Profiles In K-State Fandom – Katie Porter

August 12, 2024 Joe Mathieu Comments 0 Comment

The 16th installment of “Profiles in K-State Fandom” features Katie Porter! Katie and I “met” on Twitter/X and she was nominated by a previous honoree. Katie has met and been pictured with many K-State sports figures and head coaches over the years, as you’ll see in the slideshow below. She claims that 90 percent of her wardrobe is purple. She’s barely got me beat. I am sure you will enjoy learning about this K-State super fan!

JM: Tell me a little bit about your background. Where were you born/where did you grow up and how did you become such a huge K-State fan?

KP: I was born and raised in Dallas, TX. I moved to Overland Park, Kansas in 4th grade. My family didn’t have any ties to K-State but I knew I wanted to go to a school with a strong education program. I toured NW MO State and then KSU….you know how that turned out. I was hooked with the campus and Manhattan.

JM: Did you attend K-State? Did you graduate? What years did you attend?

KP: I took full advantage of my years at KSU. I attended 1994-1999. I had a little too much fun my first year so I needed the extra year to improve my GPA. I graduated May 1999.

JM: Tell me a little bit about how you came to the decision to attend K-State.

KP: I knew I wanted to attend a University that was a little bit further away from home than 30 mins. I also knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I loved the campus and everyone was so helpful.

JM: Are you married? Kids?

KP: I am married to another KSU alumni, Chuck Porter. (1995-1998). We were married 10/09/99. Ironically, with very poor planning, it was the Sunflower Showdown game. However, the timing was right and all of our friends were able to attend.

We have one daughter, Morgan. She is a senior at K-State majoring in Marketing….she is employable! She knew we would only pay for her to go to KSU so it was no brainer!

JM: What do you do for a living?

KP: I am getting ready to begin my 26th year of teaching. I have taught third, fourth, and fifth grade. I am an EdCat! Luckily my school’s mascot is the Wildcats too!

JM: Do you live in or around Manhattan? What’s your favorite restaurant or hangout when you’re in town?

KP: We live in Gardner, but when we are in Manhattan you can find us at So Long or Lucha. I am also a fan of Powercat Grill.

JM: Do you have a favorite sport? Favorite K-State team?

KP: I have been a huge college football fan for years. I started enjoying Men’s basketball when my daughter was a Jr. Wildcat during the Frank Martin era.

JM: Do you have season tickets? If so, which sports?

KP: We have season tickets for football. I have wanted to add basketball but the work week games are hard on a teacher who lives two hours away. I did not miss a home game during the 2022 Men’s season. It was exhausting but so worth it. I am always looking to buy Men’s tickets! This year I added attending Women’s games to my schedule. I was excited to also attend my first KSU baseball game.

JM: Do you travel to K-State away games?

KP: I’ve only experienced going to Bill Snyder East and all of the Cotton Bowl games.

JM: Do you have a favorite away game place or story to tell?

KP: I love going to Snyder East and knowing we own the state.

JM: What is your favorite K-State sports memory?

KP: Gosh, I have several, but the 2003 Big 12 Championship game at Arrowhead was amazing.

JM: Who is your favorite K-State player(s), past or present?

KP: Gabby Gregory, Deuce Vaughn, Marquis Nowell, Avery Johnson, Rodney McGruder, Jordan Henriquez, Curtis Kelly, Macaleab Rich, Kevin Lockett, Darren Sproles, Michael Beasley.

JM: Who is your favorite K-State coach(es), past or present?

KP: Frank Martin, Snyder, Klieman, and my man TANG.

JM: If you had to guess, what percentage of your wardrobe is purple?

KP: 90%, is there a better color?

JM: What does the “K-State Family” mean to you?

KP: K-State Family means to me people who support, care, and respect you. They are the people that you can trust and confide in. They are the people that build you up and don’t tear you down. It is a family that keeps growing!

JM: Anything else you’d like to add?

KP: I love everything about KSU. It brought me years of happiness as a student and has continued as an alumni. I try my hardest to be a positive fan and support the university as much as I can.

Two proud moments that I have been able to experience both were at football games. My husband was nominated for the Hometown Hero in 2017 upon his return from active military duty overseas. We were invited on the field for the opening game events and a special halftime recognition. The other experience was this past November 2023. I was able to honor veterans by helping to bring out the huge game flag and display it across the field. I love how supportive KSU is to our military and their partnership with the soldiers at Ft. Riley.