Taylor Named to LEAD1 Board of Directors

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State Director of Athletics Gene Taylor is one of four new athletics administrators to be named to the LEAD1 Board of Directors, which represents the athletics directors of the 131 member universities of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Joining Taylor, who also currently serves on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee, are Arthur Johnson (Temple/AAC), Ross Bjork (Texas A&M/SEC Representative) and Amy Folan (Central Michigan/NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee Representative).

Taylor's K-State program has taken the college athletics world by storm in 2022-23 as Chris Klieman's football team won the 2022 Big 12 Championship and played in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and Jerome Tang's men's basketball squad is currently 16-2 overall, 5-1 in Big 12 play and ranked 13^th in the nation following a preseason poll that picked the Wildcats to finish last in the league. Both coaches were hired at K-State by Taylor.

Named the eighth-best Athletic Director among FBS programs by Stadium in 2020, Taylor was named the Director of Athletics at K-State in April 2017. During his tenure K-State has also seen the football program qualify for four bowls, the men's basketball team win a Big 12 Championship, earn an Elite 8 appearance and advance to two NCAA tournaments, the women's basketball team advance to two NCAA tournaments and the women's track and field team win back-to-back Big 12 Outdoor Championships.

Additionally, Taylor and staff have fundraised and begun to implement a department-wide facility master plan that will benefit all Wildcat teams including the baseball and soccer projects in addition to Building Champions, a $105 million initiative focused on the South End Zone of Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the new Morgan Family Arena for volleyball, an Olympic training Center and the Shamrock Practice Facility for football.

From a fundraising perspective, overall pledges and cash gifts to the department during the 2022 fiscal year totaled $58.9 million, of which $20.4 million was designated for the Ahearn Fund annual giving program and surpassing its budgeted goal previous record of $18.9 Million in FY19. Included in the $20.4 million in annual giving was a department record $801,000 raised during the Powercat Auction. The department also received $42.6 million in cash giving, marking only the third time in history it has eclipsed the $40 million mark.

LEAD1's mission is advocating on policy facing NCAA Division I FBS athletic departments, promoting consensus among FBS athletic directors, and providing valuable services to member schools – all dedicated towards supporting the success of student-athletes and future of college sports.

Kansas State University Athletics

Related Videos