List of Old Dominion University alumni

This is a list of notable alumni from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.

Name Class year Notability References Tahani Amer 2011 NASA engineer Maya Angelou Attended Poet Ben Bailey Comedian, host of Cash Cab Bootie Barker 1994 NASCAR crew chief Kent Bazemore 2012 Former NBA player, No. 24 retired for the ODU men's basketball program John Michael Bednarek Lieutenant general in the United States Army Shahar Biran Israeli tennis player Michael Bloomfield 1993 Space Shuttle and ISS astronaut; graduated from ODU with a master's in engineering management Derrick Borte Director Cal Bowdler 1999 Former NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks Tony Brothers 1986 Current NBA referee since 1994; officiated the 2012–2016 NBA Finals Ahmad Caver 2019 Basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League Paul Diamond (Tom Boric) Professional wrestler, most notably in WWE; played soccer at ODU Tom DiCillo Film director, cinematographer and screenwriter; graduated from ODU before attending film school at NYU Anne Donovan 1983 Basketball player; 1983 Naismith College Player of the Year (the first woman to win that award); gold medalist as a player in the Summer Olympics in 1984 and 1988; coached the gold medal team in 2008; coached the Charlotte Sting to the 2001 WNBA finals and the 2004 Seattle Storm to the 2004 league title; inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 Thelma Drake Attended Former member of the United States House of Representatives Elizabeth Ashburn Duke 1983 Vice Chair of Wells Fargo's Board of Directors; former member of Governors of the Federal Reserve Systems Sherman Edwards 2004 Actor, comedian Samuel Face Inventor and co-developer of advances in concrete and piezoelectric technologies William J. Fallon 1982 U.S. Navy admiral; Commander of the United States Central Command Travis Fulgham 2019 Former NFL player Chris Gatling 1991 Former NBA player Kenny Gattison 1986 Former NBA player Mills E. Godwin Jr. Two-term Governor of Virginia Wayne Gomes Former MLB player Adrienne Goodson 1988 WNBA basketball player Benjamin S. Griffin 1969 Four-star general in the U.S. Army; assumed the duties of commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command on November 5, 2004 Jay Harris 1987 Professional sportscaster and SportsCenter anchor Frank Hassell Basketball player Taylor Heinicke Attended NFL quarterback (played as a starter for the Carolina Panthers, Washington Commanders, and Atlanta Falcons) Odell Hodge 1997 Men's basketball player Henry Howell Served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Daniel Hudson 2008 MLB pitcher Chad Hugo Attended Musician and producer in the Neptunes, also in rock group N.E.R.D.; briefly attended ODU on a music scholarship T. J. Jordan 2008 Basketball player Kenna Musician Ann Hitch Kilgore Mayor of Hampton, VA, 1963–71 and 1974–78 Jack Temple Kirby Historian of the Southern United States; awarded the Bancroft Prize for his 2006 book Mockingbird Song: Ecological Landscapes of the South Nancy Lieberman 2000 Basketball player; inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996; silver medalist in the 1976 Summer Olympics and two-time (1979 and 1980) Wade Trophy recipient Rick Lovato 2015 First ODU alumnus to play in a regular-season game as an NFL player; became a pro bowler in 2019 and won a Super Bowl championship with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 Elaine Luria 2004 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district; former United States Navy Commander Magnum T. A. (Terry Allen) Attended Retired professional wrestler, most notably in the National Wrestling Alliance Ricardo Marsh American basketball player; 2007 top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League Donna W. Martin 1988 18th United States Army Provost Marshal General (2020-present) Izak van der Merwe 2005 Professional tennis player Enid Montague Director of the Wellness and Health Enhancement Engineering Laboratory at DePaul University Tommy Newsom Assistant Musical Director of the Tonight Show band Tzipora Obziler Israeli tennis player Zach Pascal 2016 NFL player (Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals) Shomi Patwary Director Dan Peek Musician in the band America Sherman Pendergarst Wrestler and football player; retired professional mixed martial arts fighter Ticha Penicheiro 1998 WNBA basketball player with the Sacramento Monarchs L. Glenn Perry 1967 Chief Accountant of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (1982-1984) and Senior Partner of KPMG Oliver Purnell 1975 Current Division I men's basketball coach at DePaul University Jodi Rell Governor of Connecticut (2004–11) Christy Goldsmith Romero Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Program Winsome Sears 1992 Businesswoman, veteran, and politician who was the first black female Republican, first female veteran, and the first naturalized citizen delegate to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates Deborah Shelton Winner of Miss USA 1970, and first runner-up Miss Universe 1970, acted in TV shows such as Dallas, Fantasy Island, The A-Team, T.J. Hooker, The Fall Guy, Cheers, The Love Boat and Nip/Tuck Shanon Slack All-American Wrestler, mixed martial artist for Bellator Stone Smartt 2021 NFL player (Los Angeles Chargers) Frank Sturgis Watergate burglar, CIA operative Terrie Suit Former Virginia Secretary of Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates Dave Twardzik Former NBA player Valdas Vasylius 2007 Lithuanian basketball player Brandon Vera Attended Former UFC mixed martial artist, ONE FC Heavyweight Champion Justin Verlander MLB pitcher (Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros) Mark West 1983 Former NBA player Oshane Ximines 2019 NFL player (New York Giants)