organization
 * Reid Detmers – MLB pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels
 * Chris Dominguez – former MLB infielder and head coach for the Bellarmine Knights
 * Adam Duvall – MLB player for the Atlanta Braves and formerly the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds; 2016 All-Star and 2016 Home Run Derby participant
 * Drew Ellis – MLB infielder, Seattle Mariners
 * Cody Ege – former MLB pitcher
 * Adam Engel – MLB outfielder, Chicago White Sox
 * Kyle Funkhouser – MLB pitcher, Detroit Tigers
 * Chad Green – MLB pitcher, New York Yankees
 * Sean Green (1997–2000) – former MLB pitcher
 * Bryan Hoeing – MLB pitcher, Miami Marlins
 * Zach Jackson, – former MLB pitcher
 * Jarred Kelenic – MLB outfielder, Seattle Mariners
 * Dean Kiekhefer – former MLB pitcher
 * Matt Koch – MLB pitcher
 * Fred Koster (1926–1928) – former MLB outfielder
 * Trystan Magnuson – former MLB pitcher
 * Justin Marks – former MLB pitcher
 * Kyle McGrath – MLB pitcher
 * Brendan McKay (2014–2017) – first baseman and pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays; consensus national college player of the year in 2017
 * Corey Ray – MLB outfielder, Milwaukee Brewers
 * Josh Rogers – MLB pitcher, Miami Marlins
 * B. J. Rosenberg – former MLB pitcher
 * Will Smith – MLB catcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
 * Nick Solak – MLB infielder, Texas Rangers
 * Logan Wyatt – MLB first baseman, San Francisco Giants
 * Tony Zych – former MLB pitcher

Track and field

 * Tone Belt (2005–present) – won the 2007 NCAA indoor long jump national title, UofL's first-ever track national title in track and field
 * Andre Black (2005–present) – won the 2007 NCAA indoor triple jump national title, UofL's second-ever national title in track and field
 * Kelley Bowman (2002–06) – two-time All-American high jumper; finished 3rd in nation in the high jump at 2006 NCAA National Championships with a UofL record of 6 feet, 1.25 inches; holds Kentucky high school girls' record (5 feet, 10.5 inches); won four consecutive KY state titles at Berea High School; had 4th best jump in the nation in 2000
 * Wesley Korir (2006–08) – multiple All-America in distance running; winner of the 2012 Boston Marathon; member of the Kenyan Parliament, 2013–2017

Other sports

 * Adam Hadwin (2009) – PGA golfer, winner of 2017 Valspar Championship
 * Scott Harrington – Indy car race driver, 1999 Indycar Rookie of the Year
 * Denis Loktev (born 2000) – Israeli Olympic swimmer
 * Denis Petrashov (born 2000) – Kyrgyzstani Olympic swimmer
 * Shannon Smyth (2005–08) – Republic of Ireland international soccer player

List of presidents of the University of Louisville
There have been 28 presidents and five interim presidents of what is (or was once a part of) the University of Louisville.

Jefferson Seminary (1813–29)

 * Edward Mann Butler 1813–16
 * William Tompkins 1816–21
 * Charles M. M'Crohan 1821–25
 * Francis E. Goddard 1826–29

Louisville Collegiate Institute (1837–40)

 * Benjamin F. Farnsworth 1837–38
 * John Hopkins Harney 1838–40

Louisville College (1840–46)

 * John Hopkins Harney 1840–44

Louisville Medical Institute (1837–1846)

 * John Rowan 1837–42
 * William Garvin 1842–43
 * James Guthrie 1843–46

University of Louisville (post merger of LMI and LC) (1846–present)

 * Samuel Smith Nicholas 1846–47
 * James Guthrie 1847–69
 * Isaac Caldwell 1869–85
 * James Speed Pirtle 1886–05
 * Theodore L. Burnett 1905–11
 * David William Fairleigh 1911–14
 * Arthur Younger Ford 1914–26
 * George Colvin 1926–28
 * John Letcher Patterson 1928–29 (acting)
 * Raymond Asa Kent 1929–43
 * Einar William Jacobsen 1943–46
 * Frederick William Stamm 1946–47 (acting)
 * John Wilkinson Taylor 1947–50
 * Eli Huston Brown III 1950–51 (acting)
 * Philip Grant Davidson 1951–68

University of Louisville, as part of the Kentucky state system

 * Woodrow Mann Strickler 1968–72
 * William Ferdinand Ekstrom 1972–73 (acting)
 * James Grier Miller 1973–80
 * William Ferdinand Ekstrom 1980–81 (acting)
 * Donald C. Swain 1981–95
 * John W. Shumaker 1995–2002
 * Carol Garrison 2002 (acting)
 * James R. Ramsey 2002–16
 * Neville Pinto 2016–17 (acting)
 * Greg Postel 2017–18 (acting)
 * Neeli Bendapudi 2018–21
 * Lori Stewart Gonzalez 2022–23 (interim)
 * Kim Schatzel 2023–