Emporia State Hornets

Emporia State Hornets
University	Emporia State University
Conference	MIAA
NCAA	Division II
Athletic director	Kent Weiser
Location	Emporia, Kansas
Varsity teams	15
Football stadium	Jones Field at Welch Stadium
Basketball arena	Slaymaker Court at White Auditorium
Baseball stadium	Glennen Field at Trusler Sports Complex
Mascot	Corky the Hornet
Nickname	Hornets
Fight song	"Fight On Emporia!"
Website	www.esuhornets.com

The Emporia State Hornets and Lady Hornets are the athletic teams that represent Emporia State University (ESU). The women's teams use the name Lady Hornets. The university's athletic program fields 15 varsity teams in 11 sports all of whom have combined to win 50 conference championships as well as three national championships (1 NAIA, 1 AIAW and 1 NCAA). Corky the Hornet serves as the mascot representing the teams, and the school colors are black and gold. Emporia State participates in the NCAA Division II and has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.

The university's athletic director is Kent Weiser. The Hornet football team, which has been coached by Garin Higgins since 2007, has an all-time record of 506–537–43 (.512). Jory Collins was named head coach of the Lady Hornets basketball program in 2010 following the resignation of Brandon Schneider, who left to be head coach of Stephen F. Austin after winning the 2010 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship. The men's basketball team is currently coached by Shaun Vandiver, a former NBA First Round Draft Pick.

History and overview

Emporia State Athletic Directors
Tenure	Athletic Director
1920–1928	Homer Woodson Hargiss
1928–1962	Fran Welch
1962–1970	Joe Pease
1970–1971	Norris Patterson
1971–1979	Bill Tidwell
1979–1999	Bill Quayle
1999–present	Kent Weiser

Until the 1930s, then–Kansas State Normal/Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) didn't have an athletics nickname. In the early 1930s, the athletic teams were then known as the "Yaps". However, many people were not fond of the name, most notably legendary coach, Vic Trusler. Trusler suggested to a local writer, Cecil Carle of the Emporia Gazette, that the university's athletic teams should be called the "Yellow Jackets" but instead, the name was changed to "Hornets" due to the lack of newspaper space.

Overview

Since 2008, Emporia State has had four top four finishes in the nation. The Lady Hornets basketball team won the 2010 NCAA Div. II National Championship game against Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2009, the baseball team were national runners up, as were the Lady Hornet softball team. In 2011, the men's track & field team won took 4th place in the NCAA Div. II National Track Championships.

The 2003–04 athletic season was a record season for ESU. ESU became the first school to have their football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball and softball teams all advance to NCAA play in the same school year. ESU has averaged over 100,000 fans a year at home events over the last eight years.

Since 2002, Emporia State has placed in the top 50 out of over 300 Division II schools nationally in the Learfield Sports Director's Cup for 12 straight years with a high of 4th in 2013–14.

School colors

Black	Gold

Emporia State's official school colors are black and gold. They have been the colors since the school was founded in 1863, and until recently, the gold was Old gold.

Conference history

Emporia State has been a member of six conferences and two stints as an independent, since its athletics beginnings in 1893.

Emporia State University began its athletic life as a member of the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1893 to 1928. Emporia State, along with other schools from the conference, withdrew from the KIAC and formed the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1928, where it stayed as a member for thirty-nine years. After competing the CIAC for almost four decades, Emporia State left the CIAC and joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1967. In 1972, the RMAC split into two conferences, one keeping the current name and the other to be called Great Plains Athletic Conference, and four years later formed the Central States Intercollegiate Conference. In 1989, the CSIC disbanded and Emporia State became an Independent. In 1991, Emporia State became a NCAA Division II member and joined the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, where it remains a member today.

Sports

Sports at Emporia State
MEN'S	WOMEN'S
Baseball	Basketball
Basketball	Cross County
Cross County	Soccer
Football	Softball
Tennis	Tennis
Track & Field	Track & Field
	Volleyball

Baseball

Main article: Emporia State Hornets baseball

The Hornets baseball team played its first game in 1978. The team has five conference championships, and two NCAA Division II World Series appearance with a 2009 runner-up. The team had also made five appearances in the NAIA World Series, winning the 1978 World Series. Currently the team is coached by Bob Fornelli, who is 377–153 (.711) while at Emporia State.

Men's basketball

Main article: Emporia State Hornets basketball

The Hornets basketball team is currently coached by Shaun Vandiver, a former NBA First Round Draft Pick. The program was founded in 1901, thirty-eight years after the university was founded. For the last 114 years, the program has compiled a record of 1,347–1,091 (.553). Some notable coaches are Fred Honhart, George Crispin, Homer Woodson Hargiss, and A.A. Schabinger.

