Notable Alumni of University of Nevada-Reno

Catherine Cortez Masto 1964–

U.S. Senator from Nevada

Bachelor of Science · Finance · Class of 1986

Also attended: Gonzaga University

Brian Sandoval 1963–

29th Governor of Nevada

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1986

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Jim Gibbons 1944–

28th Governor of Nevada

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science · Class of 1973

Also attended: University of Southern California, Southwestern Law School

Spouse: Dawn Gibbons (University of Nevada-Reno)

Richard Bryan 1937–

Former Nevada governor and US senator

Attended until 1959

Also attended: University of California College of the Law-San Francisco

Mark Amodei 1958–

U.S. representative for Nevada

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1980

Also attended: University of the Pacific

Pat McCarran 1876–1954

Democratic US Senator from Nevada

Emmet D. Boyle 1879–1926

13th Governor of Nevada

Attended until 1889

Steven Horsford 1973–

U.S. representative for Nevada's 4th district

Sharron Angle 1949–

Former Nevada Assembly member and Senate candidate

Charles Hinton Russell 1903–1989

20th Governor of Nevada

Attended until 1926

George W. Malone 1890–1961

U.S. senator from Nevada

Attended until 1917

TJ Cox 1963–

Former U.S. Representative from California

Also attended: Southern Methodist University

Robert Hale Merriman 1908–1938

Commander of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion in Spain

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of Nevada--Las Vegas

Grant Sawyer 1918–1996

21st Governor of Nevada

Also attended: George Washington University, Georgetown University, Linfield University

Ernest S. Brown 1903–1965

Appointed US senator from Nevada in 1954

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1927

Alan Bible 1909–1988

US senator from Nevada from 1954 to 1974

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1930

Also attended: Georgetown University

Anne Martin 1875–1951

Nevada suffragist, pacifist and author

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1894

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, The New School, Stanford University

Oscar Griswold 1886–1959

US Army lieutenant general

Attended until 1906

Also attended: The United States Military Academy at West Point

Robert Bigelow 1945–

Founder of Bigelow Aerospace

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe

Eren Özmen 1958–

Co-owner and president of Sierra Nevada Corporation

Spouse: Fatih Özmen (University of Nevada-Reno)

Emmy Murphy 1986–

Mathematician and professor at University of Toronto Mississauga

Bachelor of Science · Class of 2007

Also attended: Stanford University

Taylor Wilson 1994–

Nuclear physicist who achieved fusion at age 14

Robert Joseph Bandoni 1926–2009

Mycologist and University of British Columbia professor

Also attended: University of Iowa

Roger Fouts 1943–

Primate researcher, co-founder of Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1971

Also attended: California State University--Long Beach

Joseba Agirreazkuenaga 1953–

Historian of the Basque Country

John Etchemendy 1952–

Logician, former Stanford University provost

Also attended: Stanford University

Charles Douglass 1910–2003

Sound engineer who invented the laugh track

Gina Carano 1982–

Actress and former mixed martial artist

Also attended: University of Nevada--Las Vegas

Father: Glenn Carano (University of Nevada--Las Vegas)

Louise Bryant 1885–1936

Journalist and feminist activist

Also attended: University of Oregon

Spouse: John Reed (Harvard University)

Spouse: William Christian Bullitt, Jr. (Yale University, Harvard University)

Francine Rivers 1947–

Author of Christian-themed fiction

Farnsworth Wright 1888–1940

Editor of Weird Tales magazine and poet

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Dolora Zajick 1952–

Mezzo-soprano opera singer

Also attended: Manhattan School of Music

Grant Harvey 1984–

American actor

Claire Vaye Watkins 1984–

Author, Story Prize winner for Battleborn

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

JoAnna Cochenet 1985–

Violinist, composer and conductor

Also attended: Coe College, University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Spouse: Juan Gallastegui (Bard College, The Juilliard School)

Walter Van Tilburg Clark 1909–1971

Novelist and short story writer

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts · Class of 1932

Also attended: University of Vermont

Colin Kaepernick 1987–

Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist

Bachelor's degree · Management studies · Class of 2010

Ramon Sessions 1986–

Former professional basketball player

Luke Babbitt 1989–

Former professional basketball player

Charles Wright 1961–

Professional wrestler known as The Godfather

Kateřina Nash 1977–

Czech cross-country skier and cyclist

Aivi Luik 1985–

Australian women's international soccer player

Krysta Palmer 1992–

American diver

Also attended: Western Nevada College

Nick Fazekas 1985–

Former professional basketball player

Tom Meschery 1938–

Former pro basketball player, coach and poet

Also attended: Saint Mary's College of California, University of Iowa

Jordan Caroline 1996–

Professional basketball player in Taiwan's P. League+

Also attended: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Liu Limin 1976–

Chinese swimmer, 1996 Olympic 100m butterfly silver medalist

Dario Hunt 1989–

American professional basketball player

Dick the Bruiser 1929–1991

Professional wrestler and NFL player

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Mills Lane 1937–2022

Boxing referee and district court judge

Bachelor's degree · Class of 1963

Also attended: University of Utah

Edgar Jones 1956–

Former NBA basketball player

Domingo Tibaduiza 1950–

Colombian marathon runner and Berlin Marathon winner

Joel Bitonio 1991–

Former Cleveland Browns guard in the NFL

Olek Czyz 1990–

Polish former professional basketball player

Also attended: Duke University

Kirk Snyder 1983–

Former NBA player who played at Nevada

Todd Clever 1983–

Rugby union player, first American in Super Rugby

Marion Motley 1920–1999

Fullback and linebacker for the Cleveland Browns

Also attended: South Carolina State University

Kobe Sanders 2002–

NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers

Also attended: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Kevinn Pinkney 1983–

American professional basketball player