Distinguished Alumni of Wofford College: A Legacy of Leadership and Achievement

Wofford College, a distinguished liberal arts institution, boasts a rich history of producing accomplished individuals who have made significant contributions across various fields. From politics and law to athletics, journalism, and the arts, Wofford alumni have consistently demonstrated leadership, innovation, and a commitment to service. This article highlights some of the college's most notable graduates and their remarkable achievements.

Recognizing Alumni Excellence: The Charles H. Gray ’72 Distinguished Service Award

Wofford College acknowledges the exceptional dedication and service of its alumni through the Charles H. Gray ’72 Distinguished Service Award. Previously known as the Distinguished Service Award, it was renamed to honor Charles H. Gray ’72. This prestigious award is presented annually to a member of the Wofford College Alumni Association who has distinguished himself or herself through dedicated service and commitment to the college.

The recipients of this award exemplify the values of Wofford College and have made a lasting impact on the institution and its community. Here is a list of recipients:

2025 - Beth Jeter Hrubala ’93
2024 - Robert A. Barber Jr. ’71
2024 - John P. Linton Sr. ’70
2023 - James (Jim) Hackney ’77
2022 - Robert D. Mickle Jr. ’85
2022 - Vickie Rosalind Muller ’83
2021 - Rex Maynard ’69
2019 - The Hon. Costa M. Pleicones ’65
2018 - Timothy E. Madden ’85
2017 - Charles H. Gray ’72
2016 - Ellis D. Colvin ’83 (retired)
2015 - Maj. Gen. Rodney O. Anderson ’79
2014 - Van D. Hipp Jr. ’82
2013 - Marion L. McMillan Jr. ’59
2012 - James C. Meadors ’81
2011 - Henry G. Kelley Jr. ’52
2010 - Albert W. Gray Sr. ’71
2010 - Douglas L. Jones Sr. ’69
2009 - Lucy B. Quinn ’83
2008 - John F. Rhem Jr. ’71
2007 - C. Warren Derrick Jr. ’58
2006 - Robert E. Holman ’53 ‡
2005 - Talmage B. Skinner Jr. ’56 ‡
2004 - James L. Blair ’83 ‡
2003 - Russell C. King Jr. ’56 ‡
2002 - Mack C. Poole III ’55
2002 - Melvin D. Medlock ’54
2001 - Bobby G. Stephens ’57
2000 - Marshall LeRoy Meadors Jr. ’55
1999 - David R. Clark ’65
1998 - Lt. Col. Joseph B. Miller ’32 (retired) ‡
1997 - George E. Tate ’41 ‡
1996 - Forrest A. Abbott ’43 ‡
1995 - Milton A. Smith, Sr. ’49 ‡
1995 - Robert L. Chapman Sr. ’49 ‡
1994 - Robert E. Gregory Jr. ’64
1993 - Donald L. Fowler ’57
1992 - Lewis P. Jones ’38 ‡
1991 - Clyde H. Hamilton ’56
