This is a list of notable people associated with the University of Kentucky in the United States.
Notable alumni (non-sports)
Academia and research
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Ronald Akers || PhD 1966 || Professor emeritus of Criminology at the University of Florida ||
|-
| Diogenes Allen || BA 1954 || Professor of Philosophy at Princeton Theological Seminary; Rhodes Scholar ||
|-
| W. David Arnett || BS 1961 || Regents Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Arizona ||
|-
| Robert A. Baker || BA 1948, MA 1949 || Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky; UFO skeptic ||
|-
| Albert Balows
|
| Clinical microbiologist and president of the American Society for Microbiology
|-
| William M. Bass || MS 1956 || Professor of Forensic Anthropology at the University of Tennessee ||
|-
| George Billman || PhD 1980 || Professor of physiology at Ohio State University ||
|-
| Charles E. Bishop || MS 1948 || Chancellor of the University of Maryland, College Park, president of the University of Arkansas, chancellor of the University of Houston System ||
|-
| Meir Bialer || post-doctoral studies 1979–80 ||David H. Eisenberg Professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel||
|-
| Sarah Gibson Blanding || BA 1923 || First female president of Vassar College ||
|-
|Amy L. Bondurant
|BA 1973
|Former U.S. ambassador to the OECD
|
|-
| M. Christopher Brown II || MS 1994 || President of Alcorn State University and Kentucky State University ||
|-
| Robert A. Bryan || MA 1951, PhD 1956 || President of the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, and University of South Florida ||
|-
| Francisco Xavier Castellanos || R 1991 || Director of Research at the New York University Child Research Center ||
|-
| Lois Mai Chan || PhD 1980 || Professor of Library Science at the University of Kentucky ||
|-
| Dale T. Chapman || BS || President of Lewis and Clark Community College ||
|-
| Philip B. Coulter || 1961–1962 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Professor emeritus of Political Science and former dean at the University of New Orleans ||
|-
| Matt Cutts || BS 1995 || Software engineer ||
|-
| Paul W. Davenport || PhD 1980 || Professor of Physiology at the University of Florida ||
|-
| Mark E. Davis || BS 1977, MS 1978, PhD 1981 || Professor of Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology ||
|-
|Brady J. Deaton || BS 1966, MA 1968 || Chancellor of the University of Missouri ||
|-
| Peter Dendle || BA 1990, MA 1993 || Professor of English at Penn State Mont Alto ||
|-
| Robert Denhardt || PhD 1968 || Professor of Public Policy at the University of Southern California ||
|-
| Vijay K. Dhir || PhD 1972 || Former dean of the University of California, Los Angeles Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science ||
|-
| Joseph T. DiPiro || PharmD 1981 || Dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy ||
|-
| C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. || BS 1971 || Herpetologist and conservationist ||
|-
| Charles M. Dollar || MA 1963, PhD 1966 || Electronic records program manager at the National Archives and Records Administration and professor at the University of British Columbia ||
|-
| Herman Lee Donovan || BS 1914, LLD 1933 || Former president of the University of Kentucky ||
|-
| Michael Dorff || PhD 1997 || Mathematician at Brigham Young University, president of the Mathematical Association of America, and founder of the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics ||
|-
| Ronald Enroth || MA 1963, PhD 1967 || Professor of Sociology at Westmont College ||
|-
|Esendugue Greg Fonsah
|MS 1987
|Agricultural economist
|
|-
|Lori Stewart Gonzalez
|B.A.
