- Ronny Thompson
Ronny Thompson is the former coach of the men's basketball team at Ball State University after resigning on July 12, 2007 in the midst of two sets of self-reported NCAA rules violations in the past year and racially charged notes being found in the coach's office. He becomes only the second coach to serve only one year as head men's basketball coach at Ball State, the other being Frank V. Graham, who coached in the 1920-1921 season.
- Brady Hoke
Brady Hoke is the current head football coach at Ball State University. As a player Hoke was a four-year football letterman and defensive stand out for Ball State. He was part of the 1978 team that won the Mid-American Conference. Before coming to Ball State, Hoke was an assistant coach at Michigan.
- Bryan Bullington
Bryan Paul Bullington (b. September 4, 1980, in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a Major League Baseball right handed pitcher who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and attended Ball State. Bullington was the first overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Pirates. He was the first player from the Mid-American Conference to be selected with the first pick in a major sport's draft.
- Tim Buckley
Tim Buckley (September 10, 1963-) is a former head coach at Ball State University. He is best known for leading the Cardinals to upset wins over Kansas and UCLA during the 2001 Maui Invitational. Buckley was most recently an assistant coach at the University of Iowa under Steve Alford, who left the Hawkeyes to take the head coaching job at the New Mexico Lobos.
- Steve Bell
Steve Bell was a news correspondent for ABC News from 1967-1986. He served for more than a decade as the anchor for the news segments of "Good Morning America," and for ABC's "World News This Morning." During his time at ABC News, Bell spent time reporting from Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Bell has interviewed many Presidents. He was parioded in a Saturday Night Live segment. Bell is good friends with Ted Koppel, who he spent time with living in China during the Vietnam War.
- Stedman Graham
As the chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, a management and marketing consulting company that specializes in the corporate and educational markets. Author of You Can Make It Happen: A Nine Step Plan for Success , his clients include Hyatt Hotels and GlaxoWellcome.
- Thomas Howard
Thomas Sylvester Howard (born December 11 1964 in Middletown, Ohio) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He attended Ball State University where he played football and baseball. During his 11-year career (1990-2000) he played for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals. On April 11, 2000 he hit the first grand slam at Minute Maid Park.
- Bonzi Wells
Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells (born September 20, 1976 in Muncie, Indiana, U.S.) is an American pro basketball player. A 6' 5" shooting guard, he currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association.
- Ray McCallum
Ray McCallum (born March 6, 1961 in West Memphis, Arkansas) is a former player and head coach of Ball State University's men's basketball team. He is currently an assistant coach at Indiana University. McCallum won Indiana High School Athletic Association Championships in both his junior and senior year at Muncie Central High School. At Ball State he scored 2,109 points during his career and was Player of the Year in the Mid-American Conference his senior year.
- John Schnatter
John H. Schnatter (born 1962) is the founder, chairman and former CEO of Papa John's International, Inc. He founded the company in 1985. He started in the pizza business as a high school student working at Rocky's Sub Pub in Jeffersonville, Indiana. After obtaining a degree in business administration from Ball State University in 1983, he expanded the kitchen at his father's bar, Mick's Lounge and began his own pizza business in the bar.
- Brad Maynard
Bradley Alan Maynard (born February 9, 1974) is a punter and holder for the NFL's Chicago Bears. Maynard was selected by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft out of Ball State University where he was an All-American.
- Rick Majerus
Rick Majerus (born February 17 1948 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He has coached at Marquette University from 1983 to 1986, Ball State University from 1987 to 1989, and University of Utah from 1989-2004. Majerus gradutated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and then attended Marquette, where he tried-out as a walk-on in the 1967 season. He did not play for Marquette, but stayed on as a student assistant.
- Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe (born August 17, 1984 in Chicago, Illinois) is a running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played his collegiate football at Northern Illinois University, where he set several school rushing and scoring records. The Chicago Bears drafted Wolfe in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft as the 93rd overall selection.
- Anthony Montgomery
Anthony T. Montgomery (born June 2, 1971 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) is an American film and television actor. He is best known in the role of Ensign Travis Mayweather on the television series "Star Trek: Enterprise". Montgomery is the grandson of jazz musician Wes Montgomery. He graduated from Ball State University with a degree in performance theater and drama. Montgomery did stand-up comedy briefly after graduation, before moving to California.
