- Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre (pronounced 'Farv') was born on October 10, 1969 in Gulfport, Mississippi. He is the current starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Favre started at quarterback for The University of Southern Mississippi for four years before being selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. After one season with the Falcons, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers on February 10, …
- Jeff Bower
Jeff Bower (b. May 28, 1953) is an American football coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. He assumed the role of head coach at Southern Miss on December 2, 1990. Bower's teams are characterized by toughness and discipline, and solid defensive play. Under his tutelage, the Golden Eagles have put together a continuing streak of thirteen straight winning seasons, one of the longest such streaks in college football.
- Gene Taylor
Gary Eugene "Gene" Taylor (born September 17, 1953) is an American politician of the Democratic Party and a U.S. Representative from the 4th District of Mississippi (map). Taylor was born in New Orleans and is a graduate of Tulane University. He completed additional post-graduate work at University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Park Campus. From 1971 through 1984, he was a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserve, …
- Michael Jackson
Michael Dwayne Jackson (born April 12, 1969 in Tangipahoa, Louisiana) is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 6'4", 195 lbs. wide receiver from the University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson played in eight NFL seasons from 1991-1998 for the Browns and Baltimore Ravens. Injuries cut his career short and forced him to retire at the age of 29. In 1993, …
- Martha Dunagin Saunders
Martha Dunagin Saunders is an American academic official and the ninth and current president of the University of Southern Mississippi. Dunagin was elected to the post in April 2007 and replaced embattled president Dr. Shelby F. Thames. Dunagin, a 1969 alumna of USM, became the first woman ever elected to the presidential post at USM.
- Frederick Barthelme
Fredrick Barthelme (b. October 10, 1943) is an American author of short fiction and novels and a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. He is also the editor of the literary journal "The Mississippi Review". He received his M.A. in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with the writer John Barth. His brothers Donald and Steven are also authors. His father, Donald Barthelme, Sr., was a well-known Modernist architect in Houston.
- Larry Eustachy
Larry Eustachy (born December 1, 1955 in Alameda, California) is the current head coach of The University of Southern Mississippi's men's basketball team. He was hired as head coach on March 25, 2004. He had previously been head coach of the men's basketball teams at the University of Idaho (1990-1993), Utah State (1993-1998) and Iowa State (1998-2003). Eustachy won the AP National Coach of the Year after leading Iowa State to the Elite Eight in the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
- Deanna Favre
Deanna Favre (born in 1970 in Kiln, Mississippi) is the wife of NFL quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she became an activist for the disease and started the Deanna Favre Hope Foundation to raise money and awareness for women around the country.
- Reggie Collier
Regoinald Collier (born May 14, 1961 in Biloxi, Mississippi) is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. A quarterback from the University of Southern Mississippi, Collier began his career in the USFL and played for the Birmingham Stallions and Orlando Renegades.
- Britt Barefoot
Britt Barefoot (born March 5, 1986) is an aptly-named punter for the University of Southern Mississippi college football team. In 2006, Barefoot became the team's starting punter as a redshirt sophomore, adding that to his earlier kickoff duties. He averaged 38.6 yards per punt for the Golden Eagles (ironically, the alma mater of Ray Guy, one of the best ever in the National Football League at that position).
- Louis Lipps
Louis Adam Lipps (born August 9, 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former American Football wide receiver who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1984 in the 1st round after a college football career at the University of Southern Mississippi. His teammate John Stallworth took him under his wing when he was a rookie.
- Michael Boley
Michael Boley (born August 24, 1982) is a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Boley went to the University of Southern Mississippi for college after graduating from Elkmont High School in Elkmont, Alabama, in 2000. He won the Conerly Trophy in 2004 as the best college football player in the state of Mississippi.
- Tom Malone
Tom Malone (aka "Bones" Malone; born June 16, 1947) is an American jazz musician specializing in trombone. He is famous for being a member of the Blues Brothers Band and a member of the CBS Orchestra, the house band for the Late Show with David Letterman. Malone was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He graduated from North Texas State University along with follow Blues Brothers bandmate Lou Marini.
- John Bale
John Bale (born May 22, 1974, in Cheverly, Maryland) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. He is an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi. After being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round of the 1996 MLB amateur draft, Bale made his Major League debut with the Blue Jays on September 30, 1999. On December 11, 2000, Bale was traded from the Blue Jays to the Baltimore Orioles for outfielder Jayson Werth.