1990 - Joe T. Pugh ’60 ‡
1989 - Walter W. Sessoms ’56 ‡
1988 - Charles L. Allen ’35 ‡
1987 - Albert C. Outler ’28 ‡
1986 - Constantinos N. Papadopoulos ’54 ‡
1986 - J. Fisher DeBerry ’60
1985 - Ben H. Brown Jr. ’35 ‡
1984 - Dennis P. Zimmerman ’63
1983 - Marvin L. Holloway ’33 ‡
1982 - James S. Fulmer ’54
1981 - William J. Colvin Jr. ’38 ‡
1980 - Rembert O. Burgess ’43 ‡
1978 - Myles W. Whitlock Sr. ’31 ‡
1978 - Samuel O. Black Jr. ’41 ‡
1977 - Charles J. Bradshaw Sr. ’59
1977 - Jerome J. Richardson ’59
1977 - Turner B. Thackston ’23 ‡
1976 - George DeWitt Fields Jr. ’52
1976 - William S. Minter Jr.
1975 - John M. Shingler Jr. ’51 ‡
1974 - George H. Hodges ’13 ‡
1973 - Julian S. Wolfe ’15 ‡
1972 - Walton J. McLeod Jr. ’26 ‡
1971 - James A. Knight ’41 ‡
1969 - Frank F. Roberts ’17 ‡
1969 - William K. Child Sr. ’25 ‡
1968 - L. A. Odom
1968 - Lt. Gen. Joseph H. Moore ’36 (retired) ‡
1968 - Thomas L. King ’31 ‡
1967 - James S. Gillespie ’33 ‡
1967 - John C. Otts ’30 ‡
1967 - William W. Lancaster ’48 ‡
1965 - Bertrand P. Ramsay ’26 ‡
1965 - Cleveland S. Harley ’50 ‡
1965 - Thomas K. Fletcher Jr. ’38 ‡
1963 - John A. White ’41 ‡
1963 - Spencer M. Rice ’32 ‡
1962 - Frank T. Davis Sr. ’23 ‡
1962 - Otis A. Jeffcoat Jr. ’29 ‡
1962 - Winston C. Pearcy ’22 ‡
1961 - Raymond C. Hill ’39 ‡
1961 - Robert N. DuBose ’36 ‡
1961 - Samuel P. Gardner ’18 ‡
1960 - Grover B. Eaker ’34 ‡
1960 - Norris R. Fowler Sr. ’35 ‡
1960 - Rev. Ernest P. Bell Sr. ’36 ‡
1960 - Victor M. Smith ’35 ‡
1959 - George R. Morgan Sr. ’50 ‡
1959 - Herbert T. Edwards ’24 ‡
1958 - Charles M. Hart ’27 ‡
1958 - James M. Bailey ’24 ‡
1958 - Ralph A. Durham ’25 ‡
1957 - Benjamin S. Hall ’31 ‡
1957 - Feltham S. James ’28 ‡
1957 - Fred W. Felkel ’09 ‡
1957 - James H. Crouch ’43 ‡
1957 - Phil M. Jones ’51
1956 - Arthur L. Humphries ’11 ‡
1956 - George S. Duffie Sr. ’30 ‡
1956 - Hon. Edward K. Hardin III ’32 ‡
1956 - Marion W. Beacham Sr. ’37 ‡
1956 - Robert W. Hart Jr. ’26 ‡
1955 - Hugo S. Sims Jr. ’41 ‡
1955 - Robert L. Dargan ’28 ‡
1955 - Sam T. Holland ’41 ‡
1954 - Chesley C. Herbert Jr. ’25 ‡
1954 - Eugene P. Pendergrass ’16 ‡
1954 - Henry T. Gramling ’27 ‡
1954 - James N. Holcombe ’26 ‡
1954 - Joseph C. Evans Sr. ’37 ‡
1954 - Maj. Gen. John B. Montgomery ’33 (retired) ‡
1954 - Maj. Gen. Wycliffe E. Steele ’28 (retired) ‡
1954 - Paul Knox ’22 ‡
1954 - Robert Gage ’05 ‡
1954 - Wallace C. Bethea ’14 ‡
1954 - William L. Pope ’54

