| Willie Wildcat | |
|---|---|
 Willie in 2024 | |
| University | Kansas State University |
| Conference | Big 12 |
| Description | A student bedecked in an oversized Wildcat head |
| First seen | 1947 |
| Website | Official Site |
Willie Wildcat is the official mascot for the Kansas State Wildcats. He is typically depicted as having a human body with a giant wildcat head.
Kansas State's athletic teams first acquired the nickname "Aggies," during the start of the 20th century. This name lives on in the entertainment district that abuts the University, Aggieville. [1]
The first costumed Willie mascot appeared in 1947. Willie has changed many times, and currently, has an appearance that is heavily influenced by the team's Powercat logo:
Willie Wildcat is known to wear uniforms matching the team and sport he is attending at the time. Of these include Football, Volleyball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Baseball, and Soccer. Additionally, Willie is known to wear outfits specific for special events such as a tuxedo, biker garb for Harley Day, Army Fatigues for Fort Riley Day, costumes for Halloween, and various other outfits for themed nights.
In 1989, newly hired football coach Bill Snyder wanted a new logo to change the image of a program known at the time as a chronic loser. Tom Bookwalter, a Kansas native and K-State art professor, created a stylized wildcat's head known as the "Powercat," that was added to the football team's helmets. By the mid-1990s, due to the football team's rapid rise, the Powercat had replaced the cartoon-style Willie as K-State's primary logo.
In 1997, the current "21st Century" Willie was created. Willie has gray fur, with two white stripes to resemble the Powercat logo. This head weighs eleven pounds. Willie can be seen at various K-State sporting events, often dressed as an athlete.
Willie is known to be tough but also mischievous. He is K-State's #1 fan. The student inside the mascot costume (whose identity is kept secret) changes every few years, and the persona of Willie has remained the same throughout. [5] Willie has been known to crowd surf and he also does one push-up for each point on the board for K-State when the Wildcats score a touchdown or make a field goal at football games. He also leads crowds in his signature K-S-U chant in which he moves his arms in legs to form a 'K'-'S'-'U' then fist pumps to signal the crowd to yell "WILDCATS" 3 times in a row. Willie also signs various objects using his iconic signature, signing his name "Willie Wildcat" in which a paw print is drawn and used in place of the "W" in both words.
William D. Snyder is a retired college football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University from 1989 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2018. Snyder initially retired from the position from 2006 to 2008 before being rehired. Snyder retired for the second time on December 2, 2018, and is serving as a special ambassador for the athletics department.
Bill Snyder Family Stadium is a stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. It is used for American football, and is the home field of the Kansas State University Wildcats football team. It is named after the family of head coach Bill Snyder. Over the past 31 seasons – from 1990 through the 2022 season – K-State is 169–51–1 (.767) at home.
The Kansas State Wildcats are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Kansas State University. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.
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The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
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The 2009 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games in Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, in Manhattan, Kansas as they have done since 1968. It was the 114th season in school history.
The 2005 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. The team finished the season with a win–loss record of 5–6, and a Big 12 Conference record of 2–6.
The 1922 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State Agricultural College in the 1922 college football season. The 1922 Wildcats finished with a record of 5–1–2 overall and a 3–1–2 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.
The 1955 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 1955 college football season. The team's head football coach was Bus Mertes, in his first year at the helm of the Wildcats. The Wildcats played their home games in Memorial Stadium. 1955 saw the Wildcats finish with a record of 4–6, and a 3–3 record in Big Seven Conference play. The Wildcats scored 165 points while giving up 191. They finished tied for third in the Big Seven. Ten Days before the Kansas game on November 5, K-State's mascot Touchdown IV was stolen by Kansas students. At the end of the first quarter the mascot was returned but the theft had already been avenged as K-State led the Jayhawks, 26–0, at that point and went on to defeat Kansas, 46–0.
The 2011 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, in Manhattan, Kansas as they have done since 1968. It was the 116th season in school history. The Wildcats were led by head coach Bill Snyder in his 20th overall and third straight season since taking over his second tenure in 2009. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. After winning all three non-conference games, the conference schedule began with a close victory at home over the Baylor Bears, and ended with a victory over the rival Iowa State Cyclones in the Farmageddon showdown. Kansas State made to a 7–0 start for first time since 1999. In the week 10 action, Kansas State earned a quadruple-overtime win over the Texas A&M Aggies. It was the first overtime game in school history since the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game, a game that also saw the Wildcats and Aggies play, which they lost 36–33 in double-overtime.
Louisiana State University is the flagship university of the state of Louisiana, United States. This article describes the traditions of the university.
Henry Oliver "High" Cronkite was an American collegiate athlete. A 6'5" giant of his era, Cronkite was best known as a football player, as which he was regarded as both a strong tackler and adept offensive receiver playing the End position for the Kansas State Aggies football team.
The 1925 Kansas State Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented Kansas State Agricultural College as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1925 college football season. In its sixth season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Aggies compiled a 5–2–1 record, tied for third in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 70 to 43.
The 2019 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Chris Klieman, who accepted the role after the retirement of long-time head coach Bill Snyder.
The 2022 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, and competed in the Big 12 Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Chris Klieman.
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