MANHATTAN, Kan. – As construction continues on schedule for completion this summer of the latest enhancement of Bill Snyder Family Stadium, K-State President Kirk Schulz and Athletics Director John Currie today announced a major $2.9 million gift from longtime supporters Steve and Kay Theede benefitting both Phase IIIB of the BSFS Master Plan and the Ahearn Fund.

In recognition of the gift, which is the 26th seven-figure donation to the department since 2009, K-State Athletics will name the West Stadium Club Level the Steve and Kay Theede Club. A ceremony to honor the family and dedicate the newly-named Theede Club, in addition to a special on-field presentation, will take place surrounding a home football game this fall.

“Steve and Kay Theede’s longtime support of the entire Kansas State University family, including athletics and the College of Engineering, truly exemplifies the Wildcat spirit and will assist us in reaching the K-State 2025 goals,” said Schulz. “We are grateful and honored they have once again chosen to support the university in such a meaningful way.”
Steve said, “Kansas State means even more to me today than it did while I was in attendance. Kay and I both have great respect and confidence in the university’s leadership and are so proud of the successful trajectory we see in all areas. While Kay didn’t graduate from K-State, she said ‘I feel as though I’ve been adopted into the K-State family and am so grateful we are able to support the university and our great friends who lead it in a meaningful way.’”

 

They both agreed that they are proud to be counted alongside the other donors to the university, many of whom they have grown to know and respect as outstanding individuals.

The Theedes consider their main home to be Houston, Texas. They are Diamond members of the department’s Ahearn Fund and National Leadership Circle as well as strong benefactors of Kansas State’s College of Engineering including a recent $2 million gift to establish the Steven M. and Kay L. Theede Chair in Engineering, currently held by William Dunn, the department head for Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. The couple also established the Theede Leadership Scholarship in the College of Engineering and are also serving as Co-Chairs of the College of Engineering Innovation and Inspiration Campaign Committee. Steve is a current member of the KSU Foundation Board of Directors and an Emeritus member of the K-State Engineering Advisory Council.
Steve is a 1974 graduate of Kansas State’s College of Engineering and has enjoyed a successful executive career in the international petroleum industry for more than 40 years including 30 years with Conoco, later ConocoPhillips. After retiring from ConocoPhillips he became CEO of Yukos – which at the time was Russia’s largest oil company.

“Since my arrival here at K-State Steve and Kay have become close friends, and even though they have spent their professional career outside the state of Kansas, they care deeply about the academic and athletic trajectory of Kansas State University,” said Currie. “Their gift and the fulfillment of our longtime goal of a 360-degree concourse and full stadium bowl will directly impact our students, fans and student-athletes and further testifies to K-State’s leadership position in the Big 12 Conference and full commitment to academic and athletic success at the highest level.”

The Theede gift now brings philanthropic support to almost 90 percent of the $15 million Phase IIIB goal, the latest component of what is now $210 million in athletics facility improvements at K-State during Currie’s tenure, all of which have been funded in a fiscally responsible manner through private support and without any university tuition, student fee or state tax dollars.

“We are all so very appreciative of Steve and Kay for their involvement in not only our football program but also the entire Kansas State University community,” added head coach Bill Snyder. “I have said so many times that Kansas State is about people who genuinely care and that certainly applies to the Theedes. They are wonderful friends and K-State family members.”

Kansas State University, the nation’s first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of America’s best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence.  Philanthropic contributions to K-State are coordinated by the Kansas State University Foundation. The foundation staff works with university partners to build lifelong relationships with alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students through involvement and investment in the university.

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

 

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KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) – The Kansas City Royals have agreed to terms with 11 players, including backup infielders Cheslor Cuthbert and Raul Mondesi Jr., leaving six unsigned players in spring training.

The World Series champions announced the moves Thursday.

Cuthbert will make $509,425 this season. Relief pitcher Scott Alexander will make $508,800, and hard-throwing pitcher Miguel Almonte and speedy utility man Terrance Gore will make $508,500 apiece.

Mondesi will make $507,500, along with outfielders Jorge Bonifacio, Brett Eibner, Jose Martinez and Bubba Starling, and pitchers Alec Mills and Kyle Zimmer – one of the club’s top prospects.

The remaining unsigned players are left-handers Brian Flynn and Matt Strahm, infielders Christian Colon and Ramon Torres and outfielders Reymond Fuentes and Paulo Orlando.