|23rd president of Ohio University
|
|-
|Virginia Griffing
|BS, 1937
|Physicist and chemist; first woman on the faculty of Catholic University of America's physics department
|
|-
|Bradlee L. Heckmann
|BS 2009
|Neuroimmunologist and cell biologist
|
|-
|Edward H. Kass
| AB 1939; MS 1941
| Physician, medical school professor, medical researcher in infectious diseases, medical journal editor, and historian of medicine
|
|-
| A. D. Kirwan || AB 1926 || Former president of the University of Kentucky ||
|-
| William English Kirwan || AB 1960 || Chancellor of the University System of Maryland ||
|-
| John E. Leland || PhD 1994 || Director of the University of Dayton Research Institute ||
|-
| Helen Matthews Lewis || PhD 1970 || Sociologist, historian, and activist ||
|-
| William Lipscomb || BS 1941 || 1976 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry ||
|-
| Deanna B. Marcum || MLS 1971 || President of the Council on Library and Information Resources and associate librarian at the Library of Congress ||
|-
| Anne Hazen McFarland || || Physician and medical journal editor ||
|-
| Irving Millman
|
| Virologist and microbiologist
|-
| Thomas Hunt Morgan || BS 1886 || Natural scientist and winner of the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine ||
|-
| Thomas Volney Munson || BS 1870, MS 1893, DSc 1906 || Horticulturalist ||
|-
| Lee T. Todd Jr. || BS 1968 || Former president of the University of Kentucky; inventor; entrepreneur ||
|-
| Nancy Tomes || BA 1974 || Author and eminent historian of public health; recipient of the Bancroft Prize in 2017; Distinguished Professor, Stony Brook University ||
|-
|}
Business
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Don Ball || Received honorary degrees in 2016 || Founder of Ball Homes ||
|-
| Wendell Cherry || BA 1957, LLB 1959 || Founder of Humana ||
|-
| Joe Craft || BS 1972, JD 1976 || CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, a large coal producer; philanthropist ||
|-
| Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton || BS 1954 || Businessman and major contributor to the university; namesake of College of Business and Economics ||
|-
| Rodney McMullen || BS 1981, MS 1982 || CEO of The Kroger Company ||
|-
| Sadiqa Reynolds || JD || CEO of the Perception Institute; former president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League ||
|-
| Chris T. Sullivan || BS 1972 || Founder of Outback Steakhouse ||
|-
| Paul C. Varga || Bachelor of Business Admin || Former chief executive officer and chairman of Brown–Forman ||
|}
Entertainment
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Adunni Ade || BS 2008 || Actress and model ||
|-
|Sara Bradley
|
|Chef
|
|-
| Ramsey Carpenter || BA 2013 || Miss Kentucky 2014 ||
|-
| Leticia Cline || BS 2000 || Model ||
|-
| Wes Cowan || MA || Auctioneer and appraiser for Antiques Roadshow and History Detectives ||
|-
| Joseph David-Jones || <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Actor ||
|-
| Clark Janell Davis || BA 2018 || Miss Kentucky 2015 ||
|-
| Jenna Day || BA 2014 || Miss Kentucky 2013 ||
|-
| Jimmy Dunne || BA 1977 || Songwriter, recording artist, composer, film and television producer, and entrepreneur ||
|-
| Chris Easterly || BA 1998 || Screenwriter ||
|-
| Miss Elizabeth|| BA || WWF and WCW professional wrestling manager, wife of Randy Savage ||
|-
| Richard Bunger Evans || <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Composer and pianist ||
|-
| Lyndsey Gough || 2015 || On-air TV sports anchor ||
|-
| Ashley Judd || BA 2007 || Actress; celebrity fan of the Wildcats (men's) basketball team ||
|-
| Glenn Kotche || BM 1994 || Percussionist and composer, best known as drummer for Chicago rock band Wilco; named the 41st greatest drummer of all time by Gigwise in 2008 ||
|-
| Jean Ritchie || AB 1946 || Folk musician, singer, and songwriter who plays the Appalachian dulcimer ||
|-
| Reshma Shetty || MM, 2003 || Singer, actress, Royal Pains ||
|-
| Harry Dean Stanton || || Actor known for playing Roman Grant on Big Love ||
|-
| Jiaoying Summers || BS 2012 || Stand-up comedian and actress ||
|-
| Kristine Sutherland || || Actress, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids ||
|-
| Rudy Vaughn || BM 2003 || Musician, singer-songwriter ||
|-
|style="white-space: nowrap;"|Sullivan Canaday White || BA 1988 || Theater producer, director, and educator ||
|-
|}
Government, law, and public policy
:Note: Individuals who belong in multiple sections appear in the first relevant section.
