List of University of Minnesota Duluth people

People distinguished in a variety of fields have graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Arts

Manila Luzon, drag performer

• Alison Aune - artist
• Jim Brandenburg - National Geographic nature photographer
• Manila Luzon - drag queen, comedian, recording artist, and television personality
• Joel McKinnon Miller - actor on the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and HBO's Big Love
• Lorenzo Music - actor and voice actor; the voice of Garfield; Carlton the doorman on Rhoda^[1]
• Janelle Pierzina - contestant on seasons 6, 7, and 14 of Big Brother
• Kathleen Ridder - philanthropist, educator, writer, women's equality activist
• Ann Royer - painter and sculptor

Military

• Bruce A. Carlson - former director of the National Reconnaissance Office and former four-star general in the Air Force

Politics

• Tom Bakk - former Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate (2013–2017)
• Ralph Doty - state senator representing Duluth (1971-1976) and community college administrator
• Eric Eskola - journalist and television personality well known for his coverage of Minnesota politics and government
• Mike Hatch - former Minnesota Attorney General (1999–2007); 2006 candidate for governor
• Emily Larson - mayor of Duluth (2016–2024)
• John Linder - former nine-term Congressman representing Georgia's 4th, 7th, and 11th districts
• Don Ness - mayor of Duluth (2008–2016)
• Yvonne Prettner Solon - lieutenant governor of Minnesota 2011–2015
• Elwyn Tinklenberg - former Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner; 2008 congressional candidate for Minnesota's 6th Congressional District

Science and engineering

• Brian Kobilka - 2012 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry
• Amit Singhal - former senior vice president at Google

Business

• Bill Aho - former CEO of ClearPlay; played an instrumental role turning around Red Lobster while a Senior Vice President for Darden Restaurants
• David Oreck - founder of the Oreck Corporation
• Robert Senkler - chairman and CEO of Securian Financial Group

Sports

• Bob Davidson - Major League Baseball umpire since 1982 (attended, but did not graduate)
• Dan Devine - head football coach with the Missouri Tigers, Green Bay Packers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Jay Guidinger - center with the Cleveland Cavaliers
• Tod Kowalczyk - UW - Green Bay and Toledo head men's basketball coach
• Scott LeDoux - professional boxer
• Ted McKnight - NFL running back with the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills
• Jeff Monson - grappling and MMA fighter
• Dick Pesonen - NFL player
• John Shuster - Olympic curling medalist
• David Viaene - NFL player with the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers

Men's hockey

• Greg Andrusak - NHL player with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and San Jose Sharks
• Pat Boutette - NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers, and Pittsburgh Penguins
• J. T. Brown - NHL player with the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Chad Erickson - NHL player with the New Jersey Devils
• Justin Faulk - NHL player with the Carolina Hurricanes
• Jesse Fibiger - NHL player with the San Jose Sharks
• Rusty Fitzgerald - NHL player with the Pittsburgh Penguins
• Justin Fontaine - NHL player with the Minnesota Wild
• Jason Garrison - NHL player with the Florida Panthers
• Curt Giles - NHL player with the Minnesota North Stars, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers
• John Harrington - member of 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey gold-medal team that beat the USSR in the Miracle on Ice game
• Brett Hull - NHL player with Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Phoenix Coyotes; 3rd all-time in the NHL with 741 goals
• Alex Iafallo - NHL player with the Los Angeles Kings
• Adam Johnson - NHL player for the Pittsburgh Penguins^[2]
• Jim Johnson - NHL player with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, and Phoenix Coyotes
• Tom Kurvers - Hobey Baker Award winner in 1983; NHL player with the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
• Dave Langevin - WHA player with the Edmonton Oilers; NHL player with the New York Islanders, Minnesota North Stars, and Los Angeles Kings
• Junior Lessard - Hobey Baker Award winner in 2004; NHL player with the Dallas Stars, Atlanta Thrashers, and Tampa Bay Lightning
• Chris Marinucci - Hobey Baker Award winner in 1994; player with the Los Angeles Kings, and New York Islanders
• Bob Mason - NHL player with the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, Quebec Nordiques, and Vancouver Canucks
• Bryan McGregor - Czech Extraliga player with HC Oceláři Třinec
• Rick Mrozik - NHL player with the Calgary Flames
• Matt Niskanen - NHL player with the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins
• Evan Oberg - NHL player with the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers
• Mark Pavelich - member of 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey gold-medal team that beat the USSR in the Miracle on Ice game; played in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, and San Jose Sharks
• Mike Peluso - played in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks; not to be confused with Mike Peluso, who also played with the Blackhawks
• Derek Plante - NHL player with Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars, and the Philadelphia Flyers
• Shjon Podein - NHL player with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues; Stanley Cup winner in 2000–01 with Colorado Avalanche
• Mason Raymond - NHL player with the Vancouver Canucks
• Glen "Chico" Resch - NHL goalie with the Colorado Rockies, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils
• Jon Rohloff - NHL player with the Boston Bruins
• Jay Rosehill - NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs
• Alex Stalock - NHL goaltender with the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks
• Tim Stapleton - NHL player with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers, and the relocated Atlanta team Winnipeg Jets
• Dennis Vaske - NHL player with the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins
• Bill Watson - Hobey Baker Award winner in 1984; NHL player with the Chicago Blackhawks
• Craig Weller - NHL player with the Phoenix Coyotes, and Minnesota Wild
• Larry Wright - NHL player with the Philadelphia Flyers, California Golden Seals, and the Detroit Red Wings

Women's hockey

• Haley Irwin
• Kim Martin
• Caroline Ouellette
• Tuula Puputti
• Maddie Rooney
• Maria Rooth
• Jenny Schmidgall-Potter
• Hanne Sikio
• Saara Tuominen