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fans can celebrate the accomplishments of the 2015-16 Kansas State men’s basketball team when the athletic department holds the team’s postseason banquet on Monday, April 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

 

There is a social hour beginning at 5:30 p.m., with dinner set for 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m.

 

Individual dinner tickets are $50 per person with tables of eight available for $400. Tickets can be purchased through the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 221.CATS as well as online atwww.kstatesports.com/tickets.

 

Seating is limited with the deadline to order Friday, April 1. Fans can choose steak, chicken or vegetarian options when making reservations.

 

Questions about the event can be directed to Bailey Bachamp in the men’s basketball office at (785) 532.6531.

 

–www.k-statesports.com–

————
TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Following the program’s sixth-straight bowl berth and riding a home-sellout streak of 27 consecutive games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and the opening of Phase IIIB of the stadium’s master plan, anticipation is building for K-State’s 2016 football season as athletics officials announced today a full menu of ticket options when season tickets go on sale Tuesday, March 1.

 

Season ticket prices remain unchanged from 2015, and fans will again be offered a variety of choices for season and single-game tickets in 2016 for a schedule that includes six games in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, including matchups with Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and KU. In all, the Wildcats’ 12-game slate includes seven matchups with bowl teams from a year ago.

 

“I am excited for the K-State Nation to arrive in Bill Snyder Family Stadium on September 17and experience yet another transformational step in the evolution of Bill Snyder Family Stadium with the opening of master plan Phase IIIB, including a 360-degree concourse, a showcase stage for the Pride of Wildcat Land marching band and a new Northeast video board for our fans,” Athletics Director John Currie said. “The incredibly loud and intimidating atmosphere inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium has helped the Wildcats achieve six straight bowl seasons, and we are proud to continue to provide our grassroots fans with accessibility to tickets at various price levels as we progress toward 33 straight sellouts and continue to provide the Best Fan Experience in the Big 12.”
Public season bench seating in Bill Snyder Family Stadium remains priced at $330 this season, while chairback seating remains at $355 or $51 per game. Prices for K-State faculty/staff are $264 for bench and $285 for chairback. Up to two Young Alumni tickets are available at only $205 for K-Staters who have received their undergraduate degrees since December 2011. Pledge and Tradition ticket-holders throughout the stadium will have the opportunity to renew their seats at $125 each.
New in 2016 is the flex season ticket option which allows fans to purchase a “100-percent mobile” ticket to all six home games for just $199. This unique ticket, which must be purchased by April 22, is sold from the best available unsold or visitor return seats in the stadium. Only 250 of these tickets are available, and seating location and tickets will be sent via email the day before each game.

 

Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets, including the more than 3,800 fans on the season ticket waiting list, can do so beginning Tuesday online at www.k-statesports.com, or by calling 1-800-221-CATS.  Fans ordering their season tickets may again take advantage of a payment plan option at no extra cost. Those who renew before March 25 can elect to split the cost into five equal payments or four equal installments if received by April 22.

Seating location assignments for new season ticket holders, as well as upgrades for existing season ticket holders, will be determined through the online reservation service between May 18 and June 3. The K-State Ticket Office will e-mail log-in information and appointment times, determined in order of athletic department priority points, to all renewed and new season ticket holders who have paid for or signed up for a ticket payment plan by the priority deadline of Friday, April 22.  Season ticket holders renewing their tickets can also do so online, in-person, or by phone beginning Tuesday and may also purchase additional single-game tickets, based on availability, for home and away games with their renewal order.

Order or renew by Friday, March 25, and receive $10 off the season-ticket processing fee (normally $25; online only) or $15 off the season-ticket handling fee (normally $25; eCheck online only) and two free Purple/White Spring Game tickets per account.

Anticipated locations available to new season ticket holders in May will include seating not renewed by the April 22 deadline in premium bench sections along the sidelines of the lower level, bench sections 9 through 20 in the south end zone, sections 420 through 430 in the east View Level. With another anticipated season ticket sell-out, fulfillment of new orders cannot be guaranteed. The K-State Ticket Office will contact fans and provide a full refund to those whose new season ticket order cannot be accommodated, while also placing each individual on the 2017 season ticket waiting list.

Several single-game promotions will continue to provide fans even more flexibility in attending games this coming season. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the general public online at k-statesports.com beginning June 20 and will feature numerous options and price levels, beginning with the eighth-annual K-State Family Reunion against Florida Atlantic. Premium bench seating will be priced at $50 for both the FAU and Missouri State games, while bench seats are $35.

