Is Megan Moroney OK after winning New Artist of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards?
Megan Moroney wins New Artist of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards, Wednesday Nov. 20, 2024
The University of Georgia has long been known for its athletic dominance and academic excellence—but it’s also been the starting point for some of the most recognizable names in entertainment, sports, and media.
Here’s a list of 16 celebrities who once roamed the campus in Athens. Some graduated, others didn’t, but all made their mark.
Megan Moroney
Graduating from UGA in 2020, Megan Moroney went from Athens to Nashville, making waves in country music with hits like “Tennessee Orange.”
Ryan Seacrest
The American television producer and presenter studied journalism at UGA but left at 19 to chase his Hollywood dreams.
Kim Basinger
Born in Athens, Basinger, an actress, singer, and former fashion model attended UGA.
Titus Burgess
The “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” fan favorite earned a B.A. in music from UGA and grew up in Athens, attending Cedar Shoals High School.
Kyle Chandler
Before starring in “Friday Night Lights,” Chandler was a drama major at UGA. He left just seven credits short to pursue acting full-time.
Bubba Watson
Not only did the two-time Masters winner attend UGA, he helped lead UGA’s golf team to an SEC title in 2000.
Dominique Wilkins
A basketball legend and UGA’s greatest hoops player, Wilkins dominated college ball from 1979–1981 before heading to the NBA.
Alton Brown
The “Good Eats” creator left UGA just one credit short in 1985. He finally earned his drama degree in 2004 after curriculum changes removed the missing requirement.
John Isner
Known for playing the longest match in tennis history, Isner was a standout for the UGA Bulldogs and graduated with a degree in speech communications.
Wayne Knight
This actor and comedian left UGA with one credit short, but he eventually earned his degree in 2008. years after becoming a sitcom legend for playing Newman on Seinfeld.
Josh Holloway
Holloway, American actor and producer, briefly attended UGA but left after one quarter due to financial constraints.
Todd Gurley
From breaking tackles at Sanford Stadium to starring in the NFL, Gurley played at UGA from 2012–2014 before being drafted 10th overall by the Rams.
Forrest Griffin
Before stepping into the UFC, Griffin studied political science at UGA and served as a patrol officer with the university’s police department.
Terrell Davis
Davis, former professional athlete, transferred from Long Beach State to UGA, where he played running back for the Bulldogs from 1992-1994 before becoming a Denver Broncos legend.
R.E.M.
This rock band was formed in 1980 by UGA students: Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe.
Quavo
According to Vibe Magazine, this rapper expressed plans to enroll to UGA in 2023.
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.