- Steven Barthelme
Steven Barthelme (born 1947) is the author of numerous short stories and essays and a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. His published works include "And He Tells the Little Horse the Whole Story" and (with brother Frederick Barthelme) "Double Down: Reflections on Gambling and Loss". He won Pushcart Prizes in 1993 and 2005, and in 2004 he won the Texas Institute of Letters Short Story Award for a story published in Yale Review.
- Chad Bradford
Chadwick Lee "Chad" Bradford also known as Big Daddy Bradford (born September 14, 1974) is an American relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball. Known for his unusual delivery where he releases the pitch side-arm and very close to the ground. This is called a submarine delivery. Because of this delivery he has experienced back and abdominal pain at times. Bradford was born in Jackson, Mississippi.
- Sammy Winder
Sammy Winder (born July 15, 1959 in Madison, Mississippi) is a former professional American football running back who spent his entire professional career playing for the Denver Broncos, from 1982 to 1990. Winder was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (1984 and 1986), and was a key player on Broncos during the 1980's assisting them to three Super Bowl appearances. In his 9 seasons, Winder rushed for 5,427 yards and 39 touchdowns, …
- Ronnie Shows
Clifford Ronald (Ronnie) Shows (born January 26, 1947) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi. Shows was born in Moselle in Jones County, Mississippi. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1971, earning degrees in education and political science. Shows worked as a teacher, before being elected as a judge in 1976. From 1980 until 1988 he was a member of the Mississippi State Senate.
- Frances Lucas
Dr. Frances Lucas (born 1957) is the current president of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. The daughter of Aubrey Keith Lucas, a former president of Delta State University and later the University of Southern Mississippi (1, 2), Lucas grew up in Mississippi and graduated from Cleveland High School before obtaining her Master's from Mississippi State University and her PhD in higher education from the University of Alabama (3).
- Walter H. Yates Jr.
Major General Walter H. Yates, Jr. (born on November 6, 1941) is a retired U.S. Army officer who served as Deputy Commanding General Fifth United States Army. He is a native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Foreign Affairs from George Washington University.
- Bobby Collins
Bobby Collins was a college football coach at SMU, and University of Southern Mississippi. From 1975 to 1981, he coached at Southern Miss, and compiled a 48-30-2 record. From 1982 to 1986, he coached at SMU, where he compiled a 43-14-1 record. His only losing season as a coach came in 1976, when he went 3-8. From 1982 to 1984, he put together the best stretch in school history, going 31-4-1.
- Chad Williams
Chad Kelton Williams (born January 22 1979) is a safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. He attended college at the University of Southern Mississippi. He played for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League from 2002-2005 and San Francisco 49ers in 2006. Entering the 2006 NFL football season, Williams played in 64 career games, with 5 career starts.
- Courtney Blades
Courtney Blades (born May 16, 1978) is an American athlete who was born in Salinas, California and attended Belaire High School from 1993 to 1997. She was a starting pitcher for the Nicholls State University Colonels and the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles; she collected 151 wins (the second most in NCAA Division I history) and 1,773 strikes (the third most in NCAA Division I history).
- Ed Hinton
Edward Talmage "Ed" Hinton (b. July 21 1948, Laurel, Mississippi) is one of the most well-known and respected motor racing sportswriters in the United States and around the world. Hinton graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1970 and began working for the Orlando Sentinel covering the NASCAR racing circuit. Hinton moved to Atlanta, Georgia and married his current wife, Snow, in 1983. In the late 1980s, Hinton joined the new sports daily newspaper, …
- T. J. Slaughter
Tavaris Jermell Slaughter (born February 20, 1977 in Birmingham, Alabama) is currently playing linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League. He was originally selected from the University of Southern Mississippi with the 30th pick of the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has also played for the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers.
- Jeff Posey
Jeffery Lavell Posey (born August 14, 1975 in Bassfield, Mississippi) is an American football linebacker in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. He was signed by the Redskins on August 15, 2006 as a free agent. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi. Career-wise he is averaging 1.8 sacks per season. He had 8 sacks as a Houston Texans, the most in his career.
