List of sportspeople educated at the United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy (USMA) is an undergraduate college in West Point, New York that educates and commissions officers for the United States Army. The Academy is a member of the Division I Patriot League in most sports,^[1] but its men's ice hockey program competes in the Atlantic Hockey league and its football program competes independent of a league.^[2][3] The Academy fields 24 club sports teams. In addition, about 65% of the cadets compete in intramural sports, known at the academy as "company athletics".^[4]

This list is drawn from alumni of the Military Academy who are athletes or athletic coaches. Eleven alumni have competed in the Olympic Games as athletes or coaches. The first was George S. Patton (class of 1909) in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics. The most recent is Mike Krzyzewski (class of 1969), who was head coach of the U.S. men's basketball team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Three alumni are recipients of college football's Heisman Trophy: Doc Blanchard (class of 1947), Glenn Davis (class of 1947), and Pete Dawkins (class of 1959).

Athletic figures

Note: "Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early.

Athletes

Name Class year Notability References Doubleday, AbnerAbner Doubleday 1842 Major General during the American Civil War; subject of the myth that he invented baseball [5] Henry, GuyGuy Henry 1898 Major General; Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, World War I, World War II; commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment; recipient of two Army Distinguished Service Medals and the Silver Star; son of Brigadier General, Medal of Honor recipient, and Puerto Rico Governor Guy Vernor Henry; Bronze Medalist at the 1912 Summer Olympics in equestrianism [6] Bunker, PaulPaul Bunker 1903 Colonel; selected as a member of the College Football All-America Team in 1901 and 1902 and as the retroactive Heisman Trophy winner for 1902 by Sports Illustrated; member of the College Football Hall of Fame [7] Patton, George S.George S. Patton 1909 General; 1912 Summer Olympics, modern pentathlon, 5th place; Pancho Villa Expedition; World War II; Battle of Saint-Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne Offensive; commander of the 1st Tank Brigade/304th Tank Brigade; commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment; commander of the 2nd Armored Division; commander of the II Corps; commander of the Seventh United States Army, Third United States Army, and Fifteenth United States Army during World War II; descendant of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer; father of Major General George Patton IV; Patton series of tanks were named for him [8][9] Oliphant, ElmerElmer Oliphant 1918 World War I; professional football player; considered one of the all-time greatest college football players; established world record in 220-yard (200 m) low hurdles [10] Hains, P.C.P.C. Hains 1924 Major General; cavalry officer; modern pentathlon at the 1928 Summer Olympics [11] Roosma, JohnJohn Roosma 1926 Colonel during World War II; Basketball Hall of Fame; the Academy's basketball Most Valuable Player award is named after him [12] Olds, RobinRobin Olds 1943 Brigadier General; World War II, Vietnam War; group commander in the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing; commander of the No. 1 Squadron RAF and 434th Fighter Squadron; commander of the 81st Tactical Wing and the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing; recipient of the Air Force Cross, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, and four Silver Stars; son of Major General Robert Olds; member of the College Football Hall of Fame [13] Blanchard, DocDoc Blanchard 1947 United States Air Force fighter pilot; combat veteran of Vietnam War; football player known as "Mr. Inside" who won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and James E. Sullivan Award, all in 1945 [14] Davis, Glenn WoodwardGlenn Woodward Davis 1947 Served three years in the Army before joining the Los Angeles Rams; football player known as "Mr. Outside" who won the Maxwell Award (1944) and Heisman Trophy (1946) [15] Hartinger, James V.James V. Hartinger 1949 United States Air Force General; fighter pilot; combat veteran of Korean War and Vietnam War; National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee; Hartinger Medal for significant contributions to the military space mission named after him [16] Foldberg, DanDan Foldberg 1951 Colonel; infantry officer and combat veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam War; football and lacrosse All-American at the Academy; Earl Blaik called him the greatest end he coached; drafted by the Detroit Lions football team but chose a career in the Army instead [17] Carpenter, BillBill Carpenter 1959 Lieutenant General; Distinguished Service Cross recipient during the Vietnam War; paratrooper; football player known as the "Lonesome End"; College Football Hall of Fame inductee [18] Dawkins, PetePete Dawkins 1959 Brigadier General; Heisman Trophy Maxwell Award winner (1958); Rhodes Scholar; Ph.D. from Princeton University; paratrooper; recipient of two Bronze Stars during the Vietnam War; only cadet in history to simultaneously be Brigade Commander, President of his Class, captain of the football team, and a "Star Man" in the top five percent of his class academically [19] Zinn, RonaldRonald Zinn 1962 Captain; killed in action in 1965 during the Vietnam War; race walker in the 1960 Summer Olympics and 6th place in racewalking in the 1964 Summer Olympics [20] Silliman, MikeMike Silliman 1966 Captain; gold medal in men's basketball at the 1968 Summer Olympics [21] Thornberry, MichaelMichael Thornberry 1994 First Lieutenant; ninth place in team handball in the 1996 Summer Olympics [22] Browne, DanDan Browne 1997 First Lieutenant; professional distance runner; 2002 U.S. Marathon champion; 2004 Summer Olympics competitor at 10 km and marathon [23] McAda, RonnieRonnie McAda 1997 First Lieutenant; last pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, selected by the Green Bay Packers, thus earning the distinction of being a Mr. Irrelevant [24] Allen, AnitaAnita Allen 2000 Captain; placed eighteenth in the modern pentathlon at the 2004 Summer Olympics [25] Smith III, LorenzoLorenzo Smith III 2000 Captain; placed sixth in bobsledding at the 2006 Winter Olympics [26] Melson, BoydBoyd Melson 2003 Captain; boxer, 2004 World Military Boxing Championships, gold medal (69-kg. weight class) [27] Campbell, CalebCaleb Campbell 2007 First Lieutenant; selected by the Detroit Lions with the 218th pick (7th round) in the 2008 NFL Draft [28] Villanueva, AlejandroAlejandro Villanueva 2010 Captain; Infantry officer, combat veteran of the War in Afghanistan, and recipient of the Bronze Star with "V" Device; offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers [29] Glenister, StewartStewart Glenister 2011 West Point cadet; represented American Samoa in 50 m freestyle swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics [30][31] Scherer, StephenStephen Scherer 2011 West Point cadet; made the U.S. 2008 Summer Olympics team in 10 m air rifle team at the age of 19 as a plebe [32][33] McNary, JoshJosh McNary 2011 First Lieutenant; linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts [34] Mooney, CollinCollin Mooney 2012 First Lieutenant; fullback who played for the Tennessee Titans and the Atlanta Falcons [35][36]

