MANHATTAN, Kan. – Thanks to the generosity and leadership of K-Staters world-wide, Kansas State will officially break ground Saturday on the Vanier Football Complex project at Bill Snyder Family Stadium during halftime of the Wildcats’ football game with KU.

 

The ceremonial turning of dirt, featuring President Kirk Schulz, Athletics Director John Currie, and other special guests, will be held in the north end zone of the stadium during an extended halftime ceremony.

 

Fundraising momentum for the Vanier Football Complex, which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2015 football season, continues to move forward at an encouraging pace. Wildcat fans have demonstrated their enthusiasm for the project by committing more than $48 million in funding toward the $69 million estimated full project cost.

 

“The excitement and passion of the Wildcat Nation regarding the Vanier Football Complex has been phenomenal, and we appreciate the support of K-Staters world-wide in the fundraising aspect of this project,” said Currie. “We have made tremendous progress and are excited to officially break ground and move forward with this project, which will not only enhance theWorld-Class Student-Athlete Experience for our students-athletes but also further impact on our goal of providing the Best Fan Experience in the Big 12.”

 

The project, led by the world-renowned sports design firm Populous in conjunction with the Construction Management team of Mortenson & GE Johnson Construction, will begin next week as the football and academic staffs will start to be relocated to the West Stadium Center and other nearby athletics facilities. The current Vanier Complex structure is scheduled to be demolished beginning on December 8.

 

“It’s hard to believe this project started on the back of a napkin and now we’re having a groundbreaking ceremony,” said K-State benefactor John Vanier. “Our family wishes to thank everyone in the athletics department and at the University for working so hard to make this a reality. To all those who have contributed so much to this project, THANK YOU for all of your efforts and thank you so much for allowing our family to be a part of this celebration.”

 

The new Vanier Football Complex not only will serve as home for K-State Football but will also better serve the needs and enhance the experience for all 450-plus Wildcat student-athletes.

 

Among the improvements in the facility will be a new Academic Learning Center, which will be more than twice the size of the current facility, and an 18,000-square-foot Olympic-quality Strength and Conditioning Center which will include multi-story ceilings with natural light, and a nutrition center or “fueling station” for all student-athletes. In addition, a new sports medicine and recovery facility will house state-of-the-art hydrotherapy and recovery pools in addition to the latest examination, recovery and physical therapy spaces and tools.

 

The football program will benefit from a new 140-seat team theater, individual position meeting rooms and new offices for the coaching staff that will overlook Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The team will also welcome an impressive new football-shaped locker room which will be more than twice the size of the current space.

 

The new north seating bowl will include enhanced sightlines, new ADA seating and will be connected to the current west-side stadium concourse for access to entrance gates and stadium concessions and restrooms. Perhaps most importantly, fans will continue to maintain a visible connection to the team tunnel to carry on this tradition between the team and our grass-roots fan base.

Kenny Lannou, Assistant A.D. for Communications / K-State Athletics

Saturday’s game with KU will kick at 3 p.m. and be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. The game, which also includes Senior Day recognition prior to kick, will mark the 20^th consecutive sellout at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

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The final two games  for the Kansas State women’s basketball team  in the Hardwood Tournament of Hope were cancelled.

The University confirmed the game against LSU on Thursday evening was cancelled due to a facility conflict at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

In addition to Thursday’s cancellation, K-State’s game against Santa Clara — which was postponed on Wednesday night — has also been officially cancelled.

The Wildcats won their only game in the Hardwood Tournament of Hope, defeating UTEP on Tuesday evening, 72-43. Kansas State is 4-0 on the season.

The Wildcats return to Manhattan to play five of their next games in Bramlage Coliseum. The Wildcats will host UT-Arlington on Thursday, December 4 at 7 p.m.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Perry Ellis scored 17 points and No. 11 Kansas beat Rhode Island 76-60 on Thursday in the opening round of the Orlando Classic.

Ellis had 11 points in the opening 20 minutes to help Kansas cruise to a 43-25 halftime lead. The Jayhawks went ahead 31-11 with just over 6 minutes before intermission on Ellis’ rebound slam.

Frank Mason III added 12 points for Kansas (3-1), which has a pair of victories since a 72-40 loss to No. 1 Kentucky on Nov. 18.

E.C. Matthews scored 20 points for Rhode Island (3-1), which was coming off a 66-62 overtime victory over then-No. 21 Nebraska on Saturday. Gilvydas Biruta had 16 points and seven rebounds.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – James Robinson had 14 points and six assists, helping Pittsburgh beat Kansas State 70-47 Wednesday in the third-place game of the Maui Invitational.

Pittsburgh (4-2) played perhaps its best all-around game of the season, working the ball around for good shots inside and out, while limiting Kansas State’s chances at the other end.

The Panthers shot 55 percent and made 8 of 15 3-pointers after a lackluster shooting performance against No. 15 San Diego State in the semifinals.

Pittsburgh was solid at the defensive end, too, holding Kansas State (3-3) to 32 percent shooting, including 2 of 13 on 3-pointers.