- Brad Snyder
Bradley Michael "Brad" Snyder is an outfielder in the Cleveland Indians organization of Major League Baseball. He attended Ball State University from 2001–2003. In 168 games with Ball State, Snyder hit .378 with 36 home runs and 150 RBI. He was a first team Freshman All-America selection in 2001 and a first team All-American and the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year in 2003.
- Jason Whitlock
Jason Lee Whitlock (b. 27 April 1967 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an African-American sportswriter for "The Kansas City Star" and for AOL Sports, a former contibutor to ESPN and a former radio personality for WHB and KCSP sports stations in the Kansas City area.
- Theron Smith
Theron Augustus Smith (born October 3 1980 in Bartow, Florida) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA Development League who last played for the Florida Flame. Smith played collegiately for Ball State University. Two games into his senior year he tore his ACL and opted to pass on a medical redshirt senior year and instead chose to enter into the 2003 NBA Draft. Smith went undrafted, but signed a two-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Dante Ridgeway
Dante Ridgeway (born April 18,1984 in Decatur, Illinois) is an American football wide receiver in the National Football League who was drafted by the St. Louis Rams from Ball State University. He is currently playing for the New Orleans Saints.
- Don Shondell
Dr. Don Shondell has had a long and varied career as a volleyball coach. He has a career record of 734-254-6 (.741), making him the coach with the second highest number of wins in NCAA men's volleyball history, behind UCLA's Al Scate. Shondell graduated from Ball State University in 1952 and started Ball State's men's volleyball program in 1964. He took 1965 off to finish his doctorate at Indiana University.
- Larry Bigbie
Larry Robert Bigbie (b. November 4, 1977, in Hobart, Indiana) is a Major League Baseball left fielder who is currently a minor-league player for the Richmond Braves the triple A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves organization. He attended Ball State University.
- Dennis Trammell
Dennis Trammell (born February 2, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois, USA), is a professional basketball player who played for the Canterbury Rams in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NBL). Trammell began his collegiate basketball career playing at New Mexico State University, before excelling at Ball State University from 2003-2005. After playing for Ball State University he briefly played in Uruguay before moving to Croatia.
- Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken was a college men's basketball coach. As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean. At 6-4 and 200 lbs., McCracken played center, forward and guard, pacing the Hoosiers in scoring for three years. As a head coach, McCracken guided Ball State University (1930-38) and Indiana University (1938-43, 1946-65) to a 93-41 and 364-174 record, respectively.
- Blaine Bishop
Blaine Bishop (born July 24, 1970 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a former professional American football safety. Bishop went to Cathedral High School and then college at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in 1992 in the 8th round, pick 214 overall. Bishop went on to have a successful NFL career, earning Pro Bowl status 4 times in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2000.
- Stan Parrish
Stan Parrish is a college football coach. He was head coach at Wabash College, Marshall University and Kansas State University. He is currently offensive coordinator at Ball State University. Parrish had a highly-successful 42-3-1 stay as head coach at Division III Wabash College from 1979-1982, where he coached future NFL player Pete Metzelaars. Parrish next coached one year as an assistant at Purdue University, where he tutored future NFL quarterback Jim Everett.
- Cynda Williams
Cynda Williams (1966) is an American actress. Born in Chicago, Illinois as Cynthia Williams, she went by the name Cindy Williams until she started her film career. At that time, the graduate of Ball State University was forced to change her first name to "Cynda" by the Screen Actors Guild because another actress was already registered under her real name (See: Cindy Williams). Although she obviously went on to Hollywood to appear in various movies, …
- Steve Yoder
Steve Yoder is a former college basketball coach and is currently scout with the New York Knicks.. Yoder is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University. In 1977, he took over at Ball State University. He would lead the Cardinals to a birth in the 1981 NCAA Tournament. In 1982, he left for University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he would coach the Badgers until 1992. After coaching, he became a scout with the Indiana Pacers and later the Knicks.
- John A. Fallon
Dr. John A. Fallon III is the former president of Eastern Michigan University. Dr. Fallon began his tenure at EMU on July 18, 2005 after serving as president of SUNY Potsdam and William Penn College. He had been appointed by the EMU Board of Regents in March of 2005. Dr. Fallon was fired by Eastern Michigan University on July 15, 2007. Although the university did not state a reason for his firing, it is believed to have been related to Dr.
