Notable Alumni of Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (LSU) has a rich history of producing successful individuals across various fields. EduRank Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is ranked 109th in the world, 48th in North America, and 46th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. This article highlights some of the most notable alumni who have made significant contributions in sports, entertainment, politics, business, and other areas.
Athletics
LSU has a strong athletic tradition, and many of its alumni have achieved great success in professional sports.
Basketball
- Shaquille O'Neal: Known commonly as Shaq, Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. Enrolled in Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, in 2000 graduated with Bachelor of Arts. He is a 7-foot-1-inch (2.16 m) and 325-pound (147 kg) center who played for six teams over his 19-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is a four-time NBA champion. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time.
- Ben Simmons: Benjamin David Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the LSU Tigers, after which he was named a consensus first-team All-American and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. Simmons was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. After sitting out a year due to an injured right foot, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was selected three times to the NBA All-Star Game. As the result of a holdout from the 76ers following the 2020-21 season, which led him to be traded to the Nets, Simmons is the most-fined player in NBA history, in terms of total financial loss. He Studied in 2015-2016.
- Pete Maravich: Peter Press Maravich, known by his nickname Pistol Pete, was an American professional basketball player. He starred in college at Louisiana State University's Tigers basketball team; his father, Press Maravich, was the team's head coach. Maravich is the all-time leading NCAA Division I men's scorer with 3,667 points scored and an average of 44.2 points per game. All of his accomplishments were achieved before the adoption of the three-point line and shot clock, and despite being unable to play varsity as a freshman under then-NCAA rules. Studied in 1966-1970.
- Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Grizzlies.
- Shareef O'Neal: Shareef Rashaun O'Neal is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League. The son of Hall of Fame player Shaquille O'Neal, he attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California. As a senior forward, O'Neal was ranked among the top high school basketball players of his class. He was a redshirt during his first season in college basketball with the UCLA Bruins, when he underwent heart surgery. He played as a reserve for the Bruins in 2019-20 before transferring midseason to the LSU Tigers.
Football
- Joe Burrow: Joseph Lee Burrow is an American professional football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He began his college football career spending three seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes. After transferring, Burrow spent his next two seasons playing for the LSU Tigers, winning the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff National Championship as a senior. He was selected by the Bengals first overall in the 2020 NFL draft. Studied in 2018-2020.
- Odell Beckham Jr: Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr., commonly known by his initials OBJ, is an American professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. He has played in the NFL for the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Miami Dolphins.
- Tyrann Mathieu: Tyrann Devine Mathieu is an American professional football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers. In college he developed a reputation for causing turnovers, setting a Southeastern Conference (SEC) record with 11 career forced fumbles and earning the nickname "the Honey Badger" after the mammal of the same name. In his sophomore season, he was recognized as a consensus All-American, won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in college football, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU football program after that season due to a violation of team rules.
- Leonard Fournette: Leonard Joseph Fournette III is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
- Justin Jefferson: Justin Jamal Jefferson is an American professional football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a junior before being drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
- Booger McFarland: Anthony Darelle "Booger" McFarland is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisiana State University and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft. McFarland also played for the Indianapolis Colts, and won two Super Bowl rings in his career: one with the Buccaneers (Super Bowl XXXVII) and another with the Colts (Super Bowl XLI). He was an analyst for Monday Night Football in 2018 and 2019, before joining as a pregame analyst on Monday Night Countdown in 2020.
- Ja'Marr Chase: Ja'Marr Anthony Chase is an American professional football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a sophomore. Selected fifth overall by the Bengals in the 2021 NFL draft, Chase was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a second-team All-Pro after setting the rookie record for single-game receiving yards en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LVI. In 2024, Chase became the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to win the receiving triple crown, leading the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
- Jarvis Landry: Jarvis Charles Landry is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. With the Dolphins, Landry made three Pro Bowls and with the Browns, earned two more Pro Bowls. He led the league in receptions in 2017 with 112. His 564 career receptions are the most by a player through their first six seasons in NFL history.
- Jayden Daniels: Jayden Daniels is an American professional football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Daniels played three seasons of college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils (2019-2021) and two with the LSU Tigers (2022-2023). Using a dual-threat playstyle, he won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and other player of the year awards after leading college football in total yards while passing and running for 50 total touchdowns. Enrolled in Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College 2022-2024 graduated with master's degree in liberal arts and sciences.
