Kansas State University Athletics
K-State to Rename Soccer Complex to Buser Family Park
Oct 04, 2018 | Soccer
MANHATTAN, Kansas – Kansas State Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced that the Wildcats' new soccer facility, to begin construction in January 2019, will be named Buser Family Park in recognition of John and Ann Buser and their children. The official groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility will take place on Friday, October 12, in a halftime ceremony during the match against Texas Tech. First kick is 6 p.m.
The Kansas Board of Regents approved the naming of the facility during their monthly meeting in September. The project, led by BG Consultants, will be funded without incurring any long-term debt and without any state tax or university funds. Any outstanding construction costs above the fundraising goal will be funded through department revenues and resources.
"The extreme generosity of John and Ann making this impactful gift in support of our soccer facility, Coach Mike Dibbini and our women's soccer student-athletes is another example of the loyalty K-Staters nationwide continue to show," said K-State Director of Athletics Gene Taylor. "Our goal is to provide our coaches and student-athletes with the resources and facilities they need to win championships, in addition to improving upon the gameday fan experience, and Buser Family Park and the support of this terrific K-State family are essential to us achieving those goals."
The gift brings the private support of the Baseball-Soccer facility campaign to nearly $15 million, surpassing the original fundraising goal of $10 million set in October 2017. The support by the Buser family is the fifth seven-figure gift for the Baseball-Soccer facility campaign along with lead gifts from Bob and Betty Tointon, Paul and Sandra Edgerley, Sunderland Family Foundation and John and Kim Vanier.
"We are so proud to play in Buser Family Park and grateful for the generosity and support of our soccer program from John and Ann Buser," stated K-State soccer head coach Mike Dibbini. "This facility will allow us to compete at the highest level with recruiting and provide the best fan experience."
Buser Family Park, which will be built on the site of the existing temporary facility, will provide comfortable chairback seating for the new 1,400 seat stadium. Included beneath the seating will be locker rooms for K-State soccer and visiting teams, a team lounge for K-State soccer, sports medicine and strength and conditioning spaces for the Wildcat team.
In addition, the offices for the K-State soccer coaching staff will be relocated to the facility with a team theater for meetings and will also include ample equipment storage and laundry areas for the program.
The exterior portion of Buser Family Park is expected to be completed in July 2019, with the interior of both projects schedule for completion by December 31, 2019.
For more information on the project, including the latest photo renderings, visit the department's website at www.k-statesports.com/buildkstate.
John Buser, a native of Independence, Kansas, received his bachelor's degree in accounting from K-State in 1978 and Ann Jackson Buser, a native of Concordia, Kansas, graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in microbiology. In 1982, Ann received a Master of Arts degree in microbiology from Boston University and John received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
John currently serves as Executive Vice Chairman of NB Alternatives, the private equity investment division of Neuberger Berman. Before his career in private equity, Mr. Buser was a partner at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. Ann pursued her career in research at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Residents of Dallas, Texas since 1982, John and Ann have two children: Alyssa and Andrew. Alyssa is a 2010 graduate of Princeton with a BA in Economics and a 2018 recipient of an MBA from Wharton Business School. Andrew is a 2012 graduate of Louisiana State with a BA in Public Relations/Image Management. He is a current MBA candidate at Kansas State with a graduation date expected in 2018.
The Kansas Board of Regents approved the naming of the facility during their monthly meeting in September. The project, led by BG Consultants, will be funded without incurring any long-term debt and without any state tax or university funds. Any outstanding construction costs above the fundraising goal will be funded through department revenues and resources.
"The extreme generosity of John and Ann making this impactful gift in support of our soccer facility, Coach Mike Dibbini and our women's soccer student-athletes is another example of the loyalty K-Staters nationwide continue to show," said K-State Director of Athletics Gene Taylor. "Our goal is to provide our coaches and student-athletes with the resources and facilities they need to win championships, in addition to improving upon the gameday fan experience, and Buser Family Park and the support of this terrific K-State family are essential to us achieving those goals."
The gift brings the private support of the Baseball-Soccer facility campaign to nearly $15 million, surpassing the original fundraising goal of $10 million set in October 2017. The support by the Buser family is the fifth seven-figure gift for the Baseball-Soccer facility campaign along with lead gifts from Bob and Betty Tointon, Paul and Sandra Edgerley, Sunderland Family Foundation and John and Kim Vanier.
"We are so proud to play in Buser Family Park and grateful for the generosity and support of our soccer program from John and Ann Buser," stated K-State soccer head coach Mike Dibbini. "This facility will allow us to compete at the highest level with recruiting and provide the best fan experience."
Buser Family Park, which will be built on the site of the existing temporary facility, will provide comfortable chairback seating for the new 1,400 seat stadium. Included beneath the seating will be locker rooms for K-State soccer and visiting teams, a team lounge for K-State soccer, sports medicine and strength and conditioning spaces for the Wildcat team.
In addition, the offices for the K-State soccer coaching staff will be relocated to the facility with a team theater for meetings and will also include ample equipment storage and laundry areas for the program.
The exterior portion of Buser Family Park is expected to be completed in July 2019, with the interior of both projects schedule for completion by December 31, 2019.
For more information on the project, including the latest photo renderings, visit the department's website at www.k-statesports.com/buildkstate.
John Buser, a native of Independence, Kansas, received his bachelor's degree in accounting from K-State in 1978 and Ann Jackson Buser, a native of Concordia, Kansas, graduated in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in microbiology. In 1982, Ann received a Master of Arts degree in microbiology from Boston University and John received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
John currently serves as Executive Vice Chairman of NB Alternatives, the private equity investment division of Neuberger Berman. Before his career in private equity, Mr. Buser was a partner at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. Ann pursued her career in research at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Residents of Dallas, Texas since 1982, John and Ann have two children: Alyssa and Andrew. Alyssa is a 2010 graduate of Princeton with a BA in Economics and a 2018 recipient of an MBA from Wharton Business School. Andrew is a 2012 graduate of Louisiana State with a BA in Public Relations/Image Management. He is a current MBA candidate at Kansas State with a graduation date expected in 2018.
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