KENNY LANNOU
Executive Associate Athletics Director for Communications/PR
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Board of Directors has officially appointed Gene Taylor to serve as the Association's 1st Vice President for the 2026-27 academic year.
"Gene is one of the most respected and accomplished leaders in collegiate athletics, and we are thrilled to welcome him into NACDA's officer leadership team for the 2026-27 membership year," said NACDA Chief Executive Officer Pat Manak. "Gene has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing our profession while serving his institutions, student-athletes and colleagues with distinction. His experience, leadership and perspective will be invaluable as NACDA continues to support athletics administrators through an evolving landscape."The Taylor era could go down as one of the most successful periods in K-State Athletics history as team championships, individual national titles, postseason runs, record crowds, continued academic success and new facility enhancements have all been the cornerstone of recent Wildcat success.
Heading into 2026-27, K-State will be led by two new head coaches in Collin Klein (football) and Casey Alexander (men’s basketball), while second-year track and field coach Travis Geopert is coming off a season that saw three Wildcats earn individual national championships and three teams finish in the Top 10 including a program-best fourth place national finish from the men’s indoor program. Additionally, women’s volleyball advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament under Jason Mansfield.
A former member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and current chair of the FBS Athletics Directors Association and member of the College Football Oversight Committee, Taylor was named the Director of Athletics at K-State in April 2017. During his tenure K-State has seen the football program qualify for seven bowls and win the 2022 Big 12 Championship, the men’s basketball team win a Big 12 Championship, earn an Elite 8 appearance and advance to two NCAA tournaments, the baseball team win the Fayetteville Regional and the women’s track and field team win back-to-back Big 12 Outdoor championships.Additionally, Taylor and his staff have fundraised and implemented a department-wide facility master plan that benefits all Wildcat teams including the newly completed Indoor Track and Field Complex, the Morgan Family Arena for volleyball, Morris Family Olympic Training Center and the Shamrock Practice Facility for football.