Emporia State University is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas. Emporia State is one of six public universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.
Carl Eller is an American former professional football player who played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
Michael Lockett Garrett is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) for eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the USC Trojans, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1965.
John Stanley Brockington was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a first round draft choice out of Ohio State University, and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1971.
Michael George Vrabel is an American professional football coach and former linebacker. He currently serves as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
Willie Edward Lanier, is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the AFL All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from 1970 through 1975.
David Steven Brown was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1975), Seattle Seahawks (1976–1986), and Green Bay Packers (1987–1989). He was selected as a second-team All-NFL player in 1984 and a second-team All-AFC player in 1985. His 62 career interceptions ranks tied for tenth in NFL history, with only five players having more interceptions in a career since his career ended in 1989. His 50 interceptions with the Seahawks remains a club record.
Will Herthie Shields is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, earning consensus All-American honors and winning the Outland Trophy. Shields played his entire, 14-year professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs and never missed a game. Shields was selected to 12 Pro Bowls, was a 3× First-Team All-Pro, a 4x Second-Team All-Pro, and was selected to the NFL 2000's All-Decade Team. He won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in the 2003 season, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Mark Lee Simoneau is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning consensus All-American honors in 1999. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft, and played for the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL.
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he won the Maxwell Award. Quinn was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. Following three seasons in Cleveland, he was traded to the Denver Broncos, where he played for two seasons. Quinn spent his last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, the New York Jets, and the St. Louis Rams for one year each.
Charley Lane Johnson was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the New Mexico State Aggies. Johnson played in the NFL for 15 years with three teams: the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers, and Denver Broncos. After his playing career, he became a professor of chemical engineering.
David Thurman Macklin is an American former professional football cornerback. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played college football at Penn State.
Homer Woodson "Bill" Hargiss was an American athlete and coach. He played American football and basketball and also competed in track and field events. Additionally, Hargis coached athletics at several colleges in the states of Kansas and Oregon. As an American football coach during the sport's early years, Hargis was an innovator. He was among few coaches in using the forward pass and the huddle, now staple features of the game.
James Eric Berry is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and recognized as the best collegiate defensive back in the country. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs fifth overall in the 2010 NFL draft. Berry was voted to the Pro Bowl five times and named first-team All-Pro three times.
Francis George Welch was an American football player and coach, track and field coach, and college athletics administrator. He was of the first three coaches to be selected for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Track and Field Hall of Fame and is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Larry Ronald Kramer was an American football player and coach of football and baseball. He played college football at University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he was consensus selection at tackle to the 1964 College Football All-America Team. Kramer served as the head football coach at Southern Oregon College—now known as Southern Oregon University—in Ashland, Oregon from 1970 to 1971, Austin College in Sherman, Texas from 1973 to 1982, and Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas from 1983 to 1994, compiling career college football coaching record of 124–115–5. He led his 1981 Austin team to a share of the NAIA Division II Football National Championship.
The Emporia State Hornets are the athletic teams that represent Emporia State University (ESU). The women's basketball and softball 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. 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 Emporia State Hornets football program is a college football team that represents Emporia State University. The team competes as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), which is a conference in the NCAA Division II. The program began in 1897 and has fifteen conference titles. On December 15, 2006, former Hornets quarterback Garin Higgins became the team's 24th head coach, following the resignation of Dave Wiemers. Home games are played on Jones Field at Welch Stadium, located on the Emporia State University campus in Emporia, Kansas. In August 2017, Hero Sports named Emporia State the "best football team in Kansas, regardless of division".
David Spafford is an American university sports administrator and eighth athletic director for Emporia State University, an NCAA Division II sports program in Emporia, Kansas. Previously, Spafford was the athletics director at Regis University, and before that, served as the assistant or associate athletics director for several college institutions.