Women's basketball

2010 National Championship banner hanging in White Auditorium

Main article: Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball

See also: 2014–15 Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball team

Of its varsity sports, Emporia States's women's basketball team has been the only one to claim a national title. The Lady Hornets, who was led by player Alli Volkens and head coach Brandon Schneider, won the 2010 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, defeating the Fort Lewis College (Colorado) Skyhawks.

The Lady Hornets basketball team is currently coach by Jory Collins, who was the assistant coach on the team won the National Championship. Collins replaced Brandon Schneider as head coach when he resigned to take the head coach position at Stephen F. Austin.

In 1998, Emporia State's women's basketball team played in the NCAA Women's Division II Basketball Championship. The head coach for that team was Cindy Stein, who left to coach at the University of Missouri.

Cross country and track & field

The men's and women's cross country teams are currently coached by Eric Wellman. With the men's program starting in 1923 and the women's program in 1976, the women's team has won one MIAA conference championship, which was in 1994. The cross country teams run their home meets at Jones Park, in Northeast Emporia.

The men's and women's track and field teams are currently coached by Steven Blocker. Since joining the MIAA in 1991, the women's team has won five MIAA outdoor championships and two indoor championships while the men's team has won two MIAA conference outdoor championships. The track teams host meets on the Zola Witten Track at Francis G. Welch Stadium.

Football

Main article: Emporia State Hornets football

See also: 2015 Emporia State Hornets football team and 2015 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football season

The Hornets football team, is currently coached by former Hornet quarterback Garin Higgins, who played from 1987–1990. Since joining the MIAA in 1991, the Hornets have gone 113–117 in conference play. The Hornets have also participated in five post-season bowls in which three of those were wins. Past football coaches include Homer Woodson Hargiss, Jerry Kill, and Harold Elliott.

Soccer

Starting in 2001, the women's soccer program is the newest intercollegiate sport at Emporia State. The team is currently coached by Bryan Sailer, who is in his fifth season. As the fifth coach since 2001, Sailer has a record of 23–36–15 (.412). The soccer games are either played on the ESU soccer pitch or at Emporia High School.

Softball

The Lady Hornets softball team played its first game by 1971, seven years before the baseball team. The team is currently coached by April Huddleston, who took over the program on October 19, 2015. The softball team appeared in three Women's College World Series in 1971, 1972 and 1979 and also won the first AIAW Division II national championship in 1980. Emporia State also played for the national championship in 2006 and 2008.

Tennis

The men's and women's tennis teams compete on the George Milton Tennis Courts, named after the longtime tennis coach for Emporia State, having served from 1966–99, George Milton. With the men's program starting in 1966 and the women's program 10 years later, the tennis teams have been successful. Since joining the MIAA, the women's team has won two conference championships in 2005 and 2007, and have participated in the NCAA tournament four years, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2007. The men's team has advanced to the NCAA tournament in 2007 and 2008. The team's are currently coached by John Cayton, who is in his tenth season. His record for the women's team is 126–58 (.685), and the men's record is 75–85 (.469).

Volleyball

Since 1973, the Lady Hornets volleyball team has combined a total record of 973–601. Since joining the MIAA in 1991, the Lady Hornets have won one conference championship in 2008, and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Lady Hornets are coached by Bing Xu, who has been at Emporia State since 2005, and has a combined record of 228–98 (.699).

Timeline

Facilities

File:"Victory Joe".JPG

The Silent Joe Bell Tower

Francis G. Welch Stadium serves as home to the Hornets football team. The stadium, who is named for long-time Emporia State coach and athletic director Fran Welch, opened in 1947 and since then has gone under a few renovations. In 1994, the east and west side concession areas, restroom facilities, and entrances were renovated, a new scoreboard was hoisted into place at the south end of the stadium and a new landscaped fence was erected. In 1997, the Hutchinson Family Pavilion, a three-tiered facility which has enclosed theatre seating on the first floor, a president’s box and four sky-boxes on the second floor, and a game-day management and media center on the third floor was built. The current seating capacity is 10,000. Zola Witten Track is also in the facility, used by the track teams.

Since 1940, home basketball games have been played at William L. White Auditorium, a 5,000-seat arena which is named after William Lindsay White, son of William Allen White. In addition to serving as home to the men's and women's basketball teams, the auditorium is used by the Lady Hornets volleyball team since the program started in 1973. In 2008, WLW Civic Auditorium received an upgrade with a new scoreboard and video board, as well as a new color scheme on the arena floor and throughout the entire building.