- Andrew Whitworth: Andrew James Whitworth is an American former professional football tackle.
Track and Field
- Lolo Jones: Lori Susan "Lolo" Jones is an American hurdler and bobsledder who specializes in the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles. She won three NCAA titles and garnered 11 All-American honors while at Louisiana State University. She won indoor national titles in 2007, 2008, and 2009 in the 60-meter hurdles, with gold medals at the World Indoor Championship in 2008 and 2010.
- Sha'Carri Richardson: Sha'Carri Richardson is an American track and field sprinter who competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. Richardson rose to fame in 2019 as a freshman at Louisiana State University, running 10.75 seconds to break the 100 m collegiate record at the NCAA Division I Championships. This winning time made her one of the ten fastest women in history at 19 years old.
- Armand Duplantis: Armand Gustav Duplantis, also known as Mondo Duplantis, is a Swedish-American pole vaulter who competes for Sweden. Regarded as the greatest pole vaulter of all time, Duplantis is the current world outdoor and indoor record holder [ 6.26 m (20 ft 6+1⁄2 in) and 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in) respectively]. He is a two-time Olympic (2020 and 2024) champion, two-time World outdoor (2022 and 2023) and indoor champion, and the current European champion. Studied in 2018-2019.
Baseball
- Alex Bregman: Alexander David Bregman is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros. Last Attended 2015.
Entertainment and Media
LSU alumni have also made their mark in the entertainment industry and media.
- Joanne Woodward: Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American retired actress. She made her career breakthrough in the 1950s and earned esteem and respect playing complex women with a characteristic nuance and depth of character. Her accolades include an Academy Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She is the oldest living winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress.
- Addison Rae: Addison Rae Easterling is an American social media personality, singer, and actress. She found success with her different ventures including music and acting. She made her film debut in the Netflix comedy film He's All That (2021).
- Don Lemon: Don Lemon is an American television journalist best known for being a host on CNN from 2014 until 2023. He anchored weekend news programs on local television stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania during his early days as a journalist. Lemon worked as a news correspondent for NBC on its programming, such as Today and NBC Nightly News. Lemon is also a recipient of an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2002 for his coverage of the capture of the Washington, D.C. snipers. He also received three regional Emmy Awards for his special report on real estate in Chicago and a business feature on Craigslist.
- Theo Von: Theodor Capitani von Kurnatowski III, known professionally as Theo Von or The Von, is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, actor, influencer, and former reality television personality. He is the host of the This Past Weekend podcast.
- Stephen Stills: Stephen Arthur Stills is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Manassas. As both a solo act and member of three successful bands, Stills has combined record sales of over 35 million albums. He was ranked number 28 in Rolling Stone's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and number 47 in the 2011 list. Stills became the first person to be inducted twice on the same night into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to Neil Young, "Stephen is a genius".
Politics and Public Service
LSU has also produced numerous leaders in politics and public service.
- Hubert Humphrey: Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. was an American politician and statesman who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and again from 1971 to 1978. As a senator he was a major leader of modern liberalism in the United States. As President Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president, he supported the controversial Vietnam War. An intensely divided Democratic Party nominated him in the 1968 presidential election, which he lost to Republican nominee Richard Nixon. Class of 1940 (MA).
- James Carville: Chester James Carville Jr. is an American political consultant, author and occasional actor who has strategized for candidates for public office in the United States and in at least 23 nations abroad. elections who appears frequently on cable news programs, podcasts, and public speeches. Class of 1970 (BS), 1973 (JD).
- Stephen Scalise: House of Representatives Republican Whip and representative for Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District 1, was elected to Congress after serving in the Louisiana State Legislature from 1996-2008. A senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a steadfast defender of Louisiana’s coast, Scalise led the effort in the House to pass the RESTORE act, which was enacted in 2012. He graduated from LSU in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
- Donna Brazile: Donna Lease Brazile is an American political strategist, campaign manager, and political analyst who served twice as acting Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). She is currently an ABC News contributor, and was previously a Fox News contributor until her resignation in May 2021. Brazile was also previously a CNN contributor, but resigned in October 2016, after WikiLeaks revealed that she shared two debate questions with Hillary Clinton's campaign during the 2016 United States presidential election.
- John Bel Edwards: Louisiana Governor Class of 1999 (JD).
Business and Other Fields
LSU alumni have also excelled in various business and professional fields.
