# List of East Carolina University alumni

This list of East Carolina University alumni includes graduates, non-graduate former students and current students of East Carolina University. East Carolina alumni are generally known as Pirates.
The first class of 123 students entered ECTTS in 1909, and the first 16 graduates received their degrees in 1911. Since then, the institute has greatly expanded, with an enrollment of 17,728 undergraduates and 5,436 postgraduate students as of Spring 2007.

## Business

| Name Class year Notability References John A. Allison IV 1995 Former Chairman and CEO of BB&T Marc Basnight 1996 N.C. State Senator; President Pro Tem; restaurant owner Mark Kemp 1983 Former editor of Discover Magazine; Former Vice President of Programming for MTV; author Kelly King 1970 Former CEO of BB&T James Maynard 1965 Founder of Golden Corral Linda McMahon 1969 Current United States Secretary of Education; 25th Administrator of the Small Business Administration; Former President and CEO of WWE. Vince McMahon 1968 Former Chairman and CEO of WWE | Vince McMahon |

## Athletics
### Administration

| Name Class year Notability References Hal Baird 1971 former head baseball coach, Auburn Tigers Erik Bakich 2000 head baseball coach, University of Michigan Billy Godwin 1995 former head baseball coach, East Carolina Pirates George Koonce 1999, 2006 Director of Athletics, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Ruffin McNeill 1980 former head coach, East Carolina Pirates, current assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach at the University of Oklahoma Dave Odom 1969 former head basketball coach, South Carolina Gamecocks, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and East Carolina Pirates Jamie Reed 1982 head athletic trainer, Texas Rangers Mike Sutton 1978 former head men's basketball coach, Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Kay Yow 1964 former women's basketball program head coach, NC State Wolfpack | Ruffin McNeill Kay Yow Dave Odom |

### American football
#### Athletes

| Name | Class year | Position | Notability |
| Reggie Branch | 1984 | Running back | NFL player |
| Mic'hael Brooks | 2013 | Defensive tackle | NFL player, CFL All-Star |
| DeVone Claybrooks | 2001 | Defensive tackle | NFL player, CFL All-Star |
| Terrance Copper | 2004 | Wide receiver | NFL player |
| Marcus Crandell | 1997 | Quarterback | NFL player |
| Damane Duckett | 2004 | Defensive lineman | NFL player |
| David Garrard | 2001 | Quarterback | NFL player, Pro Bowl selection |
| Dan Gonzalez | 1998 | Quarterback | CFL player |
| John Jett | 1993 | Punter | NFL player |
| George Koonce | 1992 | Linebacker | NFL player |
| Vonta Leach | 2004 | Fullback | NFL player, 3x All-Pro, 3x Pro Bowl selection |
| Dwayne Ledford | 1998 | Offensive lineman | NFL player |
| Vinson Smith | 1988 | Linebacker | NFL player |
| Keith Stokes | 2001 | Wide receiver | NFL player, 2x CFL All-Star |

### American soccer

| Name Class year Notability References Clyde Simms 2003 Major League Soccer D.C. United player, 2005–2013 | Clyde Simms |

### Baseball

| Name Class year Notability References Butch Davis 1980 MLB outfielder 1983–1994 Mike Hartley 1981 MLB pitcher 1984–1995 Jerry Narron MLB player 1979–1987, manager, and coach Johnny Narron MLB coach Sam Narron 2002 MLB player 2004 Chad Tracy 2001 MLB player 2004–2013 Pat Watkins 1993 MLB outfielder 1997–1999 | Jerry Narron Chad Tracy |

### Basketball

| Name | Class year | Notability |
| Blue Edwards | 1989 | former NBA, Utah Jazz forward |
| Maurice Kemp | | basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League |
| Jonathan Kerner | 1997 | former NBA, New Jersey Nets center |
| Oliver Mack | 1979 | former NBA, Los Angeles Lakers guard |
| Bob McKillop | 1969 (did not graduate) | former NBA, Philadelphia 76ers; Davidson Wildcats head coach |

