Kansas
Kansas State football garners more team than individual respect in Big 12 preseason polls
Who will win the 2024 Big 12 football championship?
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For all the respect Kansas State football received in Big 12 preseason polls going into Tuesday’s media day in Las Vegas, the Wildcats did not get much love individually.
It is hard to fathom, even in an expanded 16-team league, that the Wildcats were picked second behind Utah and yet did not have a single player named to the media’s preseason all-conference team.
That fact was not lost on K-State coach Chris Klieman, though he made it clear during his news conference that he wasn’t losing any sleep over it.
“I don’t pay a lot of attention to it, to be honest with you,” he said. “Everybody sees it, but it’s not something we talk about an awful lot.”
The way free safety Marques Sigle looks at it, the team-wide snub only fuels their fire. There is just one way to change people’s perception.
“It’s motivation,” Sigle told K-State Online. “We’re underdogs, they’re overlooking us, so we’re going to show them when the time comes, when it’s time to put the pads on, on Saturday.”
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The Wildcats have several candidates to merit all-conference consideration, Sigle among them. Last year K-State had a pair of first-team selections in offensive lineman Cooper Beebe and tight end Ben Sinnott, plus quarterback Will Howard, defensive end Khalid Duke and safety Kobe Savage on the second unit.
All of them have moved on, leaving only second-team linebacker Austin Moore. That opens the door for some new players to step forward.
The lack of individual recognition tells Klieman that his program as a whole is on solid footing.
“I hope it shows people the overall depth and value of our roster and how important our role players are and how important our players are as far as if you’re a successful team, individual honors at the end of the season are going to come,” he said. “I’m sure that our players, if you asked them, they probably saw both polls, and I don’t know if they’re excited, disappointed, but I know they were aware that there was nobody from K-State on one of those teams.”
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Moore, now a third-year starter, certainly could break through, as could junior cornerback Jacob Parrish on defense. On the offense, junior running back DJ Giddens rushed for 1,226 yards but blends in at a position that is loaded, while offensive lineman Hadley Panzer will be a third-year starter.
The most intriguing prospect is sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson who only has two career start and one of them at receiver. But like Giddens, he plays a position loaded with proven veterans.
“You’ve still got to perform,” Klieman said, “and we’ve got a lot of work to do before we get to the end of August.”
Who knows how things will look by the time December rolls around.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – One man is dead and another is in critical condition after a shooting overnight on Westport Rd., police say.
The Kansas City Police Department said it responded to the area of Mercier and Westport Rd. just before 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, after reports of a shooting.
Officers indicated that they entered a nearby business and found two men unresponsive. They began rendering medical aid until EMS arrived.
First responders reported that one man was taken to a nearby hospital with critical injuries. The other was pronounced dead at the scene.
Homicide detectives noted that they began to gather evidence and collect witness statements. As of Sunday morning, police do not know what led to the shooting and no one is in custody.
Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.
KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories in Kansas City, Missouri, and stories offering solutions on crime. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
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Hundreds of people filled the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday for the KC Pride 2026 parade. The route started in Westport and ended near Country Club Plaza.
This year’s theme, “It’s all ours,” represents everything Pride has built and all that is to come — a message that resonated deeply with many in the crowd.
Brian Luton
“I feel like today means like we matter, like as queer people,” said attendee Erynn. “I’m a lesbian but anyone who’s queer, trans — especially right now — it feels like they’re trying to make us matter less. They’re trying to almost reduce visibility. And something like this, to me, says you’re not going to silence us and we’re going keep being visible and keep being who we are, and we’re going to do it in a joyful fun-loving way.”
The parade drew people from across the region, including some who came to KCMO specifically for the event.
Brian Luton
“I’m from Pittsburg, Kansas, so we came up to spend the day and hangout and go to the parade,” Stan Forrest said.
For others, the day was about community and a decades-long journey.
Brian Luton
“I came out 50 years ago,” Fanny Mandelberger said. “So, obviously to be in community. To keep the not so much a fight just living your authentic self. I’m grateful to my ancestry that taught me resilience, (to) stand up for who you are.”
Those in attendance said they hope the celebration continues to grow.
“It was amazing,” Forrest said. “We had a lot of fun. Everyone here is so joyful, it’s really refreshing to see.”
Brian Luton
A social media post from Our Spot KC/KC Pride this week sparked discussion after it suggested Kansas City, Missouri, officials were banned from attending this year, due to the city council’s rescission of the city’s conversion therapy ban. The organizations responded with a new statement on social media and the original post has since been removed.
“We posted the wrong draft. We are human, after all, and we’ve been quite busy running our biggest weekend of the year,” KC Pride said in part on social media.
An excerpt from the new statement can be read below.
“As Our Sport KC’s staff and volunteers have been preparing for KC PrideFest and Parade 2026, we’ve heard from countless community members who feel betrayed and hurt by the recent repeal of Kansas City, Missouri’s conversion therapy ban and the vague replacement language that followed. We want to publicly give voice to those legitimate concerns and the impacts to LGBTQ+ youth, adults and families.
“We stepped away from PrideFest production to have several conversations this week and make sure our voices were at the table because that is what this work actually looks like. Showing up when it is hard, building relationships that last, and staying committed to real solutions over quick reactions. We have seen and heard apologies from some leaders for the way this was handled and we receive that accountability as a step in the right direction. We are working directly with the LGBTQ+ Commission, the mayor’s office, legal teams, community members and councilmembers to get the language right and get our community protected. We are hopeful that this moment also opens the door to getting the commission fully seated, supported and resourced with a dedicated full-time liaison, so it can function the way our community has always deserved…”
PrideFest continues at Theis Park through the weekend.
Below are more sights from the parade Saturday morning.
Brian Luton/KSHB
Brian Luton/KSHB
Brian Luton/KSHB Brian Luton/KSHB
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Highway Patrol has confirmed that two individuals died and one child was left seriously injured following a semi-vehicle crash on Friday, closing a portion of I-70.
According to the KHP Crash Log, the incident was reported around 3:47 p.m. on I-70 in Wabaunsee County.
A 2024 Kenworth Construction (semi) was eastbound on I-70 when, for an unknown reason, it crossed the center median into the westbound lanes of traffic.
The semi struck a 2020 Buick Envision, which was westbound in the right lane of traffic.
The Kansas Highway Patrol released the identities of the individuals involved.
The driver of the Buick, 70-year-old Barbara Krier, of Great Bend, died of a fatal injury. Another occupant in the Buick, 50-year-old Steven Reed, of Topeka, also died of a fatal injury.
A 7-year-old child was also in the vehicle at the time and suffered a serious injury. The child was taken to a hospital.
The semi driver, Jason Webb, 45, of Cheboygan, Michigan, was also taken to a hospital with a suspected minor injury.
View the full Kansas Highway Patrol Crash Log report HERE.
Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.
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