Governors
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| J. C. W. Beckham || 1889 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Steve Beshear || BA 1966, JD 1968 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Ned Breathitt || BS 1948, LLB 1950 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| John Y. Brown Jr. || BA 1957, LLB 1960 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Julian Carroll || BA 1954, LLB 1956 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Albert B. "Happy" Chandler || LLB 1924, LLD 1936 || Governor of Kentucky, U.S. senator from Kentucky, commissioner of Major League Baseball responsible for integration and was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame ||
|-
| Earle Clements || AB 1917 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Martha Layne Collins || BS 1959 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Bert Combs || LLB 1937 || Former governor of Kentucky, former judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ||
|-
| Milton C. Elstner || BA 1872<br /> JD ? || Three-time United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana under five presidents ||
|-
| William J. Fields || || Former governor of Kentucky, former representative from Kentucky's 9th congressional district ||
|-
| Ernie Fletcher || BS 1974, MD 1984 || Former governor of Kentucky, former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| Wendell Ford || 1942–1943 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Former governor of Kentucky, former senator from Kentucky ||
|-
| Keen Johnson || BA 1922 || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Paul E. Patton || BS 1959 || Two-term governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Beverly Perdue || BA 1969 || Former governor of North Carolina ||
|-
| James G. Scrugham || BME 1900, ME 1906 || Former governor of Nevada, former senator from Nevada, former representative from Nevada's at-large congressional district ||
|-
| Augustus Owsley Stanley || 1886–1888 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Former governor of Kentucky, former senator from Kentucky, former representative from Kentucky's 2nd congressional district ||
|-
| Ted Strickland || MA 1966, PhD 1980 || Former governor of Ohio ||
|-
| Tom Jefferson Terral || 1905–1906 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Governor of Arkansas, 1925–1927 ||
|-
| Wallace Wilkinson || 1960–1962 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Former governor of Kentucky ||
|-
|}
Members of the US Congress
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Scotty Baesler || BS 1963, JD 1966 || Former U.S. representative from Kentucky ||
|-
| Andy Barr || JD 2001 || United States representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| John B. Breckinridge || AB 1937, LLB 1939 || Former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| John Y. Brown Sr. || LLB 1926 || Former representative from Kentucky's At-large congressional district ||
|-
| Albert B. "Ben" Chandler || BA 1983, JD 1986 || Former U.S. representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| Virgil Chapman || 1918 || Former Senator from Kentucky, former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| David Grant Colson || 1879–1880 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Former representative from Kentucky's 11th congressional district ||
|-
| William P. Curlin Jr. || AB 1958, LLB 1962 || Former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
|Leonard S. Echols || 1894 || Former U.S. representative from West Virginia's 5th congressional district ||
|-
| Walter Dee Huddleston || BA 1949 || Former Senator from Kentucky ||
|-
| Ron Lewis || BA 1969 || Former U.S. representative from Kentucky's 2nd congressional district ||
|-
| Ken Lucas || BS 1955 || Former U.S. representative from Kentucky's 4th congressional district ||
|-
| Mitch McConnell || JD 1967 || U.S. senator from Kentucky, current Senate minority leader ||
|-
| Morgan McGarvey || JD || United States representative from Kentucky's 3rd congressional district ||
|-
| Hal Rogers || AB 1962, LLB 1964 || United States representative from Kentucky's 5th congressional district ||
|-
| Eugene Siler || 1922 || Former representative from Kentucky's 8th and 5th congressional districts ||
|-
| Louise Slaughter || BS 1951, MS 1953 || Former United States representative from New York's 25th congressional district ||
|-
| Marcus A. Smith || 1876 || Former senator from Arizona ||
|-
| William A. Stanfill || LLB 1912 || Former senator from Kentucky ||
|-
| Frank Stubblefield || BS 1932 || Former representative from Kentucky's 1st congressional district ||
|-
| King Swope || 1916 || Former representative from Kentucky's 8th congressional district ||
|-
| Thomas R. Underwood || 1917 || Former senator from Kentucky, former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| Beverly M. Vincent || || Former representative from Kentucky's 2nd congressional district ||
|-
| John C. Watts || AB 1925, LLB 1927 || Former representative from Kentucky's 6th congressional district ||
|-
| John D. White || || Former representative from Kentucky's 10th congressional district ||
|-
| Ed Whitfield || BS 1965, JD 1969 || Former U.S. representative from Kentucky's 1st congressional district ||
|-
|}
US federal and state judges
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Thomas A. Ballantine Jr. || BA 1948 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| David Bunning || BA 1988, JD 1991 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Karen K. Caldwell || JD 1980 || Chief judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Jennifer B. Coffman || BA 1969, MS 1971, JD 1978 || Chief judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky and district judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Bill Cunningham || JD 1969 || Former justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court ||
