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MANHATTAN — The 2025-26 Kansas State athletic season... wasn't the greatest, with football, both basketball programs and the baseball team all being shut out of their respective NCAA Tournaments.
But there were still a few fun moments along the way.
Record-breaking performances, surprise postseason runs, rivalry wins and new coaching hires turned out to be the highlights of the year.
Here's to a more successful 2026-27 season — or, at least, less dramatic — when it kicks off in a few months. For now, here are our top 10 moments of this past year.
This could come with mixed emotions, considering K-State lost the game and the emotional press conference that followed for Chris Klieman. But as far as entertaining games, it's difficult to argue against this being the most fun contest of the year.
Joe Jackson was a big reason why, rushing for 293 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. He followed with a 142-yard performance the next week, showing that he can be a top option for the Wildcats heading into 2026.
The Wildcats didn't make the NCAA Tournament, but they turned in their first winning season in program history and set several school records along the way.
There's no denying how much fun the early-season PJ Haggerty games were for the men's basketball team. His best performance arguably came in a 98-77 beatdown of Mississippi State in Kansas City, where he scored 37 points and knocked down four 3-pointers. He scored 23 or more points in K-State's first six games.
Kennedy was the brightest spot to come from a frustrating K-State baseball season. He set the school's single-season home run record, finishing the year with 20 homers and making himself a highly-touted prospect come July's MLB Draft.
During the indoor season, Kansas State men's track and field was ranked No. 1 in the country. It was the first time since the football team was No. 1 in the BCS standings in November 2022 that a K-State program ranked No. 1 in its respective sport. K-State had top-tier athletes competing in the long jump and triple jump, as well as the high jump and the weight throw.
The Wildcats made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021 and won their first match since 2016. They topped San Diego in the first round to advance to the second round, where they fell to Nebraska.
A young K-State women's basketball team caught fire during the Big 12 Tournament after entering it as a 12-seed. It became the first 12-seed to reach the Big 12 semifinals by winning its first three games, including a win over ranked Texas Tech and then a one-point victory over Oklahoma State. Jordan Speiser, now at Oklahoma, broke out during the four-day run, which ended in a loss to TCU.
For the 17th year in a row, Kansas State beat rival Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown. A 42-17 win at Kansas saw Jayce Brown haul in four catches for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Avery Johnson threw for 231 yards and two scores and rushed for 17 yards and another pair of touchdowns.
Kansas State was in need of some kind of hope after the basketball season it had just suffered. That came in the form of Casey Alexander, the Wildcats' new head coach, who excelled at Belmont with one of the country's best offenses.
The legendary Kansas State quarterback returned to Manhattan to become the Wildcats' next head coach. After a two-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Klein returned to The Little Apple to replace the retired Chris Klieman and begin a new era for Kansas State football.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 10 best moments from bad Kansas State sports year in 2025-26
Continue reading...
But there were still a few fun moments along the way.
Record-breaking performances, surprise postseason runs, rivalry wins and new coaching hires turned out to be the highlights of the year.
Here's to a more successful 2026-27 season — or, at least, less dramatic — when it kicks off in a few months. For now, here are our top 10 moments of this past year.
10. Joe Jackson breaks out in thriller at Utah
This could come with mixed emotions, considering K-State lost the game and the emotional press conference that followed for Chris Klieman. But as far as entertaining games, it's difficult to argue against this being the most fun contest of the year.
Joe Jackson was a big reason why, rushing for 293 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. He followed with a 142-yard performance the next week, showing that he can be a top option for the Wildcats heading into 2026.
9. Women's soccer had its winningest season
The Wildcats didn't make the NCAA Tournament, but they turned in their first winning season in program history and set several school records along the way.
8. PJ Haggerty went off vs Mississippi State
There's no denying how much fun the early-season PJ Haggerty games were for the men's basketball team. His best performance arguably came in a 98-77 beatdown of Mississippi State in Kansas City, where he scored 37 points and knocked down four 3-pointers. He scored 23 or more points in K-State's first six games.
7. Dee Kennedy breaks K-State home run record
Kennedy was the brightest spot to come from a frustrating K-State baseball season. He set the school's single-season home run record, finishing the year with 20 homers and making himself a highly-touted prospect come July's MLB Draft.
6. K-State track and field spends time ranked No. 1
During the indoor season, Kansas State men's track and field was ranked No. 1 in the country. It was the first time since the football team was No. 1 in the BCS standings in November 2022 that a K-State program ranked No. 1 in its respective sport. K-State had top-tier athletes competing in the long jump and triple jump, as well as the high jump and the weight throw.
5. Kansas State volleyball makes NCAA Tournament
The Wildcats made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021 and won their first match since 2016. They topped San Diego in the first round to advance to the second round, where they fell to Nebraska.
4. Kansas State women's basketball makes historic Big 12 Tournament run
A young K-State women's basketball team caught fire during the Big 12 Tournament after entering it as a 12-seed. It became the first 12-seed to reach the Big 12 semifinals by winning its first three games, including a win over ranked Texas Tech and then a one-point victory over Oklahoma State. Jordan Speiser, now at Oklahoma, broke out during the four-day run, which ended in a loss to TCU.
3. K-State football dominated Kansas
For the 17th year in a row, Kansas State beat rival Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown. A 42-17 win at Kansas saw Jayce Brown haul in four catches for 160 yards and a touchdown, while Avery Johnson threw for 231 yards and two scores and rushed for 17 yards and another pair of touchdowns.
2. Casey Alexander named new Kansas State men's basketball coach
Kansas State was in need of some kind of hope after the basketball season it had just suffered. That came in the form of Casey Alexander, the Wildcats' new head coach, who excelled at Belmont with one of the country's best offenses.
1. Collin Klein comes home to be K-State football coach
The legendary Kansas State quarterback returned to Manhattan to become the Wildcats' next head coach. After a two-year stint as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, Klein returned to The Little Apple to replace the retired Chris Klieman and begin a new era for Kansas State football.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: 10 best moments from bad Kansas State sports year in 2025-26
Continue reading...