The Panthers were particularly good against Marcus Foster, preventing K-State’s dynamic guard from getting loose for open shots. He had seven points on 3-of-9 shooting.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Kaleb Tarczewski scored 18 points, Gabe York added 15 and No. 3 Arizona hung on to win its first close game of the season, beating Kansas State 72-68 Tuesday in the Maui Invitational semifinals.

Arizona (5-0) had rolled through its first four games despite some slow starts and shot 53 percent against Kansas State, yet couldn’t shake the scrappy Wildcats.

Trailing by nine in the second half, Kansas State (3-2) whittled the lead down to a single possession in the final minute.

Arizona went up 69-64 after three free throws by Stanley Johnson and York, but Marcus Foster cut the lead to two on a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finally helped Arizona secure a spot in Wednesday night’s championship game by hitting two free throws with 4 seconds left.

Kansas State and Kansas face off Saturday afternoon in the 112th edition of the Sunflower Showdown.

Kansas leads the all time series, 64-42-5, but Kansas State has won 18 of the last 23 meetings, and is on a perfect 5-0 run since Snyder returned to the sidelines in 2009.

Although Kansas has struggled over the last five seasons, going 17-54, don’t let that make you think Kansas State will take the Jayhawks lightly on Saturday.

“You’ve heard me say so many times, and you’ve seen it happen week in and week out, anybody can beat anybody on any given day if they prepare as well as they can, play well,” said Coach Bill Snyder. “That’s always been our approach, no matter who the opponent is.”

After having the Governors cup in the lobby of the Vanier Complex for the past five years Snyder was asked Tuesday if he could imagine not seeing that trophy when he walked into the complex next week.

“I haven’t thought about it that way, which doesn’t mean anything, don’t read into that. I would hate for it to happen, I can assure you of that.”

Saturday will also mark the home finale for 21 Wildcat seniors. The 2014 senior class has led K-state to a 37-12 record over the past four seasons, which includes four bowl games and a conference title back in 2012.

Kick off is scheduled for 3 p.m. from Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1. Broadcast time will be 1 p.m. on “The Talk of JC” 1420 AM.

The Kansas State Wildcats will play Arizona in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational Tuesday evening.

The game will tip off from Hawaii at 6:30 p.m ( CT ).

It will be the 14th meeting for the two programs on the hardwood, but the first since 1999. K-State owns an 8-5 advantage in the series, dates to 1951, but Arizona has won the last two meetings.

Kansas State defeated Purdue Monday to advance in the tournament, while Arizona downed Missouri.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Chiefs have placed Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry on the non-football illness list after a mass was discovered in his chest following Thursday night’s game in Oakland.

Berry began feeling discomfort in his chest near the end of the game, and a series of tests taken in Oakland and back in Kansas City revealed the mass. Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said that there has been no definitive diagnosis, but the leading possibility is lymphoma.

Burkholder said that Berry had never complained of the pain until last week, and a physical taken over the summer came back clear. Berry was on his way Monday to Atlanta, where he was to be examined by specialists at Emory University.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Marcus Foster scored 24 points and Kansas State held on to beat Purdue 88-79 after blowing most of a big early lead Monday in the opening game of the Maui Invitational.

Coming off a disappointing loss to Long Beach State, Kansas State (3-1) attacked Purdue early, hounding the Boilermakers into one mistake after another while building a 15-point halftime lead.

Purdue (3-1) fought its way back into it behind Kendall Stephens, who scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half. The Boilermakers pulled within 75-70 on a 3-pointer by Stephens with just over 3 minutes left, but got no closer.

Isaac Haas added 19 points and six rebounds for Purdue.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the seventh time in his career, including the second this season, Kansas State senior wide receiver Tyler Lockett

 

has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the return game at West Virginia, the conference office announced Monday.

Lockett, who was also the league’s special teams player of the week following the UTEP game, garnered the fifth designation for the Wildcats this season. In addition to Lockett’s two nods, Jake Waters earned the offensive honor following the Iowa State game, while Dakorey Johnson and Dante Barnett were the defensive players of the week after the Auburn and Texas games, respectively.

In addition, the honor was the Wildcats’ Big 12-leading 29^th weekly conference honor since the beginning of 2011.

A product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett totaled 321 all-purpose yards, thanks to a pair of punt returns for 66 yards – including a 43-yard touchdown – three kickoff returns for 59 yards and 196 receiving yards on 10 catches. The nation’s leader with a 20.5-yard punt return average, Lockett’s touchdown return was his second of the year to rank second nationally and tied for third in school history.

Lockett now has 328 total punt return yards this season and 414 for his career to rank 10th in school history in both categories. Additionally, Lockett has 1,669 all-purpose yards this season to rank ninth in K-State history.

Lockett’s 196 receiving yards put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second-straight season, becoming just the second Wildcat ever to accomplish the feat. He improved his school career receiving yardage record to 3,269 and his school record for career 100-yard games to 14. With 213 career receptions, he is now four away from tying his father, Kevin, for the most in school history, while he is two touchdowns shy of tying that K-State career record as well.