My 10 Favorite Stories of 2023
Dec 31, 2023 | Sports Extra, Athletics
By: D. Scott Fritchen
It has been a joy to witness so many Kansas State moments in 2023, and, thus, thankfully, I have had the opportunity to write many favorite stories as well. From K-State head coach Jerome Tang leading a resurgence of the men's basketball program (January 18, 2003), to Marcus Nowell helping younger brother Markquis Nowell (February 27, 2003), to "Crazy Faith" carrying K-State to the Elite Eight (March 24, 2023), basketball was heavy in the air in Manhattan.
From K-State baseball player Roberto Pena's riveting journey to the Little Apple (April 4, 2023) when we said hello to his talents, to bidding farewell to the legendary and unreplaceable Ernie Barrett (April 28, 2023), when we mourned Mr. K-State after his six decades of service to the school that he loved, we were wracked in emotion.
There was no lack of emotion when Chris Vaughn called his son Deuce Vaughn during the NFL Draft — maybe the most famous phone call from a father to his son in the history of the NFL Draft, which caused football fans across the globe to pause. Similarly, it was important to pause days before Amy Button Renz said good-bye as well, leaving behind a proud legacy that began with her grandfather, who scored the first-ever touchdown at Memorial Stadium.
While we said good-bye to familiar faces, we said hello to all-too familiar 2022 All-American Ayoka Lee, who returned after surgery caused her to miss the entire 2022-23 season. We said hello to a K-State women's volleyball resurgence led by first-year head coach Jason Mansfield. And lastly, we said hello to true freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, who ultimately earned Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP after his first-career start, and who will lead the Wildcats into a promising 2024 season full of dreams and expectations.
Here are the 10 favorite stories I've written in 2023 in order of publishing date:
Tang Leading Quick Resurgence
Published: January 18, 2023
He stood upon the scorer's table, the proverbial mountain top, Tuesday at 8:45 p.m., just moments after No. 13 Kansas State defeated No. 2 Kansas, 83-82, in overtime at a raucous Bramlage Coliseum. A sold out 11,000 fans had been in the stands, and a couple thousand had since stormed onto the court, a purple flood covering the hardwood, as white "WE OWN THIS STATE" signs paraded above the heads of students.
Jerome Tang, K-State basketball's energetic first-year head coach, began to chant into a microphone: "K-S-U! K-S-U!" as ESPN cameras rolled to a nationally-televised audience that witnessed a Sunflower Showdown Classic between two top-15 teams in Manhattan. There was an unwritten message that accompanied Tang's gesture. The 56-year-old native of San Fernando, Trinidad, who for the previous 19 years was an ever-present voice as an assistant coach and associate head coach under wildly-successful Scott Drew at Baylor, wants America to know about the K-State Wildcats, and wants fans to celebrate being purple, and to not roll with the off-color chant K-State students typically directed toward their instate rivals.
"This is a special place, Manhappiness," Tang says. "This is a really special place. I want the country to know how special it is, not be known for the 'dumb' chant."
Through Ups and Downs, Marcus is Always There
Published February 27, 2023
The making of Markquis Nowell begins at age 6. Markquis, older brother Marcus, and their mother Kisha Morales live in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Eleven-year-old Marcus lay on a twin-sized bed. Markquis lay on the other twin bed inside their bedroom.
"What do you want to be?" Marcus asks.
Markquis replies, "An NBA player."
This is a story about brothers. It's a story about growth. It's a story about heart over height and early-morning workouts on the playgrounds, and free throws – thousands of free throws – as the lights in New York City turn on, and darkness attempts to halt the practice. It's a story about the vow that Marcus made that day on the twin beds, and the ups and downs to come, and the tears and celebrations, and the love that two brothers share as one brother steals the NCAA spotlight and the other tells the NCAA to shine it brighter.
For virtually every step along the way in Markquis' career, there's Marcus not too far away, helping his younger brother along. There's a story to tell through the eyes of the brother, who has been with Markquis through the ups and downs, and who pauses to collect himself — the throat tightens when recounting certain details — and who wouldn't trade Markquis for Jeff Bezos' money.
'Crazy Faith' Leads Cats to Regional Final
Published March 24, 2023
Here we are in the innards of Madison Square Garden and Jerome Tang wears his purple "OUT THE MUD" T-shirt and wears a smile and talks about heroes and talks about dreamers and talks about doubters, and all the camera people and all the reporters eagerly hang on his every word, because this is all new, understand, that a first-year Division I head coach leads a team this far into March, and it is truly something to behold, particularly in New York, which can chew up a sports team and spit it out into Times Square.