Significant Contributors Award

2025 - William L. Pope ’54
2024 - Foster B. McLane III ’69
2024 - Dr. William H. “Bill” Riley III ’69
2023 - William (Gary) McCraw ’77
2022 - The Rev. Tom Brittain ’47
2021 - David Britt ’77
2019 - Dr. John W. Simmons
2018 - Sherrie Lynn Hawkins ’77
2017 - Marcos Gomez-Agnoli
2016 - Arthur T. Ballard Jr.
2014 - Joella F. Utley
2013 - John W. Pilley ‡
2012 - William B. Drake ‡
2011 - Joel W. Collins Jr.
2010 - Kirk H. Neely
2008 - Stewart P. Winslow
2007 - William Barnet III
2006 - W. Hayne Hipp
2004 - Tad Brown
2003 - Michael A. Dirr
2003 - Richard C. Webel
2002 - Jennifer Evins
2002 - T. Alexander Evins III
2001 - James O. Harmon
2001 - Ronald G. Smith
2000 - James E. Talley
1999 - Harry D. Dobbs ‡
1999 - Walter Raymond Leonard ‡
1998 - Keith E.
1997 - Hugh C. Lane Jr.
1996 - Elizabeth J. Patterson ‡
1995 - Robert V. Pinson
1994 - John W. Fisher ‡
1993 - Jack E. Bresenham
1992 - Hon. Strom Thurmond ‡
1991 - Currie B. Spivey Jr. ‡
1990 - Robert V. Royall Jr.
1988 - Carlos D. Moseley ‡
1987 - Thomas A. Evins
1986 - John H. Lumpkin Sr. ‡
1985 - Jesse B. Davis ‡
1984 - Alice N. Loggins ‡
1983 - A. Foster McKissick Sr. ‡
1980 - Charles C. Boone ‡
1978 - Buck Mickel ‡
1978 - Lois Hyatt ‡
1977 - Philip A. Buchheit ‡
1976 - Conley T. Snidow Jr. ‡
1974 - Roger Milliken ‡
1973 - Vera D. Parsons ‡
1972 - Walter S. Montgomery Sr. ‡
1971 - Johanna Demopoulos ‡
1970 - Hon. Donald S. Russell Sr. ‡
1969 - Broadus R. Littlejohn Jr. ‡
1967 - Frederick B. Dent Sr.
1956 - Joseph A. Edens Jr.
1955 - L.

Young Alumni Award

2025 - Nneka Mogbo ’20
2024 - Nathan V. Patnam ’19
2023 - Catherine Codispoti ’03
2022 - Vanessa Lauber ’09
2021 - Margaret Deans Fawcett Grantz ’13
2021 - Caitlynn Myer ’18
2019 - Tramaine Brown ’11
2018 - S. Nathan Madigan Jr. ’08
2017 - Bernadette S. Gillians ’04
2016 - John P. Moore ’04
2015 - Benjamin W. Ingram IV ’05
2014 - Thomas E. Woods II ’00
2013 - Amanda N. Marvelle ’03
2012 - Samie Clowney ’01
2011 - P. Curtis McPhail ’96
2010 - Craig H. Parks ’97
2009 - Kristen A. Hite ’00
2008 - Monique McDowell ’92
2007 - Edward S. Wildrick ’90
2007 - John E. Bauknight IV ’89
2006 - Michelle D. Hudspeth ’95
2005 - James M. Scott ’97
2004 - Russell R. Raines ’93
2003 - Ann M. Williamson ’95
2002 - Rev. Lyndon Harris ’83
2001 - Douglas E.
1999 - C. Phifer Nicholson ’82
1999 - Franklin O. Smith III ’80
1998 - Gary B. Burgess Sr. ’79
1997 - Betsy K. Davis ’83
1996 - Alfred F. Chapman ’77
1995 - Katherine A. Close ’83
1994 - George C. Todd Jr. ’77
1993 - John D. Todd III ’74
1992 - Daniel B. Morrison Jr. ’75
1991 - Daniel H. Hayes ’77
1990 - Van D. Hipp Jr. ’82
1989 - Woodrow W. Willard Jr. ’74
1988 - George S. Tyson Jr. ’72
1986 - Kenneth E. Smith ’71
1985 - Hon. Dennis W. Shedd ’75
1984 - Andrew M. Crane Sr. ’68
1983 - J. Harold Chandler ’71
1982 - Boyd C. Hipp II ’74
1981 - James K. Mancke ’71
1980 - Peden B. McLeod ’62
1978 - Roger H. Henry Jr. ’66
1978 - Thomas L. Tiller Jr. ’59
1977 - J. Grady Locklear ’65
1976 - William H. Willimon ’68
1975 - Daniel S. Lewis ’62 ‡
1974 - Hunter R. Stokes Sr. ’60
1973 - George Dean Johnson Jr.

Athletics Hall of Fame

2025 - H. Bruce Williams ’78
2024 - Coker Gamble Powell ’00
2023 - Nicole Redmond ’96
2022 - Murrell Smith Jr.
2021 - Bryan B. Blair ’07
2019 - Wofford Men’s Basketball Team
2018 - Lt. Col. Troy M. Denomy ’96
2017 - William C.