|-
| Charles I. Dawson || <small>(did not graduate)</small> || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Karl Spillman Forester || BA 1962, JD 1966 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| William Gant || LLB 1946 || Former justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court ||
|-
| Joseph Robert Goeke || JD 1975 || Senior judge for the United States Tax Court ||
|-
| James Fleming Gordon || LLB 1941 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Harlan Hobart Grooms || LLB 1926 || District judge for the Northern District of Alabama ||
|-
| David J. Hale || JD 1992 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| John G. Heyburn II || JD 1976 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Joseph Martin Hood || BS 1965, JD 1972 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Edward Huggins Johnstone || JD 1949 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Joseph H. McKinley Jr. || BS 1976 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| John E. Miller || LLB 1912 || District judge for the Western District of Arkansas ||
|-
| Bernard Thomas Moynahan Jr. || AB 1935, LLB 1938 || Former district judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Scott Elgin Reed || LLB 1945 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Samuel Murray Rosenstein || AB 1928 || Judge for the Customs Court and the Court of International Trade ||
|-
| Thomas B. Russell || JD 1970 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Gregory N. Stivers || LLB 1912 || District judge for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Gregory F. Van Tatenhove || JD 1989 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Henry Rupert Wilhoit Jr. || LLB 1960 || District judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| J. Craig Wright || BA 1951 || Former justice of the Ohio Supreme Court ||
|-
|}
Other US political and legal figures
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Bob Babbage || MA 1988 || Former secretary of state of Kentucky ||
|-
| Allison Ball || JD 2008 || Kentucky state treasurer ||
|-
|Danny Bentley
|BS PharmD
|Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
|
|-
| Robert Benvenuti || BS 1988, MPA 1991, JD 1998 || Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| Karen Berg
|
| Physician, professor, and member of the Kentucky State Senate
|-
| Richard Briggs || MD 1978 || Tennessee state senator ||
|-
| John Young Brown III || JD 1992 || Former secretary of state of Kentucky ||
|-
| Nick Casey || BS 1974 || Former chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party ||
|-
| Russell Coleman || BA 1998, JD 2004 || United States attorney for the Western District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Oscar M. Corbin Jr. || BS 1940 || Former mayor of Fort Myers, Florida ||
|-
| Will Coursey || BA || Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| Kelly Knight Craft (née Guilfoil) || BA 1984 || U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. ambassador to Canada ||
|-
| Jesse Crenshaw || JD 1974 || Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| Robert Damron || BA, MBA || Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| James J. Davidson || 1883 || US representative-elect, died before taking the oath ||
|-
| Mike Denham || 1972 || Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| Bob DeWeese || BS 1957 || Former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives ||
|-
| James C. Duff || BA 1975 || Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts ||
|-
| Mike Duncan || JD 1974 || Former chairman of the Republican National Committee and current governor of the US Postal Service ||
|-
| Robert M. Duncan Jr. || JD 2003 || United States attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Adam Edelen || || Auditor of Public Accounts for Kentucky ||
|-
| A. M. Edwards || JD 1929 || Secretary of Guam ||
|-
| Christine A. Elder || BA 1989 || US ambassador to Liberia ||
|-
| C. B. Embry || <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Member of the Kentucky State Senate ||
|-
| Gatewood Galbraith || BA 1974, JD 1977 || Activist and five-time candidate for governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Kerry B. Harvey || JD 1982 || Former United States attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky ||
|-
| Jerry Lundergan || 1969 || Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party ||
|-
| Russ Mobley || BA, MA || Former state representative from Taylor and Adair counties ||
|-
| Daniel Mongiardo || MD 1986 || Former lieutenant governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Steve Pence || JD 1981 || Former lieutenant governor of Kentucky ||
|-
| Timothy N. Philpot || BS 1974, JD 1977 || Two-term state senator of Kentucky (1991–98), family court circuit judge (2004–present) ||
|-
| Mary Martha Presley Merritt || BA || Two-term member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, president of the West Virginia Board of Education, and West Virginia Worker's Compensation commissioner ||
|-
| Mary Ann Tobin || BS 1963 || Four-term member of the Kentucky House of Representatives (1976–84), Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts (1984–88) ||
|-
| Max Wise || MA 1999 || FBI agent, member of the Kentucky Senate ||
|-
| Joe Wright || BS 1962 || Kentucky state senator (1976–92); party floor leader (1981–92); 1996 party nominee for U.S. Congress; businessman ||
|-
|Debbie Warner
|BS
|Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
|
|-
| Whitney Westerfield
|
| Politician
|-
|}
Journalism and literature
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| width = 200px | Raymond Abbott || 1967–1968 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Whiting Award-winning novelist ||
|-
|Sam Abell || BA 1969 || National Geographic photographer ||
|-
| Wendell Berry || BA 1956, MA 1957 || Poet, essayist and farmer ||