Trusler Sports Complex is home to the baseball and softball teams. The baseball team competes on Glennen Field, named after Dr. Robert E. Glennen, thirteenth president of Emporia State University. In 2009, the field was renovated with a new artificial turf that replaced the infield on Glennen Field. The Lady Hornets compete on Turnbull Field, which is named in honor of J. Michael Turnbull, president and trustee of the Trusler Foundation.

The Hornet tennis teams compete on the George Milton Tennis Courts. George Milton was the longtime tennis coach for Emporia State, having served from 1966–99.

Facility Name	Teams	Capacity	Opened
Trusler Sports Complex	Baseball, softball	500/450	1992
William L. White Auditorium	Basketball, volleyball	5,000	1941
Francis G. Welch Stadium	Football, track	7,000	1937
Hornet Pitch	Soccer	500	2009
George Milton Tennis Courts	Tennis	100	1966

Mascots

Corky the Hornet at an Emporia State football game.

Main article: Corky the Hornet

Corky the Hornet is Emporia State University's mascot. In the 1930s, when Emporia State University was named Kansas State Teachers College, the athletic teams were known as the "Yaps". Many people were not fond of the name, most notably legendary coach, Vic Trusler. Trusler suggested to a local writer, Cecil Carle of the Emporia Gazette, that the university's athletic teams should be called the "Yellow Jackets". However, the name changed to "Hornets" because of the lack of newspaper space.

In 1933, the Kansas State Teachers College had a student contest where students and staff could design a mascot for the college. A sophomore by the name of Paul Edwards, who graduated in 1937, designed Corky for a campus–wide logo contest. Many students sent in their drawings of a mascot, but they chose Edwards' Corky, a "human–like" hornet. Corky was published in The Bulletin, the student newspaper for Emporia State University.

In August 2014, it was announced that Corky will have a nephew. Buz will be a smaller, more "child friendly" hornet that will visit local schools, participate in community events and be present at ESU activities. Buz has been designed by Corky's creator Paul Edwards, who turned 100 years old in January 2015.

Songs

Fight On, Emporia! is the official fight song for Emporia State University. The lyrics for the fight song were written by written by Alfred Thompson (BME '34), student at Kansas State Teachers College. Tom Isern wrote the music for ESU's alma mater and the music was composed by Joseph Ott.

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Emporia State University people

• Frank Anderson – former head baseball coach for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, now an assistant for the University of Houston.
• Dale Burnett – former NFL football player that played for the New York Giants and was on 1932 World Championship team.
• Jory Collins – current head women's basketball coach at Emporia State.
• Al Feuerbach – former Olympian and world record holder in the shot put.
• Don Dennis – pitched for St. Louis Cardinals in 1965 and 1966.
• Kelly Goodburn – NFL football player for Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins. Played in XXIV Super Bowl when Washington won World Championship.

Homer Woodson Hargiss

• Homer Woodson Hargiss – head football coach for 12 years and compiled a 62-23-11 record. His 1926 squad produced a 7-0-0 record, the only perfect season in ESU history.
• Steve Henry – drafted by the NFL St. Louis Cardinals in 1979 and played one year for the Cardinals, one year for the New York Giants, and one year for the Baltimore Colts.
• Garin Higgins – former quarterback at Emporia State; current head football coach at Emporia State.
• Brad Hill – head baseball coach at Kansas State University.
• Gene Johnson – head basketball coach at Wichita State University and Kansas Wesleyan University, won two AAU national titles and was assistant coach for the 1936 gold medal Olympic basketball team. Credited with inventing the full-court zone press.
• Fred Kipp – played baseball for the New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
• John Kuck – gold medal winner in the shot put at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.
• Bob Leahy – played in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Leon Lett – helped Hornets to the NAIA National Championship game in 1989. Played for Dallas Cowboys in 3 Super Bowls.
• Archie San Romani – won the national collegiate mile in 1935 and the 1,500-meter run in 1936. Anchored distance medley relay that set world record in 1936 and was fourth in the 1,500-meter run at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. San Romani also set a world record in the 2,000-meter run in 1937 that stood for 25 years.
• Brian Shay – running back for ESU, who won the 1998 Harlon Hill Trophy and broke 17 NCAA Division II records. Later played for the Berlin Thunder, Orlando Rage and was a member of the 1999 Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.
• Steve Shifflett – major league baseball player for Kansas City Royals.
• Fran Welch – Quarterbacked ESU football team to a 24-1-2 record in his career. In 24 years as a football coach, compiled a 116-81-15 mark. His track and cross country teams claimed 18 league crowns, four NAIA cross country championships, one NAIA track title, and one NCAA small college cross country title.

External links

• Official website