The Alumni Association solicits nominations for the awards from all members of the college community. Nominations are accepted throughout the year by the Alumni Association. Any alumna/us may be nominated for an award, regardless of class year. Non-graduates are also eligible for the Distinguished Citizen Award. Nominations in any given year that are not selected are held for consideration for two additional years. A committee of board members reviews the submitted materials and selects those candidates who are deemed most deserving of recognition and whose achievements most closely fit the category for which they have been nominated. Electronically submitted nominations are provided to each committee member no later than one week following the August 1 deadline so that nominations can be thoughtfully reviewed. The committee often invites consulting members to assist in its deliberations. Recognizing the value of athletics to Wofford College and the American way of life, the Wofford College Terrier Club establishes a policy of administering and sustaining the Wofford College Athletic Hall of Fame. Any Wofford College Graduate who received a letter from the Wofford College Athletic Department is eligible for selection to the Hall of Fame five (5) years after completion of eligibillity. Nominees will be removed from the eligibility list after three years if they have not been selected for induction. In addition to those mentioned above, any person who has made a significant contribution to the Wofford Athletic program may be inducted to the Half of Fame.

Notable Alumni Across Various Fields

EduRank Wofford College is 1708th in the world, 600th in North America, and 564th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is a list of notable alumni from Wofford College sorted by their wiki pages popularity:

Read also: Baylor's Notable Alumni

Arts and Entertainment

Chris Robinson: A renowned musician, Chris Robinson is the founder and lead singer of the rock band The Black Crowes. Known for his high tenor vocal range and bluesy vocal runs, Robinson has left an indelible mark on the music industry. He was also the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, which toured and recorded from 2011 through 2019. The band broke up after the death of guitarist, Neal Casal, and the Crowes’ return from hiatus, respectively.

Journalism and Media

Craig Melvin: An American broadcast journalist and anchor at NBC News and MSNBC, Craig Delano Melvin has become a familiar face in households across the nation. From August 2018 until January 2025, he was a news anchor on NBC's Today, in October 2018, a co-host of Today Third Hour before being made permanent host in January 2019, and in January 2025, he became a co-anchor for the first and second hours of Today. Melvin also serves as a fill-in & substitute anchor for the NBC Nightly News.
Ellison Barber: As an American journalist and correspondent for NBC News, Ellison Litton Barber frequently reports from conflict zones and contributes reporting to all NBC News platforms, including NBC News, MSNBC and NBC News Now. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she graduated from Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2012.
Bob Young: Robert Wood Young is an American broadcast journalist, author, and politician who served as Mayor of Augusta, Georgia.

Politics and Law

Olin D. Johnston: Olin DeWitt Talmadge Johnston was an American politician from the US state of South Carolina. He served as the 98th governor of South Carolina, from 1935 to 1939 and again from 1943 to 1945. He represented the state in the United States Senate from 1945 until his death from pneumonia in Columbia, South Carolina in 1965. He has become infamously remembered for denying clemency to George Stinney, a 14 year-old African American boy who was wrongfully sentenced to death in 1944 after a trial that lasted for one single day, a conviction overturned 70 years later.
Ellison D. Smith: Ellison DuRant Smith was an American cotton planter, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1909 until 1944.
Donald Fowler: Donald L. Fowler was an American political scientist, professor, and political operative who served as National Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 1995 to 1997, alongside Chris Dodd as General Chairman during this same period.
Dennis Shedd: Dennis Wayne Shedd is a former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Clyde H. Hamilton: Clyde Henry Hamilton was a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and a former United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.
Ibra Charles Blackwood: Ibra Charles Blackwood was the 97th Governor of South Carolina from 1931 to 1935.
William Haselden Ellerbe: William Haselden Ellerbe was the 86th governor of South Carolina from 1897 to 1899.
Thomas Gordon McLeod: Thomas Gordon McLeod was an American attorney and the 95th Governor of South Carolina from 1923 to 1927.
Pat Cannon: Arthur Patrick Cannon was a four-term United States Representative from Florida, serving from 1939 to 1947.
Charles Jeter: Charles Jeter, is an American politician and business executive. He is known for having founded Team Racing Auto Circuit. A Republican, he represented District 92 in the North Carolina House of Representatives from Jan. 2013 until his abrupt resignation on July 25, 2016.
Henry Franklin Floyd: Henry Franklin Floyd is a senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Hugo Sheridan Sims Jr.: Hugo Sheridan Sims Jr. Representative from South Carolina.
Samuel J. Nicholls: Samuel Jones Nicholls was a United States representative from South Carolina. He was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He attended Bingham Military Institute in Asheville, North Carolina; Wofford College, in Spartanburg, South Carolina; Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia; and the University of Chicago Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1906 and commenced practice in Spartanburg.
Alfred C. Smith: Alfred Charles Smith was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as a member of the Virginia Senate, representing the state's 3rd district.