Read also: Legacy of Fordham University
- Louis Minsky: Louis Minsky, a partner in Minsky & Carver Medical Center Concierge Medicine for Personal Wellness, is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice. He is chief of staff at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, medical director of clinical informatics of the General Health System, and an assistant professor at the LSU Medical Center. He was chief deputy coroner for East Baton Rouge Parish from 2005-2012 and currently serves on the board of the Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum, as East Baton Rouge Medical Officer for the Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and is currently serving on the Mayor's Covid-19 Task Force. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Association, American College of Physician Executives, Louisiana State Medical Society, and East Baton Rouge Parish Medical Society. Minsky has been a member and officer of the LSU Alumni Association Board of Directors since 1994 and is a major donor to the Alumni Fund, the Lod Cook Alumni Center, The Cook Hotel, and the Andonie Museum. In addition, he has served for many years as the official doctor on Traveling Tigers sports trips. Minsky earned his bachelor's degree in microbiology in 1981 and his M.D. from the LSU School of Medicine in 1985.
- Nicole Hilton: Nicole Hilton, founding partner and design architect at Cole Hil, is the first African American female graduate of the LSU School of Architecture to become a licensed architect. She established the architectural firm in 2014 with her partner, Tony Hilton. In addition to her architectural design expertise, Hilton advocates for design excellence and diversity and inclusion within the design profession. She served on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Georgia board in 2016 and is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Atlanta Chapter. She mentors through the AIA/ NOMA mentorship program and periodically participates in architecture school design reviews at Kennesaw State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and LSU. Hilton earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 2007.
- Todd Schexnayder: Todd Schexnayder is senior vice president and human resources director at Fidelity Bank. He joined Fidelity in 2015, after he retired as senior vice president of human resources at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. He was previously senior vice president of human resources at Pan-American Life Insurance Company. Schexnayder is active in numerous community and professional organizations and serves his alma mater through involvement with the LSU National Diversity Advisory Board, the A.P. Tureaud, Sr. Black Alumni Chapter, and the College of Humanities & Social Sciences Advisory Council. He was a member of the Manship School of Mass Communication Alumni Executive Board, serving as president from 2006-2009.
- Gregory Hamer: In 1982, Greg Hamer and his wife, Brenda, created B&G Food Enterprises, when they received a franchise from Taco Bell to operate a restaurant in Morgan City, La. Today, B&G operates more than 150 restaurants in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. B&G is the largest Taco Bell Franchisee in Louisiana and maintains corporate headquarters in Morgan City, La. Hamer’s outstanding business and civic leadership has earned Greg and B&G a spot in the LRA Hall of Fame; national coverage in Entrepreneur magazine; recognition as Louisiana Humanitarian of the Year in Louisiana Living magazine, as Community Foundation of Acadiana-St. Mary Affiliate Philanthropist of the Year, and as St. Mary Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. He was inducted into the Ourso College of Business Hall of Distinction in 2014 and B&G was recognized in LSU 100: Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses. That philosophy of service and commitment is shared with the LSU family. Greg is a member of the E.J. Ourso College of Business Dean's Advisory Council, serves on the Tiger Athletic Foundation Board of Directors, and is an active member of the LSU Alumni Association. The Brenda and Gregory Hamer Sr. Endowed Scholarship support students in the College of Business. Top-level Association donors for many years, a recent gift from the Hamers increases their support of the Alumni Fund to promote the overall mission and vision of the Association through the initiatives of the organization's strategic plan - Your Front Door to the Future. Hamer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1968.
- Mark Grant: He joined CBS in 1998 after serving first as association director then as director of television at ESPN. He started his career as master control operator, producer, and director at Cablevision of Baton Rouge. One of the first directors of 3D television sports broadcasts, Grant is a three-time Emmy Award winner with CBS Sports and a three-time ACE Award winner, the cable industry’s highest award.
- Dr. Henry Gremillion: The late Henry Gremillion earned an undergraduate degree from the College of Arts & Sciences in 1973 and graduated from the LSU School of Dentistry in 1977. He was the school’s first graduate to be named dean and was recognized nationally as a dedicated educator who worked tirelessly for his students, as evidenced by his Summer Enrichment Program initiative, created to diversify dentistry by identifying poor and minority students and preparing them to be competitive in applying to dental school and to succeed when they were accepted. His most visible achievement as dean was the completion, in 2018, of the $31 million Allen A. Copping, DDS, Advanced Clinical Care and Research Building. Named for the former dental school dean, LSU Medical Center chancellor, and LSU System president, it was the first addition to the campus since its founding in 1968.