|-
| Maxine Cheshire || 1949–1950 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Reporter for The Washington Post ||
|-
|Elizabeth Gould Davis || MA 1951 || Author of The First Sex ||
|-
|Charles Dickinson || BA 1973 || Author ||
|-
|Michael Eaves || BA 1994 || Sportscaster ||
|-
| Tom Hammond || BS 1967 || Sportscaster ||
|-
| Elizabeth Hardwick || AB 1938, MA 1939 || Writer ||
|-
| David Winfield Huddleston || BA 1971 || Christian author and minister ||
|-
| Kim Yong-ik || MA 1953 || Author ||
|-
| Elizabeth Madox Roberts || 1900 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Poet and novelist ||
|-
| Don Rosa || BS 1973 || Eisner Award-winning writer and artist of Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comic books ||
|-
|Charles Sallis
|PhD 1967
|Historian and writer
|
|-
|Anne Shelby
|MA 1981
|Children's book writer
|
|-
| Michael M. York || BA 1974 || Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting ||
|-
|}
Military
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| William VanMeter Alford Jr. || BA, JD || Chief of fstaff for the United States Pacific Command ||
|-
| John A. Dabney || BA 1926 || Lieutenant general, United States Army ||
|-
| Hugh M. Milton II || BS 1919, MS 1922 || United States under secretary of the Army, 1958–1961 ||
|-
| Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. || AB 1936 || Secretary of the Army under President John F. Kennedy, president of Indiana University and West Virginia University, and president of The National Audubon Society ||
|-
|}
Miscellaneous
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:15%;" | Years attended/ degree received
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Notability
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Ace || 2015 || Professional gamer ||
|-
| Terry Adkins || MFA 1979 || Interdisciplinary artist and musician ||
|-
| Joyce Hamilton Berry || MA 1967, PhD 1970 || Clinical psychologist ||
|-
| Madeline McDowell Breckinridge || 1890–1894 <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Leader of the women's suffrage movement ||
|-
| Stephen Bright || BA 1971, JD 1974 || President of the Southern Center for Human Rights ||
|-
| David Horace Clift || BS 1930 || President of the American Library Association ||
|-
| P. J. Conkwright || BA 1928 || Graphic designer and typographer ||
|-
| Brenda Cowan || 1986 || Lexington's first black female firefighter; died in the line of duty ||
|-
| G. Lindsey Davis || MS 1972 || Methodist bishop ||
|-
| Mary Desha || <small>(did not graduate)</small> || Founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution ||
|-
| Edward A. Eckenhoff || MA 1968 || Founder and president of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. ||
|-
| Pam Elam || BA 1972, JD 1975 || Feminist activist ||
|-
| Mark P. Finlay || B.Arch 1977 || Architect ||
|-
| Belinda Mason || BA 1980 || AIDS activist and member of the U.S. National Commission on AIDS||
|-
| Story Musgrave || MS 1966 || Astronaut ||
|-
| Henderson Ryan || 1877 || Architect ||
|-
| John T. Scopes || BA 1924 || Defendant in the Scopes Trial ||
|-
| Yang Sung-chul || PhD 1970 || Political scientist, South Korean ambassador to the United States (2000–2003) ||
|-
|}
Sports alumni
Basketball
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name!!Years attended!!class="unsortable"|Notable for
|-
|(basketball)|Derek Anderson
| width=100px | 1994–1997
| Former NBA player (2005–06 NBA champion)
|-
| Kelenna Azubuike || 2002–2005 ||Former NBA Golden State Warriors player
|-
| Edrice Adebayo || 2016–2017 || 14th pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Miami Heat
|-
| Eric Bledsoe || 2009–2010 || One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft and current player for the Portland Trail Blazers
|-
| Keith Bogans || 1999–2003 || Former NBA player
|-
| Devin Booker || 2014–2015 || NBA player for the Phoenix Suns, all-time leading scorer
|-
| Sam Bowie || 1979–1984 || 2nd pick in 1984 NBA draft (ahead of Michael Jordan)
|-
| Isaiah Briscoe || 2015–2017 || NBA player
|-
| Ramel Bradley ||2004–2008||Playing for Hapoel Holon in the Israeli Super League
|-
| Dwane Casey || || Former Minnesota Timberwolves; current head coach for the Detroit Pistons
|-
| Rex Chapman || 1986–1988 || Former NBA player and first-ever draft choice in Charlotte Hornets franchise history
|-
| Bill Cofield || MS 1967 || Basketball coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team
|-
| DeMarcus Cousins || 2009–2010 || One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft
|-
| Joe Crawford || 2004–2008 || Former NBA New York Knicks player; 2nd round draft; 58th pick overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers
|-
| Louis Dampier || 1965–1967 || Played for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA; scored the most points in ABA history
|-
| Erik Daniels || 2000–2004 || NBDL Fayetteville Patriots player
|-
| Anthony Davis || 2011–2012 || Consensus men's college player of the year in 2011–12; now in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers
|-
| Tony Delk || 1992–1996 || Former NBA player
|-
| Victoria Dunlap || 2007–2011 || WNBA player with the Washington Mystics
|-
| Fabulous Five || N/A || 1948 Olympic basketball gold medalists
|-
| Richie Farmer || 1988–1992 || Never played professional basketball; former Kentucky commissioner of agriculture, 2003–2011; spent two years in federal prison for crimes committed while commissioner of agriculture
|-
| Gerald Fitch || 2000–2004 || TBL Galatasaray Cafe Crown player
|-
| Travis Ford || 1990–1994 || Oklahoma State University men's basketball head coach
|-
| De'Aaron Fox || 2016–2017 || 5th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings
|-
| Wenyen Gabriel || 2016–2018 || South Sudanese-American basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
|-
