Notable Former MEAC Student-Athletes and Coaches

Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, Ohio)
  • Roosevelt Brown, Morgan State (1975)
  • Harry Carson, South Carolina State (2006)
  • Len Ford, Morgan State (1976)
  • Bob Hayes, Florida A&M (2009)
  • David "Deacon" Jones, South Carolina State (1980)
  • Leroy Kelly, Morgan State (1994)
  • Willie Lanier, Morgan State (1986)
  • Larry Little, Bethune-Cookman (1993)
  • Marion Motley, South Carolina State (1968)
  • Ken Riley, Florida A&M (2023)
  • Shannon Sharpe, Savannah State (2011)
  • Art Shell, Maryland Eastern Shore (1989)
  • Donnie Shell, South Carolina State (2020)

College Football Hall of Fame (Atlanta, Ga.)
  • Earl Banks, Morgan State (1992)
  • Emerson Boozer, Maryland Eastern Shore (2010)
  • Roger Brown, Maryland Eastern Shore (2009)
  • Harry Carson, South Carolina State (2002)
  • Jake Gaither, Florida A&M (1975)
  • Willie Galimore, Florida A&M (1999)
  • Rudy Hubbard, Florida A&M (2021)
  • Willie Jeffries, Howard & South Carolina State (2010)
  • Willie Lanier, Morgan State (2000)
  • Vernon McCain, Maryland Eastern Shore (2006)
  • Tyrone McGriff, Florida A&M (1996)
  • Art Shell, Maryland Eastern Shore (2013)
  • Donnie Shell, South Carolina State (1998)
  • Joe Taylor, Hampton (2019)
  • Dennis Thomas, MEAC Commissioner (2022)

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, Mass.)
  • Sam Jones, North Carolina Central (1984)
  • John McLendon, North Carolina Central (2016)
  • Marvin Webster, Morgan State (2018)

Olympic Medalists
  • Phillippa Arnett, Morgan State (1996, silver, 4x100-meter relay)
  • Larry Black, North Carolina Central (1972, gold, 4x100-meter relay / 1972, silver, 200 meters)
  • Chris Brown, Norfolk State (2008, silver, 4x400-meter relay / 2012, gold, 4x400-meter relay / 2016, bronze, 4x400-meter relay)
  • Eldece Clarke, Hampton* (1996, silver, 4x100-meter relay / 2000, gold, 4x100-meter relay)
  • Brian Lewis, Norfolk State (2000, gold, 4x100-meter relay)
  • Troy McIntosh, Morgan State (1996, bronze, 4x400-meter relay & 400 meters / 2000, bronze, 4x400-meter relay & 400 meters)
  • Francena McCorory, Hampton* (2012, gold, 4x400-meter relay / 2016, gold, 4x400-meter relay)
  • Tim Montgomery, Norfolk State (2000, gold, 4x100-meter relay)
  • David Oliver, Howard (2008, bronze, 110-meter hurdles)
  • Robert Ouko, North Carolina Central (1972, gold, 4x100-meter relay)
  • Jack Pierce, Morgan State (1992, bronze, 110-meter hurdles)
  • Julius Sang, North Carolina Central (1972, gold, 4x100-meter relay / 1972, silver, 400 meters)
  • Rochelle Stevens, Morgan State (1992, gold, 4x400-meter relay / 1996, silver, 4x400-meter relay)
  • Kellie Wells, Hampton* (2012, bronze, 100-meter hurdles)
  • Sydney Satchell, Howard (2024, gold, women's sitting volleyball olympic team)

Other Notables (Not All-Inclusive)
  • Ronnie Ash, Bethune-Cookman* (track & field, two-time NCAA champion [2009 60-meter hurdles, 2009 110-meter hurdles])
  • Antonio Hamilton, South Carolina State (cornerback, Arizona Cardinals)
  • Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State (defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Darius Leonard, South Carolina State (linebacker, Indianapolis Colts)
  • Yvette Lewis, Hampton* (track & field, two-time NCAA champion, triple jump [2006 indoor, 2007 outdoor]))
  • Francena McCorory, Hampton* (track & field, three-time NCAA champion, 400 meters [2009 indoor, 2010 indoor, 2010 outdoor])
  • Joshua Miles, Morgan State (offensive lineman, Arizona Cardinals)
  • Rod Milstead, Delaware State (football, 1995 Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers)
  • Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State (former NBA player: Orlando, New York, Indiana, Philadelphia)
  • Bobby Price, Norfolk State (defensive back, Detroit Lions)
  • Tyrell Richard, South Carolina State (2019 NCAA champion, indoor 400 meters)
  • Randolph Ross, Jr., North Carolina A&T State* (2021 NCAA champion, indoor 4x400-meter relay; 2021 NCAA champion, outdoor 400 meters & 4x400-meter relay)
  • Akeem Sirleaf, North Carolina A&T State* (2021 NCAA champion, outdoor 4x400-meter relay)
  • Ryan Smith, North Carolina Central (defensive back, Los Angeles Chargers; won Super Bowl XV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  • Trevor Stewart, North Carolina A&T State* (track & field, 2021 NCAA champion, indoor 4x400-meter relay & outdoor 4x400-meter relay)
  • Daniel Stokes, North Carolina A&T State* (track & field, 2021 NCAA champion, indoor 4x400-meter relay & outdoor 4x400-meter relay)
  • Cambrea Sturgis, North Carolina A&T State* (2021 NCAA champion, outdoor 100 meters & 200 meters)
  • John Taylor, Delaware State (football, three-time Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers)
  • Joe Thomas, South Carolina State (linebacker, Houston Texans)
  • Kayla White, North Carolina A&T State* (2019 NCAA champion, indoor 200 meters)
  • Elijah Young, North Carolina A&T State* (2021 NCAA champion, indoor 4x400-meter relay)

*achievement(s) occurred during institution's tenure in the MEAC