- Dr. D-D Breaux: Retired head coach of LSU Gymnastics - and the longest-tenured coach of any sport in SEC history. She built the LSU program into a national powerhouse during her forty-three seasons.
- Ivory A. Toldson: Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D. is the National Director of Education Innovation and Research for the NAACP, a professor of counseling psychology at Howard University, and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education.
- Major Roy Young: Major Roy Young is a native of New Orleans and a 1953 graduate of LSU's College of Education. During his tour of duty in Vietnam, he served as a senior regimental advisor for the 7th Vietnamese Regiment and operations advisor for the Fifth Vietnamese Infantry Division. Bronze Star for Valor and three times the Cross of Gallantry from the Republic of South Vietnam for heroism in the Battle of Dong Xoai and other engagements. Air Medals for action in Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam Medal of Honor, and the Vietnamese Parachute Badge. For his service in more than 100 aerial missions against the Viet Cong, Major Young, a qualified aerial observer as well as an airborne infantryman, received his air medals. Upon returning to the states, he served as an assistant operations officer with the XVIII Airborne Corps headquarters staff, Ft. Bragg, NC. Major Young is married to the former Alice Ruth Hargrove of Newelton, who is also an LSU graduate.
- John McKeithen: A native of Grayson, Louisiana, John McKeithen holds two degrees from LSU. He received his bachelor of arts degree in 1941 and his law degree in 1942. Entering the Army in February of 1943, he became a commissioned officer in the Combat Engineers. He fought in the Pacific campaigns at Ie Shima, Guam, Leyte, and Okinawa. In 1948, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representative and became a floor leader for the administration of Gov. Earl K. Long. After a defeat as a candidate for lieutenant governor on the Long-backed ticket, McKeithen bounced back later to win the North Louisiana seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission. As Governor, McKeithen devoted considerable effort to the state's industrial development and its ‘national image.’ His administration's legislative program has included passage of ‘code of ethics’ legislation, establishment of a guaranteed student loan program, and passage of industrial inducement laws. He spearheaded voter approval of a constitutional amendment which allowed governors to succeed themselves in office. McKeithen is a member of the Methodist Church and is on the official board. He is a licensed lay speaker.
- Claude O. Stephens: President of the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, has been a 'man-on-the-go' ever since graduating from LSU with a degree in petroleum engineering. Starting as a field engineer with Texas Gulf, he advanced to the managership of the company's Wyoming operations, the top position in the gas department, a vice presidency in 1952, and the presidency in 1957. Long ranked one-two among the world's sulphur producers, Texas Gulf, under Stephens' leadership, also became a giant of the copper mining industry with a rich discovery in Canada. Stephen's responsibilities don't stop even there. He is director of the Sulphur Institute and the American Potash Institute and an active member of a number of professional organizations, including the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, the American Mining Congress, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. He is well known for his public service efforts in and around his adopted city. LSU's top ROTC product and Cadet Colonel as a senior, Mr. Stephens more than fulfilled his military promise with a distinguished record during World War II. He advanced from Second Lieutenant to Major of infantry during four years of action in the Pacific Theater. When the war ended for him in the Japanese Occupation Forces, he was a battalion commander and a Bronze Star Medal winner. His original home was in Bay City, Texas.
- Wes Gallagher: His Associated Press career started in Buffalo, New York, in 1937 after experience on newspapers in Baton Rouge and Rochester. He entered AP's foreign service in 1939 and served as a correspondent in 26 countries. He reported World War II form Scandinavia, the Balkans, and other parts of Europe and North Africa. He was in charge of all AP correspondents during the Allied invasion of Europe. In 1951, he was recalled to New York and named a general executive in charge of AP personnel. In 1953, he also took charge of AP Newsfeatures and The Associated Press picture subsidiary, Wild World Photos. In 1954, Gallagher was named an AP assistant general manger and served in that capacity until his promotion to general manager in 1962. As president of The Associated Press, this LSU College of Arts and Sciences graduate of 1936 exercises personal supervision over the news and pictures that flow over the circuits of the world's largest news-gathering organization.
Read also: Westfield State University Legacy
Read also: Montgomery College's Impactful Graduates