### Olympics

| Name Class year Notability References Héctor Cotto 2008, 2012 27th, 42nd in 110 m hurdles Lex Gillette 2007 silver – 2008 Summer Paralympics – men's long jump – F11; silver – 2004 Summer Paralympics – men's long jump – F11 LaShawn Merritt 2005 gold – 2007 Osaka – 4x400 m relay; silver – 2007 Osaka – 400 m; gold – 2008 Beijing – 400 m; gold – 2008 Beijing – 4x400 m relay; gold – 2009 Berlin – 400 m; gold – 2009 Berlin – 4x400m relay | LaShawn Merritt |

### NASCAR

| Name Class year Notability References Jeff Hammond 1970 former NASCAR crew chief; current Fox Sports NASCAR commentator; former football player | Jeff Hammond |

## Humanities
### Arts and entertainment

| Name Class year Notability References Scott Avett 1999 musician, The Avett Brothers Sandra Bullock 1986 actress, producer Constance Bumgarner Gee scholar, advocate of medical use of cannabis Carter Cruise 2013 DJ, producer, model, and pornographic actress Kristen Dalton 2010 Miss Universe 2009 (Top 10); Miss USA 2009; Miss North Carolina USA 2009 Nia Franklin 2011 Miss America 2019; Miss New York 2018 Beth Grant 1971 actress Loonis McGlohon 1942 composer, producer, arranger; Peabody Award winner, Grammy-nominated Maureen O'Boyle n/a news anchor Mary-Jean O'Doherty 2005 opera singer Emily Procter 1991 actress Dana Reason 2002 Miss North Carolina 2003 Nina Repeta 1999 actress Sonny Siaki 1998 former NFL inside linebacker; Samoan professional wrestler Kevin Williamson 1987 writer, producer, director, actor | Sandra Bullock Kristen Dalton Emily Procter MrBeast |

### Authors

| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference(s) |
| Marshall Moore | 1992 | author | |
| Luke Whisnant | 1979 | author | |

### Emmy Award winners

| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference(s) |
| John Beard | 1980 | Fox News anchor in Los Angeles, Emmy Award winner | |
| Velton Ray Bunch | 1971 | composer, arranger, Emmy Award winner | |

### Politics

| Name Class year Notability References Larry M. Bell EdS 1983 Democratic Whip, North Carolina House of Representatives Harry Blevins B.S. Senator, Virginia Senate Don Davis M.A., Ed.D. Senator, North Carolina Senate; Mayor, Snow Hill; Congressan, US House of Representatives North Carolina District 01 Jean Farmer-Butterfield Bachelors Majority Whip, North Carolina House of Representatives Marvin W. Lucas EdS Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives Marian McLawhorn B.S., B.A. 1967; M.L.S. 1988 Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives Robert Burren Morgan 1947 U.S. Senator, North Carolina Attorney General Jean Rouse Preston B.S. 1957, MEd 1973 Senator, North Carolina Senate Paul Stam Attended, 1969–1970 Minority Leader, North Carolina House of Representatives Bonner Lee Stiller B.S. 1978 Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives Edith D. Warren B.S. 1960 M.A. 1974 Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives Beth Wood 1984 Auditor of North Carolina Douglas Yongue B.S. 1959, M.A. 1960 Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives | Robert Morgan |

### Public service

| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference(s) |
| Ron Clark (teacher) | 1994 | author, Disney's 2005 Teacher of the Year | |
| William C. Harrison | 1980 M.A. | chairman and CEO of the North Carolina State Board of Education | |

#### Military service

| Name Class year Notability References Nate Bell 1977, current brigadier general; Assistant Adjutant General William M. Faulkner 1982 brigadier general; commanding general, 3rd Marine Logistics Group Gary L. North 1976 general; commander, Pacific Air Forces; Air Component Commander for U.S. Pacific Command; and Executive Director, Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff | William M. Faulkner William L. Holland Gary L. North |

### Pulitzer Prize winners

| Name Class year Notability References Rick Atkinson 1974 Pulitzer Prize winner – History, 2003, An Army at Dawn; Public Service, 1999; National Reporting, 1982 Dan Neil 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner – Distinguished Criticism, 2004 Sandra Mims Rowe 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner – Editorial Writing, 2006; Feature Writing, 2001 and 2002; Gold Medal for Public Service, 2001; Explanatory Reporting, 1999; New Reporting, 1985 | Rick Atkinson |