List of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo people

This article lists notable alumni of the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

Arts and media

• Pedro Armendáriz (1912–1963), character actor, award-winning leading man in dozens of films from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema
• Michael Berryman (born 1948), actor
• Dave Carnie (born 1969), writer, artist, former editor of Big Brother Magazine
• Irene Chan (born 1965), artist
• Margo Chase (1958–2017), graphic designer
• Luke Chueh, contemporary artist
• Michelle Franzen (born 1968), television and radio journalist for NBC News and ABC News
• Danny Gans (1956–2009), Las Vegas entertainer
• Nathan L. Good (born 1954), architect
• Paula Huston (born 1952), author
• Cam Inman, San Francisco 49ers reporter for Bay Area News Group
• John Madden (1936-2021), Pro Football Hall of Fame broadcaster, head coach, and player
• Cassie McFarland (born 1985), artist, designed the obverse of the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coin
• Andy Paiko (born 1977), contemporary glass artist
• George Ramos (1947–2011), three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
• Suzanne Roberts (born 1970), poet, travel writer, and photographer
• Zach Shallcross (born 1996), reality television personality, The Bachelor
• M. Ward (born 1973), folk musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist
• "Weird Al" Yankovic (born 1959), rock parodist and entertainer

Business

• James Griffin Boswell, chairman of the board, J.G. Boswell Company
• Jamie Evans, cannabis professional
• Noel Lee, President and founder, Monster Cable
• Bob Mazzuca (B.S. History, 1970), Chief Scout Executive of Boy Scouts of America
• Farzad Nazem (B.S. Computer Science, 1981), former Chief Technology Officer of Yahoo!
• Peter Oppenheimer (B.S. Ag Business, 1985), former Chief Financial Officer of Apple Computer
• William H. Swanson (B.S. Industrial Engineering, 1973) (born 1950), Chairman and CEO of Raytheon

Politics and government

• Tom Berryhill, Stanislaus County Supervisor, former California State Senator
• Warren Church, Monterey County Board of Supervisors
• Jeff Denham, former United States Representative for California's 10th congressional district
• Dennis Hollingsworth (born 1967), former California State Senator
• Doug LaMalfa, United States Representative for California's 1st congressional district
• Abel Maldonado (born 1967), 47th Lieutenant Governor of California
• Bruce McPherson (born 1944), 30th California Secretary of State
• Mohammadreza Nematzadeh, Minister of Labour and Minister of Industry and Mine in the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Devin Nunes, former United States Representative for California's 22nd Congressional District
• George Radanovich, former United States Representative for California's 19th congressional district
• Robert C. Tapella, 25th Public Printer of the United States

Science and technology

• Michael Alsbury, commercial astronaut, Virgin Galactic test pilot; killed in the 2014 Virgin Galactic crash
• Tory Bruno, rocket scientist and CEO of United Launch Alliance
• Greg Chamitoff (born 1962), astronaut
• Robert L. Gibson (born 1946), astronaut
• Victor J. Glover (born 1976), astronaut
• David Haussler, professor at University of California, Santa Cruz
• Mark Lucovsky, software architect and a part of the team that designed Windows NT
• Kristen Maitland, optical scientist and Fellow of SPIE
• Alison Murray, biochemist and Antarctic researcher
• Aaron Peckham, owner and creator of UrbanDictionary
• Burt Rutan (born 1943), designer of SpaceShipOne and Rutan Voyager
• Peter Siebold, commercial astronaut, Virgin Galactic test pilot
• Frederick W. Sturckow (born 1961), astronaut

Athletics

Baseball

• Justin Bruihl (born 1997), MLB pitcher
• Kevin Correia (born 1980), MLB pitcher
• Casey Fien (born 1983), MLB pitcher
• Mitch Haniger (born 1990), MLB outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
• Mike Krukow (born 1952), former MLB pitcher and current broadcast announcer
• Bud Norris (born 1985), MLB pitcher
• Garrett Olson (born 1983), former MLB pitcher
• John Orton (born 1965), former MLB catcher
• Ozzie Smith (born 1954), MLB Hall of Fame shortstop
• Dean Treanor (born 1947), manager of the Indianapolis Indians
• Joey Wagman (born 1991), pitcher
• Bryan Woo (born 2000), MLB pitcher for the Seattle Mariners

