Mason Barta

Position:
Fullback
Height:
6-1
Weight:
234
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Holton, Kan.
High School:
Holton

CAREER HONORS
• 2021 First Team Academic All-Big 12
• 2019-20 Second Team Academic All-Big 12

CAREER: A four-year letterwinner who served as a backup fullback and worked on special teams throughout his career.

2021: Saw time in 11 games, including a start against West Virginia... Picked up First Team Academic All-Big 12 accolades.

2020: Saw action in all 10 games, including a start at Iowa State… Hauled in one catch for eight yards against Kansas… Earned Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honors… Helped the Wildcats lead the Big 12 and rank fourth in the nation in red zone offense (93.9%)… Picked up Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honors.

2019: Saw action in all 13 games, including starts against Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech... Had one catch out of the backfield, which came at Texas... Helped block for 178.0 rushing yards per game to rank fourth in the Big 12, while he was a part of helping the Wildcats score 29 rushing touchdowns, the third most in the Big 12... A Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree.

2018: Played in all 12 games, primarily on special teams and in short-yardage situations... Helped the Wildcat offense finish third in the Big 12 by averaging 182.6 rushing yards per game, which included a 184.2-yard average in conference games to rank second.

2017: Redshirted.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner at Holton under head coach and father Brooks Barta... Rated the top outside linebacker in the state of Kansas for the Class of 2016 by Scout... Earned first team all-state honors as a senior in 2015 from the Wichita Eagle and Topeka Capital-Journal, while he was an honorable mention selection from both organizations as a junior... Also named to the USA TODAY Sports/American Family Insurance All-USA Kansas team as a senior... Helped lead the Wildcats to a trip to the Class 4A-II state championship game in 2015, while the team went 14-0 and was the Class 4A state champions in 2012... Totaled 1,718 career rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, including 1,051 yards and 15 scores as a senior... Also recorded 285 career tackles – including 128 during his senior campaign – with 8.0 tackles for loss and three interceptions in 2015... Selected to play in the 2016 Kansas Shrine Bowl... Also played basketball... Originally signed with K-State out of high school in 2016.

PERSONAL: Mason Aaron Barta was born December 16, 1997, in Holton, Kansas... Son of Brooks and Tonya Barta... Has one sister, Tabor... Father, Brooks, was a linebacker for the Wildcats from 1989-92, earning First Team All-Big Eight honors as a junior in 1991 and Academic All-America accolades as a senior in 1992... Brooks ranks second in school history in career tackles with 436... Grandfather, Roger Barta, was a legendary high school coach at Smith Center High School and was the premise of the New York Times bestseller book Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen... Earned his degree from K-State in business management in December 2019 and is pursuing his master’s degree in data analytics.