Kansas State University Athletics
K-State Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2008
Few collegiate presidents have been as well recognized nationally for improving the athletic and academic programs on a campus as K-State’s Wefald, who retired at the end of the 2008-09 school year.
Wefald has always understood that athletics is the window through which many people view the university. He structured his administration such that athletics became an integral part of K-State, and he skillfully utilized the successes of K-State Athletics as a platform to gain national recognition for its academic and student scholarship achievements. He is widely known for his availability to meet with the prospective student-athletes, as well as the many student scholars, debate team and judging team champions.
Wefald, who has helped develop a number of nationally-ranked athletic teams in the Big Eight and Big 12, played a key role in the organization of the new Big 12 Conference in 1995-96 and in K-State becoming a member of the league. He also was a key component in the hiring of Snyder as the school’s football coach in 1989.
Lauded by publications from the Christian Science Monitor to Sports Illustrated to USA Today, and by broadcasters like Paul Harvey, the accomplishments during Wefald’s tenure have been well noted in the national media. USA Today called these achievements the “Miracle in Manhattan.”
Under his leadership, K-State has added about 2.2 million square feet of new university buildings, including a new library, a new art museum, and a nationally acclaimed science building. In addition, during the Wefald years, enrollment has increased from about 13,500 to more than 23,000 and K-State has built a healthy endowment program and established a nation presence in athletics.
With Wefald at the helm, K-State’s total research funding increased to record numbers. The university returns nearly $17 for every $1 of state funding it receives.
Since his arrival in 1986, K-State led the nation’s public universities in the total number of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater and Udall scholarships and more Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships than any other public university in the nation. By recognizing and encouraging excellence, Wefald has helped K-State achieve the pinnacle of success.
