Western Carolina University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni
Western Carolina University (WCU), a public institution nestled in Cullowhee, North Carolina, has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1889. Over the years, WCU has evolved from a semi-public secondary school to a comprehensive university offering bachelor's, master's, intermediate, and doctoral degrees. Alongside its academic growth, WCU has fostered a vibrant community that has produced a diverse array of accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields. Updated: March 02, 2025 EduRank Western Carolina University is 1321st in the world, 468th in North America, and 439th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. This article celebrates some of Western Carolina University's most notable alumni, highlighting their achievements and the impact they have had on the world.
Arts and Entertainment
WCU has a strong presence in the arts and entertainment industry, with alumni making waves in acting, writing, and music.
Ariana DeBose: An American actress and singer, Ariana DeBose has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades for her work. These include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. Time magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
David Sedaris: An American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He gained public recognition in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "Santaland Diaries". He published his first collection of essays and short stories, Barrel Fever, in 1994. His next book, Naked (1997), became his first of a series of New York Times Bestsellers, and his 2000 collection Me Talk Pretty One Day won the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
Drew Starkey: Joseph Andrew Starkey is an American actor known for his roles in teen drama films like Love, Simon and The Hate U Give (both 2018). He gained recognition for his portrayal of troubled teenager Rafe Cameron in the Netflix adventure series Outer Banks (2020−present), and has since starred in Luca Guadagnino's romantic drama film Queer (2024).
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Rich Hall: An American comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician, Rich Hall first gained prominence as a sketch comedian in the 1980s. He wrote and performed for series such as Fridays, Not Necessarily the News (popularising the "sniglet" neologism), and Saturday Night Live.
Joe Firstman: An American multi-genre singer, songwriter, and late-night bandleader. He was the bandleader from 2005 to 2009 on American late night television program Last Call with Carson Daly broadcast on NBC. Firstman is now recording and touring with Cordovas, the band he founded in 2011.
Athletics
WCU's athletic programs have produced a number of successful athletes who have gone on to compete at the highest levels.
Kevin Martin: An American retired professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Western Carolina University, where in his junior year, he averaged 24.9 points per game, which ranked second in the nation. After three years at Western Carolina, he entered the 2004 NBA draft and was selected with the 26th overall pick by the Sacramento Kings.
Percy Watson: Nicholas Christopher McNeil, better known by his ring name Percy Watson, is an American professional wrestler, commentator, and former professional football player. He is best known for his time with WWE as an in-ring performer and later as a commentator on NXT, 205 Live, and WWE Main Event.
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Greg Holland: An American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Rangers. Holland is a three-time All-Star.
David Patten: An American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known for catching a touchdown pass late in the second quarter of Super Bowl XXXVI from quarterback Tom Brady as a member of the New England Patriots.
Fran Brown: An American football coach and former cornerback who is currently the head coach at Syracuse University. He is the former defensive backs coach at Georgia.
Ric Savage: Frank Huguelet is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Heavy Metal" Ric Savage. He is the host of Savage Family Diggers, a reality treasure hunting show airing on Spike TV. He also conducts haunted "ghost tours" in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Jarvis Hayes: An American-Qatari college basketball coach who is currently an assistant coach for the Georgia State Panthers and is a former professional player. Hayes was selected by the Washington Wizards with the 10th overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft.
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Keion Crossen: An American professional football cornerback. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He played college football at Western Carolina.
Brad Hoover: Bradley R. Hoover is an American former professional football player who was a fullback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Carolina Catamounts and was signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2000.
Manteo Mitchell: An American sprinter and bobsledder. As a sprinter, he competed in the 200m, 400m, and 4 × 400 m relay. He was a member of the USA team that won the gold medal in the Men's 4×400 metres relay at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Mitchell successfully ran in the 4 x 400 m relay qualifiers at the 2012 Olympic Games despite breaking his fibula during the race, and was later awarded a silver medal after the team's placement in the final.
Paul Menhart: An American baseball pitching coach for the West Virginia Power of the Atlantic League and former Major League Baseball player. He attended Western Carolina University and was a pitcher for three teams in Major League Baseball.
Wayne Tolleson: An American former professional baseball infielder who played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Henry Logan: An American basketball player. Logan was a 6-foot (183 cm) guard. Four-time All-American basketball player at Western Carolina, Henry Logan was the first African-American athlete at WCC and the first African-American athlete to compete at any predominantly white public institution in North Carolina.
Terrence Woodyard: An American former professional basketball player.
Paul Johnson: A former American college football coach. He served as the head football coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001, the United States Naval Academy from 2002 to 2007, and Georgia Tech, from 2008 to 2018, compiling a career college football coaching record of 189-100. Johnson's Georgia Southern Eagles won consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000. Noted for his use of the flexbone spread option offense, Johnson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Public Service and Government
WCU alumni have also made significant contributions to public service and government, serving in various roles at the local, state, and national levels.
Linda L. Bray: An Army officer known for being the first woman in the United States military to lead troops into combat. She served in the Panama Invasion and during the Cold War. Bray's career started in 1982 and ended with her retirement in 1991.
Tom Apodaca: A lobbyist and former Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's forty-eighth Senate district, including constituents in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania counties.
Andrew C. Brock: Served as a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing the state's thirty-fourth Senate district from 2003 to 2017. During his tenure, he represented Yadkin, Davie, Iredell, and Rowan counties. He also served as the Republican deputy whip in the Senate.
Sam Watford: A Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 80th House district, including part in Davidson county. He served three terms as Davidson County Commissioner and has served on Davidson County Planning and Zoning Board. Watford is married to Karen Hege Watford, a retired teacher, and has two daughters, Morgan and Jordan. Watford supported, and voted for, the HB 465 - Amending Regulations Regarding Abortion, in 2015.
Juanita Moody: An American cryptographer, intelligence analyst and National Security Agency (NSA) executive. She worked for the Signals Intelligence Service (SIS) and NSA from 1943 until 1976.
Science and Academia
WCU has also produced notable alumni in the fields of science and academia, contributing to research and education.
Jason Bond: An American biologist working as a Professor of Entomology and the Schlinger Chair in Insect Systematics at the University of California, Davis.
David Warlick: An educator, author, programmer, and public speaker. An early adopter and promoter of technology in the classroom, Warlick has taught and written about technology integration and school curriculum for more than 30 years. He has also developed instructional software and interactive Web sites to support teachers and students in using computers and the Internet for education.
Other Fields
Louis Ducruet: The son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet.
David Joy: An American novelist and short-story writer.
Jared Burton: An American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins.
Geno Segers: An American actor known for his roles as Chayton Littlestone in the Cinemax original series Banshee, Dwayne in NBC's Perfect Harmony, Mason Makoola in the Disney XD television series Pair of Kings, Kincaid on MTV's Teen Wolf, and also as co-host of Fort Boyard: Ultimate Challenge for two seasons.
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