The Purple Raiders have a long held tradition of excellence in athletics and academics, which has led to numerous notable Mount Union alumni. From Alliance, Ohio to the heights of their chosen paths, these Raiders have made their mark on the world.

Pierre Garcon

A transfer to Mount Union, Pierre Garcon played 3 seasons with the Purple Raiders, winning 2 national championships and almost a third. In addition to his football success, Garcon ran track for the Purple Raiders as well. Pierre Garcon graduated in 2007, was named Ohio Athletics Conference 1st team and went on to play in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers.

 

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Dom Capers

Gridiron greats aren’t hard to find in the history of Mount Union and Dom Capers is one of them. A linebacker and defensive lineman for Mount Union, Dom Capers is currently the Senior Defensive Assistant for the Carolina Panthers, where he was the first head coach in team history.  He has a Super Bowl ring from 2011 when he was the Defensive Coordinator with the Green Bay Packers.

Carrie Coon

Carrie Coon is originally from Copley, Ohio and headed to Alliance to attend Mount Union in 1999. Her career started in regional theater and Coon won a Tony for her work in Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolf?. Since then Coon found success in movies, which includes her breakout role in Gone Girl and voice work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

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Ralph Regula

A member of the US House of Representatives from 1973 to 2009, Ralph Regula attended Mount Union on the GI Bill, earned with his service in World War 2. Born in Beach City, Ralph Regula kept Stark County at the forefront of his decision making as a politician. Regula passed away in 2017 but is remembered for his roles in creating the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and helping Ohio be trailblazers in fuel cell technology.

Notable Mount Union alumni, Ralph Regula
Photo: Associated Press/Leslie E. Kossoff

Cecil Shorts III

Another gridiron star for the Mount Union Purple Raiders, Cecil Shorts III graduated from Mount Union in 2010. Though his senior season was cut short due to injury, Shorts went on the NFL, where he played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

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President William McKinley

The 25th President of the United States of America, William McKinley studied at Mount Union in the 1860s. McKinley served as Ohio’s Governor from 1892-1896 and went on to become  President in 1897. Though he most remembered as an assassinated President, McKinley is also known for American interventionism and his “Front Porch Campaign” that happened at his home, which is now where the Stark County Library Downtown branch stands.

Notable Mount Union Alumni, President William McKinley
Photo: Associated Press

Billy Beebe

Perhaps the most notable of the Purple Raiders on this list, Billy Beebe has been producing Canton’s Morning News with Pam Cook for the past 2 years. Beebe is known for his impressive play by play skills, hosting Stark County’s number one high school football recap show and his sick dance moves he busts out at MBar.

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