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander || 2017–2018 ||NBA player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, 2025 NBA champion, 2025 NBA Finals MVP, 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player, 2025 NBA scoring champion
|-
| Jack Givens || 1974–1978 || 1978 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player
|-
| Kevin Grevey || 1972–1975 || Former NBA player
|-
| Josh Harrellson || 2008–2011 || Former NBA player
|-
| Chuck Hayes || 2001–2005 || Former NBA player
|-
| Tyler Herro || 2018–2019 || 13th pick in the 2019 NBA draft, NBA player for the Miami Heat
|-
| Dan Issel || 1966–1970 || All-time leading men's scorer and former Denver Nuggets head coach
|-
| Terrence Jones || 2010–2012 || Former NBA player
|-
| Enes Kanter Freedom|| 2010–2011 || 3rd pick in the 2011 NBA draft and current player for the Boston Celtics
|-
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist || 2011–2012 || 2nd pick in the 2012 NBA draft
|-
| Brandon Knight || 2010–2011|| 8th pick in the 2011 NBA draft and current player for the Dallas Mavericks
|-
| Doron Lamb || 2010–2012 || Former NBA player
|-
| James Lee || 1975–1978 || Second round draft pick and former CBA player
|-
| Trey Lyles || 2014–2015 || NBA player for the Sacramento Kings
|-
| Skal Labissière || 2015–2016 || NBA player
|-
| Kyle Macy || 1976–1979 || Former Morehead State University men's basketball head coach
|-
| Jamaal Magloire || 1996–2000 || Former NBA player
|-
| Jamal Mashburn || 1990–1993 || Former NBA All-Star; current ESPN basketball analyst
|-
| Steve Masiello || 1996–2000 || Current head coach at Manhattan College
|-
| Walter McCarty || 1992–1996 || Former NBA player; current assistant coach at the University of Louisville
|-
|Stacy McIntyre
|1988–1992
|College basketball coach, Air Force Falcons women's basketball head coach (2024–present)
|-
| Ron Mercer || 1995–1997 || Current NBA free agent who has played with seven different teams
|-
| Malik Monk || 2016–2017|| 11th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, NBA player for the Sacramento Kings
|-
| Darius Miller || 2008–2012 || Former NBA player; currently playing in Germany with Brose Baskets
|-
| Dirk Minniefield || 1979–1983 || Former NBA player
|-
| Nazr Mohammed || 1995–1998 || Former NBA player; member of the 2004–05 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs
|-
| Randolph Morris || 2004–2007 || Former NBA player
|-
| Jamal Murray || 2015–2016 || 7th pick in the 2016 NBA draft for the Denver Nuggets, holds the record for most consecutive games with a three pointer
|-
| Cotton Nash || 1961–1964 || Former NBA player and MLB outfielder
|-
| Nerlens Noel || 2012–2013|| 6th pick in the 2013 NBA draft
|-
| Bernard Opper ||1936–1939|| All-American basketball player for the Wildcats and professional player
|-
| Daniel Orton || 2009–2010 || One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft
|-
| Scott Padgett || 1994–1999 || Former NBA and ACB player; current head coach at Samford University
|-
| Patrick Patterson || 2007–2010 || One of five first-round picks from UK in the 2010 NBA draft
|-
| John Pelphrey || 1988–1992 || Current assistant at the University of Florida; former head coach at the University of Arkansas
|-
| Mike Phillips || 1975–1978 || Third round draft pick and former Liga ACB player
|-
| Mark Pope || 1993–1996 || Former NBA player; current head coach at the University of Kentucky
|-
| Alex Poythress || 2012–2016 ||American-Ivorian basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier Basketball League, former NBA player
|-
| Tayshaun Prince || 1998–2002 || Former NBA player; member of the 2003–04 NBA champion Detroit Pistons
|-
| Frank Ramsey || 1950–1954 || Seven-time NBA champion
|-
| Julius Randle || 2013–2014 || NBA player for the New York Knicks
|-
| Pat Riley || 1963–1967 || NBA Miami Heat former coach, and current team president; coached the 2005–06 NBA champion Miami Heat
|-
| Rick Robey || 1975–1978 || Third overall draft pick in 1978; played with the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns; member of the Celtics' 1981 NBA Championship team
|-
| Rajon Rondo || 2004–2006 || NBA Cleveland Cavaliers player; member of the 2007–08 NBA champion Boston Celtics and 2019–20 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers
|-
| Nate Sestina || || Israeli Basketball Premier League player
|-
| Jeff Sheppard || 1993–1998 || 1998 NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player
|-
| Valerie Still || 1979–1983 || Leading scorer in UK basketball history, male or female; played professionally in Europe and the ABL before briefly playing for the Washington Mystics in the WNBA; younger sister of UK football great Art Still
|-
| Marquis Teague || 2011–2012 || Former NBA player
|-
| Karl-Anthony Towns || 2014–2015 || 1st pick of the 2015 NBA draft; current player for the New York Knicks
|-
| Wayne Turner || 1995–1999 || ANBL New Zealand Breakers player; ended his UK career as the all-time NCAA leader in games played (record since surpassed)
|-
| Tyler Ulis || 2014–2016 || NBA player
|-
| Frank Vogel || BS 1998 || Former head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers
|-
| Antoine Walker || 1994–1996 || Former NBA player; member of the 2005–06 NBA champion Miami Heat
|-
| Kenny Walker || 1982–1986 || 1985–1986 All-American and 5th pick in the 1986 NBA draft
|-
| John Wall || 2009–2010 || 1st pick of the 2010 NBA draft; current player for the Houston Rockets
|-
| Bobby Watson || || Former NBA player
|-
| Derek Willis || 2013–2017 || Former NBA player
|-
| Sean Woods || 1988–1992 || Former head coach at Morehead State University
|-
| James Young || || NBA player; 2019–2020 top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League
|}
Notes
- For players who enrolled from 1954 through 1971, their actual playing career did not start until a year after they first attended. At that time, freshmen were ineligible to play at varsity level.