- Rip Scherer
Rip Scherer is the quarterback coach and recently promoted assistant head coach for the NFL's Cleveland Browns. He previously served as offensive coordinator for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, the offensive coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks, the head coach of the Memphis Tigers, the head coach of the James Madison Dukes, the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Wildcats, the offensive coordinator of the Alabama Crimson Tide, …
- Jeremy Parquet
Jeremy Parquet (born April 11, 1982 in Norco, Louisiana) is an American football player who currently plays tackle for the St. Louis Rams. He played in 44 games (39 starts) at the University of Southern Mississippi. Parquet was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 7th round (238th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft.
- Jim Davenport
James Houston Davenport (born August 17 1933 in Siluria, Alabama) is a former Major League Baseball infielder (mostly third base) who played his entire career with the San Francisco Giants (1958-1970). The right-handed batter and thrower attended the University of Southern Mississippi. He played in one World Series in 1962, when the Giants lost to the New York Yankees. However coincidentally, it was the same year that he made his only All-Star team, …
- Dequincy Scott
DeQuincy Scott (born March 5, 1978 in LaPlace, Louisiana) is an American football defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002 out of the University of Southern Mississippi by the San Diego Chargers. He has also played for the Minnesota Vikings.
- Ryan Meyers
Ryan Meyers is a Christian musician. He has released one album and performed in 16 U.S. states. Meyers was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and was raised as a Roman Catholic. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he met Doc Harbison, with whom he formed his first band, an acoustic group called The Elusive Dudes. The Elusive Dudes also played Christian music, although Doc was Southern Baptist, …
- Harold Shaw
Harold Lamar Shaw (born September 3, 1974 in Magee, Mississippi) is a professional football fullback and occasional linebacker with the New England Surge of the Continental Indoor Football League. Shaw attended the University of Southern Mississippi and played in the NFL with the New England Patriots.
- Hanford Dixon
Hanford Dixon (born December 25, 1958 in Mobile, Alabama) is a former professional American football cornerback who played his entire career (1981-1989) for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL. Dixon made the Pro Bowl three times, in 1986, 1987 and 1988. He was drafted by the Browns out of the University of Southern Mississippi with the 22nd pick in the first found of the 1981 NFL Draft.
- Wendell Ladner
Wendell Ladner (October 6 1948 - June 24 1975) was an American professional basketball player out of the University of Southern Mississippi. He was one of the great "enforcers" of the ABA, protecting Dan Issel of the Kentucky Colonels and Julius Erving of the New York Nets. The Necaise Crossing, Mississippi native spent five seasons with five different teams in the ABA, from 1970-71 to 1974-75. Ladner died in the 1975 crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 66, in New York City.
- Walter Maestri
Walter S. Maestri III has been the director of emergency management for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana-which contains several suburbs of New Orleans-since 1996. After taking the position, Maestri became one of many academics and officials that promoted the idea that much of the region could become an uninhabitable floodscape following a major hurricane. In a 2002 interview for "NOW with Bill Moyers" and "American RadioWorks", …
- Harry White
Harry Kinross White is an American-born classical saxophonist living in Switzerland. White grew up in Mississippi and received his first music instruction there from Warren and Marti Lutz. He studied with saxophone professor Lawrence Gwozdz at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and with the pioneer of classical saxophone, Sigurd Raschèr. He was a member of the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet from 1990 until 2001.
- Bruce Meyer
Bruce Meyer (born April 23, 1957) is a Canadian poet and educator. He has been the Director of Writing and Literature at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, and has taught at the University of Windsor, McMaster University, Trinity College at the University of Toronto, Seneca College, Humber College, and Skidmore College. He has been Visiting Writer at the Universities of Southern Mississippi and University of Texas at Austin, …
- Don Fuell
Donald Lee Fuell (b. 1938) an American-born football quarterback. College scouts began seeking his services when he was in the 10th grade at Marshall County High School in rural Alabama. Don's high school honors included football All-American, baseball All-State and basketball All-District. His high school coach, Joe Chorba, said of Fuell, "He was a cut above all the other boys I ever coached.
- Jerrel Wilson
Jerrel Wilson (1941-2005) was an American football player. He was a punter who spent sixteen professional seasons, fifteen of them with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected to six AFL All-Star Teams. Wilson was elected to the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1988. He died of cancer on April 9, 2005.
- Don Owens
Donald Fred Owens (born April 3, 1932 in St. Louis, Missouri) was an American football defensive lineman in the NFL for the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and St. Louis Cardinals. He played college football for the University of Southern Mississippi.