A limited number of $20 home opener family reunion tickets (bench), available only to previous K-State ticket purchasers, faculty and staff or alumni, will be available for one day only on June 20 at k-statesports.com, while a four-pack to the first two home games are $99 each.

Tickets for the Texas Tech and KU games are priced at $65 (bench), while any available premium bench seating will be $80.  A four-pack of bench tickets to either game is also available for $149. The Texas and Oklahoma State games are priced at $75 (bench), while any available premium bench seating will be $90.  A four-pack of bench tickets to either of these games is also available for $199.

 

Fans can also order a combo package for $150 which includes a ticket to three games, beginning with the FAU game, plus either the Texas Tech, Oklahoma State or Texas game, and paired with the KU game.

Special rates, which start as low as $20 per ticket for the FAU and Missouri State games, are also available for groups of 20 or more and can be ordered beginning June 22. A group rate of $30 per ticket is also available for the Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and KU games and for $40 per ticket for the Texas game. A $30 GA ticket to the KU game is also available for all Ahearn Fund members and season ticket holders, while a $40 ticket to the Homecoming game against Texas is available to all K-State Alumni Association members, who will receive a promotional code from the Alumni Association in June and are available until October 3, or while supplies last. Also, a faculty/staff and alumni combo is available for only $99 and includes a ticket to both the Texas and KU games. This option is only available for just three days from June 20-22.

Annual promotional activities in 2016 include Band Day/University Family Day on September 24 (Missouri State), Harley Day on October 8 (Texas Tech), Homecoming on October 22(Texas), Fort Riley Day on November 5 (Oklahoma State) and Senior Day on November 26(KU).

 

The home season all gets underway on September 17 with the eighth-annual K-State Family Reunion against FAU and the debut of Phase IIIB of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium Master Plan – the latest component of what is now $210 million in athletics facility improvements at K-State since 2009 and another key component to President Kirk Schulz’s K-State 2025 vision of advancing the Carnegie Tier One university into the ranks of the Top 50 public research institutions.

For more information regarding tickets, contact the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-221-CATS or visit www.k-statesports.com. A copy of the 2016 ticket brochure, as well as a 3D virtual seating map, are available online now at k-statesports.com.

Looking ahead to the 2016 season, spring practice will get underway March 30, and the 2016 Purple/White Spring Game will be held on Saturday, April 23, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. K-State returns a total of 17 players who have made starts from last season’s AutoZone Liberty Bowl team, including five on offense and nine on defense along with three specialists.

– k-statesports.com –

 

 

 

 

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KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics

Senior Brian Rohleder was selected to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for the second consecutive year on Wednesday, as the league office announced its 24-member all-academic teams.

Rohleder was named to the league’s 14-member first team, which consists of those student-athletes who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound basketball guard from Wichita has appeared in 22 games this season and 65 during his four-year career at K-State.