- Willie Cauley-Stein (born 1993), NBA basketball player
- Sacha Killeya-Jones (born 1998), American-British basketball player for Hapoel Gilboa Galil of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Football
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name!!Years attended!!class="unsortable"|Notable for
|-
| width=200px | Derek Abney
| width=100px |
| NFL, former Chicago Bears wide receiver
|-
| George Blanda || || American Football League MVP, 1961, two-time AFL champ, and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
|-
| Shane Boyd || || Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback
|-
| Chuck Bradley || || Gridiron football offensive tackle
|-
| Neal Brown || || Former offensive coordinator at Troy University, Texas Tech, and UK; current head coach at Troy
|-
| Vincent "Sweet Pea" Burns || || Former NFL Indianapolis Colts defensive end
|-
| Jerry Claiborne || 1946–1950 || Former head football coach
|-
| Randall Cobb || 2008–2011 || Current wide receiver and return specialist with the Green Bay Packers; first person born in the 1990s to play in the NFL
|-
| Tim Couch || 1996–1999 || Former Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
|-
| Jamin Davis || 2017–2020 || Linebacker; drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Washington Football Team
|-
| Dermontti Dawson || || Former NFL offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012
|-
| David De La Peralle || || Former CFL offensive lineman
|-
| Mark Higgs || || Former NFL running back
|-
| Josh Hines-Allen || 2015–2018 || Current outside linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars
|-
| Glenn Holt || || NFL Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver
|-
| Christian Johnson || || Arena Football League player
|-
| Cory "Poop" Johnson || 2014–2016 || Former NFL and current CFL defensive lineman
|-
| Dennis Johnson || || Former San Francisco 49ers defensive end; currently with the Lexington Horsemen
|-
| Don King || || Former NFL defensive tackle
|-
| Kelly Kirchbaum || || Professional football player
|-
| Jared Lorenzen || || Former New York Giants quarterback
|-
| Ricky Lumpkin || || NFL player
|-
| Tim Masthay || || Former punter for the Green Bay Packers; Super Bowl XLV Champion
|-
| Marlon McCree || || Former San Diego Chargers, current Denver Broncos safety
|-
| Rick Nuzum || || Former NFL center
|-
| Babe Parilli || || Three-time American Football League all-star and 1968 Super Bowl champ
|-
| Joker Phillips || 1981–1985 || Former wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts; former UK head coach
|-
| Artose Pinner || || Former Minnesota Vikings running back
|-
| Derrick Ramsey || 1974–1978 || Former tight end for three NFL teams; athletic director at Coppin State University, 2008–2015; Kentucky secretary of labor, 2015–present
|-
| Dewayne Robertson || || Former New York Jets, former Denver Broncos defensive tackle
|-
| Howard Schnellenberger || || Retired football coach, most recently with Florida Atlantic; former head coach of the NFL's Baltimore Colts, and of Miami, Louisville, and Oklahoma in the college ranks
|-
| Art Still || || Former Kansas City Chiefs player and 4-time Pro Bowler; older brother of Valerie Still (see basketball alumni)
|-
| Jeff Van Note || || Former Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman and 6-time Pro Bowler
|-
| Moe Williams || || Former Minnesota Vikings running back
|-
| Ken Willis || || Former Dallas Cowboys kicker
|-
| Earl Wilson || || NFL and CFL player
|-
| Craig Yeast || 1995–1998 || Former Cincinnati Bengals receiver
|}
Baseball
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name!!Years attended!!class="unsortable"|Notable for
|-
| Bill Black || BA 1942 || Player-coach for the Wildcats
|-
| Joe Blanton || || Former Major League Baseball pitcher; member of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies, winner of Game 4 of the 2008 World Series
|-
| Derek Bryant || 1971–1973 || Outfielder for the Oakland Athletics
|-
| Collin Cowgill || || Former Major League Baseball outfielder, 2011–2016
|-
| Greg Gibson || || Major League Baseball umpire
|-
