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.
Harold Edward "Bud" Elliott was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas (1964–1968), Washburn University (1969–1970), Kansas State Teachers College—now known as Emporia State University (1971–1973), the University of Texas at Arlington (1974–1983), Northwest Missouri State University (1988–1993), and Eastern New Mexico University (1994–2004), compiling a career college football record of 205–179–9. Elliott won more games than any other head coach in the history of Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds football program. He coached football at high school and collegiate levels for over 40 years. In his last season of coaching in 2004, Elliott became the 46th head coach in NCAA football history to reach 200 wins. At the time of his retirement, he ranked third in victories among active NCAA Division II coaches.
Garin Higgins is an American football college coach and former player. Higgins is the head football coach at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, a position he has held since the 2007 season. Higgins previously served as the head football coach at Northwestern Oklahoma State University from 2000 to 2004. His Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers finished as runners-up in the NAIA Football National Championship in 2000 and 2003. Higgins worked as co-offensive coordinator at Minnesota State University, Mankato and offensive coordinator at Northeastern State University in 2006.
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, often referred to as "Emporia State" or "ESU". The team competes as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), which is a conference in the Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The program began in 1897 and has fifteen conference titles. On December 15, 2006, former Hornet 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."
The Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball team represents Emporia State University and competes in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) of the NCAA Division II. On April 6, 2018, Toby Wynn was announced as the seventh head coach, replacing Jory Collins who left to join former Lady Hornet coach Brandon Schneider at the University of Kansas.
Jory Michael Collins is an American women's college basketball coach currently serving as the head coach for the North Dakota State program. From 2010 until 2018, Collins was the head coach at Emporia State University. Collins led the Emporia State Lady Hornets to eight consecutive winning seasons. Collins is the second winningest coach in Emporia State history with a record of 199–58 (.774).
Brandon Schneider is an American college women's basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Schneider was previously the head coach, from 2010 to 2015, for Stephen F. Austin State University, and from 1998 to 2010 at Emporia State University, an NCAA Division II school located in Emporia, Kansas, where he led the team to the 2010 National Championship.
The Emporia State Hornets basketball team represents Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, in the NCAA Division II men's basketball competition. The team is coached by Craig Doty, who is in his first season as head coach. The Hornets currently compete in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
James Alan Littell is a former head coach of the Oklahoma State University women's basketball team. He is currently an assistant coach for the Wichita State.
The Emporia State Hornets baseball team represents Emporia State University in NCAA Division II college baseball. The team participates in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The teams plays its home games on Glennen Field at Trusler Sports Complex, located just north of the Emporia State campus, and are coached by Seth Wheeler.
The 2016 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University in the 2016 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets played their home games on the newly-renovated Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937. 2016 was the 119th season in school history. The Hornets were led by head coach Garin Higgins, finished his 15th overall season, and 10th overall at Emporia State. Emporia State has a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association since 1991.
The 2016–17 Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball team represented Emporia State University in the 2016–17 NCAA Division II women's basketball season, which was the 43rd Lady Hornets basketball season. The Lady Hornets were led by 7th-year head coach, Jory Collins. The team played their home games on Slaymaker Court at William L. White Auditorium in Emporia, Kansas, the home court since 1974. Emporia State was a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
The 2017 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University in the 2017 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets played their home games on Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937. 2017 was the 120th season in school history. The Hornets were led by head coach Garin Higgins, who finished his 16th season overall, and 10th season at Emporia State. Emporia State has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.
The 2018–19 Emporia State Lady Hornets basketball team represented Emporia State University in the 2018–19 NCAA Division II women's basketball season, which was the 45th Lady Hornets basketball season. The Lady Hornets were led by first-year head coach Toby Wynn. The team played their home games on Slaymaker Court William L. White Auditorium in Emporia, Kansas, the home court since 1974. Emporia State is a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
Craig Arthur Doty is an American college men's basketball coach currently coaching at Emporia State University. Prior to his current position, Doty was the head coach for at Graceland University from 2016 to 2018, where he led the school to its first NAIA national championship, as well as a Heart of America Athletic Conference tournament championship. Doty was the men's basketball head coach at Rock Valley College from 2012 to 2016, where he won two NJCAA Division III championship.
Seth M. Wheeler is an American college baseball coach and current head baseball coach at Emporia State University. Previously, Wheeler served as an assistant coach focusing on pitchers at Emporia State, and served as the Junction City Brigade manager from 2015 to 2017. Wheeler played for the University of Central Missouri.
The 2018 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University in the 2018 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets played their home games on Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937. 2018 was the 121st season in school history. The Hornets are led by head coach Garin Higgins, who is in his 17th season overall, and 12th season at Emporia State as head coach. Emporia State has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.
The Emporia State–Washburn football rivalry, commonly referred to as the Turnpike Tussle, is an American college football rivalry game played annually between the Emporia State Hornets football team of Emporia State University from Emporia, Kansas, and the Washburn Ichabods football team of Washburn University from Topeka, Kansas. Both schools currently compete in the NCAA Division II level, and are members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). Emporia State currently leads the series 59–53–2. The Turnpike Tussle is the second-oldest active NCAA Division II rivalry.
The 2019 Emporia State Hornets football team represents Emporia State University in the 2019 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets play their home games on Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937. 2019 is the 122nd season in school history. The Hornets are led by head coach Garin Higgins, who is in his 18th season overall, and 13th season at Emporia State as head coach. Emporia State has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.
