The Former Cal Poly Defensive Back Just Became the First Black Pilot to Fly Around the Moon
Victor Glover Jr. made history on April 1, 2026, when he lifted off as pilot of NASA's Artemis II mission. The former college football player from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is now the first Black man to fly around the moon, and the internet is just figuring out his athletic background.
The Artemis II crew experienced years of delays before finally launching. NASA originally planned the mission for 2023, but repairs and scheduling pushed it all the way to April of this year. Even a toilet issue on board didn't stop the rocket from taking off as planned. Glover and his four-astronaut crew, including Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, are now on a 10-day journey to rendezvous with the moon.
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Before becoming an astronaut, Glover was a dual-sport athlete at Cal Poly. He played defensive back for the Mustangs football team during the 1999 season, when the team finished with a 5-6 record. But football was just one part of his athletic resume. He also wrestled for the program while pursuing a degree in general engineering. The guy was clearly built for something bigger than college sports.
Glover lives in Houston and has spent decades preparing for this moment. Before joining NASA, he flew more than 40 different aircraft during a career in the U.S. Navy that included combat deployments and test-pilot duties. He's also a veteran of four spacewalks, making him one of the most experienced pilots ever sent on a lunar mission.
Social Media Can't Stop Talking About It
Once people found out about Glover's college football past, Twitter and Instagram exploded. Cal Poly's official account chimed in with pride, posting "That's our alum! 💚💛" One commenter joked that Glover was "100% a beer die player," while another said "He doesn't aim for the stars. They aim for him." The reactions kept pouring in, with people calling him a true inspiration and a great man.
The 10-day mission is just getting started. When Glover and his crew return, they'll have rewritten history.
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