- Bill Wallace
Bill Wallace (December 1, 1945) is an American martial artist, best known as Bill "Superfoot" Wallace or simply "Superfoot", the dominant kickboxer of the 1970s. He was born in Portland, Indiana, and began his study of Judo and Shorin-ryu Karate in February 1967 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After entering the point fighting tournament scene and achieving success there, he switched to full-contact kickboxing.
- David Gergen
David Gergen is a professor of public service and Director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in the Clinton administration from 1993 to 1995, first as Counselor to the President and then as Special Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State. He served as director of communications for President Reagan and also held positions in the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford.
- Bobby Williams
Bobby Williams was the running backs coach for the NFL's Miami Dolphins and former head coach of the Michigan State Spartans football team from 2000 to 2002. During his tenure he compiled a 16-17 record. In his final season the team went 3-6, before he was fired mid-season after falling to the University of Michigan, by a score of 49-3. He was fired on November 4th, 2002. Williams is most noted for a press conference in which when asked, …
- Dick Hunsaker
Dick Hunsaker is currently the head men's basketball coach at Utah Valley State. He is also a former head and assistant coach at Ball State University. As one of Rick Majerus' assistant coaches, he worked with the Cardinals for two seasons, including their berth in the 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Hunsaker is best known for leading the team to the 1990 Tournament.
- James Chesebro
Dr. James W. Chesebro is Distinguished Professor of Telecommunications in the Department of Telecommunications at Ball State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1972.
- Frank Ball
Frank Elliot Ball (1857 - 1943), was an U.S. can & jar businessman and co-introducer & co-eponym of Ball jar 1886; brother of Edmund Ball and member of the Ball Brothers. Ball State University's Elliot Hall is named for him.
- Dave McClain
Dave McClain (died April 28, 1986) was an American football coach. He was head coach at Ball State University from 1971 to 1977. During his seven seasons there, he compiled a 46-25-3 (.642) record. During his tenure, Ball State joined Division I and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). He was the MAC Coach of the Year in 1975. The 1976 team captured the school's first MAC title in only its second year in the conference.
- Kent C. Nelson
Kent C. (Oz) Nelson is the retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Parcel Service, a position he held from November 1989 to December 1996. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors. A native of Kokomo, Indiana, Nelson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Ball State University in 1959. Oz was active in Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Nelson is chairman of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, …
- Eugene Habecker
Dr. Eugene B. Habecker is the 30th president of Taylor University. Previously, Habecker was president of the American Bible Society. He is also the author of several books, two coauthored with his wife, Marylou Habecker. He was inaugurated in a ceremony on Friday, April 28, 2006, in Odle Arena on the Upland Campus. Habecker was born on June 17, 1946 near Hershey, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.A. from Taylor University in 1968, his M.A. from Ball State University in 1969, …
- Timothy Brown
Thomas Allen Brown (b. May 24, 1937) (aka "Tim", "Timmy", "Timothy", "Timothy Luther") is a former professional American football player and actor. Brown played college football at Ball State University. As a pro (when he was known mainly as "Timmy" Brown), he played only a single game with the Green Bay Packers, eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and one season with the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League. Brown went to the Pro Bowl in 1962, 1963, …
- Harold Levin
Harold Levin (13 March 1956) is an American violist, composer, and conductor. An Interlochen Arts graduate, Levin holds a BS from Ball State University, a MM from the University of Cincinnati, and a DMA from Rutgers University. He has been a violist with the Louisville Orchestra and has taught at the University of Nebraska, where he directed the Lincoln Youth Symphony Orchestra.
- Velvet Brown
Velvet Brown is an internationally recognized orchestral and chamber tubist, composer and educator. She is the principal tubist of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra and has served as principal with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra from 1989-2004, and as substitute or additional tubist with the Detroit Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, San Francisco Women's Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Bridget Bobel
Bridget Marie Bobel is a beauty queen from Peru, Indiana who has competed in the Miss USA pageant. Bobel won the Miss Indiana USA 2006 title in a state pageant held in late 2005. She competed for the title of Miss USA 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland but failed to make the top 15 cut.