Tang and Kansas State have hushed their critics, and Tang is holding court to talk a little bit about the Wildcats' exciting road to this point, as they've spent six months muscling their way past the doubters.
"Last round, we were the only higher-seeded team that was an underdog, and then this round we were the No. 1 team to get upset today," he says. "We love that.
At halftime of the East Regional Semifinal between No. 3-seed K-State and seventh-seed Michigan State, the Bee Gees' hit song, "Stayin' Alive" filled the warm air of the hallowed arena, which has been home to a multitude of memorable performances since it was built in 1968. No telling if it has housed a performance quite like the Wildcats' epic 98-93 overtime victory against the Spartans — an effort that brought down the house, as K-State fans turned the Garden into Bramlage Coliseum Northeast and they danced to "Sandstorm" and they chanted, "K-S-U! K-S-U!" and TV cameras caught every moment.
"We just want to keep it going," says senior Keyontae Johnson.
Pena's Leap of Faith Paying Off
Published April 4, 2023
You ask what makes Kansas State baseball special. I'm going to tell you. It's about Roberto Pena. He's 23 years old. He plays first base. He's been at four different colleges in five years. He sits inside the team meeting room at Tointon Family Stadium. He wears a white uniform with purple pinstripes, a K-State ballcap, and eye black. He just knocked two balls out of the ballpark during a 10-6 loss to No. 24 West Virginia. But that's not the story.
"I feel like I'm at home," he says.
More Than Ever, We Thank You
Published April 28, 2023
Nine flower arrangements, including one with a basketball, neatly lined a dark stage upon midcourt of the hardwood floor at Bramlage Coliseum, a black wall curtain and purple floor lamps accentuating the basketball goal on each end of the court. Eighty people sat upon purple chairs. Hundreds more filled the bleachers. The arena videoboard featured a photo slideshow. A digital display at the top of the videoboard read: "MR. K-STATE / HALL OF FAME / ERNIE BARRETT / 1929-2023." Directly below in front of the black pulpit rested a large purple wall of flowers with white roses forming the letter "K."
The Greatest Phone Call Ever
Published May 1, 2023
This is a story about a father's love. The most heartwarming story of the 2023 NFL Draft unfurled across NFL Network and ESPN on Saturday evening. There he was, Chris Vaughn, wearing a while dress shirt, leaning over a speakerphone, every word as clear as day, the Dallas Cowboys star logo hanging in the middle of the room, Jerry Jones to his right, Mike McCarthy to his left. There he was, Chris Vaughn, making the phone call of his life — "It was the best phone call I've ever made — ever," he later told reporters — to his son, Deuce Vaughn, the father's tone a rollercoaster of emotion, his voice cracking, and the father trying to stay professional in one of the most personal moments of his life.
"Hey buddy," Chris Vaughn said.
"How's it going?" Deuce answered.
"Hey," Chris said. "It's going good. This is dad. My phone wasn't working. … Lookie here, man, you want to come to work with me next week?"
Button Renz Has K-State in Her Blood
Published June 26, 2023
Amy Button Renz sifts through a 1923 Royal Purple Yearbook in the Kansas State Alumni Association Library on the second floor of the Alumni Center. Renz is days away from retiring as President and CEO of at the K-State Alumni Association after 46 years of service to one of the best alumni associations in the country, but today, she harkens back to more than 100 years ago, when R.M. "Susie" Sears roamed the football field at Memorial Stadium.
Sears, her grandfather, scored the first-ever touchdown at Memorial Stadium, as reported by author Kevin Haskin in "Kansas State Football Vault." Sears accomplished the historic touchdown in a 47-0 win over Washburn on October 7, 1922. Sears was a hard-hitting fullback for the "Kansas Aggies," which was the official mascot at the time for Kansas State College.
A Grand Return
Published November 7, 2023
Here's the thing about Kansas State senior center Ayoka Lee: She's awesome. Of course, we already knew that given what she means to the NCAA, to women's college basketball, and to the K-State community. Yes, she was a 2022 All-American. She scored a NCAA Division I-record 61 points in a single game. We've seen that soft turnaround jumpshot in the lane too many times to count. We've seen her run up and down the court and rebound and deliver devastating blocks. We thought we'd seen it all.
