This is the third installment of my new blog series “Profiles In K-State Fandom,” highlighting some of the great K-State fans out there. Today you have the privilege of meeting Misty Woodward.

I “met” Misty on Twitter/X. We have yet to meet in person, but we have corresponded quite a bit via messaging. I am always struck that Misty posts so many photos and experiences from K-State sporting events that she attends with her fiance. It seems like they go to EVERY K-State sporting event! For that reason, I thought it would be fun to feature Misty in my initial batch of profiles. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know a little more about Misty and her story.

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? 

Misty: So I was actually born in Memphis Tennessee. My father grew up in Mississippi. But my mother grew up in Wichita, Kansas. So we ended up moving to El Dorado, KS when I was six and I grew up there. Neither of my parents went to college or were big sports fans. I’m the first person in my family to ever go to college on both sides. So I didn’t grow up being a fan of K-State. I actually became a fan through my high school boyfriend whose family had all gone to K-State and were ranchers. 

JM: If you attended K-State, tell me a little bit about how you came to that decision.

Misty: I became a K-State fan through my high school boyfriend. I cheered/danced at Butler Community College for 2 years after high school, then came to K-State. (Shout out to Taylor Braet BUCO!) Purple was my favorite color growing up so not a hard choice to pick K-State. Plus, I had visited when my boyfriend was attending here. 

JM: Did you graduate from K-State? What year?

Misty: I actually graduated from Wichita State University in 1998. I attended K-State for 2 years, but due to changing my major after a year at K-State, I was on the 3 year plan while there. At the end of my 2nd year, my father passed away 2 weeks before I was set to start my senior fall semester. Due to this, I made the decision as an only child, to stay home with my mother and attend Wichita State. I wish looking back I had taken a semester off and went back to K-State, but don’t we all wish we knew now what we didn’t know then? But K-State was already in my blood. My father was so proud of me being the first in my family to attend College. That is why I am such a huge fan still to this day. I was so happy during those years. I was making my parents proud. And never having kids, K-State became my passion and my happy place. 

JM: Are you married?  Kids?

Misty: Will be married for the 1st time on April 18th to the most amazing man. No children.

JM: Is he a K-State fan as well?

Misty: Mitch graduated in 2002. Mitch and I met through K-State, but after we both went there. (I am 4 years older) We had mutual friends that we tailgated with. As people got married and had kids and stopped coming to games, our group dwindled down to a core of six of us that kept our season tickets together since 2008. None of us married or had kids. Another guy and girl from the group are married now.  About three years ago, I took a chance on a guy who was one of my K-State family group. Thankfully Mitch said yes and we will be married soon! What is great is he already knows my passion for K-State and shares it. Plus he knows my craziness, goes along with my wild ideas and still loves me! 🤣 

JM: What do you do for a living?

Misty: I am in sales. I cover from Manhattan out west to Colorado/Nebraska lines and down to just north of Wichita. 

JM: Do you live in or around Manhattan? 

Misty: I lived in Wichita after college for about 15 years. In 2015 I had a job offer to move back to Manhattan. Have lived in Manhappiness since then. Mitch is from Hoxie, KS in NW KS. Since we both travel to NW KS for our jobs, we have a house in Manhattan and a house in Hoxie.

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

Misty: Some old favorites from college days were Rusty’s Last Chance, Pyramid Pizza and The Lou. Now Little Grill, El Patron, Taco Lucha, Auntie Mae’s, and Rock-A Belly are my favorites. Coco Bolos was my favorite until they shut down. 

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

Misty: Football is my favorite sport. It is when I am truly with my K-State family. We have had a huge tailgate on the east side for over 20 years. I just love the whole day experience. Our tailgate is always set up 5 hrs before game time (yes, even at 11am games). 

My 2 favorite teams are the 1998 football team and the 2012 football team (minus the game we don’t talk about to this day due to heartbreak). 

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

Misty: I have had season tickets to football for 24 years. Mitch and I have had season football tickets together since 2008. In that time I have only missed 6 home games total including the Covid year. I have had men’s basketball season tickets since 2016. I have only missed eight home games through those years including the Covid year. Mitch and I have had season baseball tickets for two years and this last year we have added women’s basketball and volleyball. We are lucky to live close and be able to support many of the teams. 

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

Misty: Yes. I usually do one away game a season. I have been to Nebraska, KU, Texas, OU, OSU, TCU, Vanderbilt, some locations multiple times. We have our trip planned to attend the BYU game this year. I have also attended 11 Bowl Games. Fiesta Bowl 1997, Cotton Bowl 2001, Insight.com Bowl 2001, Fiesta Bowl 2004, Texas Bowl 2006, Cotton Bowl 2012, Fiesta Bowl 2013, Alamo Bowl 2015, Texas Bowl 2016, Cactus Bowl 2017, Liberty Bowl 2019. Mitch and I also attended the BaHa Mar Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nassau, Bahamas this last November. 