Kansas Prep Scores
Tuesday’s Scores
By The Associated Press
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Abilene 63, Chapman 18
Anderson County 51, Santa Fe Trail 42
Ashland 66, Bucklin 37
Basehor-Linwood 80, KC Turner 61
Beloit 79, Smith Center 53
Berean Academy 64, Goessel 27
Bishop Miege 59, BV West 48
Bonner Springs 59, Lansing 45
Buhler 77, Winfield 38
Caldwell 61, South Haven 30
Central Plains 62, Ellinwood 42
Chaparral 76, Douglass 54
Clearwater 62, Mulvane 42
Concordia 54, Clay Center 48
Conway Springs 52, Cheney 42
Crest 69, Madison/Hamilton 62
Dodge City 70, Hays 64
Doniphan West 61, Troy 52
Ellis 69, Oakley 59
Elyria Christian 69, Tescott 47
Fort Scott 46, Coffeyville 39
Frankfort 65, Linn 52
Fredonia 86, Caney Valley 61
Garden City 57, Liberal 54, OT
Garden Plains 77, Belle Plaine 42
Girard 78, Baxter Springs 50
Goddard 83, Arkansas City 66
Goddard-Eisenhower 89, Maize South 78
Halstead 38, Lyons 28
Hanover 59, Centralia 48
Hartford 61, Flinthills 44
Haven 51, Nickerson 45
Hays-TMP-Marian 70, Plainville 41
Hesston 57, Pratt 44
Hiawatha 47, Holton 28
Highland Park 53, Washburn Rural 48
Hugoton 50, Holcomb 49
Humboldt 76, Cherryvale 58
Hutchinson 50, Newton 49
Independence 50, Chanute 46
Inman 58, Herington 30
Jackson Heights 69, Jefferson North 42
KC Piper 59, KC Bishop Ward 31
Kiowa County 63, Fowler 49
Larned 57, Hoisington 35
Lawrence 68, SM East 58
Lawrence Free State 77, SM West 66
Logan 53, Lakeside 34
Lyndon 64, Central Heights 42
Macksville 56, Hodgeman County 40
Maize 64, Salina Central 36
Manhattan 58, Junction City 46
McPherson 76, Augusta 39
Mill Valley 56, Tonganoxie 29
Neodesha 41, Erie 30
Ness City 74, Dighton 39
Northeast-Arma 68, Altoona-Midway 26
Northern Heights 69, Waverly 62
Norton 49, Hill City 40
Olpe 63, Chase County 52
Onaga 53, Wetmore 47
Oswego 68, Pleasanton 49
Palco 47, Natoma 41
Phillipsburg 37, Stockton 28
Pike Valley 56, Rock Hills 35
Pittsburg 59, Labette County 49
Prairie View 42, Osawatomie 20
Rawlins County 52, Cheylin 42
Remington 69, Fairfield 37
Riverside 61, Atchison County 46
Riverton 43, Pittsburg Colgan 30
Royal Valley 52, Perry-Lecompton 48
Sabetha 53, Nemaha Central 45
Salina Sacred Heart 53, Ellsworth 38
Satanta 64, Ingalls 60
Scott City 54, Goodland 23
Sedgwick 57, Marion 44
Shawnee Heights 71, Topeka 63
SM North 64, Olathe South 45
SM Northwest 65, Olathe Northwest 58
Smithville, Mo. 50, Blue Valley Southwest 47
Smoky Valley 46, Kingman 32
South Barber 60, Pratt Skyline 54
Southeast 77, Columbus 54
Southeast Saline 64, Republic County 52
Southwestern Hts. 59, Cimarron 28
St. John 65, Otis-Bison 47
St. John’s Beloit 51, Bennington 47
Sterling 76, Hillsboro 68
Sublette 58, Moscow 41
Syracuse 67, Rolla 26
Topeka Seaman 50, Emporia 37
Trego 55, Quinter 50
Triplains-Brewster 64, Heartland Christian 17
Uniontown 48, Southern Coffey 47
Valley Center 73, Andover 72
Valley Falls 43, Horton 38
Veritas Christian 83, St. John’s Military 63
Victoria 61, Osborne 41
Wamego 83, Marysville 74
Washington County 70, Clifton-Clyde 34
Wellington 62, Circle 50
Wellsville 61, Iola 54
Wichita Bishop Carroll 54, Wichita West 40
Wichita Collegiate 72, Andale 63
Wichita East 49, Wichita Heights 46
Wichita Home School 58, Argonia 46
Wichita Independent 66, Medicine Lodge 56
Wichita South 62, Kapaun Mount Carmel 58
Wichita Southeast 85, Wichita Northwest 56
Wichita Trinity 58, Bluestem 30
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Abilene 48, Chapman 37
Andale 42, Wichita Collegiate 33
Atchison County 54, Riverside 41
Attica 34, Cunningham 24
Baldwin 53, Spring Hill 29
Basehor-Linwood 53, KC Turner 17
Beloit 59, Smith Center 40
Bonner Springs 51, Lansing 38
Buhler 53, Winfield 32
Burlington 65, Yates Center 25
Caldwell 55, South Haven 53
Central Plains 59, Ellinwood 16
Centralia 54, Hanover 47
Chanute 62, Independence 46
Cherryvale 61, Humboldt 55