Then at 6:31 p.m. on Monday we witnessed for the first time in 595 days her take the court in an official game that counted in the win-loss column, and, well, that was awesome in itself, and it was one of those moments you don't quite forget on an opening night of college basketball. At 6-foot-6, Lee casts a shadow, and how we had missed that shadow towering over opposing players for many, many days. That's what the injured right knee took away. Lee's last official game was against N.C. State in the 2022 NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2022. Wow, what a long time that feels like.
A Historic Night
Published November 9, 2023
First-year Kansas State head coach Jason Mansfield wears a purple quarter-zip pullover splotched with the darkness of water from the post-match water-bottle celebration inside the locker room. He sniffles.
"You need to go home and take your vitamins," senior outside hitter Aliyah Carter says, sliding into a chair at the postgame news conference.
"I'm going to try and get some sleep," he says, smiling. "It's worth it, though."
Nothing, not even a sniffle, can dampen the aftermath of K-State's 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) against No. 3 Texas at a sold-out Morgan Family Arena on Wednesday night. A crowd of 3,044 packs every crevice and witnesses the Wildcats snap a 39-game losing streak to the Longhorns. The victory over the defending national champions ranks as one of the best by K-State in its history. It's the highest-ranked opponent K-State has ever beaten in a regular-season match. The atmosphere is incredible. It's electric. Guys in the crowd chant "S-E-C" and Sandstorm booms across the arena sound system and a videoboard sign reads: "ON YOUR FEET."
This is what it's all about.
This is Just the Beginning
Published December 25, 2023
Avery Johnson is donned in a green practice jersey that bears a white No. 2 and he wears a purple headband, black shorts and white cleats, his back against a black chain-link fence, and the light-blue Pop-Tarts themed team bus idling in the parking lot about 50 yards away from the Orlando Health Field at The First Academy. K-State players are stretching out on the football field for practice. It's 9:45 a.m. on Christmas Eve.
Avery speaks as the bonafide starting quarterback for the first time. And Avery, the dynamic 6-foot-2, 188-pounder, speaks well beyond his years.
"The main thing I've learned this year is just to stay patient," he says. "Everything is going to happen in God's timing. I've learned to get closer to my faith and closer to God and just know that whenever He says the time is right, everything will happen."
It has been a joy to witness so many Kansas State moments in 2023, and, thus, thankfully, I have had the opportunity to write many favorite stories as well. From K-State head coach Jerome Tang leading a resurgence of the men's basketball program (January 18, 2003), to Marcus Nowell helping younger brother Markquis Nowell (February 27, 2003), to "Crazy Faith" carrying K-State to the Elite Eight (March 24, 2023), basketball was heavy in the air in Manhattan.
From K-State baseball player Roberto Pena's riveting journey to the Little Apple (April 4, 2023) when we said hello to his talents, to bidding farewell to the legendary and unreplaceable Ernie Barrett (April 28, 2023), when we mourned Mr. K-State after his six decades of service to the school that he loved, we were wracked in emotion.
There was no lack of emotion when Chris Vaughn called his son Deuce Vaughn during the NFL Draft — maybe the most famous phone call from a father to his son in the history of the NFL Draft, which caused football fans across the globe to pause. Similarly, it was important to pause days before Amy Button Renz said good-bye as well, leaving behind a proud legacy that began with her grandfather, who scored the first-ever touchdown at Memorial Stadium.
While we said good-bye to familiar faces, we said hello to all-too familiar 2022 All-American Ayoka Lee, who returned after surgery caused her to miss the entire 2022-23 season. We said hello to a K-State women's volleyball resurgence led by first-year head coach Jason Mansfield. And lastly, we said hello to true freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, who ultimately earned Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP after his first-career start, and who will lead the Wildcats into a promising 2024 season full of dreams and expectations.
Here are the 10 favorite stories I've written in 2023 in order of publishing date:
Tang Leading Quick Resurgence
Published: January 18, 2023
He stood upon the scorer's table, the proverbial mountain top, Tuesday at 8:45 p.m., just moments after No. 13 Kansas State defeated No. 2 Kansas, 83-82, in overtime at a raucous Bramlage Coliseum. A sold out 11,000 fans had been in the stands, and a couple thousand had since stormed onto the court, a purple flood covering the hardwood, as white "WE OWN THIS STATE" signs paraded above the heads of students.