Basketball

• Sean Chambers (born 1965), PBA player for the Alaska Aces
• Chris Eversley (born 1991), ABL player for the Malaysia Dragons
• Mike LaRoche (born 1946), ABA player for the Los Angeles Stars
• David Nwaba (born 1993), NBA player for the Chicago Bulls
• Joe Prunty (born 1969), NBA assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks
• Derek Stockalper (born 1984), FIBA player for Swiss National Team
• Drake U'u (born 1990), NBL player for the Perth Wildcats

Football

• Marijon Ancich, high school football coach with the most wins in California history
• Ramses Barden (born 1986), former NFL wide receiver
• Bobby Beathard (born 1937), NFL Hall of Fame GM
• Jordan Beck (born 1983), NFL linebacker
• Alex Bravo (born 1930), former NFL defensive back
• Courtney Brown (born 1984), former NFL defensive back
• Sal Cesario (born 1963), former NFL offensive guard
• Jim Criner (born 1940), college football head coach
• Nick Dzubnar (born 1991), linebacker for San Diego Chargers
• Chris Gocong (born 1983), NFL linebacker
• Asa Jackson (born 1989), NFL cornerback
• Mel Kaufman (1958–2009), former NFL linebacker Washington Redskins, 1981–1988
• John Madden (1936-2021), Pro Football Hall of Fame broadcaster, head coach, and player
• Dana Nafziger (born 1953), NFL player
• Ted Tollner (born 1940), former NFL coach
• Cecil Turner (born 1944), former NFL WR/KR Chicago Bears, 1968–1973, selected to 1971 NFL Pro Bowl
• Fred Whittingham (born 1939), former NFL linebacker and coach

Other athletes

• Kip Colvey (born 1994), professional soccer player for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer; represents his home country New Zealand in international FIFA tournaments
• Sharon Day (born 1985), former NCAA women's high jump champion, 2011 USA outdoor national heptathlon champion
• Sean Johnston (rally driver) (born 1990), American World Rally Championship driver
• Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner
• Karen Kraft, U.S. silver medalist in coxless pair rowing at the 1996 Summer Olympics and a bronze medalist in coxless pairs at the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Gene Lenz, All-American college swimmer, 1960 Summer Olympics finalist in the 400-meter freestyle
• Chuck Liddell (born 1969), wrestler; retired mixed martial artist, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Fame member
• Gan McGee, professional MMA fighter
• Chad Mendes (born 1985), 2008 NCAA wrestling runner-up at 141 lbs., professional MMA fighter, UFC featherweight contender
• Gina Miles, U.S. silver medalist in individual eventing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Borislav Novachkov, Olympic wrestler
• Gina Oceguera (born 1977), World Cup soccer player
• Anton Peterlin (born 1987), soccer player
• Victor Plata (born 1973), USA Olympian in the triathlon
• Loren Roberts (born 1955), professional golfer on the PGA Tour
• Monty Roberts (born 1935), professional horse trainer, former rodeo rider, and author
• Horton "Cotton" Rosser (1928-2022), 1951 All-Around National Champion, College National Finals Rodeo, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, "King of the Cowboys", owner of Flying U Rodeo Company, Cal Poly honorary doctorate, honoree of the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex at Cal Poly
• Stephanie Brown Trafton (born 1979), U.S. gold medalist in discus throw at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Maggie Vessey (born 1981), professional 800-meter runner
• Barton Williams (born 1956), NCAA All-American 400m-hurdler

Others

• Scott C. Black (born 1952), lieutenant general (United States Army, Retired), 37th Judge Advocate General of the United States Army; the first lieutenant general to hold that position
• Wil Dasovich, Filipino American YouTube personality
• Maya Higa (born 1998), conservationist, falconer, wildlife rehabilitator, and Twitch streamer
• Laci Peterson (born 1975)
• Scott Peterson, convicted murderer
• Kristin Smart (born 1977)
• Gilbert H. Stork, president of Cuesta College

Notes

External links

• http://www.calpoly.edu/aboutcp.html#_national Archived 2008-12-16 at the Wayback Machine