Felix "Doc" Blanchard Anita Allen Boyd Melson Caleb Campbell

Coaches

Name Class year Notability References Farnsworth, Charles S.Charles S. Farnsworth 1883 Major General; Spanish–American War; University of North Dakota head football coach (1895–1896) [37] Stilwell, JosephJoseph Stilwell 1904 General; organized and was head coach of the first basketball team at West Point [38] Daly, Charles DudleyCharles Dudley Daly 1905 Lieutenant Colonel; World War I; "Godfather of West Point Football"; early promoter of American football [39] Neyland, RobertRobert Neyland 1916 Brigadier General; World War I; University of Tennessee head football coach (1926–1939) and (1946–1952); member of College Football Hall of Fame (as a coach); four-time national champion and five-time SEC champion at Tennessee [40] Blaik, EarlEarl Blaik 1920 Cavalry officer for two years; head football coach at Dartmouth College (1934–1940) and United States Military Academy (1941–1958); member of College Football Hall of Fame; two-time national champion at Army (as a coach) [41] Whitlow, Robert V.Robert V. Whitlow 1943 United States Army Air Forces and Air Force fighter and bomber pilot, World War II; head football coach (1955) and athletic director (1954–1957) of the Air Force Academy; "athletic director" of the Chicago Cubs baseball club (1963–1965) [42] Krzyzewski, MikeMike Krzyzewski 1969 Captain; recipient of West Point Association of Graduates Distinguished Graduate award in 2005; head basketball coach, West Point (1975–1981) and Duke University (1981–present); men's basketball gold medal-winning team head coach at 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics; five-time NCAA national champion; 2001 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame [43] Yeoman, BillBill Yeoman 1948 Head coach at the University of Houston; Member of the College Football Hall of Fame; Inventor of the Veer Offense; Played prominent role in racial integration of college athletics in the South; Captain of undefeated 1948 Army Football team and second team All-American center; Played for Earl Blaik; Only underclassman to captain an Army football team

Charles Daly Mike Krzyzewski

References

General

^ a: Special Collections: Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy. West Point, NY: United States Military Academy Library. 1950.

Inline citations

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41. "Hall of Fame Dedicates Sculpture In Honor of Legendary West Point Coach Earl Blaik". College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
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