Jerome Tang, K-State basketball's energetic first-year head coach, began to chant into a microphone: "K-S-U! K-S-U!" as ESPN cameras rolled to a nationally-televised audience that witnessed a Sunflower Showdown Classic between two top-15 teams in Manhattan. There was an unwritten message that accompanied Tang's gesture. The 56-year-old native of San Fernando, Trinidad, who for the previous 19 years was an ever-present voice as an assistant coach and associate head coach under wildly-successful Scott Drew at Baylor, wants America to know about the K-State Wildcats, and wants fans to celebrate being purple, and to not roll with the off-color chant K-State students typically directed toward their instate rivals.
"This is a special place, Manhappiness," Tang says. "This is a really special place. I want the country to know how special it is, not be known for the 'dumb' chant."
Through Ups and Downs, Marcus is Always There
Published February 27, 2023
The making of Markquis Nowell begins at age 6. Markquis, older brother Marcus, and their mother Kisha Morales live in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Eleven-year-old Marcus lay on a twin-sized bed. Markquis lay on the other twin bed inside their bedroom.
"What do you want to be?" Marcus asks.
Markquis replies, "An NBA player."
This is a story about brothers. It's a story about growth. It's a story about heart over height and early-morning workouts on the playgrounds, and free throws – thousands of free throws – as the lights in New York City turn on, and darkness attempts to halt the practice. It's a story about the vow that Marcus made that day on the twin beds, and the ups and downs to come, and the tears and celebrations, and the love that two brothers share as one brother steals the NCAA spotlight and the other tells the NCAA to shine it brighter.
For virtually every step along the way in Markquis' career, there's Marcus not too far away, helping his younger brother along. There's a story to tell through the eyes of the brother, who has been with Markquis through the ups and downs, and who pauses to collect himself — the throat tightens when recounting certain details — and who wouldn't trade Markquis for Jeff Bezos' money.
'Crazy Faith' Leads Cats to Regional Final
Published March 24, 2023
Here we are in the innards of Madison Square Garden and Jerome Tang wears his purple "OUT THE MUD" T-shirt and wears a smile and talks about heroes and talks about dreamers and talks about doubters, and all the camera people and all the reporters eagerly hang on his every word, because this is all new, understand, that a first-year Division I head coach leads a team this far into March, and it is truly something to behold, particularly in New York, which can chew up a sports team and spit it out into Times Square.
Tang and Kansas State have hushed their critics, and Tang is holding court to talk a little bit about the Wildcats' exciting road to this point, as they've spent six months muscling their way past the doubters.
"Last round, we were the only higher-seeded team that was an underdog, and then this round we were the No. 1 team to get upset today," he says. "We love that.
At halftime of the East Regional Semifinal between No. 3-seed K-State and seventh-seed Michigan State, the Bee Gees' hit song, "Stayin' Alive" filled the warm air of the hallowed arena, which has been home to a multitude of memorable performances since it was built in 1968. No telling if it has housed a performance quite like the Wildcats' epic 98-93 overtime victory against the Spartans — an effort that brought down the house, as K-State fans turned the Garden into Bramlage Coliseum Northeast and they danced to "Sandstorm" and they chanted, "K-S-U! K-S-U!" and TV cameras caught every moment.
"We just want to keep it going," says senior Keyontae Johnson.
Pena's Leap of Faith Paying Off
Published April 4, 2023
You ask what makes Kansas State baseball special. I'm going to tell you. It's about Roberto Pena. He's 23 years old. He plays first base. He's been at four different colleges in five years. He sits inside the team meeting room at Tointon Family Stadium. He wears a white uniform with purple pinstripes, a K-State ballcap, and eye black. He just knocked two balls out of the ballpark during a 10-6 loss to No. 24 West Virginia. But that's not the story.
"I feel like I'm at home," he says.
More Than Ever, We Thank You
Published April 28, 2023
Nine flower arrangements, including one with a basketball, neatly lined a dark stage upon midcourt of the hardwood floor at Bramlage Coliseum, a black wall curtain and purple floor lamps accentuating the basketball goal on each end of the court. Eighty people sat upon purple chairs. Hundreds more filled the bleachers. The arena videoboard featured a photo slideshow. A digital display at the top of the videoboard read: "MR. K-STATE / HALL OF FAME / ERNIE BARRETT / 1929-2023." Directly below in front of the black pulpit rested a large purple wall of flowers with white roses forming the letter "K."