JM: If so, do you have a favorite away game place or story to tell? 

Misty: The best game to this day for me is the 2003 Big 12 Championship at Arrowhead vs OU. I went with one of my best friends who is an OU fan. K-State came out and demolished them!! It was freezing that game, one of the coldest games I have been to, but I was so excited I had to take my coat off! I will never forget that experience!

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

Misty: I have so many but top four in person are the 1998 win vs Nebraska, 2003 Big 12 Championship vs OU, 2022 Big 12 Championship vs TCU and Coach for the Day with the 2022/2023 Men’s Basketball team and coaching staff vs West Virginia. We had a choice to do that or go to Sugar Bowl. We decided to do the Coach for a Day with Coach Tang and staff as this was the first Big 12 conference game. Mitch and I had done it under Coach Weber in 2019/2020 year. The experience under Coach Tang and staff was such an amazing time!!  As soon as we walked in they put us to work in practice. They included us in every aspect of the day and even let us call the first play. Mitch and I have sat behind the bench three times and we are 3-0. Just saying! 🤣🙌🏼 Plus, the friendships we have made with the staff has been amazing. They are truly some of the most genuine people I know and are always willing to go the extra mile for others. 

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

Misty: I have many. But hands down Jordy Nelson. Michael Bishop, Jacob Pullen, Collin Klein, Michael Beasley, Cooper Beebe, Ayoka Lee, Marquis Nowell and Will Howard to name a few. Also have to give a shout out to Mitch’s uncle, Max Moss who was a Captain on the 1964 Final 4 team. Family! 💜 

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

Misty: There will never be anyone more deserving of this than Bill Snyder. We have been blessed with many great coaches, but what Bill Snyder (and Jon Wefald and AD Steve Miller) did saved K-State Football and the town of Manhattan. The program was about to be axed. Coach Snyder is the GOAT. Taylor Braet is also one of my favorites as well as a great friend. But I also have to say all the Men’s basketball staff. We have sat next to the most amazing and kind older couple from Topeka who have had men’s basketball season tickets for 34 years. John has missed less than 10 games in all those years. I wanted to do something special for him and his wife Marcy. I reached out to Coach Dowling and they hooked them up with Court-side seats (Thanks to a special friend 🙌🏼) and then took us all back to the locker room after the win. They showed the players why they do this. For fans like John and Marcy. Just another example of how caring this staff is.

JM: You are very active on social media, especially on X. How did you choose your Twitter/X handle (KStatevangirl)? 

Misty: This is very easy. I have owned a K-State tailgating van for 14 years. So hence, KStatevangirl was born. 

JM: How do you manage to stay away from the negativity on X/Twitter? You seem mostly positive online no matter the circumstances. 

Misty: AGE and dating Mitch!!! 🤣🤣 Turning 50 this June, this is truly something I have worked on. First off, when I was younger, social media was not so encompassing or vocal. I used to be the fan that would always be upset. As K-State sports is most of my life, I do get very emotional. As I have aged, I have learned that there are more important things (I cannot believe it myself sometimes) than sports. Also Mitch is one of the kindest, most supportive people I have ever met and he has helped me to look at life differently. I am not perfect, even at my job every day I get paid for. We all make mistakes. Trust me, I still type out a lot of things I want to say then delete. The world has changed into a negative place in my opinion, why would I want to add to that or live my life like that? Life Is 10% What Happens to You and 90% How You React.

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

Misty: 60% easy and growing! But my favorite is my purple hair, so I am always supporting no matter what! 

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

Misty: Mitch and my parents (mother and step-dad now) are the most important things to me. But the friendships I have made through K-State, while attending and after, have been amazing! I have a group who is truly my family. Plus that is how I found Mitch, even if it took us 15 years to start dating. But it also means that no matter where I go, I will find a connection to K-State and make new friends which become Family! I even met a fellow K-Stater while in South Korea. I almost always wear K-State while traveling just so I can connect to Family. And I find someone every time. Knowing that no matter where I may be, there will always be family close by! 

JM: Anything else you’d like to add? 

Misty: I would like to thank you for taking time to highlight K-Staters and for asking me to be a part of this. I appreciate it!! I have met so many phenomenal people through K-State social media and specifically X/Twitter. Some just online, but many in person. Please, if you see myself or Mitch (because he does get recognized 1st usually with that amazing mustache) please say hello!! And as always, GO CATS!!! EMAW! 

Misty Woodward
GO K-STATE WILDCATS

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Follow Misty on X here: https://twitter.com/kstatevangirl
Follow me here: https://twitter.com/joemathieu

If you would like to nominate someone to be featured in “Profiles in K-State fandom,” please message me and I’ll reach out to them. Thanks!