Cheylin 44, Rawlins County 38
Cimarron 58, Southwestern Hts. 46
Clay Center 51, Concordia 28
Clearwater 40, Mulvane 37
Coffeyville 63, Fort Scott 55
Conway Springs 56, Cheney 42
Dighton 39, Ness City 30
Dodge City 38, Hays 18
Douglass 37, Chaparral 27
Elkhart 39, Johnson-Stanton County 31
Elyria Christian 43, Tescott 24
Emporia 34, Topeka Seaman 28
Flinthills 56, Hartford 45
Frankfort 63, Linn 50
Fredonia 56, Caney Valley 45
Frontenac 47, Galena 28
Garden Plains 55, Belle Plaine 26
Girard 59, Baxter Springs 28
Goddard 51, Arkansas City 39
Goessel 67, Berean Academy 52
Goodland 50, Scott City 33
Haven 39, Nickerson 34
Hays-TMP-Marian 65, Plainville 29
Herington 39, Inman 35
Hesston 46, Pratt 43
Hill City 59, Norton 44
Hoisington 50, Larned 22
Holton 46, Hiawatha 32
Hugoton 91, Holcomb 37
Jefferson North 39, Jackson Heights 29
KC Christian 54, Maranatha Academy 30
Kingman 44, Smoky Valley 19
Kiowa County 56, Fowler 21
Labette County 64, Pittsburg 53
LaCrosse 58, Kinsley 51
Lakeside 68, Logan 63
Lawrence 48, SM East 42
Lawrence Free State 77, SM West 64, 2OT
Leavenworth 37, Olathe East 31
Liberal 44, Garden City 41
Lyndon 40, Central Heights 33
Lyons 44, Halstead 34
Maize 64, Salina Central 36
Maize South 66, Goddard-Eisenhower 54
Manhattan 67, Junction City 37
Marion 45, Sedgwick 38
Maur Hill – Mount Academy 66, Pleasant Ridge 51
McPherson 71, Augusta 45
Mill Valley 62, Tonganoxie 23
Moundridge 64, Solomon 23
Natoma 40, Palco 36
Newton 35, Hutchinson 27
Northeast-Arma 57, Altoona-Midway 11
Olathe South 52, SM North 42
Olpe 68, Chase County 34
Osage City 44, Lebo 37
Ottawa 47, Eudora 38
Phillipsburg 58, Stockton 53
Pike Valley 48, Rock Hills 35
Pittsburg Colgan 46, Riverton 28
Pleasanton 62, Oswego 48
Prairie View 57, Osawatomie 25
Quinter 53, Trego 41
Remington 45, Fairfield 24
Rolla 47, Syracuse 37
Rose Hill 43, El Dorado 42
Royal Valley 47, Perry-Lecompton 39
Russell 48, Minneapolis 29
Sabetha 34, Nemaha Central 21
Salina Sacred Heart 65, Ellsworth 31
Salina South 58, Wichita Campus 43
Santa Fe Trail 39, Anderson County 29
Shawnee Heights 58, Topeka 45
Silver Lake 56, Council Grove 37
SM Northwest 62, Olathe Northwest 41
SM South 61, Olathe North 54
South Barber 58, Pratt Skyline 27
South Central 58, Minneola 30
Southeast Saline 62, Republic County 57
St. John’s Beloit 56, Bennington 36
Sterling 61, Hillsboro 21
Topeka Hayden 61, Topeka West 32
Triplains-Brewster 68, Heartland Christian 43
Troy 29, Doniphan West 23, OT
Uniontown 52, Southern Coffey 50, OT
Valley Center 56, Andover 34
Valley Falls 53, Horton 18
Victoria 46, Osborne 23
Wabaunsee 51, St. Mary’s 28
Wallace County 40, St. Francis 28
Wamego 51, Marysville 41
Washburn Rural 77, Highland Park 31
Washington County 57, Clifton-Clyde 30
Wellington 51, Circle 32
Wellsville 48, Iola 42
Wetmore 48, Onaga 21
Wichita Bishop Carroll 74, Wichita West 4
Wichita Heights 55, Wichita East 35
Wichita Independent 48, Medicine Lodge 36
Wichita Northwest 61, Wichita Southeast 48
Wichita South 50, Kapaun Mount Carmel 26
Wichita Trinity 67, Bluestem 51

WACO, Texas (AP) – Frank Mason III scored 19 points and Landen Lucas had the tiebreaking layup as No. 2 Kansas won its eighth straight game, moving closer to a 12th consecutive Big 12 title with a 66-60 victory at No. 19 Baylor on Tuesday night.

The Jayhawks (24-4, 12-3) trailed by as many as eight points after halftime before a 9-0 run to take the lead. After the game was tied for the eighth time, at 55-all, Lucas had a layup with 3:03 left to put them ahead to stay.

Perry Ellis added 15 points for Kansas, which has a two-game lead over No. 14 West Virginia in the Big 12 standings with three league games remaining. Devonte Graham had 11 points and Lucas, who had only five points, added 10 rebounds.

Al Freeman led Baylor (20-8, 9-6) with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Taurean Prince had 12 points.