Jon Kitna

Jon Kitna is probably the most well-known CWU athlete and a native of Tacoma. Kitna was a standout QB for a Central football team that shared the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship. Kitna wasn’t even a scholarship player coming into his time at Central. He went undrafted after the 1995 season and was signed to the Seahawks practice squad under then-head coach Dennis Ericson. Kitna spent five seasons with the Seahawks before playing stints with the Bengals, Lions and Cowboys and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2003. Kitna now resides in Tacoma and is the head football coach at Lincoln High School.

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Mark McLaughlin

Mark McLaughlin was a two-time first team All-GNAC selection in his two years at CWU after transferring from Tacoma Community College and nearly attending University of Washington. His first year at Central, he led the GNAC in scoring with 22.4 points per game and had 21 20-point performances. His senior season, he led all of Division II scoring 27.1 points per game. He was also named to the West region first team as well as a first team All-American and played in the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) All-Star game in Indiana. McLaughlin went undrafted, but signed a professional contract with the Erie BayHawks of the NBA D-league. His pro debut was January 10th, 2015 and he recorded 12 points, netting 10 of them in the fourth quarter.

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Mallory Holtman-Fletcher

Mallory Holtman-Fletcher was a standout softball player and is best known for her heroic act helping a Western Oregon player who had hit a homerun and tore her ACL running around the bases. She received an ESPY for Sportsmanship. In 2013, Holtman-Fletcher was named to NCAA Division 2 40th Anniversary Tribute Team. She also set numerous statistical records and highlighted her career by being honored as GNAC Player of the Year as a senior. She is one of only two players in conference history to earn first-team All-GNAC honors four times. On her way to cementing her name in Central softball history, she batted .365 with a school-record 35 homeruns, 128 RBIs and 206 hits during her career.

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Adam Bighill

Adam Bighill was an All-American linebacker on the football team in 2010 and was honored by wearing number 44, given to the most tenacious and tough and Wildcat defender who displays the most discipline. He was also named CWU’s 2010-2011 Co-Male Athlete of the year. One of his most memorable plays was a 66-yard interception for a touchdown against Eastern Washington. Bighill is going into his fifth year with the B.C. Lions of the CFL (Canadian Football League). In four seasons with the Lions he has recorded 280 tackles, 24 sacks, six interceptions and five fumble recoveries.

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Meisha Tate

Meisha Tate isn’t your typical professional athlete, and she took the road less travelled. She wasn’t a varsity athlete at Central, but she did become a professional mixed martial arts fighter. She grew up in Tacoma and was on the boys wrestling team in high school. She won the women’s state championship in 2005. While attending Central she was persuaded by a friend to attend the mixed martial arts club, and soon after, she became a member of the club, which was run by her current boyfriend and trainer Bryan Caraway. She is a former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion. In 2010, she was named Female Fighter of the Year and was part of the fight of the year in 2013, according to AwakeningFighters.com, versus Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. She is currently the second ranked fighter in Bantamweight only to Rousey. Her career record is 15-5.