The Greatest Phone Call Ever
Published May 1, 2023
This is a story about a father's love. The most heartwarming story of the 2023 NFL Draft unfurled across NFL Network and ESPN on Saturday evening. There he was, Chris Vaughn, wearing a while dress shirt, leaning over a speakerphone, every word as clear as day, the Dallas Cowboys star logo hanging in the middle of the room, Jerry Jones to his right, Mike McCarthy to his left. There he was, Chris Vaughn, making the phone call of his life — "It was the best phone call I've ever made — ever," he later told reporters — to his son, Deuce Vaughn, the father's tone a rollercoaster of emotion, his voice cracking, and the father trying to stay professional in one of the most personal moments of his life.
"Hey buddy," Chris Vaughn said.
"How's it going?" Deuce answered.
"Hey," Chris said. "It's going good. This is dad. My phone wasn't working. … Lookie here, man, you want to come to work with me next week?"
Button Renz Has K-State in Her Blood
Published June 26, 2023
Amy Button Renz sifts through a 1923 Royal Purple Yearbook in the Kansas State Alumni Association Library on the second floor of the Alumni Center. Renz is days away from retiring as President and CEO of at the K-State Alumni Association after 46 years of service to one of the best alumni associations in the country, but today, she harkens back to more than 100 years ago, when R.M. "Susie" Sears roamed the football field at Memorial Stadium.
Sears, her grandfather, scored the first-ever touchdown at Memorial Stadium, as reported by author Kevin Haskin in "Kansas State Football Vault." Sears accomplished the historic touchdown in a 47-0 win over Washburn on October 7, 1922. Sears was a hard-hitting fullback for the "Kansas Aggies," which was the official mascot at the time for Kansas State College.
A Grand Return
Published November 7, 2023
Here's the thing about Kansas State senior center Ayoka Lee: She's awesome. Of course, we already knew that given what she means to the NCAA, to women's college basketball, and to the K-State community. Yes, she was a 2022 All-American. She scored a NCAA Division I-record 61 points in a single game. We've seen that soft turnaround jumpshot in the lane too many times to count. We've seen her run up and down the court and rebound and deliver devastating blocks. We thought we'd seen it all.
Then at 6:31 p.m. on Monday we witnessed for the first time in 595 days her take the court in an official game that counted in the win-loss column, and, well, that was awesome in itself, and it was one of those moments you don't quite forget on an opening night of college basketball. At 6-foot-6, Lee casts a shadow, and how we had missed that shadow towering over opposing players for many, many days. That's what the injured right knee took away. Lee's last official game was against N.C. State in the 2022 NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2022. Wow, what a long time that feels like.
A Historic Night
Published November 9, 2023
First-year Kansas State head coach Jason Mansfield wears a purple quarter-zip pullover splotched with the darkness of water from the post-match water-bottle celebration inside the locker room. He sniffles.
"You need to go home and take your vitamins," senior outside hitter Aliyah Carter says, sliding into a chair at the postgame news conference.
"I'm going to try and get some sleep," he says, smiling. "It's worth it, though."
Nothing, not even a sniffle, can dampen the aftermath of K-State's 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) against No. 3 Texas at a sold-out Morgan Family Arena on Wednesday night. A crowd of 3,044 packs every crevice and witnesses the Wildcats snap a 39-game losing streak to the Longhorns. The victory over the defending national champions ranks as one of the best by K-State in its history. It's the highest-ranked opponent K-State has ever beaten in a regular-season match. The atmosphere is incredible. It's electric. Guys in the crowd chant "S-E-C" and Sandstorm booms across the arena sound system and a videoboard sign reads: "ON YOUR FEET."
This is what it's all about.
This is Just the Beginning
Published December 25, 2023
Avery Johnson is donned in a green practice jersey that bears a white No. 2 and he wears a purple headband, black shorts and white cleats, his back against a black chain-link fence, and the light-blue Pop-Tarts themed team bus idling in the parking lot about 50 yards away from the Orlando Health Field at The First Academy. K-State players are stretching out on the football field for practice. It's 9:45 a.m. on Christmas Eve.
Avery speaks as the bonafide starting quarterback for the first time. And Avery, the dynamic 6-foot-2, 188-pounder, speaks well beyond his years.
"The main thing I've learned this year is just to stay patient," he says. "Everything is going to happen in God's timing. I've learned to get closer to my faith and closer to God and just know that whenever He says the time is right, everything will happen."
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
K-State Women's Basketball | Tess Heal Senior Video
Sunday, February 22
K-State Women's Basketball | Mikayla Parks Senior Video
Sunday, February 22
K-State Women's Basketball | Senior Night Ceremony 2025 - 2026 Season
Sunday, February 22