Athletics

Norm Nixon: Nicknamed "Stormin' Norman", Norman Ellard Nixon is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played with Scavolini Pesaro in Italy. He is a two-time NBA All-Star. He won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 1980 and 1982, at the beginning of their Showtime era.
Fletcher Magee: Fletcher Magee is an American basketball player for Budućnost Podgorica of the ABA League and the Prva A Liga. He played college basketball for Wofford College. While playing for the Terriers, he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year by the league's media in consecutive years (2017-18 and 2018-19) and set the NCAA record for made three point shots in a career. His career NCAA three-point percentage of.435 and free throw percentage of.908 are among the highest ever.
William McGirt: William Curtis McGirt III is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
Fisher DeBerry: James Fisher DeBerry is a retired American football player. He served as the head football coach at the United States Air Force Academy from 1984 to 2006, compiling a record of 169-109-1. DeBerry led 17 of his 23 Air Force Falcons squads to winning records and captured 12 bowl game bids. Three times his teams won the Western Athletic Conference title. Once in 1985, then in 1995, and again in 1998. DeBerry retired on December 15, 2006 with the most wins and highest winning percentage (.608) in the history of Air Force football. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2011.
Cameron Jackson: Cameron Jackson is an American professional basketball player for Bambitious Nara of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the Wofford Terriers.
Forrest Lasso: Forrest Baldwin Lasso is an American soccer player who plays for USL Championship club Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Keve Aluma: Keve Aluma is an American professional basketball player for the Ryukyu Golden Kings of the B.League. He previously played for the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Wofford Terriers.
Noah Dahlman: Noah Dahlman is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Gifu Swoops of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball at Wofford College, where he was an All-American.
Storm Murphy: Storm Murphy is an American professional player for Medipolis SC Jena of the ProA. He played college basketball for the Wofford Terriers and the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Brad Loesing: Brad Loesing is an American-German professional basketball player who last played for Rostock Seawolves of the ProA. As a senior at Wofford, he was selected as the 2012 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was named as a First Team Academic All-American in that 2011-12 season.
Jamar Anthony Diggs: Jamar Anthony Diggs is an American professional basketball player for Fos Provence Basket of the Pro B.
Chevez Goodwin: Chevez Brandford Goodwin is an American professional basketball player for the Força Lleida of the Liga ACB. He previously played college basketball with the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference, as well as for the College of Charleston Cougars and the Wofford Terriers.
Karl Cochran: Karl Cochran is an American professional basketball player for BBC Monthey of the Swiss Championnat LNA. He played college basketball for Wofford.
Jim Neal: James Ellerbe "Daddy" Neal was an American basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Religion

John Carlisle Kilgo: John Carlisle Kilgo served as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MECS) from 1910 to 1922. From 1894 to 1910, Kilgo was the president of Trinity College, in Durham, North Carolina, the predecessor of Duke University. Earlier, Kilgo was a circuit preacher in South Carolina and a financial agent of Wofford College.
William Wallace Duncan: William Wallace Duncan was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, elected in 1886.

Other Notable Mentions

Frank Ellerbe: On June 13, 1921, Frank Ellerbe became the first former Wofford College Terrier to hit a Major League home run when he went deep in the top of the sixth inning off Slim Harriss at Shibe Park.

Read also: Columbia University Legacy

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