| Trevor Gott || 2011–2013 || Pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, and formerly the Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, and Milwaukee Brewers
|-
| Andy Green || || Former Major League Baseball player with the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks, and manager of the San Diego Padres
|-
| Jason Kipnis || || Second baseman for the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs
|-
| Jim Leyritz || || Former Major League Baseball player, most notably for the New York Yankees
|-
| Luke Maile || || Catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, and formerly the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays
|-
| Randy Marsh || || Former Major League Baseball umpire
|-
| A. J. Reed || 2011–2014 || Minor League Baseball player in the Houston Astros organization; consensus NCAA Division I player of the year in 2014
|-
| Mark Thompson || || Former Major League Baseball pitcher
|-
| Brandon Webb || || Former Major League Baseball pitcher, 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner
|}
Soccer
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%"
|-
! Name!!Years attended!! class="unsortable" |Notable for
|-
|Michael D'Agostino
|2005
|Former Canadian soccer midfielder for Whitecaps FC Reserves, Blackpool, and Cheltenham Town; current assistant coach of Vancouver Whitecaps
|-
| George Davis IV || 2007–2009 || Former USL Championship soccer player
|-
| Kalil ElMedkhar || 2017–2020 || Current professional soccer player
|-
| Enrique Facussé || 2017–2021|| Current Honduran professional soccer goalkeeper
|-
| Kaelon Fox || 2013–2016|| Former professional soccer player
|-
| Andy Gruenebaum || 2001–2005|| Former Major League Soccer goalkeeper; 2008 MLS Cup winner with Columbus Crew
|-
|Clay Holstad
|2018–2022
|43rd pick in 2023 MLS SuperDraft; current professional soccer midfielder
|-
| Kelli Hubly || 2012–2014 || NWSL defender since 2017; currently with Portland Thorns FC
|-
| Callum Irving || 2012–2015|| Current Canadian soccer goalkeeper
|-
| Leon Jones || 2017–2021|| Current soccer defender for Hong Kong national team
|-
| Aimé Mabika || 2016–2020|| 26th pick in 2021 MLS SuperDraft; currently a defender in United Soccer League Championship
|-
|Napo Matsoso
|2013–2016
|31st pick in 2017 MLS SuperDraft; current professional soccer midfielder
|-
| Josh Mulvany || 2010–2011|| Former English soccer midfielder
|-
| Charley Pettys || 2010–2012|| Former professional soccer player
|-
| Barry Rice || 2006–2009|| Former Major League Soccer defender
|-
| JJ Williams || 2016–2018|| 18th pick in 2019 MLS SuperDraft; currently a striker in United Soccer League Championship
|-
|Jansen Wilson
|2019–2021
|Current professional soccer player
|-
|}
Other
thumb|196x196px|[[Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone]]
- Simidele Adeagbo, Olympic athlete
- J. Elliott Burch, horse trainer
- Russ Cochran, golfer on the PGA Champions Tour
- Steve Flesch, golfer on the PGA Tour
- Larry Glover, sports radio announcer
- Jenny Hansen, 13-time All-American gymnast
- Whitney Agee Hollman, cheerleader, 4-time UCA champion and gold medalist at the ICU World Championships
- J. B. Holmes, golfer on the PGA Tour
- Andy Jackson, former tennis coach for Mississippi State and the University of Florida
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic gold medalist
- Chase Parker, golfer
- Jacob Thomson, U.S. Champion distance runner
- Mary Tucker, Olympic sports shooter, world champion in 10 meter air rifle
Notable faculty
{| width="100%" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:*;" | Name
! style="width:7.5%;" | Joined
! style="width:7.5%" | Left/retired
! style="width:55%;" class="unsortable" | Position
! style="width:*;" class="unsortable" | Reference
|-
| Robert A. Baker || 1969 || 1988 || Professor emeritus of Psychology ||
|-
| Lois Mai Chan || 1970 || 2011 || Professor of Library Sciences ||
|-
| Guy Davenport || 1963 || 1990 || Professor of English ||
|-
| Lewis L. Walker || 1908 || 1915 || Member of the board of trustees ||
|-
| Benjamin Warf || 1992 || 2000 || Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery; director of Surgical Education ||
|-
|}