News Story

It was a great day for the Gorillas in Topeka Wednesday. There were proclamations and ovations in the Kansas House and Senate, pats on the back from Gov. Sam Brownback, highlight videos and enthusiastic kudos from the Kansas Board of Regents. It was a day that many of the young men on the PSU football team will never forget.

For President Steve Scott, it was a golden opportunity to make some important points about the fit between athletics and academics at PSU and the success Pitt State student-athletes have both on and off the field.

“The point we’ve made today is that (success) is not just on the field,” Scott said. “We have great young men who are...very, very good students. I spoke to the Board of Regents a few minutes ago and talked to them about the importance of being a Division II school, what that means and how good a fit that is for Pittsburg State. I don’t know that we’ve ever had a team that better exemplifies what Division II is and what Pittsburg State wants to be about both now and in the future.”

Head Coach Tim Beck said the day of honors and recognition was special for the players and coaches.

“I think it was important for the players to see that winning the Division II National Championship was important not just for the Pittsburg community, but a significant enough achievement for them to be honored in the House and the Senate and at the Board of Regents.”

About 30 seniors and team captains made the trip, including Eric Love, who graduated the day after the championship game with a degree in construction management and is now working for a major construction company in Kansas City.

“It was exciting. This is the first time I’ve been here,” said Love, a Nebraska native. “I feel honored they’ve asked us to come here.”

The team had a busy day, beginning with a meeting with Gov. Brownback at 10 a.m., followed by recognition in the House at 11 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., they were recognized at the Board of Regents meeting in the Curtis State Office Building and finished the day with a recognition ceremony in the Senate at 2:30 p.m.